I understand this to a certain extent for obvious reasons but is the higher priced "defensive" stuff REALLY that much more difficult to load?  Are the components that much more expensive?  Is it all the testing??  Or is it our insecurities that were willing to spend spend spend to feel safer?  I find it just a bit odd that I can buy a box of 50 rounds of quality plinking FMJ for around $11 but can spend over $20 for 20 rounds of +P HP, etc. stuff!  Just a thought!

I am sure I am missing something?

Marketing.

They can stick "Premium" on the box and damn near double the price.

Quoted: Marketing. They can stick "Premium" on the box and damn near double the price.

he he!  Exactly as I thought!  The Bastids!

You should not be paying more than $18 - $24 a 50-round box for defensive ammo.

The price is higher because the components are more expensive/complicated and you are paying for all the research & development.

Also (I don't know how true this is but I like to think that it is) you are paying for a higher level of quality control.   In this day and age, the company's collective ass is on the line if their self defense ammo fails to ignite.

Quoted: Also (I don't know how true this is but I like to think that it is) you are paying for a higher level of quality control.   In this day and age, the company's collective ass is on the line if their self defense ammo fails to ignite.

I buy that and when the tooling gets slightly worn, the budget line of ammo gets made.
I look at at this way...the "premium" ammo is the normal cost, the cheap plinkin' stuff is just less expensive.