Range Report-Remington UMC .38 Special

[Captain America]

I was at Dick's Sporting Goods a couple of weeks back and bought a UMC Mega Pack(250 rounds) of .38 Special 130g RN FMJ for general range fun for $79.97. I went through 100 rounds today, they all went bang, and they were surprisingly accurate. I didn't have a lot of time today but I have to say, so far, good ammo for the price, I'll be buying them again. Just wanted to pass this along.

 

[Joezilla]

Man, I need to go to Dick's more often. I have not seen .38 ammo so cheap in a long time.

Joe

 

[schloss]

That would cost $100-$120 up here.

 

[DGW1949]

That would cost $100-$120 up here.

Here ya go:
http://www.targetsportsusa.com/remington-umc-38-special-ammo-130-gr-fmj-l38s11-p-753.aspx
The 500 rd case price comes out to $79.95 per 250, and it ships for free.

If that don't work for you, there's more here, starting @ $.32 per round:
http://ammoseek.com/ammo/38-special/Remington-handgun-130grains-target

DGW

 

[NH Rugerman]

I was at Dick's Sporting Goods a couple of weeks back and bought a UMC Mega Pack(250 rounds) of .38 Special 130g RN FMJ for general range fun for $79.97. I went through 100 rounds today, they all went bang, and they were surprisingly accurate. I didn't have a lot of time today but I have to say, so far, good ammo for the price, I'll be buying them again. Just wanted to pass this along.

What was the firearm who used?

Thanks for the heads' up...

 

[schloss]

That would cost $100-$120 up here.

Here ya go:
http://www.targetsportsusa.com/remington-umc-38-special-ammo-130-gr-fmj-l38s11-p-753.aspx
The 500 rd case price comes out to $79.95 per 250, and it ships for free.

If that don't work for you, there's more here, starting @ $.32 per round:
http://ammoseek.com/ammo/38-special/Remington-handgun-130grains-target

DGW

Not quite. I'm in Alaska. We have to pay the big hazmat fee to get it sent up here. Ends up getting very expensive very fast. I need to move back to whitetail country...

 

[Captain America]

...What was the firearm who used?

Thanks for the heads' up...

GP100 Match Champion, no problem for the head's up. It's always a little scary buying bulk ammo even to plink with so I just wanted to pass it along that it's OK stuff.

 

[Three50seven]

It seriously pains me to realize people get excited over buying .38 spl for what amounts to $16 per 50. I realize not everyone has the means or the time to devote to reloading, but I can load a box of .38 spl for ~$5 using cast bullets and used brass. If I cast my own, it would be even cheaper.

I'm not bashing the OP at all, I'm glad you found a good plinking load at a reasonable retail price, I guess I have been reloading long enough that I'm out of touch with reality :oops: I couldn't and wouldn't do a fraction of the shooting I do now if I had to buy factory ammo....

 

[Captain America]

It seriously pains me to realize people get excited over buying .38 spl for what amounts to $16 per 50. I realize not everyone has the means or the time to devote to reloading, but I can load a box of .38 spl for ~$5 using cast bullets and used brass. If I cast my own, it would be even cheaper.

I'm not bashing the OP at all, I'm glad you found a good plinking load at a reasonable retail price, I guess I have been reloading long enough that I'm out of touch with reality :oops: I couldn't and wouldn't do a fraction of the shooting I do now if I had to buy factory ammo....

No offense taken at all. I have about 2000 rounds of once fired brass(I used to trade it for ammo) and I've given serious consideration to reloading. The initial cost(to do it right), plus the fact that I have very little free time has always stopped me from reloading, someday I will and I believe that day is coming pretty soon.
The math I do is about 15 cents or so per cartridge to reload(bullet, primer, powder) plus a two to four hundred dollar initial investment(give or take) in reloading equipment so I'd have to load 700-1000 rounds before I'd break even. I'm also guessing I'd have 10 hours into every thousand rounds(pure SWAG) to save $170 or so.

 

[Three50seven]

It seriously pains me to realize people get excited over buying .38 spl for what amounts to $16 per 50. I realize not everyone has the means or the time to devote to reloading, but I can load a box of .38 spl for ~$5 using cast bullets and used brass. If I cast my own, it would be even cheaper.

I'm not bashing the OP at all, I'm glad you found a good plinking load at a reasonable retail price, I guess I have been reloading long enough that I'm out of touch with reality :oops: I couldn't and wouldn't do a fraction of the shooting I do now if I had to buy factory ammo....

No offense taken at all. I have about 2000 rounds of once fired brass(I used to trade it for ammo) and I've given serious consideration to reloading. The initial cost(to do it right), plus the fact that I have very little free time has always stopped me from reloading, someday I will and I believe that day is coming pretty soon.
The math I do is about 15 cents or so per cartridge to reload(bullet, primer, powder) plus a two to four hundred dollar initial investment(give or take) in reloading equipment so I'd have to load 700-1000 rounds before I'd break even. I'm also guessing I'd have 10 hours into every thousand rounds(pure SWAG) to save $170 or so.

