Lesser known calibers in this time of shortages

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Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse

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Seeing all the ammo affected by the current ammo shortage, I started thinking about what IS available in ammo for sale.

Lots of folks and a number youtube videos have weighed in with their recommendation.

Everyone breaks it down to 10mm or 40S&W. I looked at 10mm and ammo prices for that caliber are noticeably higher than 40 S&W. I started looking around for 40 caliber handguns, and while LEO turn ins have dried up, I did find one at a reasonable price-for a new firearm.

I then did a quick search online and found 40 S&W ammunition for sale on ammoseek. It looked promising, so the next day I went to Academy and my local range. Neither of those two stores had 40 S&W available. I did however notice a large than normal amount of spent 40 casings in the lane I was firing at. I know it is the caliber of choice for many LE organizations, and i've stayed away from new calibers until now.

My question is: Is it worth getting a lesser known caliber such as 40 S&W or 10mm? I didn't look around too much for 10mm as those firearms were a couple of hundred dollars more than a 40 S&W. Neither did look for 10mm on the internet, but I didn't see any at Academy.

Or, is it best just to wait until the shortages and panic blows over? I reload and have enough supplies on hand to last for awhile, but it is nice to have a caliber where manufacturer ammo is available. Plus, sometimes one just wants go to the store for range ammunition and not have to worry about shortages or using reloading supplies that are already hard to come by.

Thinking about it a little more, additional costs incurred would be a die set, bullets, and casings (until I build up a supply) for a new caliber.

TIA

CH
 
I just do .40 S&W and .357 Sig. I can shoot cheap steel 40 Smith, and when I shoot the brass ammo I can literally load it into .357 Sig because the reloading dies size the .40 brass to .357 Sig.
However I am a reloader. So this doesn't apply to everyone.
 
Heir Kommt Die Sonne said:
I just do .40 S&W and .357 Sig. I can shoot cheap steel 40 Smith, and when I shoot the brass ammo I can literally load it into .357 Sig because the reloading dies size the .40 brass to .357 Sig.
However I am a reloader. So this doesn't apply to everyone.
Click to expand...
Do the 357 sig dies put the bend in the neck in the 40 brass to make it like 357 sig? It's not extreme, but I would think that if the brass didn't have the neck it would not function in a 357 sig.
 
9mm, 40 S&W, 45, 38, 357 mag, 223, 308, and 22 LR are what I consider the basics. Especially 9mm, 223, and 22 LR. In recent years 40 S&W has somewhat lost favor within the LE community, not that it doesn't work, but most are finding 9mm is just fine and is a lot cheaper. But there are still a butt load of 40 caliber pistols out there and plenty of ammo made for them.

I haven't priced much ammo since this craziness started, but in normal times 40 S&W and 10mm are the same price anymore for standard FMJ loads and both are cheaper than 45. But 9mm is about 1/2 the cost of either. The premium loads for 10mm may well be a bit more expensive. You also have to consider that 40 S&W can be fired in many 10mm pistols. I know it works just fine in my Glock's. Can't say for certain about others. That is the primary reason I don't have a 40 S&W.

At this point about the only handgun ammo readily available are rounds that are almost obsolete or that are rarely used. I'm seeing some 30 luger, 32 S&W, 454 Casul, and stuff like that.

I still think the best long term plan is to keep a good supply of the basics. I have other cartridges, but keep a good supply of 9mm, 223, and 22 LR and still think covering those bases is the best plan. Remember, even during shortages the factories are still producing ammo. They are making more 9mm, 223, and 22 LR, but not anything else until supply catches up with demand. Local stores are getting a small amount of 9mm, 223, and 22 LR delivered every week. It is just being sold quickly, and at inflated prices. Rounds like 40 S&W and 10mm may be the last to be sold out, but they will also be the last to get back on shelves on the back end of this.

Reloading doesn't help if you can't get components and they are in short supply too. And reloading components will be among the last things to get back on shelves as the shortages end. Either way you really need to stock up BEFORE stuff like this.
 
jmr40 said:
9mm, 40 S&W, 45, 38, 357 mag, 223, 308, and 22 LR are what I consider the basics. Especially 9mm, 223, and 22 LR. In recent years 40 S&W has somewhat lost favor within the LE community, not that it doesn't work, but most are finding 9mm is just fine and is a lot cheaper. But there are still a butt load of 40 caliber pistols out there and plenty of ammo made for them.

