Save money?

ranger351w · December 29, 2007, 06:57 AM

I have been away from reloading for a couple of decades can some one bring me up to speed as to if the price is worth it compared to buying at wall mart for practice. Thats CHEAPER FOR THE EFFORT. I have everything except the dies. We shoot 9mm . Cost of powder,bullets and primers. Wife and I are ccw, and practice to the tune of a thousand rounds a year or more.

will not load ccw rounds just practice. Also have 380

Frenchwrench · December 29, 2007, 10:04 AM

If you can reload lead bullets(not for Glocks), the cost is worth it as far as practice rounds. Lead is much cheaper than jacketed. Hope this helps.

ranger351w · December 29, 2007, 10:40 AM

What do you mean if I can load lead? is it different than jacketed? does it fowl the barrel?

rwilson452 · December 29, 2007, 11:56 AM

lead bullets are much cheaper. Except for Glocks, if you get or mold hard lead bullets lead fouling is not a big issue. If you do get fouling it comes out a lot easier than copper fouling. Think of lead bullets as a bullet without the jacket. Plated bullets are about next up the price scale.

Mike40-11 · December 29, 2007, 02:10 PM

Depends on what your effort's worth to you.

Last time I ran the numbers carefully I was loading .45 hard cast lead for just over 12 bucks a hundred. That was before all the price increases of the last year though.

The majority of your cost is the bullet of course. Powder and primer together is less than a nickel a round for pistol.

Looking at this months Midway flyer I see Ranier 115 gr plated at $84/1000. Shipping will probably push it around $100. Actually a little less than what they have lead going for. I buy mine locally for $35-$40 per 500.

So a hundred rounds is going to be around $15. The same flyer has WWB 115 gr for $14.29 per 50.

I only recently started reloading 9mm. Before the recent price spikes I never figured that it was worth my time.

renaissance7697 · December 29, 2007, 07:02 PM

I don't save any money
I just get to shoot more
Works for me!

KeithB78 · December 29, 2007, 07:58 PM

i just bought 1000 Win 45 cal 230GR FMJ from midway for $110 and about $12.00 shipping

I think i saw 9mm FMJ for like $66 per 1000

CrustyFN · December 29, 2007, 08:07 PM

With the new cost of components I can load 9mm for around $8 per 100 rounds. I can load those 100 rounds in half an hour. Cheap Win White box is twice that much and not as good ammo. Where it really pays off for me is loading 223. I can buy 1,000 rounds of factory ammo for around $350 and can reload 1,000 rounds for $95. I haven't figured how much it cost to reload 38 spcl yet but I bet it will be close to 9mm.
Rusty

Sevens · December 30, 2007, 05:01 PM

Of all the calibers out there, reloading for 9mm probably saves you the LEAST $$$ of any caliber. It's most likely the cheapest center fire factory loaded ammo on the planet, so the savings are the least. I dunno about your Wal-Mart, by mine here is still selling the CCI Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ for like $8 a box.

How much savings can you expect with reloads? Too many variables, but you already have good info in this thread. The tone of your post comes across as if reloading is going to be a time consuming hassle (that's okay, really, it's not a hobby for everyone).

Keep in mind when you load 9mm that you have a few more "hassles" than you do with, say, .38 special. First of all, every 9mm chucks brass. Chasing down and picking up brass is a tremendous hassle. Myself... I'm addicted to chasing down brass. It's some kind of mental problem I have. I'll stop at outdoor ranges without any guns or ammo, just to chase brass when I have the time. But for most folks, it's a big PITA. You don't chase down revolver brass, you dump it by the cylinderful in to your range bag. But you will chase 9mm brass across the floor of the indoor range or through the grass and dirt of the outdoor range. That's one hassle.

Another hassle of loading 9mm is feeding a semiautomatic with reloads. You need a pistol that likes your bullet shape, the power of the round you've created, and a solid crimp that will keep the bullet from getting pushed back in to the case when it's slammed home in to battery. (this can be very dangerous) When loading .38 special in a revolver, NONE of that is a concern.

To sum it up, the 9mm caliber is probably the least served by handloading. If you owned a .500 S&W Magnum, you'd have to choose between factory ammo or the mortgage payment. With 9mm, the savings isn't nearly as great.

Myself, I load 9mm mostly because I enjoy handloading as much as I enjoy shooting. But as factory ammo goes, cheap 9mm is the cheapest center fire stuff you'll find.

