I went a bought a very lightly used 9 EZ Smith yesterday from a coworker who wanted to get a 40 for graduation from the apprenticeship but his wife would only allow him to have two guns. A couple of weeks ago I got the dies needed for 9mm just because they were available. Now I have a 9 with no ammo, lots of powder some primers all I need is bullets, cases and someplace to put the ammo since my safe is full. Darn the first world problems.

These days fired 9mm cases can often be had cheap. Norma primer holes are too small for standard decap rods. GI cases may need the primer crimp removed, if present. Lots of 9mm bullets to be had. Maybe your safe space will expand.

Brass should be easy to come by and maybe the bullets. It is not a hard caliber to reload.

PM sent with offer for brass

Lots of new folks have problems loading the 9mm Luger, from what i see online.

Brass- Many different types of brass. Tapered walls. Steps in the case. Thin walls allowing bullet set back. Smaller then normal flash holes.

Lead bullets- A wide range of groove diameters in the barrels can run from .355" to .358" (Or some folks cant measure correctly)

Barrel throat- Some are very short, requiring a short COL. Like my Taurus G3C.

Dies- The fl die with the tapered carbide insert sizes brass better then a carbide ring. The insert follows the taper of the 9mm case.
Expanders that have the "M" type, starts bullets straighter & keeps from shaving lead bullets. Taper crimp always.

No issues for me. Taurus G3C. 9mm Luger | The High Road

Most of my casual 9mm loads is with a 115 grain plated RN then a charge of Titegroup powder. Should be plenty of sellers in MO, then the rest of the web.

Check out RMR bullets. Prices are good, the bullets are very well made and accurate. The owner is an upfront, trustworthy guy. It's been a pleasure to be his customer.

The best thing about loading 9mm is all the free brass. Even now people leave their brass on the ground at the range. An EZ Reach & Grab Pickup and Reaching Tool from Harbor Freight makes scrounging brass a breeze.

Yes there is a lot of variation in 9mm brass but it doesn't seem to cause a problem for me. Then again, I'm shooting lead bullets, so that gives me a little wiggle room with crimping and such.

All of my admittedly limited reloading for the 9mm has been done using once or twice fired brass, 231 powder, and some commercially cast 125 gr RN bullets. Primers have been whatever came to hand, primarily some old Federals in the small boxes, stashed since the late eighties.
I say all of this to relate that I haven’t found 9mm any more difficult to reload than 38s or 45s which I’ve loaded for several decades.

Froggie

Pick up brass at the ranges is the best way to go. Lead cast bullets are available at about .08-.10 per. To be sure of the loads, check that the powder you have can be used with 9mm. FOLLOW THE LOAD CHARTS.
Primers you can use Small Pistol, Small Rifle or Small Magnum.
Have fun and be safe.

Another advantage in the 9mm camp is bullet availability.

I use 9mm and .357 lead and plated bullets interchangeably! My favorite .357 projectile is the 135 grain RNFP! I use this in both 9mm and 38 spl loads. Since I shoot 9mm and 38 Spl handguns in shooting games it helps with inventory. Accuracy is more than acceptable out to 35 yards.

Smiles,

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!
It's a word of caution though, you'll get your products delivered on the same day that you get your tracking number.

I have another coworker who as already offered a few thousand 9mm cases, I'm thinking of getting a few boxes of ammo of different weights to see what the gun and me like. I prefer to use plated bullets so that I am not handling bare lead while reloading, not in a big hurry to get started since I probably won't get back into shooting until after I retire in April.

Well, I have been reloading 9mm for 5 guns for 18-20 years and I've not seen a stepped case (I know they exist, just ain't seen any in So. Orygun). I have experienced no "set backs" (I do not crimp, just deflare). I have a nice mold for a 125 gr RNFP bullet that works quite well in my 9mms, both nekkid and PCed. I've been looking around for components and there seems to be plenty of Hornady 9mm bullets available and 9mm cast are plentiful (I don't care for plated bullets). I have purchased "once fired" 9mm brass with zero problems. Doing a plunk test to make sure your handloads will chamber freely is no different than any other semi-auto. Finding "the load" for nekkid cast bullets can be a chore, but not impossible. I don't count pennies so cost of reloading vs factory is of no concern to me (local box store has 9mm) and I enjoy reloading. So reloading 9mm is a major plus for me...

