Where's all the Ammo? (Vanity)

1/25/09 | Self

[scottdeus12]

Hi all - I posted a few weeks ago about obtaining a Carry/Conceal Handgun - thanks for the helpful info. I have not purchased yet, but I'm in the 9mm or .360 Kahr camp right now. I like the fact that I can carry the .380 (P380) in my pocket, and even the 9mm (PM9) might be to large to carry (side holster). I do not want to leave it at home.

Next question I have is ammo - I'm concerned about getting ammo for either the 9mm of the .360...I'm hearing that it's really scarce and expensive right now. Does anyone have any solutions or info to offer? Where are you getting ammo from?

Thanks,

Scott

[matt1234]

Ammo is much cheaper when you purchase it in bulk (e.g. cases of 1000). You can do so at gun shows or any number of online sources.

[TalonDJ]

Modern/recently-produced firearms that are chambered to use .380 ACP are rare.

Flat wrong in all regards. The scarcity of .380 ACP is because there ARE a lot of modern recent and popular pistols chambered in it. Just about every major manufacturer and many minor ones have released models in the last few years. Ammo manufacturing companies have not yet caught up to the surge in popularity of the cartridge.
Two of the most popular are the Bersa Thunderer and the Ruger LCP. There are also offerings from Diamondback (brand new model), S&W (very new), Taurus PT738 (out in the last few months), Walther PK380, Kahr, Magnum Research, Sig, and of course Kel-Tec.

[The KG9 Kid]

I stand by my statement: .380 is a relic. It's rare and expensive.

Stop getting your product news from NRA's American Rifleman, by the way. If they were trendsetters, the shooting public would have actually embraced .327 Federal Magnums, Grendel pistols, Ruger .460s, 6.8mm SPC, Colt All-American 2000 handguns, and all the other examples of trashy NRA-hyped products that made the cover of American Rifleman yet failed to light the gun industry on fire even though they were all touted as the most amazing thing yet seen.

Let me know if you ever meet someone that ends up buying on of these new .380s on the market.

[KingLudd]

Reload for the range. Do not use reloads when you carry or at home for self defense. You want factory stuff only. If things go south and you end up in court, prosecutors will call you a premeditating gun nut who reloaded hoping to have a chance to use it.

[mikelets456]

http://www.ammoengine.com/find/ammo/9mm

I am finding 9mm to be VERY scarce again. I have no idea why as 3-4 months ago I was able to buy at WW for $8.97 a box any day of the week.... now, there is very little.

Also, forget about .357/.38 and .380... next to impossible right now. BTW, .380 is so darned expensive that is why I went with 9MM for conceal....

[tiki]

Find out when ammo dealers get their shipments and be there.

[TalonDJ]

I own two of them. In the last couple years I have watch people buy them in stores and at gun shows on over a dozen occasions. All the companies I listed have released models of .380 handguns in the last 10 years and MOST of those have been in the last 2-3 years.

[Disambiguator]

Load your own!

http://www.starlinebrass.com
http://www.dillonprecision.com
http://www.midwayusa.com

for starters...

[caver]

OK, I won’t try and convince you otherwise. But there sure must be a lot of people that own them, since you sure can’t get the ammo. I only know that it’s very difficult to find .380, so I sure wouldn’t buy a gun in that caliber. BTW, I don’t own a .380

Actually, I’ve never bought any product with the NRA’s advice. I buy World War II stuff.

[JD91]

KG9,

I have a FFL - I now have several people asking for 380’s - all of my wholsalers are out of stock with standing back orders!

Thanks for serving our country back in the 80's - Semper FI

[NautiNurse]

You can order target .380 ACP in bulk online where the seller permits pre-orders for out-of-stock ammo (Cabelas is one example). Be patient, as the fulfilling the order may take a month or two. Order your personal defense ammo at the same time. It is routinely available (due to substantially higher cost). As soon as your bulk ammo arrives, repeat order.

Meanwhile, check with your local shooting range(s) to see whether they usually have .380 available for target practice. Like a bonfire without matches, it's no fun to own a great handgun without ammo.

[Titan Magroyne]

Between the two, I’d pick the 9mm for availability of ammo. Plus if you decide to pick up a rifle sometime down the road, they’re available in that caliber...

[melkor]

If the keltec and the bersas were not flying off the shelf the other companies would not have released the new models.

Go to any acadamy and ask them how long they can keep a .380 bersa on the shelf.

I personaly know 7 people who have bought a .380 since the november election.

Best way to get the ammo is get on a backorder with cabellas or some other company and wait the week or two.

NRA endorsements are crap, the taurus 24/7 is a horrible gun. That does not invalidate the fact that the article review 9 new models. There would have not been 9 new models to review had it been a dying caliber.

[ChocChipCookie]

My husband was at a gun show yesterday and said that the ammo businesses weren’t nearly as busy as they have been in the past. Maybe everyone has all the ammo they want. ;o)

[caver]

Don’t tell me, I already know that. Tell The KG9 Kid. He is the one that wanted to disagree.

[Rinnwald]

The Ruger cartridge was the .480, and the Grendel has morphed into the highly popular Kel-Tec.

I don’t own any .380 guns (I’m a 9x18mm man), but you can’t deny that there has been an upsurge of interest in J.M. Browning’s medium pistol caliber.

[melkor]

wallmart in my neighborhood has more 9mm and .223 (both rem and winchester 5.56 NATO) than they can sell. The 9mm is about 8$ a box. I dont remember the price on the NATO rounds. They even have some .357 sig.

[AdamBomb]

You could not be more wrong. The Ruger LCP is selling like hotcakes in part due to the greatly increased interest in concealed carry. 380 is very popular for concealed carry. For about six months, dealers were selling the Ruger LCP’s as soon as they received them.

It’s getting a little better now

[Max in Utah]

Let me know if you ever meet someone that ends up buying on of these new .380s on the market.

I bought one-- Ruger LCP .380.

[70th Division]

I have a 380 Bersa. It is a great pocket gun.