9mm vs 380 price

[gregintenn]

There is no reason I can see why 380 ammo is roughly twice the price of 9mm.

That is all.

[10-Ring]

Supply and demand.  A ton more 9mm is produced and it's not readily available, obviously.  .380 is produced in limited quantities and the manufacturer charges more for it because they can.  

[hipower]

1 hour ago, 10-Ring said:

Supply and demand.  A ton more 9mm is produced and it's not readily available, obviously.  .380 is produced in limited quantities and the manufacturer charges more for it because they can.  

True. But it still hurts to pay for it.

I personally would like to have more 32acp, 380, and even a little .25.

I'll be looking and hoping for some sales on these calibers. If anyone might be interested as well...maybe split a case?

[DaveTN]

3 hours ago, gregintenn said:

There is no reason I can see why 380 ammo is roughly twice the price of 9mm.

That is all.

Because no one ever wanted it and it was made in small supplies. Now all the manufacturers are all making .380 “pocket guns”. Quantities have increased and the price should be going down. But you know it takes a whole lot longer to go down when folks are willing to pay it.

You need to get off that 9mm kick and jump on the 40 train with me and the other 9 guys in Tennessee. We get the best prices on guns, and the best round for a semi, and don’t have trouble finding ammo at reasonable prices.

[gregintenn]

3 hours ago, DaveTN said:

Because no one ever wanted it and it was made in small supplies. Now all the manufacturers are all making .380 “pocket guns”. Quantities have increased and the price should be going down. But you know it takes a whole lot longer to go down when folks are willing to pay it.

You need to get off that 9mm kick and jump on the 40 train with me and the other 9 guys in Tennessee. We get the best prices on guns, and the best round for a semi, and don’t have trouble finding ammo at reasonable prices.

Never owned a faw-tee. They do seem to offer favorable prices compared to their 45 and 9mm stable mates.

As for the 380 ammo, it isn’t like it is an obscure round. There are millions of pocket rockets chambered for it sold yearly. Does nobody who buys them ever shoot them? I am set up to reload them, but that is a pain as well since the cartridge is so small.

[quedz]

 

4 hours ago, hipower said:

I'll be looking and hoping for some sales on these calibers.

$9.50/Box W/ Free Shipping.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/geco-380-acp-auto-court-ammo-95-grain-full-metal-jacket-waterproof-2400668-p-110091.aspx

[RED333]

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

I am set up to reload them, but that is a pain as well since the cartridge is so small.

Would you like to try 25ACP? and talk about pricing for factory ammo.

[hipower]

4 hours ago, hughd said:

 

$9.50/Box W/ Free Shipping.

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/geco-380-acp-auto-court-ammo-95-grain-full-metal-jacket-waterproof-2400668-p-110091.aspx

Thanks. I saw that earlier this evening, but appreciate the effort you made.

I've used the Geco, but had settled in on the Prvi for my 380 choice. It just seemed a bit hotter to me. Of course that doesn't mean I won't try some on the Beretta Model 81 I got from CF.

For my 32 choice, again...I chose the Prvi  fmj 71, for the same reason. 

As for the 25, I'll have to find a load I like in Dad's little Beretta. Really haven't and won't shoot it a lot. But I'm down to I think a box and a half of ???...lol, to save my life; I can't think of the brand on it sitting here.

It's a personal choice, but in the past, I've always stayed with the fmj over the hp. Just thought a bit more penetration from it. Not really up on the characteristics of some of the current hp and jhp rounds for the "mouse guns". And that's a little tribute to one of our lost TGO Brothers...Mousegunner. A few years ago, I had a few long, late night conversations with him back during my cancer days. May that gentleman be Resting in Peace with our Maker. And I'm sure he is. 

Edited December 15, 2019 by hipower

[gregintenn]

3 hours ago, RED333 said:

Would you like to try 25ACP? and talk about pricing for factory ammo.

I would not. Castrating gnats would be less tedious. I buy them and do not shoot much 25acp.

[quedz]

9 hours ago, hipower said:

It's a personal choice, but in the past, I've always stayed with the fmj over the hp.

What are your thoughts on the Winchester.380 FMJ-FN for carry? 

[RED333]

9 hours ago, gregintenn said:

Castrating gnats would be less tedious.

[1gewehr]

2 hours ago, hughd said:

What are your thoughts on the Winchester.380 FMJ-FN for carry? 

The 380 has so little energy that any fmj is less than ideal.  There are some very good self defense loads available now.  The Winchester white box ammo is typically loaded a little weak, anyway.

[gregintenn]

2 hours ago, hughd said:

What are your thoughts on the Winchester.380 FMJ-FN for carry? 

You didn't ask me, but that is my round of choice for carry ammo.

[hipower]

3 hours ago, hughd said:

What are your thoughts on the Winchester.380 FMJ-FN for carry? 

I have to admit I have no experience with this round. I can't say that I've ever tried a flat-nosed round in a 380 pistol. I should think it would function well, and with a fn95 grain, it might provide a touch more "stopping power" with the flat surface hit(?). I just really don't know. But I think I'm going to try a variety of brands on my order of 380. A few jhp, and some Armscor and Aguila.

It's been a long time since I did any serious shooting with my Browning BDA, which has been my fav 380 pistol; so trying some different brands/loads/HP would be a good thing for me to do.