RMR has some very good bullets, at good prices. I have about 400 124 gr JHP and my "JIC" loads (about 400+) are all RMR loads (125 JHP over a stiff load of Universal. Works well in all my 9mms. JIC = Just In Case)...

To give you some information on what I've been doing for 9mm, before the pandemic shortages, 4.2gr of Bullseye with a 115gr FMJ or plated at 1.13" COL was may standard target load.

Since I couldn't get Bullseye, switched to CFE Pistol and found 5.0gr with the same bullet and COL works well with the 4" and under barrels I run it through.

Now that CFE Pistol has become hard to find, picked up some Tightgroup and will be working on something for that in the next few weeks.

It’s a small capacity case so pay attention to COAL for your bullet. It affects pressure.

You will probably like having a case gauge to check finished rounds.

This is one caliber I wish I had bought the Lee Factory Crimp die.
The only powder I use is Unique. It works for me.

I've never found loading 9mm to be any different than any other semiauto cartridge. I think most issues with the 9mm--or any caliber--is reloader generated, not a byproduct of the round.

Maxx Tech is one of the companys with a step in the brass.Also has reduced volume my press is single stage so easy to spot and throw away.

First, you need primers..........
then some cases..........
you say you have powder..........
as for bullets, some like to shoot lead, for the cheap price, if they mold them.

Today they sell coated lead bullets that don't smoke, when fired and barrel clean up is much, easier and faster.
There is also the copper & plated bullets that I use, (lots of them) that
are easy on the wallet my most sellers and they work great for most target work.

Have fun with your 9mm and when you get it sort of dialed in.......
post a picture of a "Good" target that makes you proud.

I can relate to that about the Taurus throat being short.

With all the potential (and real) variables cited I'm previous posts here, I've always found reloading 9mm to be a pain in the backside. I gave it up years ago, and pretty much got out of the 9mm business except for my wife's Shield. I have a good supply of factory ammo for it. Only problem is, now I'm wanting one of the SA Hi Powers...

Visited one of the local gun shops and ranges today, picked up some Dogwood 115 ball ammo, cost after military discount was $33.48 for two boxes of 50. Never heard of it before, turns out is made in Warrensburg MO, there a new manufacturer apparently selling only to select retailers, Mo is getting better every day.

Good thing I'm a revolver guy, this ammo is too expensive to buy right now and I only have about 2000 small pistol primers.

I started loading 9 mm in about 1974. I get free once fired brass after the police have their frequent range days when they rent my club's ranges. I never had any of the variables cited here.

I use my own cast boolits from a Lee mold, but I've recently tried Hoosier coated and Berry's plated bullets. I see little difference in accuracy and they all run 100% in my Ruger and S&W nines.

I used to have several WWII vintage military nines and they were all finicky. I had to adjust bullet depth and type bullet to each gun. They've all been traded so I don't have any issues any more.

Loads that shoot fine out of my G26 won't chamber in my Taurus PT92. I was using the Lee 105 SWC. Then when I seat them short enough to chamber in the Taurus they won't feed worth a darn.
But Hey! That's the fun of reloading. The Taurus loves lightweight 95 grain bullets (with a wide meplat) meant for the 380, but the Glock won't have anything to do with those.

Strange about that short throat Taurus PT92.

My PT92 9mm will swallow a 147 gr. RN Ball that I set at a OAL of 1.21"
Please don't shoot this OAL, since the 1.13 to 1.169" is safe. (147 RN)
I was just courious at what my chamber/Bore relation was in "My" pistol.

Even at today's prices (currently) you can reload 9mm for around $9 a box of 50. Getting Primers is key, but I have recently been able to get them for $55 - $65 per brick of 1,000.

Primer 06 cents
Bullet 09 cents
Powder 1.5 cents

total = 16.5 cents each. Add about 3/4 of a cent each for shipping the components & tax and around $9 bucks per box is what your cost would be.

NOTE: Brass is easily gotten for free! Where I shoot, guys are happy to give you their spent once fired cases. I see no reason to purchase 9mm cases when they are so readily available!!

