to load or not to load?.....9mm......that is the question.

[awco4570]

Kinda laughing at myself here. Just for kicks, I'm looking for y'alls $0.02.

I hand load .40 & .45 pistol. Would like to start loading some .38 Spec. soon, and sometime later this year, get to some rifle loads, .45-70 & .30-06. Used to shoot 3 days a week. I don't shoot very often now, maybe 4-6 range visits a month.
Have about 8 calibers I'd like to eventually load. I really enjoy the hobby......
Anyway, I'm shooting mostly 9mm these days. Have gotten close to buying the dies and bullets (have saved brass for a while, so I have a lot) but keep holding off. Figure I can reload for about $8.50/box of 50. Have a little powder, but it will go quick.

Pros I can think of: Can save a little $ by reloading. Control over round makeup/recoil/accuracy. Enjoy spending a few hours reloading.

Cons: Minimal $ advantage, especially since I need to buy dies. No powder, especially locally. Would probably have to order online with Haz-Mat & Shipping fees, when I can find it.

The heart says "reload", the brain says "you're a moron".
Since 9mm is pretty back to normal prices, I think I'll probably just stick with buying new. Anyone want to talk me out of that? How many of y'all reload 9mm? What's your cost per box of 50?

 

[Jack]

Should be able to get the cost down to around $120 a case if you use your own brass and use plated bullets from xtreme. That means you should be saving about $100 a case. I don't know if that is worth it to you, but it is for me.

 

[Magdump]

I haven't looked into whether or not I can load it much cheaper than 20 cents per round. I guess if I wanted to load a couple thousand HP's it would be worth it to me. But I'd still have to start from scratch.

 

[Jack]

http://www.xtremebullets.com/9mm-115-RN-p/xc9mm-115rn-b0500.htm Bullets at $80 per case(they get as low as $65 a case when on sale)

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/11073 Primers at $30 per 1000(I usually get them cheaper)

Powder should be costing you around $10 per case unless you're getting screwed. If you load 700x you can get 2000 rounds out of a pound.

If you are okay with coated lead bullets from bayoubullets, your bullet cost will be a bit lower.

 

[awco4570]

Nice info Jack. Thanks. I was calculating about 0.17/rnd (bullet 0.10, primer 0.04, powder 0.03) but looks like I can get that down to about 0.13 with a little effort. I don't know why I fight it. In the end, I'll probably be reloading all my calibers, but that's a good thing me thinks.

How you like that 700x? Almost bought some earlier this week. Will look for it again.

 

[FD807]

I reload 9mm using 124gr Bayou Bullets , Federal Primers and whatever powder is available for
.11 per round
$5.62 per box of 50
$112.43 per 1000
Hope this helps you to decide plus as you already know since you load other calibers the quality control is better and you can customize your load

 

[FD807]

I reload 9mm using 124gr Bayou Bullets , Federal Primers and whatever powder is available for
.11 per round
$5.62 per box of 50
$112.43 per 1000
Hope this helps you to decide plus as you already know since you load other calibers the quality control is better and you can customize your load

 

[Redd508]

Cost will be insignificant when 9mm goes the way of the 22. Even if you dont start now, you will be glad you prepared for it at the next ammo-pocalypse. I'm all for buy it cheap stack it deep too. But i like having the option of rolling my own. You can also find a single mold that will do double duty for 9 and 38 if you go the casting route. Thats where you see much more savings. Its a little more investment up front but the savings add up faster.

 

[awco4570]

So true Redd. I need to do both...buy and build. I ordered some "on sale" bullets from xtreme last night. With shipping and tax, Bayou Bullets cost more. Anyway, at the rate I shoot, it will take a while for a few cents to make a real difference. I know the savings will be larger with the .38 also. Now, just need to find some powder and order my dies.

Thanks to all for the info!

 

[noylj]

If the only reason to reload is to save money, don't reload.
I load cast lead (6-7 cents) or jacketed (7-8 cents), primer (1-2 cents) and powder (1-2 cents), so my most expensive load is 12 cents/round.
However, I reload my 9x19s, and all my pistol ammo, to achieve <2" at 25 yards. This is also why I don't load plated.

 

[Redd508]

The dirty secret is that reloaders dont save money. They just shoot more.