I haven't priced much ammo since this craziness started, but in normal times 40 S&W and 10mm are the same price anymore for standard FMJ loads and both are cheaper than 45. But 9mm is about 1/2 the cost of either. The premium loads for 10mm may well be a bit more expensive. You also have to consider that 40 S&W can be fired in many 10mm pistols. I know it works just fine in my Glock's. Can't say for certain about others. That is the primary reason I don't have a 40 S&W.

At this point about the only handgun ammo readily available are rounds that are almost obsolete or that are rarely used. I'm seeing some 30 luger, 32 S&W, 454 Casul, and stuff like that.

I still think the best long term plan is to keep a good supply of the basics. I have other cartridges, but keep a good supply of 9mm, 223, and 22 LR and still think covering those bases is the best plan. Remember, even during shortages the factories are still producing ammo. They are making more 9mm, 223, and 22 LR, but not anything else until supply catches up with demand. Local stores are getting a small amount of 9mm, 223, and 22 LR delivered every week. It is just being sold quickly, and at inflated prices. Rounds like 40 S&W and 10mm may be the last to be sold out, but they will also be the last to get back on shelves on the back end of this.

Reloading doesn't help if you can't get components and they are in short supply too. And reloading components will be among the last things to get back on shelves as the shortages end. Either way you really need to stock up BEFORE stuff like this.
Click to expand...

It's a good thing that 22lr is on the manufacturer's priority. I haven't seen any 22lr ammunition in awhile. Since reloading 22lr is almost not possible, I keep an eye out for it every time I go out. I went to a gunshow this weekend and they had a tub of Remington 22lr for 274.00..... Talk about crazy.

On the bright side, I forgot to mention that while looking to see the availability of 40 S&W, I did see that they had Monarch 9mm steel cased ammunition in short stock behind the gun counter. It's steel, but it was reasonably priced. I took one brick of 200 rounds. So it does seem like they are slowly, slowly trying to get inventory back up.

CH
 
Crazy Horse said:
Do the 357 sig dies put the bend in the neck in the 40 brass to make it like 357 sig? It's not extreme, but I would think that if the brass didn't have the neck it would not function in a 357 sig.
Click to expand...

Yes the dies neck the .40 Smith down to .357 Sig specs. First time I tried it I was surprised, but it worked. Just gotta know what you're doing.
 
What I noted browsing local ammo supply was that every store has .32 ACP. A compact or sub-compact shooting .32 ACP is actually kind of a fun shooter. And Hitler killed himself with one, so don't completely dismiss it for self-defense. Waiting until the panic blows over, if you can, is probably the wiser choice, though.
 
wiscoaster said:
What I noted browsing local ammo supply was that every store has .32 ACP. A compact or sub-compact shooting .32 ACP is actually kind of a fun shooter. And Hitler killed himself with one, so don't completely dismiss it for self-defense. Waiting until the panic blows over, if you can, is probably the wiser choice, though.
Click to expand...

Yea I was gonna mention this earlier but I wasn't quite sure if .32 is in stores or not.
OP if you're lucky you can find a Beretta 82 somewhere (.32 model I think) that's Italian police surplus and it'll be a great shooter. They were all the hype a year ago. You might still find one.
 
Here comes the Sun,

THX.

I have the same exact Beretta you mentioned. You are correct excellent shooters-but the sights are a tad on the small side. I have about 200 rounds for it. I bought it before the lean times and realized the ammunition was expensive for such a small round (compared to 9mm and 45acp before all this started of course).

I was eyeballing the 380, but I steered away from it as under normal circumstances, 380 is expensive as well. Plus 380 is a common cartridge. I will say however, that I did see plenty of steel cased 380 on sale at Academy yesterday. This gives me hope that maybe things will return to normal by years end. One can hope.

Maybe they should start allowing 32 and 380 in pistol matches. That would definitely pique interest. There's enough sold I think that maybe even prices for .32 will go down in the future.

