Here is what I believe about the .380acp situation.
Fact: The .380acp has been sold as a smaller recoil round that can do the job in a self-defense situation.
Part of that statement is true and part of it depends on the gun you buy.
Many of the smaller guns that are sold for self-defense in .380acp caliber have more recoil than most 9mm handguns. Why? because the barrel is short and the gun is hard to hold onto. Many times the handgun does not fit the shooter’s hand.
The .380 has the potential like any other handgun round to stop individuals. Is it the best round? I do not think so. Many times out of these little guns the hollow point round does not expand because the velocity is so low because you are shooting a round with less powder through a short barrel. The FBI tests showed that these rounds did not cut the mustard so they are not considered for serious law enforcement situations.
Fact: .380acp ammo is getting hard to find
Here is the problem. I have an ammo manufacturing company and I have my machines set up to run 9mm ammo and I can sell all I can make. Three shifts a day 7 days a week. Why? Because 9mm is the world standard at this point, and definitely the standard in this country. The FBI, the Military, and much of law enforcement are on this round. Why would I change all my tooling and machines to make the .380acp round that is not as popular and takes the same materials and time to produce?
Fact: Ammo is hard to find and getting harder by the minute
We have had several of these tight ammo markets in my lifetime. When President Obama was coming into office all that was available on the shelves was .40S&W. Why you ask? Because Police departments all over the country were using .40S&W and 9mm was not very popular at that time. Then came the Concealed Carry Boom. Manufactures of guns found out they could stuff more rounds in the same size magazines, have less recoil than the .40S&W so many new designs of guns were made for both law enforcement and for the concealed carry market. Then the ammo companies came along and developed ammo that was just as powerful and effective as the bigger rounds these agencies had been using. Both the .40S&W and the .45acp. Are those bigger rounds still being used? Yes, but they are also harder to get and more expensive by the minute.
Fact: Should you sell your .380acp handgun?
I don’t think so. Many people have guns that are hard to find ammo for. You have to be on the hunt for it at all times. During the good times when President Trump was in office, you could have stocked up. Is the .380acp more expensive than the 9mm? Yes it is, and it will always be that way. One of the solutions people have found is to find a .22LR handgun that closely matches your self-defense .380acp handgun and practice a lot with that gun.
I’ve given you some things to think about. All ammo is going to be harder to find and more expensive. The price of the materials, labor costs, and the gun boom have all entered into the equation. When you find ammo buy it, and don’t forget to have fun shooting.