Even if you double the cost of primers, which is about what they are going for around me, you're still way ahead of the game cost wise. Of course this assumes you have the time to reload. Sometimes you have to factor that into the cost also. I have found that it's good to have options. My advise, and what's worked for me, is to asses how much you actually shoot and keep enough ammo and components on hand to get through about 18 months of not having to buy anything. When ammo prices get low and it's available, buy factory. When component prices are low and they're available, reload. You don't really have to have enough stuff on hand to last for the rest of your life. I'm loading primers that I paid $30 per M for right now. They should last for a little while longer and will allow prices to settle a bit. My crystal ball says $45 to $50 is what we will eventually be paying. When they get to that, I'll restock. If I run out before, I'll buy just enough to get me through. What we have now isn't new. It's happened lots of times in the history of my time in this hobby. It's what happens in any activity that depends on things that are essentially a commodity.

Although the cost is always a consideration, I just enjoy the process.

Reloading won't save you a single cent if you shoot more often than you did before you started.

9mm ammo has long been a make or buy decision for me. Not so long ago, it made no economic sense to reload 9mm, so I bought it - and saved buckets of my brass. We all know that ammo ain't cheap these days; neither are components when available.

Powder Valley recently had Blazer aluminum case 9mm on sale for 12.95 / 50. That's getting close to my handloading $7 price using my stash of components bought at pre-panic prices.

Why is that somewhat higher ammo price interesting to me? I'm reluctant to use up my components to save a few bucks on 9mm. Other cartridges have not come down as much, so I'd rather save the components for those. Plus, I've started shooting plate matches and it's common to run through 150 rounds - per gun - in a day. If I continue handloading 9mm, i'll soon have to replenish primers at insane prices.

Hmpfff... Decisions, decisions.

One of my coworkers gave me a baggie of 9mm cases yesterday, I sized and cleaned the primer pockets today and have 162 empty cases. Ordered some bullets from Extreme, 100 135 gr HP X-def and 500 115 gr HP. I meant to order ball 115's but o well.

Missouri Bullet Co over by Kansas City is a good source of lead bullets.

That Lee 105 SWC has a very sharp shoulder. The Taurus chambers everything that has a round profile.

Here is a picture of loads that I used in "My pistols" with the 135gr bullet.
It might help you understand what might work out for you in your loads.
For me, target to medium lods gave me the best accuracy, with this bullet.
Have fun.

I have used Berry's bullets most of the time for 9mm. I could never understand why Berry was cheaper for 9 but extreme was cheaper for 45. I use titegroup because it meters well for me. When I started reloading 9 used brass was cheap and I bought a 5 gallon bucket for not much. With the prices at that time it was costing me around $5 a box to reload. Now I shoot 45 more, I wish I had a bucket of 45 brass. I am still a newby to reloading but I have not had any problems reloading 9. Now 380, I wouldn't say it is a problem but my old fat fingers make it hard to set that short bullet on the case.

With 9mm, plunk test your loads.

I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. This will iron out most small problems.

I put together 160 rounds today with Extreme 115 grain hollow points, good use of a cold day. The bullets were delivered yesterday.

This past week I had the first ever pistol jam that was unsolvable by me. Needed a smith to help.

A single round jammed in my Glock 19x after firing several others. Long story short, the case had a 0.004" bulge at the shoulder.

I plunk tested the same round in 2 other nines (a S&W and a ruger) and it fit both just fine. Then I plunk tested the 700 other reloads had in stock and they fit 100%.

All were taper crimped with the Lee bullet seating die.

The bulge was at the other end. A FCD would not have helped me.

I reload 9 and .40 quite a lot for competitions and use a rollsizer. No more issues whatsoever with range brass.

Attached Images

Roll Sizer.jpg (110.3 KB, 9 views)

I used a Lyman chamber checker.

The 9 MM is as easy to load as any other Auto pistol round. You should be using a taper crimp die in a separate operation.
The so-called Lee Factory Crimp die is a taper crimp die, they also make a taper crimp die with a sizing ring in it, useful if you get a bulge at the base of the bullet. I have it for 45 and 9, some of my cast bullet loads in the 45 need it, haven't found a 9 with a large bulge in it yet. Before Biden/Covid I bought quite a bit of factory ammo instead of loading it. I'm back to loading them now, at least till I run out of primers.

Nothing wrong with copper, plated or coated bullts that are out there now.
They all work, just maybe some better than others in your pistol but that will take time to learn.

I load from X-lite to barn burners in all types but when it all comes down to what's what..........

lots of my 115-124 bullets do well in the 1020-1140fps zone.
Have fun.