Interesting thought on caliber recommendation. I will definitely have to have another look around for .32. I have the dies for .32, but I have yet to do any reloading for it. The case seems tiny, even with normal size fingers, I think it would be a chore to reload in comparison to 45acp.
 
I think 5.7x28 is getting hard to find and the prices online are probably about the craziest I've seen. So crazy that I've been tempted to sell the 450rds I have since it seems like I won't getting a Ruger 57. They are available now but the prices have gone up. I remember watching all the videos for them saying you should probably be able to get one new for $550-600 in store. They are $830 from PSA and my regular LGS got one and it was $775. I bought all my ammo pre covid, but now the prices have doubled im just tempted to unload and buy another gun or just trade outright for a new gun
 
Mars5l said:
I think 5.7x28 is getting hard to find and the prices online are probably about the craziest I've seen. So crazy that I've been tempted to sell the 450rds I have since it seems like I won't getting a Ruger 57. They are available now but the prices have gone up. I remember watching all the videos for them saying you should probably be able to get one new for $550-600 in store. They are $830 from PSA and my regular LGS got one and it was $775. I bought all my ammo pre covid, but now the prices have doubled im just tempted to unload and buy another gun or just trade outright for a new gun
Click to expand...

I bought a Ruger 57 a couple months ago for $600.00. Ammo is being rationed, but available.
 
Rubone said:
When did 40 S&W become a "lesser known" caliber???
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By lesser known I meant a caliber that is not in as high of a demand as 9mm.

I don't have a 40 S&W firearm, apart from police officers I know, no one else seems to have 40 S&W when I have asked. Additionally, some of the youtube videos indicate the 40 S&W is more readily available due to lower demand.

Below is just one site that made the reference of 40 S&W being a caliber that is not in high demand compared to 9mm, 45acp, 380, 5.56/223, etc:


I don't have any firearms in 40 caliber because sorting brass can be a pain if you have too many similar in size calibers. It's already a bit of a pain with 9mm and .380.
 
Now that I own a PMR30 I’ve been buying some more .22mag because I plan to shoot the caliber more often. Had a decent supply on hand for the rifles. Mainly as a small game round if I needed to press it into service. My local Sportsmans has CCI 100 round plastic sleeves in abundance.
 
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Take the $500 you’d spend on a gun, the $100 in holsters, and the $100 in mags... and buy $700 in 9mm ammo when this panic is over.
 
For me .38 Super is about as far off the beaten cartridge path as I get. Don't always find it in stores but it's in stock at decent prices from online vendors. Kind of funny too in that I can convert my .38 Super to 9mm. by basically swapping out the barrel and I did this so I could (at the time), make use of readily available and less expensive 9mm. ammo for practice sessions at the range!
 
Right now is a terrible time for ammo, and an even worse time for someone just getting started. I stop by academy sports in Pensacola about once a week. Typically, they have no handgun ammo. I went there yesterday, and the shelves were nearly bare of everything- even if I was needing ammo to hunt deer, I would have been in trouble. Where it can be found, prices are ridiculous. When wally world was liquidating the last of their handgun ammo, I stopped in and was able to buy 40 S&W wolf and 38 sp. FMJ at $5 a box. All the 9mm and 45 ACP was already gone. IMO, this problem is going to persist for a hot minute. I don't think anything that happens in Nov. is going to magically change it, either. Everything is just too far behind to catch back up quickly.
 
FL-NC said:
Right now is a terrible time for ammo, and an even worse time for someone just getting started. I stop by academy sports in Pensacola about once a week. Typically, they have no handgun ammo. I went there yesterday, and the shelves were nearly bare of everything- even if I was needing ammo to hunt deer, I would have been in trouble. Where it can be found, prices are ridiculous. When wally world was liquidating the last of their handgun ammo, I stopped in and was able to buy 40 S&W wolf and 38 sp. FMJ at $5 a box. All the 9mm and 45 ACP was already gone. IMO, this problem is going to persist for a hot minute. I don't think anything that happens in Nov. is going to magically change it, either. Everything is just too far behind to catch back up quickly.
Click to expand...
So long as it catches up and takes no more than a year. Anything longer than a year, and it'll really start to suck.
 
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