Friday, February 17, 2012

Variable Scarcity...

I mentioned in an earlier post about looking for my missing box of .380ACP...

It's funny, really. I have two guns chambered in 9x17, but they're both collector pieces that I'll rarely shoot. When you combine that with the fact that .380 is a relatively common cartridge, I don't feel compelled to keep a bunch on hand, since I just assume that, should I ever need any, I'll just run out and buy some from the Mountain of Geese or wherever.

On the other hand, I've got other heaters in the collection that I rarely (if ever) shoot, but because they're chambered for more oddball cartridges, I obsessively jump on any deals I see in those loadings at gun shows. I could probably stand off two or three complete Romeros of zombies all night long with my S&W Model 53 in .22 Remington Jet or my Model 544 in .44-40.

Thankfully my roomie's Spanish Pistol Obsession means that she probably has a fair amount of .380 which I can hopefully mooch off...

21 comments:

Carteach said...

My friend...

Reload.

Tam said...

I've got all the stuff, it's just one of those Round Tuit things. :o

Carteach said...

I suspect you would be quite good at it. It requires common sense and intelligence. You may be over qualified.

Canthros said...

Today, I learned the collective noun for a group of zombies.

So, thanks for that. :)

Tam said...

Carteach0,

I've dabbled at it before, just never got around to setting the press back up when I moved to Indy. :)


Canthros,

It seems appropos, no? :D

greg said...

All that being said, I've always though .380 was both tougher to find AND more expensive than it should be.

A few weeks ago, I was ordering some more on Midway, and I splurged for a box of the Hornady Z-Max stuff just to see my wife smile when she opened the box. Only 1 box...it was $1.50 more than box of the normal Horady XTP stuff.

rickn8or said...

You are going to let us know where you found the wandering box of .380, right?

jetfxr69 said...

Canthros beat me to it.

Murder of Crows, Gaggle of Geese, Romero of Zombies.

It does fit.

Wildman7316 said...

Giggle of Girls, Haggle of Vendors...

Keads said...

Carteach0,

The lack of .380 cartridges on the open market is what spurred me to start reloading a couple of years ago.

I am sure that Tam may in fact be over qualified as you purport, but I am somewhat insulted.

Since I started this I reload all my common handgun cartridges and will now expand to rifle and obscure handgun calibers.

Tam said...

rickn8or,

"You are going to let us know where you found the wandering box of .380, right?"

Haven't checked, but I'm betting on the attic.

Rob K said...

How many zombies make up a Romero? The way you use it ("two or three complete Romeros of zombies") makes it sound like a Romero is a fixed quantity.

Tam said...

It's a triangular organization: Three Shambles to the Romero.

Anonymous said...

... that missing box wouldn't be the one that Schrodinger's cat dragged off to play with would it?

BSR

Drang said...

Okay, so how many zeds to a shamble?

Jeeze, people playing 20 questions...

Pakkinpoppa said...

I've got the same lack of "Round Tuit" problem.

Years ago, a vendor brought in a token, it was a big hunk of bronze or brass, and had stamped on one side, "TUIT".

It is long gone but I wish I'd figured out where they came from, as a couple of those laying about could flick the giggle switch on certain occasions.

Whoa.
Secret Code: Slough.- Buiparti

Think that's the toughest one I've come across lately, I guess the computer programs to decode them are getting smarter?

Ritchie said...

That you refer to the missing ammo as a single box seems anomalous right there.

Anonymous said...

I bought a Remington 51 .380 a while back. Then 1,000 pulled .380 softpoint bullets. Then 1,000 once-fired .380 brass. Do I have dies yet?
No. They are next.

Unless I find a deal on 1,000 loaded .380s first. I like to have a bunch of reloads or factory ammo on hand for most of my guns.

Ryan said...

I have guns that I stock ammunition deeply for and others for which I am comfortable with a few boxes. At some point when I get a little .380 it will be in the second category. Definitely a 5 mags and 200 round gun not a 10 mags and 1,000 rounds gun.

NotClauswitz said...

I am jealous of the Model 544 in .44-40 or anything in .44-40, I have a Roger for the hyphenated stuff, not having much of anything but the standard PBUH measurment-caliber though, so I got another so I would have more metal-framed rocks to throw when it all goes pear shaped.

NotClauswitz said...

How many groaning to a shamble?