what is going to be the least expensive practice? 9mm or .38 spl?

jude_00

jude_00

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hello all! Ive been getting back into shooting rifle, and have received my RPAL, but have not got into sidearms just yet. I don't currently reload, but I have been keeping all my brass, and am considering buying something like the lee anniversary kit to try my hand at a few handloads, as I shoot 7.92X57IS (8mm mauser) and I have a hard time finding ammunition for it in my area and have considered hand loading just so I could finally fire a 200 grain spitzer! (at best I can find a 170 grain round nose SP)

Ive priced out ammo for 9MM, 40 S&W, and 45ACP, but never thought to price out revolver rounds, and all the gun stores are the "next town over", about an hour away. Ive recently become interested in a .357 Magnum / 38 because I figured this fits my needs a bit better. I can shoot 38 wadcutters indoors during winter, and go outside and shoot 357 flamethrower loads when the weathers nice, and I want to move up to more power. I realize I might have to hand load the 38 wadcutters. whats going to be the cheaper gun to feed? a 9mm pistol, or a 357 revolver shooting 38's with factory ammo? if I hand load? or are they about the same? I kinda screwed up when I bought my KAR98K and then realized I had a hard time feeding it! lol. if the 38s and 9mm are about the same price, I think I might end up going the revolver route!

thanks for the advice!
Jude
 
A commercial reloader here in Vancouver sells 9mm and 38 spl at the same price, 14 bucks per box of 50 last time I asked 4 months ago. There could be a commercial reloader as well in your area. It will be cheaper than factory brand new for sure.

You will love revolvers. I do have a few bottom feeders but really enjoy wheelguns more.
You never lose your brass plus you don't have to get down on your knees to pick them up. Semis are easier to field strip and clean though.

BTW, save your brass if you haven't been doing that yet. If you shoot a lot (of course that is relative) you may take up reloading sooner than later. Have fun.
 
ahh. OK. I mean, I realize shooting is never going to be "cheap", however, if a 38 has the potential to be less expensive shooting, I consider that a benefit! originally, it was the Colt Python that caught my attention, but the next choice would be something like a Smith 686 or a Ruger GP100. this is up against a Norc 1911 and a Norc CZ clone, or maybe a Glock 17 or Glock 22. I really dont know what I want to get into yet! I think something like a GP100 would be all I'd need (for now, ofcourse. LOL). people tend to bicker about the pistols, but nobody seems to argue about revolvers!

anyway, thanks again!
jude
 
jude_00 said:
originally, it was the Colt Python that caught my attention, but the next choice would be something like a Smith 686 or a Ruger GP100. this is up against a Norc 1911 and a Norc CZ clone, or maybe a Glock 17 or Glock 22. I really dont know what I want to get into yet! I think something like a GP100 would be all I'd need (for now, ofcourse. LOL). people tend to bicker about the pistols, but nobody seems to argue about revolvers!

anyway, thanks again!
jude
Click to expand...

Hey Jude, (sound familiar? pun intended, sorry. I like your name, like one of my favorite saints)

Didn't you know that us CGNners love to argue about anything and everything:D Stick around, read the forums and you'll see.
 
Once upon a time, 9mm and 38 Special were almost neck & neck for pricing.
In the last decade, I've consistantly noted 38 has now creeped up to about 5 dollars more, for a box of 50 rounds.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the Canada wide adoption of 9mm and 40 S&W, and the withdrawl of 38 Special from most police services?
 
buy the python and don't look back, 9 mm and 38 will run the same approx, no chasing brass and its the one gun on the list that will continue to climb in value. Won't go into all the pros and cons of pistol v revolver as I like them all for different reasons. I will mention that not chasing brass and having an accurate revolver make target shooting pleasurable
 
I'm kind of in the same boat you are Jude... been humming and hawing over which handgun to purchase... Haven't handled many myself, but in my area of Southern Ontario, I'm looking at about $20 for a box of 9mm and around $15-17 for a box of .38spl, so I've been leaning towards a wheel gun myself, plus, if you get a lever or pump rifle in .357/.38 you can share ammo ^.^b... but then that opens another plethora of doors @.@ single action or double action? GP100 (which I'm leaning towards) S&W 686/586 or a Taurus ( /O.O\ mon dieu)... single action route, Ruger Vaquero, Pietta, Beretta, Chapparal... too many choices T_T

