Why are factory +p loads so much more expensive?

[ras_oscar]

A scholarly curiosity. I *could* create a 44 MAG +p load by loading with the appropriate powder charge. Not that much more expensive than a standard load. I don't do it because

1. It increases stress in the gun
2. I don't need it
3. I have no reliable way to differentiate between my "standard" loads and +p loads in the drawer.

Why are factory +p loads so much more expensive than standard velocity loads? Is there something in the production equation I am missing?

 

[Melnic]

Because they can?
Liability?
Additional testing and production standards?

 

[Seabee]

I had never paid much attention to the price because I never use factory loads. Perhaps, there is more research involved in +P since they push guns farther toward the edge of their limits and require more research. I could understand doing this back in the days of Elmer Keith but today, with the huge selection of cartridges out there, there is no need to push a round and gun that hard. For instance, why push the limits of the 45 Colt case and gun to +P when you can just buy a 454 Casull and load it to max levels without stressing the case or gun and also load it down to normal Colt levels.
Perhaps there are others who know more about this and will chime in. Just my thoughts on it. Sorry if I got a bit off topic.

Ken

 

[trickg]

Probably just because it's different.

For example, from a sheer monetary standpoint, it costs mere pennies more in terms of components to produce a .44 Magnum cartridge than a 9mm cartridge, but the cost per round to the consumer considerably more expensive. It's possible that it boils down to demand vs production - there's much more demand for 9mm than .44 Magnum - so the costs of production are further spread out, but I doubt it - I think it's simply a matter of it being different, and the same goes for +P ammo. They know people will pay for it, so they charge more, and thus increase their profit margin.

 

[jawn]

+P loads tend to come with specialty boolits, too, instead of round nose or ball.

 

[shovel1966]

I will have to pay more attention to prices next time I see ammo for sale. I have only knowingly purchased +p once in my life. Several years ago I carried a Ruger SP101 with 38spl +p loads.
From a manufacturing standpoint, it really should only cost a penny or two more to produce +p ammo.

How much more do they cost at the store for comparable ammo? Does anyone purchase +p range target ammo or are we only talking about self defense ammo?

 

[Blacksmith101]

A scholarly curiosity.

3. I have no reliable way to differentiate between my "standard" loads and +p loads in the drawer.

Just load the +P in nickle plated cases and you can tell at a glance.

+P loads are no doubt much smaller runs so the setup costs are spread across fewer rounds and I'll bet they carry extra insurance against being sued by stupid people who put +P loads in Saturday night specials.

 

[ihriec]

Most of the +p loads I purchase are self defense loads which are more expensive.

 

[alucard0822]

For premium HP ammo there isn't much if any of a difference in price on the shelves between std and +p, if so, usually less than the difference in price between bullet weights. I usually go with heavy std velocity, usually has the least blast, and the best penetration. I normally don't see much of a difference in velocity, and the small short-barreled guns that could use a little extra also suffer the worst with recoil and blast. There are not many true +p specs with +p headstamps, although some do use thicker brass, probably adds to the cost or availability.

 

[Uncle Duke]

For premium HP ammo there isn't much if any of a difference in price on the shelves between std and +p, if so, usually less than the difference in price between bullet weights. I usually go with heavy std velocity, usually has the least blast, and the best penetration. I normally don't see much of a difference in velocity, and the small short-barreled guns that could use a little extra also suffer the worst with recoil and blast. There are not many true +p specs with +p headstamps, although some do use thicker brass, probably adds to the cost or availability.

This ^^^.

To expand on the above further, ammo manufacturers make different grades of ammunition. Part of the price difference you see is oftentimes not about +p vs. stsndsrd per se, but rather about price differences between a Remington UMC loading vs. Remington's Express or HTP lines as an example.

With regard to 38 Special specifically, the standard police load for years was standard velocity 158 grain round nose lead. Nowadays there are upgrades available at premium prices. Plus P in firearms that can handle the additional pressure was deemed to be one such upgrade. But more typical I think, you have 2 types of buyers who would consider the more expensive ammo, neither of whom are scared away by the premium price.

The first buyer doesn't necessarily understand why, but he sees it being reasonable to assume that higher price means better ammo. Further, he's probably going to buy a box of 50 rounds only once or twice ever for his night stand revolver. Even though one box costs 18 bucks, and the other box costs 36, it's for his defensive revolver. And he wants "the best", so he'll pay an additional 36 cents per round to have "the best."

The second guy may not even consider buying $18 round nose lead for his defensive revolver, and he can tell you why he believes the premium ammo is worth the price difference. Plus P or otherwise. He's the guy who will tell you about premium constructed hollow points, the manufacturer's extensive testing and published terminal results, the advantages he sees inherent to a lower flash powder, the benefits of sealed primers and case mouths. He too sees value, especially when the cost difference amounts to 2 bucks and change a cylinder, to have a superior round, for reasons he knows and understands and can probably explain pretty darned well.

Bottom line though in either case from a manufacturer's standpoint? "Because they can". The manufacturer knows that it's possible to catch both of the fish alluded to above in the same "premium" net. Unless of course it's only about price, as there are always those buyers as well.

 

[yellowfin]

Economy of scale and opportunity cost. Sales volume of standard loads in standard calibers is so reliable and so large that it sets a high bar for profitability for everything else that it takes charging more to make it worth making them. Time and therefore money is lost shutting down a production line to switch calibers or loads. Every time you stop or change it has to equal or exceed the profitability of the standards--otherwise they lose money, and nobody's in the business of losing money just to be nice.

Simply put, nearly nobody zips through box after box in a day of full power .44's, or even .38 +P's. But people zip through a couple hundred 9mm, .40, and .45 every weekend times a few hundred thousand.

 

[Sticky]

Agree with many of the previous posts... it often comes down to what you are comparing it to... ball ammo is a dime a dozen, but +P ammo is typically using premium projectiles, not fmj's and I would imagine that they run far fewer of the premium +P loads then they do the 'cheap to shoot ammo'. Market also dictates pricing to some extent, so this falls in line with what we are experiencing lately too.

The volume in sales between the two is quite lopsided now, especially given the premium prices for factory ammo in many calibers. This is why I reload... LOL

 

[Traveler]

Kind of like a hand built car vs a Chevy. Produce more units, costs go down.

 

[Biggfoot44]

In the tail end of the Revolver Era, there wasn't great difference in price between std and +P .38 spl of similar market positioning. Or for that matter between 9mm and 9mm +P.

One other factor is back then, mfg pretty much had one, maybe 1.5 lines of ammo. Since then, the market place has evolved into multiple product lines of multiple price points. Generic, standard, Premium, Super Premium, Extra Super Premium. With standard now being rarest.

 

[lawdog89]

Why do drive-up atm machines have braille? Why do children's shoes cost more than adults when they're half the size? Why is it illegal to wear headphones while you drive but we give drivers licenses to the deaf? Just saying.

 

[billymx48]

because we live in a world where people are dumb enough to buy em for the higher price and the suppliers know that.

 

[BigSteve57]

Maybe I'm naïve but with ammo prices I just thought it was mostly supply & demand.
Charge what the traffic will bear etc...

 

[Kagetsu]

Maybe I've not been very observant. I've only noticed +P on 38 special and I think the 38 super auto. It always seem to me to be a marketing ploy to boost the sale of lesser power guns like the .38 or differ the bigger power cartridge that will fit in a gun not made for it, .38 auto and .38 super.