 

[tallwalker]

Don't let these guys fool you. You ARE a moron just as you suspected. We ALL are! I think the best option as already mentioned is setup to reload, buy factory when it's cheap so you can spend some quality time at the bench. Hey, it beats lying on a couch paying a shrink.

700x is really good powder. Best description I have heard about how it measures is "like corn flakes" though. I am still using a whole butload I bought years ago for loading 12guage and have been super glad to have the stash a number of times.

 

[Jack]

Don't let these guys fool you. You ARE a moron just as you suspected. We ALL are! I think the best option as already mentioned is setup to reload, buy factory when it's cheap so you can spend some quality time at the bench. Hey, it beats lying on a couch paying a shrink.

700x is really good powder. Best description I have heard about how it measures is "like corn flakes" though. I am still using a whole butload I bought years ago for loading 12guage and have been super glad to have the stash a number of times.

I may or may not have enough 700x sitting around to load my next 50k rounds.

 

[Jack]

The dirty secret is that reloaders dont save money. They just shoot more.

If the only reason to reload is to save money, don't reload.
I load cast lead (6-7 cents) or jacketed (7-8 cents), primer (1-2 cents) and powder (1-2 cents), so my most expensive load is 12 cents/round.
However, I reload my 9x19s, and all my pistol ammo, to achieve <2" at 25 yards. This is also why I don't load plated.

I disagree with this, I reload to save money. I'm not overly worried about making the most accurate or softest shooting rounds, I'm interested in making the most economical rounds(in a reasonable amount of time). I've spent roughly $3,000 dollars on the press, dies, scale, calipers, bench, powder, primers, bullets, etc etc etc. I've shot and reloaded enough to pay back that investment(without shooting more than I was before). I'm in it entirely because I can reload 9mm for roughly half the cost of buying loaded rounds.

 

[awco4570]

Hey. Granted, I haven't been reloading for many years, but I was initially interested for all the above stated reasons. Long term $ savings was one. I also realize that many factors come into play with regards to $ per round: Amount I shoot, equipment costs, types of cartridges I build, etc......One thing seems pretty clear to me. I fit the "mould". I actually enjoy sitting in the garage by myself for hours, but with the family within earshot, meticulously measuring and building each cartridge. I like the freedom to choose my own "recipe" based on what I'm trying to achieve (cost, low recoil, accuracy, etc.). It is a craft that I'd like to get real good at. I hope to one day get into some competition shooting, time and money permitting. Thus, I also wouldn't mind learning how to cast. That's another thing. I'm not as strongly drawn to "speed" style competitions as I am to types more accuracy focused. Now, Jessie Duff is very impressive , but I really like Bullseye competition and similar accuracy events. So, long term, it only makes sense to me to reload.
Anyway, my original question was about reloading 9mm. I was already a newer, but dedicated reloader. Just teetering on the fence about the 9mm because of the closer financial margin. Before my question, I was also unaware as to how low I could actually get per round. At this point, I'm a plinker, not competing, so accuracy is not the main issue.
In the end, I am a reloader, so, with a little convincing and good info from a few of you in the above posts, first batch of 9mm bullets were ordered late last night. Can't wait to get started.

Aaahhhhheeeee!

 

[Jack]

Yep, $75 per 1000 now. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Vigilante Sniper]

Loading 9mm my current cost not including brass is With Bayou 125 gr $108/K, $5.40 per box 50, 11¢ ea. With Precision Delta 124 gr JHP $140/K, $7.00 per box 50, 14¢ ea.

 

[toddrod]

My 9mm cost is $2.79 / 50 with my hand cast / coated bullet
My 45 ACP cost is $3 / 50.

I would say reloading is worth it.

 

[awco4570]

2 more questions......

1- with Bayou Bullets, are y'all picking them up from the factory? With shipping to Slidell and tax, I'm not getting a great deal better than other places.

2- I found some Win-WSF and have it shipping now. Anyone ever buy/use Precision Bullets? Opinion on them? I'm thinking the 147 grn.

Thanks,
AW

 

[FD807]

I usually pick mine up at La Gun in BR and I think they are $69 plus tax per k. Winchester WSF is a great 9mm powder