9mm Reloading Worth the Cost?

[p5200]

I would think the savings in brass, since it can be used several times should also net some savings.

[m&p45acp10+1]

I have never ever purchased brass for 9mm, .45 acp, or .38 spcl. So many people at the ranges shoot it, and will give you thier brass why buy it. If you offer to clean up the brass pile for people that do not reload most times they are more than happy to let you clean up the ground for them. Just make sure you ask first.

I had a couple of people at the range just start picking up my brass without asking. Well I let them have that. They picked up a hundred or so. If they would have asked before hand I would have probably given them a few thousand pieces.

I ended up trading off most of my surplus brass for some primers. So I will be going through the buckets next weekend to start bulding back up.

[ScottRiqui]

Another important consideration is how often/much you shoot (or would like to shoot). If you're shooting something where the factory-loaded ammunition is wildly expensive, then reloading could make financial sense even for the "one box a month" shooter. But it's a little harder to justify getting into reloading just to save money on 9mm ammo unless you're shooting quite a bit of it.

[armoredman]

Using my cast bullets, I "spend" about $2.50 or so for 50 rounds of 9mm. More when I use plated, more than that if I use jacketed bullets. I save money over the store bought, PLUS the cost of the gas- long drive to anywhere that sells ammo around me. Also, when the shelves are bare, like the last big ammo scare, I was still shooting while others were driving from store to store, city to city, scrounging.
To me reloading is a hobby, same as model boat building, with the added benefit that this hobby is productive and fun, and it fuels my other hobby, shooting. I add in the hobby of bullet casting, and double the fun.
If you don't have time to reload, then don't reload. If you do and you enjoy it, then reload. If the difference in cost isn't big enough to warrant the action, then ask yourself - do you like reloading ammo that you can tailor to your firearm, or is it just money that drives you to it.
If it's just money, go grab some WWB and have fun.

[Al Norris]

For me, the purpose of loading 9mm was to load the same ammo I carry. That would be Factory Rem 124gr GS (Why? 'Cause I found a premium deal a couple of years ago). It's the only thing I load in 9mm, anymore.

All prices listed were taken from MidwayUSA, today. Does not include S&H and HazMat. A quick calculator can be found here.

5,000 CCI small pistol = $137.99
8lb. HS-6 = $148.99
2,000 Rem GS 9mm 124gr = $237.99

This works out to:

Cost / round = $0.164
Cost / 50 = $8.22
Cost / 1000 = $164.42

A box of 25 rounds of Factory Loads = $17.99

Even including S&H and HazMat fees, the current cost of handloading premium ammo is still about 50% of Factory ammo. Cheap plinking ammo probably costs less, as noted by several others.

[tobnpr]

You can save 50% minimum on any caliber. Saving 50% on 9mm is worth it to a lot of people even though it isn't worth it for you.

I went through this same mental exercise a year ago and decided that for plinking range ammo, it wasn't worth the effort due to minimal cost savings.
I can buy 50 rounds of Federal for $11.00...

Show me how I can handload 50 rounds of 9mm FMJ for $5.50, and I'll be a believer...

[Scimmia]

I can buy 50 rounds of Federal for $11.00...

Show me how I can handload 50 rounds of 9mm FMJ for $5.50, and I'll be a believer...

Well, you're giving a price for plated and asking for FMJ loads. You can do it for about $6 per box of 50, including tax and shipping.

Precision Delta 115 gr: $0.076 each, $3.80/box
CCI 500 SP primers: $0.031789 each, $1.59/box
Alliant Unique at 5.7 gr: $0.0135945 each, $0.68/box

The powder and primers are local price buying 4lb and 1K respecively. You can do better than that and get it under $6 by buying in bulk and with things like Wolf primers, etc.

[CrustyFN]

Show me how I can handload 50 rounds of 9mm FMJ for $5.50, and I'll be a believer...

This is from post #12.

Montana Gold 115 FMJ $0.076 ($305 for 4000 shipped)
Powder Valley CCI 500 Primers $0.024 ($24 per 1K)
Powder Valley Bullseye Powder $0.0083 ($101 for 8 pounds)

$4.61 per box of 50 not counting brass costs and shipping & HAZMAT from Powder Valley.

Here is how I figure it.

Montana Gold $305 for 4,000. $76.25 per 1,000.
Tula SPP at Powder Valley $20 per 1,000
Bullseye at Powder Valley 8 #'s for $101. or $8.12 per 1,000

Total is $104.37 per 1,000 or $5.21 per 50

[Martowski]

Someone asked where I was seeing boxes of 9mm under $10. Aimsurplus, a company I have used for many firearm and ammo purchases, sells Aguila for under $10/box. They sometimes have PMC Bronze for that same price as well (CTD has Bronze for $10.54/box right now). $10.77 for Sellier & Bellot through CTD as well.

Again, sounds like I might be able to see a cost savings with some of the information presented here. I do love reloading and have been doing it for around 20 years off and on, but with three little kids in the house, full time job, active in church, etc., hard to find spare time sometimes.

[justinpar]

I reload 9mm for $0.11 a round. Well worth it for me. I load Missouri bullet company bullets($35/500rd) with bullseye and wspp.

[wncchester]

"9mm Reloading Worth the Cost? "

Thiose of us who reload it think so. Those who disagree don't. ??

[oneounceload]

Easily worth it. Start by not buying from Midway, they are a retail store and their prices are no deal at all. You were given other sources and there are even more than those.

Think buying in bulk, powder in 8# jugs, primers by the sleeve of 5000, bullets in bulk, minimum of 1000, more typically in 3-5000 quantities.

That is how you save money reloading for ANY cartridge or bore size

[Jimro]

as a complete aside, I took the plunge and added a Lee Pro1000 progressive press to my reloading bench in order to crank out 5.56 in quantity.

