Considering reloading

[Germ1]

Hello people, I'm considering reloading. I already have reloading equipment available to me, all I would need is a 9mm die. I shoot 500 rounds of 9mm every weekend, and at the end of the day I pick everything up. Usually the brass just sits around waiting to be thrown away(cringe if you must). Every time I pick it up I think to myself, I could be doing something with all of this.

So here's my question, is it worth it? So far from what I've found it's 67 dollars for 500 115gr fmj bullets. Plus whatever the primers and the powder cost. So at the end of the day I will be lucky if I'm saving what, ten or twenty bucks? Which comes at the cost of my time. I know nothing about reloading, I'm not the reloader in the family my grandfather is.

Is 9mm worth reloading if you shoot high volumes of it like I do?

[tanks]

You'd be saving about $25 per 500. In a year that is $1,300. Whether that savings is worth to you or not is your decision. In reality people do not save any money, they just shoot more .

[kalapa]

You shoot 500 rounds every weekend and you're not reloading? Ouch. You obviously have deeper pockets than I do. What is the cost for that? Is that factory new?

I shoot 9mm at 12 cents a shot. That comes out to $60 for 500 rounds.

There are plenty of places to get 115gr bullets cheaper than $67/500. Xtreme has them for $39.90

[Cpetersen]

You'd be saving about $25 per 500. In a year that is $1,300. Whether that savings is worth to you or not is your decision. In reality people do not save any money, they just shoot more .

This guy...he's very right.

[ihasacookie]

Actual dollar amount savings will also depend on the caliber. Im currently reloading 9mm as well for $93 per 1000 completed rounds. Compare to Perfecta at Walmart for about $10 per 50 when you can get it. Now if you start reloading the less common calibers like 10mm and 38 Super etc, thats where the cost savings will really shine.

[stranded1980]

I know nothing about reloading, I'm not the reloader in the family my grandfather is.

Is 9mm worth reloading if you shoot high volumes of it like I do?

Is your grandfather available to teach you reloading? Would he give or loan you the equipment? Most parents and grandparents are excited to share their hobbies with their children and grandchildren. This could be a great chance to get to know him better.

Even though 9mm is probably the last cartridge to see big savings on, I'd still go learn from your grandfather while you can. Great bonding time, and a valuable skill to learn.

[Eljay]

So as people say it's around 12 cents a round to reload it, so you'll see some savings although per round it won't be huge. A years worth will be big bucks.

BUT

and this is a big BUT - what about your time? If you don't have a high end progressive we're talking about lots of time. A turret press might do 200 rounds/hour. A Dillon 650 with a bulletfeeder will do a thousand/hour. A 1050 with a bulletfeeder and a Mark VII autoloader you just sit there and watch it spit out ammunition but they're not cheap.

Personally at that volume I'd get a real nice press, with a one year break even and figure it's all profit after that.

[desertjosh]

Depends what kind of press OP. Right now after that pulled bullet sale at American reloading, I can load 9mm for just under .08 a round.

[tanks]

...

Personally at that volume I'd get a real nice press, with a one year break even and figure it's all profit after that.

Shooting 45ACP, I save $150 minimum (if I can't pick up my used brass) per thousand. Using Randall's numbers for a Dillon 550B setup cost of $675 (from the sticky) that means break even point is 4,500 rounds. That's 2-3 months worth of shooting.

[Eljay]

Shooting 45ACP, I save $150 minimum (if I can't pick up my used brass) per thousand. Using Randall's numbers for a Dillon 550B setup cost of $675 (from the sticky) that means break even point is 4,500 rounds. That's 2-3 months worth of shooting.

Well, sure, but he shoots 9mm.

It is remarkable that it only costs a couple of cents a round more to load 45 than 9mm and yet the street prices are so different.

[tanks]

...
It is remarkable that it only costs a couple of cents a round more to load 45 than 9mm and yet the street prices are so different.

Yeah, for me the reload cost difference is 5 cents a round between .45 and 9mm (mostly due to bullet cost). Retail cost difference is 16 cents a round for non Russian or Chinese ammo.

[kalapa]

Depends what kind of press OP. Right now after that pulled bullet sale at American reloading, I can load 9mm for just under .08 a round.

Holy cow. I didn't notice they also had a sale going for 9mm!! I've been jumping on their 45acp pulled bullets but didn't know they had the same kinda deal on the 9. You just helped me get my 9mm cost down to 0.077 per round

[Germ1]

You shoot 500 rounds every weekend and you're not reloading? Ouch. You obviously have deeper pockets than I do. What is the cost for that? Is that factory new?

I shoot 9mm at 12 cents a shot. That comes out to $60 for 500 rounds.

There are plenty of places to get 115gr bullets cheaper than $67/500. Xtreme has them for $39.90

Damn, that's cheap. I'm paying twice that.

[Germ1]

Is your grandfather available to teach you reloading? Would he give or loan you the equipment? Most parents and grandparents are excited to share their hobbies with their children and grandchildren. This could be a great chance to get to know him better.

Even though 9mm is probably the last cartridge to see big savings on, I'd still go learn from your grandfather while you can. Great bonding time, and a valuable skill to learn.

Yeah, he's already trying to teach me since I mentioned it earlier today. He's shoving books into my hands and telling me I can use his press & tumbler.

[Germ1]

So as people say it's around 12 cents a round to reload it, so you'll see some savings although per round it won't be huge. A years worth will be big bucks.

BUT

and this is a big BUT - what about your time? If you don't have a high end progressive we're talking about lots of time. A turret press might do 200 rounds/hour. A Dillon 650 with a bulletfeeder will do a thousand/hour. A 1050 with a bulletfeeder and a Mark VII autoloader you just sit there and watch it spit out ammunition but they're not cheap.

Personally at that volume I'd get a real nice press, with a one year break even and figure it's all profit after that.

He has a simple set up. He was telling me he wished he had a Dillon or whatever because he has to do each step himself. With one of those other ones I guess you just put the primers, cases, and bullets in then pull the lever and a bullet comes out?