Anywho, off my rant @.@, I throw my vote for the wheelgun, and if you want to go an interesting route, why not look at one of those Ruger Blackhawk Convertibles? You can shoot .357/.38 with the one cylinder and change to shoot 9mm with the other... just a thought, and curve ball to gecha thinking ^.^
 
the python, sadly enough, is on the "some day" list.. :( lol.. .. some day one shall be mine, but I do know they are a really expensive arm as it stands. some day, once I get the collection going, id like to own one though, as well as the Desert Eagle kit, that has the 3 barrels for 357, 44 mag, and 50AE.. these are all just "some days" at this point unfortunately! lol

and I know.. .. Ive already started the list of firearms Id buy when I hit the lotto! lol does this usually happen this early?

and yeah, im really close to your area oneofthechuck! there isnt many places Ive found to actually look at sidearms around here, eh? the only ones Ive seen have been at the club, really.
 
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*sigh* it happened to me the day my PAL was in my hands... and my wife curses that day, and she will REALLY curse the day that I start purchasing restricteds with my new RPAL ^.^
 
Weird about cheaper 38 than 9mm factory ammunition.
I find that opposite of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, but whatever.
You asked about price of store bought ammo, and my experience showed 9mm slightly cheaper.
If you asking about my preferance, well I have a 38 and a 357 revolver, but no 9mm in my house.
 
yeah, i think Im going to end up going with a lee anniversary press kit, and get some 8mm dies and load my sidearm ammo as well, as I guess its about par, but the fact I can fire a 357 out of the wheelgun gives it a couple brownie points, imho, over the click-clacks.. I might start shooting 308 and 30-06 on a more regular basis, so I might as well get a basic reloading table set up!


thanks all!
Jude
 
jude, post a wtb add for a python, you may be amazed at what you find that is NOT listed in the EE. That is how I have found exactly what I was looking for at the right price.
 
If you relaod you can use 115 or 125 gr for 9mm (or 147 of course). With .38 you'd likely have to go with 158gr so that would be more money. Unless you can find some 125gr-ers.

there are pro and cons to both platforms that it's not really about money at the end because they are pretty close. Yes, you get more versatility with a revolver even comes with a nice fuzzy old school feeling :) but IMO semiauto (please don't get a norinco or a glock!) could be more practical and fun to shoot.
 
I load 9mm and 38 Spl with cast lead bullets. I find the 135 lead round nose works best in my 9mm pistols and the 148 double base 148 wadcutter best in my 38s.

I have stopped loading for my friends and have referred them over to buying Wolf re-manufactured (re-loaded) ammo. Wolf offers the same bullets loaded in ammo that costs not much more than what it costs me to reload.

I think both cost something in the order of $200/1000 (about $10 per box of 50), when ordered in quantity.

I note you are in eastern Ontario. that is where Wolf ammo is made.

see: http://www.theammosource.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_33_39
 
My thoughts go in a slightly different direction. First go and buy a .22 then you will always have a cheap to shoot practice gun to fall back on when you don't have time to reload or don't want to buy pricey ammo. Then go and buy the centre fire pistol that most appeals to you and the kind of shooting that you want to do. It will be a bit less about the price of ammo if you already have one that you can always shoot cheaply.

That said I realize that putting 2 guns on the list at the same time might be impossible. Buy the gun that you will have the most fun shooting and take up reloading. For factory stuff I'm willing to bet that there are better deals to be had on 9mm particularly if you buy in bulk. Now that the 38Sp isn't a common police or security round it will be harder to find and more expensive over the long term.
 
vagrantviking said:
My thoughts go in a slightly different direction. First go and buy a .22 then you will always have a cheap to shoot practice gun to fall back on when you don't have time to reload or don't want to buy pricey ammo. Then go and buy the centre fire pistol that most appeals to you and the kind of shooting that you want to do. It will be a bit less about the price of ammo if you already have one that you can always shoot cheaply.

That said I realize that putting 2 guns on the list at the same time might be impossible. Buy the gun that you will have the most fun shooting and take up reloading. For factory stuff I'm willing to bet that there are better deals to be had on 9mm particularly if you buy in bulk. Now that the 38Sp isn't a common police or security round it will be harder to find and more expensive over the long term.
Click to expand...
This is probably the best advice given here.
While getting to know your 22 LR pistol at the range, perhaps other helpful handgun shooters will let to try out thier own centrefires.
Then you can make an informed purchase later on.
 
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