Reload or buy mfg 9mm.

[email protected] · March 30, 2006, 11:05 PM

Still trying to make up my mind if I should reload or buy 9mm. I shoot about 4000 rds per year, at my local Walmart the price of 9mm 100rd white box is 11.98. How much would it cost if i started reloading, which progressive reloader should I purchase, and where can I buy the components for bulk.

Rivers · March 30, 2006, 11:15 PM

I reload quality 9mm (124gr. fmj) for about $.08 each, not including the brass, which I get free, or the cost of the equipment. I occasionally buy White Box, but with my Dillon 650, it's pretty easy/quick to run off 1000 rounds.

Of course, I also load a bunch of .45 and .223, as well as a moderate number of other rounds.

What kind of equipment I'd recommend would largely depend on your budget. It'd be hard to beat a Dillon 550 or a Hornady LNL. Some people like the RCBS 2000. I personally prefer a self-indexing press, ergo, the 650. You can get a Hornady progressive with casefeeder for substantially less than you'd have to pay for a Dillon 650, though.

308SORRELS · March 30, 2006, 11:19 PM

You can probably buy the 9mm buy the bulk thru a lot of sites cheaper then reloading especially if you consider the cost to start reloading. Myself I will tell you that it is a addiction and I relax more when reloading then at any other time. After you become addicted you will always be trying different loads or looking at a different type of equipment. So I will warn you if you are doing it for cost you will probably never break even but if you are doing it for a good quality load and fun then get a Dillon 550 or 650.

GOOD LUCK AND TELL ME IN SIX MONTHS IF YOU ARE ADDICTED

Leftoverdj · March 30, 2006, 11:21 PM

The math does not work for me. If you were already reloading and just needed a set of dies and/or a conversion kit, I'd tell you to go for it. Since you have to start from scratch, you can buy a year's supply of ammo for what it would cost you to get setup. Cheap as the prices you cite are, it would take you years to recover your investment.

Just picking up your brass and putting it back in the box to sell will bring you shooting costs down by maybe $3 a hundred.

roy reali · March 30, 2006, 11:29 PM

Money or savings is really not part of the real reason anyone handloads. Having better ammo is one reason. But I think that most people just like to craft their own ammo. There is a satisfaction in that no matter the cost.

It is sort of like comparing the cost of hunted meat to store bought stuff. One factor that makes game more appreciated is the fact the person went through the entire process of getting food to the table. If cost or convience was considered, hunting would not make sense.

hoghunting · March 31, 2006, 12:55 AM

eeg,
I don't know where you live, but here in TX we have Academy Sports that sells CCI Blazer 9mm for $3.99 a box. This is jacketed ammo and most people can't reload for that.

caz223 · March 31, 2006, 06:08 AM

Just keep buying it and saving your brass.
If you start loading another caliber, you'll have more incentive to load.

Rivers · March 31, 2006, 12:33 PM

If you think you'll only be reloading handgun ammo, it'd be hard to beat a Dillon SDB. They're not too expensive and do offer auto-indexing.

I certainly wouldn't start reloading, if all I shot was 9mm. When I started loading 9mm, I'd already been reloading for several years. All I had to buy were the dies (I chose Lee w/FCD), shellplate and a few casefeed parts.

As others have posted, I find reloading to be therapeutic. Hate to admit that I'm addicted, but I will admit that it's therapeutic.

xjz · April 12, 2006, 03:12 PM

I actually started reloading for the 9mm because I wanted to save money but in reality it was so i could shoot more for the same monthly dollar amount. I figure i can reload 9mm for 60-75% of what it would cost me to buy WWB at walmart. which isn't a lot of savings but I figure any savings is better than none. My wife now wants me to buy her a pistol as she cant shoot mine as well and she wants a .40 cal so i will only need to buy some dies for the press and will be able to reload for her also which will be more of a significant savings over time than the 9mm I'm currently reloading. You may not save muche right now but in the future you may want to get or reload for another caliber and you will be that much further ahead.

kart racer · April 13, 2006, 08:23 PM

I started off reloading for 45 and then bought 9mm dies.You can load premium jhp for less than wwb from walmart.It is fun and rewarding when you get good groups from your ammo.

JDG · April 15, 2006, 06:33 PM

Since I all ready reload, buying 9mm dies and an extra turret was a no brainer. If all you shoot is a 9mm, it will take awhile to recoup your equipment cost, so buy a 45 acp, and really start saving

But as the others said, its not all about saving money. You can down load for indoor range shooting, or build super accurate rifle loads, that factory ammo cant touch. Did I mention that it's a fun hobby?

Clayfish · April 16, 2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Money or savings is really not part of the real reason anyone handloads. Having better ammo is one reason. But I think that most people just like to craft their own ammo. There is a satisfaction in that no matter the cost.

+2

I also reload because I have had a factory round rupture in my rifle. I now know exactly what every round is consists of and that I have safely made each one.

Hook686 · April 17, 2006, 01:22 AM

Today I bought 100 round boxes of 9mm Winchester WB for $7.83 per box of 100 rounds. At 8 cents per round, I cannot match that reloading it .... bullets cost me more than that.

caz223 · April 17, 2006, 01:25 AM

Where did you find that deal, praytell?

Hook686 · April 17, 2006, 04:03 AM

Wal-Mart .... the WWB valu Box. I could not resist.

caz223 · April 17, 2006, 11:38 AM

Walmarts in my neck of the woods sell it for $11.00 a box, which is stil a pretty good deal, however, I can still load premium 147 grain JHPs for the same price if I don't count my time.

