.38 Special vs .380 ACP - Price, Recoil & Ballistics Compared

Side-by-side price comparison with live market data

Current Prices

Metric.38 Special.380 ACP
Lowest Price$0.280/rd$0.245/rd
Midpoint (per product)$0.679/rd$0.599/rd
Range / practice midpoint$0.505/rd$0.379/rd
Defensive / premium midpoint$1.00/rd$0.899/rd
Highest Price$2.85/rd$2.30/rd
Products Tracked363253
Retailers2020

Prices reflect 30-day observed in-stock data across tracked online retailers. Updated daily.

.38 Special

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .38 Special ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 0.679, lowest: 0.280, highest: 2.848, sample size: 8646.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.280.

Prices last updated August 13, 2026 · 363 listings tracked across 20 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.

.380 ACP

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .380 ACP ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 0.599, lowest: 0.245, highest: 2.300, sample size: 6181.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.245.

Prices last updated August 13, 2026 · 253 listings tracked across 20 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.
Search .38 SpecialSearch .380 ACP

Frequently Asked Questions

Is .38 Special or .380 ACP cheaper?
.38 Special currently starts at $0.28/rd (per-product midpoint $0.68/rd). .380 ACP starts at $0.24/rd (per-product midpoint $0.60/rd). Prices are observed across tracked online retailers and updated daily.
Should I choose .38 Special or .380 ACP?
The choice between .38 Special and .380 ACP depends on your firearm, intended use, and budget. IronScout provides pricing and availability data to help inform your decision — not recommendations. Compare current prices for both calibers on IronScout.

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