9mm Reload Cost Practicality

[reyno2ac]

I'm interested in getting into reloading and have quite a few questions. I'm not worried about being able to crank out 1000 rounds in a day, I plan to just sit back and relax while I reload so time is not an issue at all.

-How much are you guys averaging per round reloading?
-What is the cheapest route I can go to reload for plinking/fun?

The main reason I ask about cost is because I looked online for poweder/bullets/primers and it came out to around 20 cents a round. I can find bulk 9mm that averages out to around 24 cents a round.

If I'm only saving 4 cents a round I'll only be saving $40 for every $1000 rounds. SO, if it costs me around $100 to reload I'd only be saving money after around 2,400 rounds, which would take me a little more than a year to fire off.

Basically what my question boils down to is, is it cost effective to reload 9mm?

 

[ajpelz]

You need to buy bullets in bulk and you will save... I shoot Golden Sabre reloads that cost me about 16-17 cents a round to make. I cannot find any ammo that cheap, and these rounds bought commercially cost about a buck a piece. I reload when I have the extra time, so it isn't like my labor is a valuable piece of it. I have a lot more time than money.

So, as I see it, I enjoy shooting premium ammo clone reloads for cheaper than I can buy WWB or Rem. UMC. Besides that, I think everyone agrees that ammo isn't going to get a whole lot cheaper.... and if it did, not a big deal to cease the reloading and stock up on manufactured ammo. Just because you CAN reload, does not mean you HAVE to reload. You always could use some fresh brass to stow away.

Press, dies, calipers, components, bullet puller, manuals, and scale. I think those are all the essentials. A powder trickler or meter come in handy also, but are not essential. The essentials can be had for 200 or so. It is an investment that will pay itself off in time IMHO, and these items do not depreciate a whole lot.

 

[reyno2ac]

Do you have any websites you suggest I look at for bulk bullets? As far as equipment goes, will the Lee kits suffice? I've seen them online for less than $100 and I thought everything I needed was there. I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the direction of a complete kit for a complete beginner, if such a thing exists.

 

[Hook686]

Do you have any websites you suggest I look at for bulk bullets? As far as equipment goes, will the Lee kits suffice? I've seen them online for less than $100 and I thought everything I needed was there. I would appreciate it if someone could point me in the direction of a complete kit for a complete beginner, if such a thing exists.

Buy a couple of manuals first. Read through them and you will get a good idea of what you need and how it is used. Reloading is like any hobby ... if you get into it I figure you will be spending quite a bit more than $100 over time. If you only shoot a hundred a month, it might take you a while to pay it off, but then it isa hobby, not a business.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Try this one.

Kempf Gun Shop, Michigan City, Indiana, (do a google search)
usually has a Lee starter's kit with some extras that is a good deal.

The have bulk, brass, bullets and other supplies. One thing you need to find in your area, within 50 miles or so, is someone that stocks primers & powder. Unless you buy those two things in large quantities it is cost prohibitive to purchase them online. The hazmat fee is the same for 1000 primers as it is 40,000 from some suppliers. You can see how that cost is spread out over many more primers to keep the cost down. Again, if powder is bought in large quantities the cost can be spread out too.

The big sites for reloading supplies are Midway, Wideners, Graf and sons, they will show up in a web search too.

 

[ARMinSC]

Thanks for asking these questions reyno2ac. I have been wondering the same things, as I too want to start reloading.

 

[Skip Sackett]

It may not be cost effective to reload now (of course it is) but things are not going to get less expensive. Ammo is going to go up in prices as well as components to reload.

The thing that cannot be assessed by price is availability. Take the 9mm for instance. In the last year, has that caliber ammunition always been available at the local store? No. With a little forethought, you could have stockpiled factory ammo. With the same forethought, you could have stockpiled components and had whatever you needed should the need arise to have ammo.

The availability to have ammo whenever I want it is priceless, period.

 

[Dr.-d]

I reload for the 9mm on the total cheap. I have range pickup brass I use. I use a home cast lead bullet, I buy them casted from someone who always has a surplus. The primers and powder are the real cost. That's if you don't mind cleaning the leading from your barrel and where you shoot don't have a problem with lead bullets. I have never did the math I just figure it's cheaper. I still will shoot factory once in a while.

 

[epj]

I load 9mm, .38, and .45ACP, all for less than $3.00 per box of 50. The key is that I cast my own bullets. You need to look around for a local caster where you can buy bullets at a reasonable price. Bullets have always been the most expensive component of loaded ammo, except for the brass. Assume your brass is "free". The 9mm is the caliber that is probably the hardest to justify loading for. .45 ACP is a no brainer, as is .38 Spec, .44 family, etc. However, 9mm is not as cheap or readily available as it once was. Leading with cast bullets is not necessarily a given, even with 9mm, though the 9mm is more prone to leading than some other calibers.

 

[Noah Zark]

-How much are you guys averaging per round reloading?