March 30, 2006, 11:05 PM	#1
[email protected] Member Join Date: March 11, 2006 Posts: 30	Reload or buy mfg 9mm. Still trying to make up my mind if I should reload or buy 9mm. I shoot about 4000 rds per year, at my local Walmart the price of 9mm 100rd white box is 11.98. How much would it cost if i started reloading, which progressive reloader should I purchase, and where can I buy the components for bulk.

March 30, 2006, 11:29 PM	#5
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	A Comparison Money or savings is really not part of the real reason anyone handloads. Having better ammo is one reason. But I think that most people just like to craft their own ammo. There is a satisfaction in that no matter the cost. It is sort of like comparing the cost of hunted meat to store bought stuff. One factor that makes game more appreciated is the fact the person went through the entire process of getting food to the table. If cost or convience was considered, hunting would not make sense.

March 31, 2006, 06:08 AM	#7
caz223 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,429	Just keep buying it and saving your brass. If you start loading another caliber, you'll have more incentive to load. __________________ I'm not just a gun. I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me.)

April 17, 2006, 01:22 AM	#13
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	Today I bought 100 round boxes of 9mm Winchester WB for $7.83 per box of 100 rounds. At 8 cents per round, I cannot match that reloading it .... bullets cost me more than that. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

April 17, 2006, 01:25 AM	#14
caz223 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,429	Where did you find that deal, praytell? __________________ I'm not just a gun. I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me.)

March 30, 2006, 11:15 PM	#2
Rivers Junior member Join Date: November 5, 2005 Posts: 670	I reload quality 9mm (124gr. fmj) for about $.08 each, not including the brass, which I get free, or the cost of the equipment. I occasionally buy White Box, but with my Dillon 650, it's pretty easy/quick to run off 1000 rounds. Of course, I also load a bunch of .45 and .223, as well as a moderate number of other rounds. What kind of equipment I'd recommend would largely depend on your budget. It'd be hard to beat a Dillon 550 or a Hornady LNL. Some people like the RCBS 2000. I personally prefer a self-indexing press, ergo, the 650. You can get a Hornady progressive with casefeeder for substantially less than you'd have to pay for a Dillon 650, though.

March 30, 2006, 11:19 PM	#3
308SORRELS Member Join Date: March 24, 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 38	You can probably buy the 9mm buy the bulk thru a lot of sites cheaper then reloading especially if you consider the cost to start reloading. Myself I will tell you that it is a addiction and I relax more when reloading then at any other time. After you become addicted you will always be trying different loads or looking at a different type of equipment. So I will warn you if you are doing it for cost you will probably never break even but if you are doing it for a good quality load and fun then get a Dillon 550 or 650. GOOD LUCK AND TELL ME IN SIX MONTHS IF YOU ARE ADDICTED

March 30, 2006, 11:21 PM	#4
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	The math does not work for me. If you were already reloading and just needed a set of dies and/or a conversion kit, I'd tell you to go for it. Since you have to start from scratch, you can buy a year's supply of ammo for what it would cost you to get setup. Cheap as the prices you cite are, it would take you years to recover your investment. Just picking up your brass and putting it back in the box to sell will bring you shooting costs down by maybe $3 a hundred.

March 31, 2006, 12:55 AM	#6
hoghunting Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2006 Posts: 1,559	eeg, I don't know where you live, but here in TX we have Academy Sports that sells CCI Blazer 9mm for $3.99 a box. This is jacketed ammo and most people can't reload for that.

March 31, 2006, 12:33 PM	#8
Rivers Junior member Join Date: November 5, 2005 Posts: 670	If you think you'll only be reloading handgun ammo, it'd be hard to beat a Dillon SDB. They're not too expensive and do offer auto-indexing. I certainly wouldn't start reloading, if all I shot was 9mm. When I started loading 9mm, I'd already been reloading for several years. All I had to buy were the dies (I chose Lee w/FCD), shellplate and a few casefeed parts. As others have posted, I find reloading to be therapeutic. Hate to admit that I'm addicted, but I will admit that it's therapeutic.

April 12, 2006, 03:12 PM	#9
xjz Member Join Date: October 2, 2005 Location: Peoples Republic of California Posts: 96	I actually started reloading for the 9mm because I wanted to save money but in reality it was so i could shoot more for the same monthly dollar amount. I figure i can reload 9mm for 60-75% of what it would cost me to buy WWB at walmart. which isn't a lot of savings but I figure any savings is better than none. My wife now wants me to buy her a pistol as she cant shoot mine as well and she wants a .40 cal so i will only need to buy some dies for the press and will be able to reload for her also which will be more of a significant savings over time than the 9mm I'm currently reloading. You may not save muche right now but in the future you may want to get or reload for another caliber and you will be that much further ahead.

April 13, 2006, 08:23 PM	#10
kart racer Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2005 Posts: 175	I started off reloading for 45 and then bought 9mm dies.You can load premium jhp for less than wwb from walmart.It is fun and rewarding when you get good groups from your ammo.

April 15, 2006, 06:33 PM	#11
JDG Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: West Michigan Posts: 673	Since I all ready reload, buying 9mm dies and an extra turret was a no brainer. If all you shoot is a 9mm, it will take awhile to recoup your equipment cost, so buy a 45 acp, and really start saving But as the others said, its not all about saving money. You can down load for indoor range shooting, or build super accurate rifle loads, that factory ammo cant touch. Did I mention that it's a fun hobby?

April 17, 2006, 04:03 AM	#15
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	Wal-Mart .... the WWB valu Box. I could not resist. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

April 17, 2006, 11:38 AM	#16
caz223 Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,429	Walmarts in my neck of the woods sell it for $11.00 a box, which is stil a pretty good deal, however, I can still load premium 147 grain JHPs for the same price if I don't count my time. __________________ I'm not just a gun. I'm YOUR gun. (Hold me.)