38 spl jhp?

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tws3b2

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I don't know what's going on with 38 spl jhp. In the gun store today. 9mm in the ammo case, 9mm stacked on every counter. 9mm stacked in the middle of the isles. And plenty of pretty much all other calibers. 9mm at $20 for 50 shells
But 38spl jhp? 5 boxes Remington at $30ea. for 20 shells. The first I've seen on the shelf in about 2 years. 38 spl +P is a little easier to find but there must be tons of people wanting non+P.
What's the problem?
 
9mm is selling like hotcakes. For .38 Spl., there is not as much money to be made making it because the demand is lower.

It should eventually catch up, but right now its, “All 9 all the time” for the ammo companies.

Stay safe.
 
.38 Special +P 158 lead, semi wadcutter, hollow point used to be easily available and cheap.
No longer.
Now it's premium defense ammo and expensive.
As above, right now the most popular pistol is 9mm so that's what's being made and stocked.

If you want the best .38 Special +P, even at high prices, Buffalo Bore makes one that's very close to the original version that's a lot hotter then today's +P.
Their's is a softer lead bullet with a gas check to allow pushing very near .357 Magnum velocities.
This is what the 60's cops called the ".38 SPLAT" for the sound it was supposed to make when it hit.
 
Been slim at the stores I would go into as well. It comes in as the sales guy told me but sometimes it is slow to sell so they don't regularly order it. When it sells out they order more and that leaves gaps between being available. Now and then there are some defense offerings and those get bought up quickly. The factory range stuff is about $.62-$.78 when available.
 
I'm seeing 50rd boxes of .38spl LRN for about $26-$30. It is always generally more expensive than 9mm these days whereas I could get 50rd boxes of Magtech .38spl for $14.

Micro nines have proliferated and less people using wheelguns these days, I know there have got to be tons of people looking for .38spl but not quite at the same level as 9mm
 
Well, who owns guns chambered for .38 Special these days? I'd say there are three broad categories: people who've had it in the sock drawer forever and don't practice, people who CCW it, and revolver nuts.

The first group doesn't buy ammo. The second group wants hot defensive stuff, and the last group loads their own. So from a manufacturer's perspective, it probably makes sense to offer some boutique (20 round trays of cutting edge JHP at $2 per round) stuff, and otherwise keep pumping out cases of autoloader stuff that will sell the instant it hits the shop floor.
 
.357" JHP bullets are extinct also, so forget trying to load your own. You can buy .357" Hornady XTP bullets, but from what I've seen at Luckygunner, they don't open up at .38 Special velocities. They seem to be made for just for .357 magnum loads. I have a few Remington .357" 158 gr JHP bullets that seem to perform well on the Luckygunner tests, but they are not available anywhere, nor are there any Sierra bullets. Like @Archie said, Matt's Bullets has all kinds of .357" lead cast bullets, including some wadcutters. That's what I load for my .38s.


https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/
 
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I don't know what's going on with 38 spl jhp. In the gun store today. 9mm in the ammo case, 9mm stacked on every counter. 9mm stacked in the middle of the isles. And plenty of pretty much all other calibers. 9mm at $20 for 50 shells
But 38spl jhp? 5 boxes Remington at $30ea. for 20 shells. The first I've seen on the shelf in about 2 years. 38 spl +P is a little easier to find but there must be tons of people wanting non+P.
What's the problem?
There is much higher demand for 9mm, from civilian to police and military. Far more is being produced, hence its cheaper.

I suggest Ammoseek.com.
 
.357" JHP bullets are extinct also, so forget trying to load your own. You can buy .357" Hornady XTP bullets, but from what I've seen at Luckygunner, they don't open up at .38 Special velocities. They seem to be made for just for .357 magnum loads. I have a few Remington .357" 158 gr JHP bullets that seem to perform well on the Luckygunner tests, but they are not available anywhere, nor are there any Sierra bullets. Like @Archie said, Matt's Bullets has all kinds of .357" lead cast bullets, including some wadcutters. That's what I load for my .38s.


https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/revolver-ballistics-test/

Plenty of 38 JHP and 357 JHP here
https://cavalryammunition.com/
good prices too. This is where I buy most of my ammo.
Free shipping for LEO, first responders, and veterans.

