Is it worth reloading 9mm?

[357manny]

That's why you buy it cheap, and stack it deep!



I am still using powder that I bought at Gemco! I bought it for $7.99 a pound!



I have never had a problem with ammo or reloading supplies in all of the shortages!

And I shoot on a weekly basis!



Take care

Abenaki

Omg GEMCO! I grew up on that store... lol

[bohoki]

if i had to buy fmj probably not but i cast so heck yea

[Che762x39]

I shot 125 grain LRN in 9mm for years. You'll generally save 50% and more on the larger calibers.

I started reloading in 1982. Great hobby but its up to you. I know guys who did for competition and quit in a couple of years.

[trackcage]

Thing about reloading... you need to buy in bulk. So while yes, it is cheaper per round, you have to put in quite a bit of initial investment to get the best price. To me, I'd reload if it were the same cost as buying factory new because I like to tailor my loads to my application and firearm. If 9mm is your only caliber, no, it's not worth it to reload. It will be... but not with current prices

[someoneeasy]

Since I haven't bought commercial ammo in about 4 years, what are the current prices?

Last time I walked into Walmart to buy some 9mm, it ran me about 27 cents a round after tax. Buying plated projectiles, I was able to load for 11 cents a round. I cast now so it's even cheaper. Either way, still less than what I can buy for.

[davek8s]

I got into reloading because 38 spl and 357 mag were getting to expensive. Then I started loading 45 acp and finally 9mm.

I didn't get into 9mm because of the cost. For me reloading is a whole other hobby and I enjoy doing it.

Like others have said if you keep good stock on components you'll never be hard up during an ammo crunch. Most of the reloaders here have been through 2 Obummer elections, Sand Hook, Va tech etc. during those times you couldn't find any ammo on store shelves, but we always had ammo. It can be hard to find components sometimes but if you stay stocked up you can ride out the storm.

Last thing is that I don't think it's fair to compare reloads with cheap bulk ammo. Most of use would put our reloads up with the best quality factory ammo any day.

[mjmagee67]

Absolutely not worth reloading, it is a colossal waste of time. Your time is better spent folding paper into little swans.

With that said PM me and I will sent you my address so you can end me all of your 9mm brass. I'll cover shipping and depose of it for you.

Yes I'm that nice

[alexisjohnson]

Its not financially worth it unless you buy a progressive press.

Even then you'll have to shoot at least 10k rounds to break even (and that isn't counting your time that you put into to it.

But its great if:
1. You want to create the perfect load.
2. You enjoy crafting your own ammo the way you want it
3. You are a precision shooter.
4. You are a high volume shooter and will go broke otherwise.

For the average joe that shoots 2-3k a year...its not worth it

[Joezamboni]

Well, 2-3k a year, willing to buy in bulk and thinking about the long term it's worth it. I have plenty of room for my reloading stuff so its a good investment.

Would I single stage 9mm? Hell no.

[alexisjohnson]

^Yeah thats another issue. Even if you shoot 2-3k a year but you KNOW you will do that for the next 10 years and have the space....its a good investment.

[randomBytes]

I've been loading 9mm for a few years now.
It is cheaper than buying ammo, but that's not a good reason - for 9mm anyway which is perhaps the caliber you save the least on.
But my loads are cheaper, and more accurate than say WWB which is what I was using a few years ago.

[Joezamboni]

[CGT80]

Right now, the 9mm load for my AR rifle costs me 9 cents per round and it takes 3+ minutes to crank the handle on the press 100 times. It takes a minute and 8 seconds to load a tube of primers and my normal pace is 4-5 minutes per 100 on the handle. It is well worth reloading 9mm.

Wolf SPM primers were blown out at 17 bucks per 1000, less than a year ago, and I use moly coated lead bullets at $60 per 1000. Powder was $120 or so when I bought what I am using, but another jug costed me $180 when it was harder to find. Some of it, was much less expensive when my grandfather bought it decades ago, and it still goes bang with no problems.

Let me put it this way: it was well worth the $2700 to setup a 1050 and Mr. Bulletfeeder for 9mm and 40 cal to load ammo that easily and fast. 40 cal ammo costs me 4 cents or so per round with my own cast and powder coated 160 RN boolits. It works just fine for the local competitions.

Single stage is very slow but also inexpensive, and it is how I started. 223 is almost not worth the time to reload, for full power loads with hornady 55 fmjbt/c and h335. I did score some winchester power for a good price, which will help. Since I load for everything else, I load for 223. 460 mag, 30-06, 30-30, 45 colt, 243 win, 30 carbine, 44, etc. are all worth loading for and I save more money.

I like, and only need, a light load for my 30-30 to compete with. I can buy plated, or moly coated lead for low cost, but instead cast my own. 7 cents per round, maybe less, beats a buck a round in the store. Same with 30-06 for plinking ammo and 460 plinking ammo. Full power 460 is still cheaper to reload than to buy.

Once you load 9mm, it will spread into any other caliber you shoot. You have to buy in bulk and know where to get good prices, to save money. Progressive presses are the way to go for large amounts of ammo. The dillon 550 is great and has served me well, but I had to upgrade to a casefeeder for speed and modified it for rifle cases. A 650 would be much better. If I had the choice, I would only load on a 1050.

A single stage is a good way to test the waters. For a few hundred dollars, you could get all setup to reload 300 per week, even less if you wanted. Then, learn about the different presses and decide if you want to keep loading and how much or how fast you want to go.

[TKCastle]

I reload 9. I dont care if im saving or not, its fun and its my threapy.

[uhlan1]

I remember during the last shortage, my family was one of the only FEW people at the range...
We had our pick of "LANES", not of "which lane", but most of them.[/QUOTE]

I remember times I was the ONLY person at the range. Kinda weird actually.
Then I'd come home, open up Calguns and see all the "I can't find 9mm anywhere" threads. Then to the marketplace and watch Calgunners gouging other Calgunners who happily bended over.
I love to shoot. I love to compete. I'll be damned if I let Newsom and DeLeon take that away from me.

I've never slowed down shooting. I paid for my investment in well under one year, not a bad ROI. I can load 1200 rounds of 9mm in the time it takes you to watch "50 Shades of Grey". I custom load for my comp guns. I am independent of the fascist winds emanating out of Sacramento. I don't stress.

Geez, i probably crank out more rounds in less time than many spend searching and buying for the best price on 9mm online at around 200 bucks per case. Ask yourselves, how much time do you spend shopping for it?

If you don't think it's worth reloading 9mm, and you love to shoot, you're just not paying attention.