Normally do not post here but SIP...
Just went to Midway and in stock handgun ammo:
9mm - 2
357 - 1
45acp- 1

The selection,if you exclude available:

9mm - 197
357 - 71
45acp - 114

Not to minimize the world problem, but I guess I am missing something?

I'm not sure I understand your post. I have been reloading since the early 70s so I have no concept of what goes on in the retail market be it prices or availability, although I have heard that the prices now are quite steep.

I think his point is you cannot buy factory handgun ammo, or buckshot for that matter, now. I was looking for some #4 Buck. Turns out you can't find any buck of any size. Just like toilet paper.

Damn, it waS ALWAYS LUCRITYIE TO BE A HAND LOADER BUT NOW it is imperative. (sorry for the cap locks but I'm too lazy to change).

You dont need buck shot give a bad guy a face full of 6s or 9s for that matter, thug down every time. cant eat, cant talk, can't chew, can't see, can't even blink.. It happen one time when US Customs Agent was quail hunting with an issue 12 ga. and using bird shot, He got a request call and never gave the gun a thought, helped run a search warrant for drugs and he covered the back of the house and the perp comes running at him out the back door or whatever and he shot the perp in the face, skinned out his face and killed him of course, There was hell to pay but no action was taken on the agent other than using his shotgun to hunt quail, best I recall...News paper made a big deal out of it and showed the picture of the bad guys face..News persons can be common as hell..