I checked my "bunker" this morning, and found I actually had close to 500 rounds of 380, most of it Fiochi, and one box of Critical Duty HP. So I must have tried some in the BDA. I just don't remember it.

I'll get some coming, and let you know my thoughts on it after the season ends. Got a little minor surgery coming up, so I won't be out for several weeks.

I wish you a Merry Christmas, and the same for anyone reading this prattling old man's commentary!

[hipower]

While re-reading this thread, a question came to mind. What do you use for personal testing of various 380 rounds? (or any caliber, for that matter?) I know I did some "testing" with phonebooks back years ago. But those are hard to find now. I might take some older hardcover books and see.

Yes, I know there are many videos and ballistic gel tests available. I just like seeing things myself.

[DaveTN]

10 minutes ago, hipower said:

While re-reading this thread, a question came to mind. What do you use for personal testing of various 380 rounds? (or any caliber, for that matter?) I know I did some "testing" with phonebooks back years ago. But those are hard to find now. I might take some older hardcover books and see.

Yes, I know there are many videos and ballistic gel tests available. I just like seeing things myself.

Use 2x4’s and some clamps.

HINT: for a .380 you only need 2. For a 9mm you will need 4. For a .357Mag you will need a tree, and even then, you need to be careful because its going to catch everything on fire.

[hipower]

3 hours ago, DaveTN said:

Use 2x4’s and some clamps.

HINT: for a .380 you only need 2. For a 9mm you will need 4. For a .357Mag you will need a tree, and even then, you need to be careful because its going to catch everything on fire.

What if I hit the clamps? 

[No_0ne]

 

What if I hit the clamps? 

Duck, quickly ...

[Trekbike]

 

 

You need to get off that 9mm kick and jump on the 40 train with me and the other 9 guys in Tennessee.

That's a totally bogus statistic.    I for a fact know there is 17 of us, and for sure that James Yeager ain't one of them...

[Jamie Jackson]

I know I've babbled about this somewhere before, but we picked up an EZ .380 for my wife back in August. It's her first venture into shooting and having tolerated my obsession for over 3 decades it was very welcomed.

She's put about 1200 rounds through it thus far, mostly Remington but a few hundred rounds of my handloads. Handloading the .380 costs us right at $0.11/round. I picked up another 1000 rounds of .380 bullets from Everglades ammo over Black Friday for $71.00 shipped.

Handloading .380 is not that tedious actually and well worth the time and effort to me.

I also picked up 1000 rounds of Speer Lawman .380 for $200.00 from Target Sport, shipping is included but the taxes jacked it up to $0.22 per round...twice what it costs me to handload. But it is a round that incredibly consistent and has more pep than the Remington rounds, and the QC of the Speer Lawman line is top notch. This is the round we keep in the gun for household/SD use at this time. A FMJ RN round is not my preference in a SD round, but this round should allow adequate penetration should the need arise.

While researching .380 SD rounds I found some interesting info and links in a thread on another forum where I am a member. Dr Gary Roberts (DocGKR) posts there frequently. I will post a link below that Dr. Roberts said was "reasonable". I don't mean to take him out of context, but I found the linked material very interesting.

He also linked to a .380 round produced by Black Hills using the XTP bullet. Actually the XTP bullet seemed to do quite well in the testing that was linked.

I've seen the end results of lots and lots on rounds in my workplace (ER). The common denominators in effectiveness seem to be placement and adequate penetration. Who would have thunk it so?

 

Here's some links, I hope they prove beneficial. 

http://www.black-hills.com/shop/new-pistol-ammo/380-automatic/

http://shootingthebull.net/blog/final-results-of-the-380-acp-ammo-quest/#comment-34323

wrapup of the STB link in a vid format:

 

 

 

[A.J. Holst]

I carry Precision One (based on the above video) i n my Kimber Micro.

For range, no preference, whatever had the best price point at the time.

At the micro / pocket pistol class, I shot a variety of S&B, Rem UMC, WWB, GECO and PPU.

 Not one malfunction of any kind for 250 ish rounds

[Jamie Jackson]

Thanks A.J.

I hadn't even heard of Precision One until I did my search for info.

I'll look into ordering some to test function and accuracy in my wife's Shield.

I need to pick up an LCP, I've just been procrastinating. A micro .380 certainly has it's place.

[DaveTN]

19 hours ago, hipower said:

What if I hit the clamps? 

Then the bullets won't go as far into the wood.

[Jeb48]

I also use Precision One in my Ruger .380, based on the testing from Ammo Quest.

[hipower]

16 hours ago, Jamie Jackson said:

Thanks A.J.

I hadn't even heard of Precision One until I did my search for info.

I'll look into ordering some to test function and accuracy in my wife's Shield.

I need to pick up an LCP, I've just been procrastinating. A micro .380 certainly has it's place.

I think you'll like it. An LCP was my standard pocket carry for years. Then came the Shield. lol

The LCP was relegated to very occasional use. But I won't let it go. I got way too much in it to part with it. Bought it with a CT laser package right after it came out.  Just something about a small pistol and a laser that keeps me holding on to it. I've been pleased with it, and although it is only a bit smaller than the Shield...as you say, it does have it's place.