It’s too late to paddle

OK, I think I get it. A hostile alien race is planning an imminent attack on Earth. Conventional weapons are useless against them, but owing to their squishy physiology, the meager .380 ACP cartridge is the only thing that can stop them.

Am I close? Because that’s the only reason I can see for the inexplicable shortage of .380. Some folks are stockpiling it like there’s no tomorrow, while those who were late to the party seem to be going into apoplexy over the sudden shortage.

Demand quickly exhausted the supply, and now we’re seeing crap like this:

Don’t complain if you sat on the fence all your life, and you now find yourself behind the curve. It’s too late to paddle when the boat’s already at the bottom of the lake. You’re vulnerable, and people are going to take advantage of that.

Is it fair? No. Is it right? No. But you’re creating a market for it at these prices by clamoring for it. If you absolutely must have it, someone out there is willing to supply.

Fair market value for a box of Blazer .380 is ~$15.00. That is, if you can get it through regular channels. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

For the less panic-prone, what’s the solution? You refuse to pay those prices, and you wait.

After all, the world didn’t crumble the day after the election. It hasn’t crumbled in the last 100 days, and it won’t do so tomorrow.

If you recall, there was a mad rush for “assault rifles” between November and February. Then the demand tapered off, coinciding with a replenishment of supply.

The result? Prices aren’t any higher than they were before the election. Oh, and all those folks who bought military rifles in the hopes of selling them off at a massive profit? They’re going to have to get rid of those at a surplus when the car breaks down or the mortgage payment goes up.

Still…why .380? If I’m having to fight off post-apocalyptic giant cockroaches, irradiated Chernobyl zombies or whatever it is people are expecting, I’d at least like a caliber that can reliably break bone.