I'd say your estimates are fairly accurate. What you also have to take into consideration is that most of the equipment can be used to load multiple calibers, with the exception of the dies. If .38spl is all that you shoot, it probably isn't worth your while, but if you shoot other calibers, especially those where factory ammo is more expensive and/or hard to find, you can recoup your initial investment much quicker.

 

[Captain America]

I'd say your estimates are fairly accurate. What you also have to take into consideration is that most of the equipment can be used to load multiple calibers, with the exception of the dies. If .38spl is all that you shoot, it probably isn't worth your while, but if you shoot other calibers, especially those where factory ammo is more expensive and/or hard to find, you can recoup your initial investment much quicker.

Yup, only .38(+P and .357) so I'd only need one die set. I'm sure of one thing though, when I do decide to get started you guys will certainly be a big help, I'm sure of that.

 

[Three50seven]

I started with 38 spl as well, now I load .32, .38, .357, 9mm, .44spl, .44mag, .223, and .30-30....it's an addiction, but a rewarding one at least!!

 

[Captain America]

I think my next expenditure is going to be on something I've always found interesting but never really wanted before recently. I've been warned that this could turn into an addiction too...I just find them soooo Purdy!

 

[gramps]

I think my next expenditure is going to be on something I've always found interesting but never really wanted before recently. I've been warned that this could turn into an addiction too...I just find them soooo Purdy!

Oh yeah, you are in deep doo doo now. The addiction lasts the rest of your life! :shock: :mrgreen:
gramps

 

[WAYNO]

I went to the meetings and learned how to overcome reloading.

Used to be night and day, any old piece of brass I could find anywhere was transformed into the most perfect cartridge.

Then I discovered my time was valuable too. Retired my reloading gear to storage boxes, and I haven't reloaded since. That was nearly 20 years ago.

And I still have reloaded ammo in my cabinets that were made decades ago. Still shoot wonderfully.

And back to the OP...I don't know why anybody'd be surprised that this UMC ball ammo shoots okay. It was plenty good enough for the Army. :mrgreen: It's basic. It's cheap. I use it often for plinking and target shooting and I'll continue to use it.

WAYNO.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I can afford to shoot factory ammo. Problem is, I don't like most of it that is out there. Most .38 Special, .380 Auto, and .32 Auto ammo is watered down due to all the old and/or cheap guns floating around not to mention it is laughably overpriced. Almost all reasonably priced 9mm ammo comes with a 115 grain FMJ going a little too fast for my taste, I shoot the 9mm best at around 1020 fps. .30 WCF is more of the same. This cartridge really shines with a big flat nose lead bullet at around 2000 fps, but most loadings have a hard recoiling (relative to size) 150 or 170 grain jacketed bullet that just is not necessary for the cartridge and it's usual purpose.

It is cheaper and more satisfying to pour my own lead bullets and load my own ammo. I do alot more experimenting and fine tuning than is really necessary. I could reload all I need for practice, hunting, and self defense in not much time at all. Here are some of my favorite loads, none of which are available from the factory unless you are willing to drop $$ on specialty makers such as Buffalo Bore. They are all accurate, safe and dependable in my guns.

.32 Auto/Kel-Tec P32: .313 76 grain lead flat point, 2.3 grains Hodgdon Titegroup, Federal primer= 850 fps

.380 Auto/Glock 42: .356 100 grain lead round nose, 3.0 grains Bullseye, Federal primer= 975 fps

.38 Special/S&W 637: .357 146 grain LSWC, 3.5 grains Bullseye, Federal primer= 780 fps

.38 Special/S&W 10-5: .357 150 grain LSWC, 5.8 grains Accurate no. 5, R-P primer= 875 fps

9mm/Glock 26: .356 124 grain plated flat point, 3.8 grains Hodgdon Titegroup, W-W primer= 1005 fps

9mm/Glock 19: .356 129 grain lead flat point, 3.8 grains Hodgdon HP-38, W-W primer= 1054 fps

.30 WCF/Marlin 336 Texan: .310 150 grain gas check lead flat point, 28 grains IMR 4895, R-P primer= haven't chrono'd it yet but accuracy is superb. Easy to shoot, too.

 

[Prescut]

i just got into reloading about 4 months ago because of the cost with 357 Maximum. I use my son's Dillon press and I absolutely love doing it. I don't know why more people don't split the cost. You can't be using the press all the time.

Reloading is a fun hobby all by itself. The ability to select the recipe and get the velocity and accuracy you want is a rush. I'm a senior so I have the time.

If you stay with purchasing, you should try LAXammo.com. I have used them for three years for all my plinking and lots of my target shooting as well. I buy their new and not their reloads because the price is within a couple of pennies. It has been reliable, not too dirty, and gives me acceptable accuracy. The loads are pretty light with 38s hitting around 775 fps and the 357mag going about 890fps out of a 4". Today the prices are $.28 for 38s and $.32 for 357mag.
Let me know what ya think.

Prescut