A complete 9x19 setup for a Lee Pro1000 progressive press can be had for about 150 after shipping and handling if you can find it on sale, so at 5.50 a box you are looking at reloading 30 boxes in order to "pay for the press" so to speak, and after that you are saving money.

Jimro

[BigJimP]

Sure its cost effective ...just like any other caliber ....but I buy my bullets in case lots ( 3,750 to a case of 9mm in 115 grain / powder in 8lb kegs / primers usually 20,000 at a time...) ...and my 9mm reloads, using a premium FMJ bullet from Montana Gold are under $ 5 for a box of 50 ... and retail for 9mm ammo is at least $ 10 ...sometimes as high as $ 16 for a box of 50 around here....

A good progressive press will easily crank out 1,000 rds an hour / 20 boxes and hour....so time isn't a big deal...and I like shooting 9mm for practice...and training...

[hulley]

I got into loading with the 9mm and I like my loads better than the factory stuff, for plinking anyways. Now I'm getting into 38/357 and before too long 44mag. I say go for it!

[Pilot]

Thanks for the info Mike. I will check them both out!

[Martowski]

Thanks for the the insight, everyone. I'm now calculating costs of $5.05/box going through Powder Valley (assumes no cost for brass). Add in hazmat and shipping charges, and I'm still at $6.10/box. With that price, it pays for a Lee Pro 1000 press in 35 boxes.

Seriously thinking about this now. Thanks again.

[CrustyFN]

I'm now calculating costs of $5.05/box going through Powder Valley (assumes no cost for brass). Add in hazmat and shipping charges, and I'm still at $6.10/box.

I know it's hard to max out a hazmat by yourself but if you can you will barely notice the shipping and hazmat per pound or thousand primers. I normally order with two friends and we max out a hazmat. Max on one hazmat is 50,000 primers ( 70#'s ) or 48 pounds of powder or 48 pounds of powder and primers mixed. Also if you keep a close eye on Powder Valley and Graf' & Sons they will run free hazmat and/or shipping specials.

[bitttorrrent]

I am about to buy the dies for my Dads xl650. He loads 45 and 45lc.
The whole slide in kit and dies will probably be $150-170 but obviously I do not have to buy a whole press.

We found some small pistol primers (1000) and he has brass and powder. So just need to order the lead. Some suggested the 124g instead of the 115 that I find everywhere. Sounds good to me.


So my cost will be small. I just want to load a few thousand instead of running to the store for 50 rnds. all the time. Sometimes a deal, but sometimes not.


The other benefit is that my Dad is teaching my how to do it. If not, all his equipment and knowledge will end up lost. It is allowing us to work together and spend some time doing something that he has spent his whole life tinkering with. And I enjoy it now. Maybe for different reasons, but I can't wait till we get the new dies and try a batch.

[Misssissippi Dave]

You may want to get 1000 large pistol primers for .45 reloading. Most .45 apc brass uses these. There is some brass that takes a small pistol primer but that is the exception. It helps to have the right ones on hand.

It does cost me about $6 to $6.50 per box of 50 to load 9 mm using Montana Gold HP or 124 grain bullets. They work for me so I don't try using cheaper components. It is still about half the cost of cheap range ammo. Use a progressive press and you can make enough ammo per hour to keep you shooting a pretty fair amount each week.

[reloader28]

50 rounds of 9mm for $5.50???

WOW! HOLY SMOKES!

Thats way to expensive for me.
I cast my own 130gr rfn with excellent accuracy, excellent performance, zero lead in the barrel and load them up for $4.00 per 100. Thats lead, powder and primer.

Lead around here is VERY cheap and it dont take long to pay for even a more expensive mold. Cast bullets in the store's here are $60-70/500. Thats the cost of a Lyman mold right there. A Lee mold is only $20. Bad thing is, lead wheel weights are almost a thing of the past.

[orionengnr]

You already load for a number of other chamberings (post #15).

I already reload quite a few calibers such as .38, .45, etc.

You can use Bullseye, Unique, Green Dot or several other powders that will work for each of these loads. Since you already handload, buy enough powder and primers in one purchase to keep you going for a year, and the Hazmat charge becomes insignificant.

The only issue I see with it is you cannot carry them them for PP uses. Because if you use them your (sic) screwed.

Since he lives in IL, I don't see how he can carry anything without being screwed.

[ar15man2009]

im loading it very very cheap as well. with my own cast bullets were at about 40 dollars per THOUSAND. 2.00 per box

30 per 1000 primers
10ish for enough powder

Even if we talk about fmj im at around 115. 5.75 per box

75 per 1000 115gr fmj
30 per 1000 primers
10ish for powder

idk about everyone else but that is PLENTY in my book to reload it.

[Martowski]

Correct, in IL. In this wonderful state, with a few exceptions, the only people carrying firearms are law enforcement or felons.

[m&p45acp10+1]

Martowski if you are going to get equipment to begin reloading I would recomend not starting with the Lee Pro1000. I am an avid cutomer of Lee products. I would recomen the Classic Turret Kit instead. You will still be able to turn out volume a lot faster than single stage reloading with it. You will also have a whole lot less frustration than dealing with the progressive to start out with.

Note I do not own a progressive, or turret press. I am still using the same single stage press well over 2 years later. I batch components so that when I am ready to load I set up my powder measure, and loading block. I charge 50 at a time then seat bullets. To finish all off I run through the FCD. I can do 400 rounds in an hour without rushing.

I have my brass prepped by then. I FL Size/deprime, and then flare all of the brass first. Then I use a hand primer to prime the brass, and put it in a coffee can for when I am ready to load.