December 29, 2007, 06:57 AM	#1
ranger351w Junior Member Join Date: December 29, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 10	Save money? I have been away from reloading for a couple of decades can some one bring me up to speed as to if the price is worth it compared to buying at wall mart for practice. Thats CHEAPER FOR THE EFFORT. I have everything except the dies. We shoot 9mm . Cost of powder,bullets and primers. Wife and I are ccw, and practice to the tune of a thousand rounds a year or more. will not load ccw rounds just practice. Also have 380 __________________ Mike seen at seipsg.net Last edited by ranger351w; December 29, 2007 at 07:47 AM. Reason: add info

December 29, 2007, 10:04 AM	#2
Frenchwrench Member Join Date: January 19, 2005 Location: Indiana but my land is in Colorado Posts: 80	If you can reload lead bullets(not for Glocks), the cost is worth it as far as practice rounds. Lead is much cheaper than jacketed. Hope this helps. __________________ When in trouble, when in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.

December 29, 2007, 10:40 AM	#3
ranger351w Junior Member Join Date: December 29, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 10	What do you mean if I can load lead? is it different than jacketed? does it fowl the barrel? __________________ Mike seen at seipsg.net

December 29, 2007, 07:02 PM	#6
renaissance7697 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2001 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 203	Get to shoot more I don't save any money I just get to shoot more Works for me! __________________ An Armed Society, Is a Polite Society.

December 29, 2007, 08:07 PM	#8
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	With the new cost of components I can load 9mm for around $8 per 100 rounds. I can load those 100 rounds in half an hour. Cheap Win White box is twice that much and not as good ammo. Where it really pays off for me is loading 223. I can buy 1,000 rounds of factory ammo for around $350 and can reload 1,000 rounds for $95. I haven't figured how much it cost to reload 38 spcl yet but I bet it will be close to 9mm. Rusty __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

December 29, 2007, 11:56 AM	#4
rwilson452 Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2004 Location: Tioga co. PA Posts: 2,647	lead bullets are much cheaper. Except for Glocks, if you get or mold hard lead bullets lead fouling is not a big issue. If you do get fouling it comes out a lot easier than copper fouling. Think of lead bullets as a bullet without the jacket. Plated bullets are about next up the price scale.

December 29, 2007, 02:10 PM	#5
Mike40-11 Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 842	Depends on what your effort's worth to you. Last time I ran the numbers carefully I was loading .45 hard cast lead for just over 12 bucks a hundred. That was before all the price increases of the last year though. The majority of your cost is the bullet of course. Powder and primer together is less than a nickel a round for pistol. Looking at this months Midway flyer I see Ranier 115 gr plated at $84/1000. Shipping will probably push it around $100. Actually a little less than what they have lead going for. I buy mine locally for $35-$40 per 500. So a hundred rounds is going to be around $15. The same flyer has WWB 115 gr for $14.29 per 50. I only recently started reloading 9mm. Before the recent price spikes I never figured that it was worth my time.

December 29, 2007, 07:58 PM	#7
KeithB78 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2007 Posts: 156	i just bought 1000 Win 45 cal 230GR FMJ from midway for $110 and about $12.00 shipping I think i saw 9mm FMJ for like $66 per 1000

December 30, 2007, 05:01 PM	#9
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Of all the calibers out there, reloading for 9mm probably saves you the LEAST $$$ of any caliber. It's most likely the cheapest center fire factory loaded ammo on the planet, so the savings are the least. I dunno about your Wal-Mart, by mine here is still selling the CCI Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ for like $8 a box. How much savings can you expect with reloads? Too many variables, but you already have good info in this thread. The tone of your post comes across as if reloading is going to be a time consuming hassle (that's okay, really, it's not a hobby for everyone). Keep in mind when you load 9mm that you have a few more "hassles" than you do with, say, .38 special. First of all, every 9mm chucks brass. Chasing down and picking up brass is a tremendous hassle. Myself... I'm addicted to chasing down brass. It's some kind of mental problem I have. I'll stop at outdoor ranges without any guns or ammo, just to chase brass when I have the time. But for most folks, it's a big PITA. You don't chase down revolver brass, you dump it by the cylinderful in to your range bag. But you will chase 9mm brass across the floor of the indoor range or through the grass and dirt of the outdoor range. That's one hassle. Another hassle of loading 9mm is feeding a semiautomatic with reloads. You need a pistol that likes your bullet shape, the power of the round you've created, and a solid crimp that will keep the bullet from getting pushed back in to the case when it's slammed home in to battery. (this can be very dangerous) When loading .38 special in a revolver, NONE of that is a concern. To sum it up, the 9mm caliber is probably the least served by handloading. If you owned a .500 S&W Magnum, you'd have to choose between factory ammo or the mortgage payment. With 9mm, the savings isn't nearly as great. Myself, I load 9mm mostly because I enjoy handloading as much as I enjoy shooting. But as factory ammo goes, cheap 9mm is the cheapest center fire stuff you'll find. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.