.38 Special range ammo hard to find...

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StrikeFire83

StrikeFire83

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Hello, everyone.

I've decided to start practicing more with my Smith 638 as it's the gun I pocket carry while making sure my Kahr PM9 is totally reliable.

So I went to the range today, and I always stop by Academy Sports and Outdoors to buy my ammo, and they had NO .38 special fmj in WWB, Monarch, Blazer, nada. Called 3 other local academys and no dice either.

There was plenty of 9mm and 40, but the guys said that they have been having trouble getting in much .38 special at all, and the only thing one of the stores had was 25 rounds of JHPs for 22 bucks, no thanks!

An the range was charging $18 for for a box of 50, no thanks either.

Anybody know where reasonably priced 38s can be found in San Antonio area?
 
^ Looks like a good deal, though you'll see they're out of stock now as well. :banghead::cuss:

I forgot to mention that I didn't shoot my S&W 638 today, as I only have 10 rounds for it right now, and need those for CCW.

Some good news, I fired 25 more rounds of JHPs through my Kahr PM9 and it was totally reliable.

That's 50 rounds on two different range trips that worked well through the Kahr, still FAR TOO FEW to put it up for CCW duty.
 
You got that right. I shoot an Airweight S&M .38, 5 shot, and love it, but ammo has been a serious problem. Thankfully, my local range reloads wadcutters, or I'd have nothing to shoot at all. I haven't seen .38 Special (except for +P's) in the Knoxville area in about six months.
 
$18 for a box of 50 is a good deal today. If that 9mm is decently priced, buy it and possibly trade later, or get a pistol to go with it. I haven't see .38 spec. on line or in stores in stock in months.
 
In Columbia SC area both Dicks Sporting Goods and the WalMart in Batesburg had 38 special as of a couple of weeks ago...
 
Shoot my range has it for $20 a box and I consider it a good deal nowadays. I can't campare to the "good old days" anymore when it was $10. I dont expect to see that again anytime.

Even if you did find a box at Walmart, it won't be less than $16. Is that $2 really that much of a difference?
 
Handloading is the way to go for .38 Special. Well, I think its the way to go for everything, but I especially like to load for the .38 Special.

The ammunition shortage had zero effect on me since I handload everything I shoot. Luckily I had enough primers to make it through, and now that log jam seems to be clearing up. I had better make sure I am stocked up again though before it happens again.
 
I have had good luck with HSM or BRV reloads......should be able to find some.

but that AIM ammo looks pretty good, but i like wad cutter or semi wc for practice/plinking ammo
 
The price of .38 ammo has risen about $1.50 at some of my suppliers recently...I was paying $16.49 for Remmy UMC 130 gr. MC's, now I give $17.99 and $18.99. Wadcutters are still cheap ($16) when you can actually get them. To boot, the range I use sells .38 target for $22.99. I'm with Oneounceload, you may wanna rethink that one.

I need to learn to handload. I've got enough brass to cast a pair.....
 
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I agree, I have had my 442 for a week or two now and have not run into any ammo anywhere. The search continues.
 
Gawd, I can't even begin to imagine paying that much for new ammo. I've only been reloading for about 2 years, casting for close to that. I bought in "bulk" (8lb powder jug, a few thousand primers) as part of a group buy for hazmat, salvaged old brass, and bought several hundred pounds of tire weights for lead. My current cost per box is about $2.50 or so. This is all components bought in the last 2 years. I'm kicking myself that I didn't save more brass before, though. Plus I get to enjoy the fun of tinkering around with molten lead, and all the rest. Especially with revolver cartridges, with no hunting for spent brass, reloading is the way to go these days.
 
$18 for a box of .38sp out here in Northcentral AZ would be a hell of a price... I have been paying $23-24 consistently - and wadcutters are not to be found at all =/
 
I've been seeing lots of American Eagle 158gr LRN in .38spl in VA stores. Funny thing is that prior to this year, I almost never saw these loads on store shelves (used to see lots of AE 130gr FMJ, but not the lead rounds)?
 
With ammo in such short supply I've never understood posting one's source on an online forum.

I mean, if some brother-in-arms needed ammo to feed his starving family I could understand it, but...I'm just sayin'.:cool:
 
.38 Special is as rare as hen's teeth in Knoxville. I like to shoot my S&W, and the scarcity has led me to begin investigations/research into handloading. I'm studying up! I think that the prices will never go back down to the good old days.
 
Publius1668 said:

.38 Special is as rare as hen's teeth in Knoxville. I like to shoot my S&W, and the scarcity has led me to begin investigations/research into handloading. I'm studying up! I think that the prices will never go back down to the good old days.
Click to expand...

.38 Special is a great cartridge to being handloading with, and with proper component selection and provided you have been saving brass, you should easily be able to load 1000 rounds for less than $100, not counting the cost of equipment.

.38 Special lasts for many firings and you don't have to chase it, two of the many things I love about loading the .38 Special.
 
Just picked up 200 rds at wally world today. and I left 100 rds for the next guy. I reload myself, but might as well have fun getting my brass.
 
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