Ammoseek.com almost always finds the cheapest price by type.

https://ammoseek.com/ammo/38-special
 
Do they provide any load information?
I believe if you ask for it, he will provide it. From their home page:

If there's a cartridge or different bullet weight or style you'd like, please write at 'Contact Us'.

We also offer a custom tuning service for your rifle's ammunition. All rifles are different - some prefer specific weights and charges.

By providing you with a series of test cartridges, you can narrow the choice down and pick the one that performs best in your particular rifle. We'll maintain your load data, and make up the combination that works best for you.
 
Tip for all the guys looking for .38spl ammo. SAVE Your BRASS. Save Yout BRASS, Save Your BRASS. If you truly enjoy your .38/357 revolvers you WILL load your own, someday soon. The factory made .38 has been scarce since easily 2010. The last time I bought 100rd value packs of 130gr FMJ at Walmart for 42.00 basically for the once fired brass I would obtain from the deal. I still have 2X100 ea. Value Packs of .357 JSP for 46.00 at Walmart bought around 2010 and haven't seen it since.
 
The Rule of Handloading is.........
You will not save any money, in fact you'll probably spend more, BUT you'll shoot a LOT more.

Back in the 70's my buddy and I were casting our own .45 230 grain lead bullets in a H&G gang mold and making our own NRA formula bullet metal.
He figured it up and we were shooting .45 ACP for about the same price as .22LR.
At the time a 50 round box of .45 FMJ factory ammo was about $5, .22LR was less than a dollar for a box of 50, and often could be found in discount brands as low as 80 cents.

So we didn't save any money after buying a very early Dillon progressive loader and all the bullet making gear, but we shot a helluva lot of .45's.
 
There is a guy up in Alberta has a video channel. He makes bullets by melting down wheel weights. He uses beer cans to make gas checks (I don't know what that is but...). Saves a lot of money I guess.

Melting down wheel weights for bullets 13 minute video. 54 minute version.
 
The Rule of Handloading is.........
You will not save any money, in fact you'll probably spend more, BUT you'll shoot a LOT more.

Back in the 70's my buddy and I were casting our own .45 230 grain lead bullets in a H&G gang mold and making our own NRA formula bullet metal.
He figured it up and we were shooting .45 ACP for about the same price as .22LR.
At the time a 50 round box of .45 FMJ factory ammo was about $5, .22LR was less than a dollar for a box of 50, and often could be found in discount brands as low as 80 cents.

So we didn't save any money after buying a very early Dillon progressive loader and all the bullet making gear, but we shot a helluva lot of .45's.
You saved money per unit though, which is the metric that matters. Holding all other things constant (such as shooting volume), you would have saved money.
 
There is a guy up in Alberta has a video channel. He makes bullets by melting down wheel weights. He uses beer cans to make gas checks (I don't know what that is but...). Saves a lot of money I guess.

Melting down wheel weights for bullets 13 minute video. 54 minute version.
Gas checks are little bottle caps or saucers that fit on the base of the bullet. The base is the steering part of the bullet, and a damaged base can cause wild inaccuracy.

I have the same capability -- I make my gas checks from soda cans. With gas checks, cast bullets can be driven to higher velocities. I make my own so as to be more self-sufficient.

http://patmarlins.com/Checkmaker%AA_Gas_Check_Form.html
 
I asked the guys in the local gunstore last month what was selling. The guy behind the counter said 9mm and 380 Auto's. The high capacity 9mm's and the compact 380's sell more, and that is reflected in ammunition production.

The great 38 Special is a revolver cartridge, and the rock and rollers don't want them revolvers. They want to bang their gun all day and never have to reload.
 
In Wisconsin, I've yet to see any .38 Special or .357 Mag in any store, including Cabela's in the last 3 years.
I assume the issue is Federal just finished a major government contract and Winchester is starting one, so that may be the reason 9mm is available. The 9mm I have seen is all FMJ.
 
In Wisconsin, I've yet to see any .38 Special or .357 Mag in any store, including Cabela's in the last 3 years.
I assume the issue is Federal just finished a major government contract and Winchester is starting one, so that may be the reason 9mm is available. The 9mm I have seen is all FMJ.
Here in PA they have returned, sparingly, but overpriced still where it exists.
 
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