wanting to reload

[gotglock?]

wanted to know some info from the informed.
am looking into reloading my own ammo mostly 9mm what is a good reloader cost being somewhat of a factor.
what does it end up costing per round to reload vs. buying new
what would the investment cost be loader, tumbler, bullets,primers, powder ect...
thanks in advance for all in info

[ar15barrels]

What's your primary motivation to reload?
How many rounds do you currently shoot per month/year?
Are you mechanically inclined?
Do you have the free time?
Do you have the free workshop space?

[joelogic]

All of this is talked about day after day. Just search for it. If you only want to save money on 9mm just buy it when its on sale. There is not much to be saved on that caliber.

[ar15barrels]

There is not much to be saved on that caliber.

Unless you buy components in massive bulk.

$57/1000 cast 124gr bullets, buy 30,000 at once
$25/1000 primers, buy 30,000 at once
$10/1000 rounds worth of powder, purchase 16lbs at once
Brass that you pick up off the ground is free, fill five 5 gallon buckets.
That's enough components to load up 30,000 rounds.

That's $92 per 1000 rounds, or $4.60 per 50.

[J-cat]

wanted to know some info from the informed.
am looking into reloading my own ammo mostly 9mm what is a good reloader cost being somewhat of a factor.
what does it end up costing per round to reload vs. buying new
what would the investment cost be loader, tumbler, bullets,primers, powder ect...
thanks in advance for all in info

If you get into reloading just to save money, you'll walk away disappointed. Handloading saves you money, but more importantly it allows you to fine tune your ammunition. If you don't care about that, don't reload. Find a better use of your time.

[Acorn556]

reloading 9mm......how cheap can you be? Did you buy it as a plinker? I'd just save up money and buy it in bulk. You'll end up getting ammo for half price but calculate the cost of reloading and buying everything you need to reload....then calculate how much ammo you could buy at that rate. Cancel out time since you'll have to wait for ammo to come into stock and you have time to reload

[Nessal]

I think if you are seriously thinking about reloading, you really have to reassess your reasons for reloading. IMO, if you are reloading because of cost, I honestly do not think that you will be reloading for long because you will just get lazy. The reason that I reload is because I always loved to tinker, fine tune and improve on everything, work with my hands, gain new knowledge, and lastly but not least, it's a great hobby that yields RESULTS. Whatever your reasons are, don't do it unless you really have some kind of interest beyond monetary ones.

[gotglock?]

part of the reason is am looking to getting into uspsa style shooting. so 1] will be using a fair amount of ammo 2] can make loads to fine tune my shooting. 3] keep cost down and not have to look all over for ammo to buy let alone get on sale. every where around here is out of it most of the time. getting at walmart is like winning the lotto.

[bubbapug1]

I would buy a dillon 550 at the least...for 9mm you don't need a trimmer or a tumbler. Don't buy a Lee, they aren't built that well.

Buy your bullets from Berry's...9mm 115 grain plated copper for the range, but buy your hollow points from a store until you get proficient. You MUST read a good book on reloading...The ABC's of reloading is great, an excellent book. The book by LEE is total CRAP, almost pure Lee propaganda and a lot of misinformation, plus it never really gets into the nitty gritty.

I also think the Lyman reloading handbook is excellent, but not as a beginning book.

You can do 300-400 9mm loads an hour. Buy at least two sets of primer tubes and on primer flip tray.

9mm will cost 1 - 2 cents for the powder, use remington 231 or bullseye or something similar, primers are 3.2 cents each, and the bullet is around 7 cents...so total load is around 13 cents, but if I figure in my labor its more like 55 cents a load, so you either need to forget about your labor or not care about the actual real costs...or be retired.

I like it because once you have the components there is no real way you can run out of ammo. You can also try reduced loads for 25 yards and less shooting. And, it is relaxing, but after a while it can become drudgery.

But as for saving a ton of money, its a fallacy unless you shoot more than 400rounds a week.

[ar15barrels]

9mm will cost 1 - 2 cents for the powder, use remington 231 or bullseye or something similar, primers are 3.2 cents each, and the bullet is around 7 cents...so total load is around 13 cents, but if I figure in my labor its more like 55 cents a load, so you either need to forget about your labor or not care about the actual real costs...or be retired.

How do you figure your labor rate?
Are you basing it on what you make at work?
Do you make that same pay at home after work?
If so, I gotta get me your job.

Once I leave my day job, they quit paying me.
Maybe I'm getting stiffed.
Is everyone else getting paid after they leave work and it's just me getting screwed?

[joelogic]

I just want to know how to make $252 per hour? $.55-$.13= $.42
Dillon XL650 ~600 rounds per hour
600 9mm rounds x $.42 = $252.
Thats the job I need to find!
Even at 100 rounds per hour thats $42 and thats good money.
If I pay myself $20 per hour thats $.03 per round. So I reload for $.16 (.45 FMJ), $.03 (Primmer), $.02 (Powder), and $.03 (labor)
So, $.24 for one hand rolled FMJ .45.

[gotglock?]

i think that bubbapug1 is saying your time is worth somthing. after all it is the one thing you cant buy. many people have other things that take up their time, be it other hobbies or playing with your kids or spending time with your wife or girlfriend or both. ha ha but you get the point all of our time is not worthless you have to use on what you feel is important. this is a factor i have considered.

[joelogic]

I sneak into the basement while the GF is sleeping. Just kidding. Everyone should alot personal time to themself. This is some of mine.

[ar15barrels]

i think that bubbapug1 is saying your time is worth somthing.after all it is the one thing you cant buy.
many people have other things that take up their time, be it other hobbies or playing with your kids or spending time with your wife or girlfriend or both.

And what I am saying is that your time is worth exactly what you get paid to do all those same activities.

[Nessal]

I would buy a dillon 550 at the least...for 9mm you don't need a trimmer or a tumbler. Don't buy a Lee, they aren't built that well.

Buy your bullets from Berry's...9mm 115 grain plated copper for the range, but buy your hollow points from a store until you get proficient. You MUST read a good book on reloading...The ABC's of reloading is great, an excellent book. The book by LEE is total CRAP, almost pure Lee propaganda and a lot of misinformation, plus it never really gets into the nitty gritty.

I also think the Lyman reloading handbook is excellent, but not as a beginning book.

You can do 300-400 9mm loads an hour. Buy at least two sets of primer tubes and on primer flip tray.

9mm will cost 1 - 2 cents for the powder, use remington 231 or bullseye or something similar, primers are 3.2 cents each, and the bullet is around 7 cents...so total load is around 13 cents, but if I figure in my labor its more like 55 cents a load, so you either need to forget about your labor or not care about the actual real costs...or be retired.

I like it because once you have the components there is no real way you can run out of ammo. You can also try reduced loads for 25 yards and less shooting. And, it is relaxing, but after a while it can become drudgery.

But as for saving a ton of money, its a fallacy unless you shoot more than 400rounds a week.

I beg to differ. I think the Lee is great for beginners. Startup cost is low and the single stage press allows them to take their time and take things slower. Sure some parts aren't the flashiest but from my experience, they work fine! They offer a great bang for the buck imo. Unless someone wants to shoot 500 rounds a week, a single stage is more than enough imo.