-What is the cheapest route I can go to reload for plinking/fun?

Basically what my question boils down to is, is it cost effective to reload 9mm?

What I average for 9mm depends on when in time I bought the components I'm using, and my accounting practice. For example:

Three years ago I bought many, many thousands of Rainier and Berrys plated 115 gr FMJ bullets for my various 9mm handguns, two Uzi Carbines, and two select-fire subguns. At the time, I was paying $38-$42 per 1000 with tax, call it $0.04 ea. A pound of W231 powder in 8-lb kegs worked out to around $18 per lb with tax, and at 5.0 gr per load that's $0.013. Primers were plentiful at $23 per 1000 with tax, so that's $0.023 per round. Add that up, and my cost to reload a round of 9mm based on $$$ spent for the components is about $0.076 per round, or $7.60 per hundred.

But looking at replacement cost for those components and the cost is about double today:

W231 -- $24 per lb = $0.017 per rd. (In stock at local dealer)
Primer -- $36 per M = $0.036 per rd. (WSP brand, in stock at local dealer)
Bullet -- $92 per M = $0.092 per rd (Berrys or Rainier plated).

Total cost = $0.145 ea, => $14.50 per 100.

Even at $14.50 per 100, that is still MUCH less costly than WWB at Wal-Mart IF it was available. I say "IF" because my local W-M has not had 100-ct WWB 9mm in stock in months. By comparison, the last big show I went to in November had a few dealers with Wolf steel-cased 9mm offering it for $179-$199 per 1000. The only reason to buy steel cased ammo at a price point higher than I can reload is for shooting in the wintertime when snow covers the ground and I don't want to lose brass cases in the snow.

Which brings my response to the point made by SC above -- reloading means ammo is available to you whenever you wish. My advice is to join the "Box, Can and Brick of the Month Club" -- purchase a box of bullets, a can of powder, and a brick of primers each month and you will never run out.

Noah

 

[ACP230]

Dillon's The Blue Press (catalog/magazine) sometimes has deals on bulk bullets. I've bought from them and from the outfits listed above.
Pat's Reloading also has bulk and surplus/overrun bullets.

Pat's, and other surplus suppliers, advertise in Shotgun News.

 

[handgunner356]

Nobody EVER saved money reloading! They just shot a LOT more. There was a time when 9mm was on the edge of being available for about what it cost to load, but I don't think we'll see that again. For years the revolver cartridges have been cheaper to reload. For 10mm and .45 auto it was the only way to go if you wanted to shoot much. I use to figure I was paying store price for the first 1,500-2,000rds and after that I getting cheap loads. You're main thing is availablity of componets in you're area. Shipping can kill you, especially on primers and powder with HazMat fees or bullets on shear weight. Our local gun club has a Big Buy program once a year, gets everything shipped in at once, it saves a bunch but also calls for you to put out a bunch all at once. I've been reloading for 30 years and I'd have to say I haven't saved anything, but I've shot 3-4 times more rounds than I would have if I didn't!

 

[reyno2ac]

Nobody EVER saved money reloading! They just shot a LOT more. There was a time when 9mm was on the edge of being available for about what it cost to load, but I don't think we'll see that again. For years the revolver cartridges have been cheaper to reload. For 10mm and .45 auto it was the only way to go if you wanted to shoot much. I use to figure I was paying store price for the first 1,500-2,000rds and after that I getting cheap loads. You're main thing is availablity of componets in you're area. Shipping can kill you, especially on primers and powder with HazMat fees or bullets on shear weight. Our local gun club has a Big Buy program once a year, gets everything shipped in at once, it saves a bunch but also calls for you to put out a bunch all at once. I've been reloading for 30 years and I'd have to say I haven't saved anything, but I've shot 3-4 times more rounds than I would have if I didn't!

I guess you're right. I'm not looking to save money, just shoot a lot more! I'll look into some books but it will have to be online...I live in the middle of no where. When I go home for a month over christmas break I'll look at all the local gun shops for primers, powder, bullets, press, and books.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

I'm still wondering though, is there a Lee kit that I could order and not "need" to order anything else to start reloading...other than bullets, powder, and primers.

 

[blastfact]

I guess you're right. I'm not looking to save money, just shoot a lot more! I'll look into some books but it will have to be online...I live in the middle of no where. When I go home for a month over christmas break I'll look at all the local gun shops for primers, powder, bullets, press, and books.

Thanks for all the help everyone.

I'm still wondering though, is there a Lee kit that I could order and not "need" to order anything else to start reloading...other than bullets, powder, and primers.

Your still going to need the books or other good info. A caliper, bullet puller, tumbler if you want clean brass a few basic hand tools and other odd's and end's. A bench or good place to setup and run production.

 

[MWAG]

35.00 per 1000 for primers
10.00 per 100 for bullets
17.00 for 1lb powder
i've got the brass
comes out to 0.15 cents per round for 9mm

go to handloads.com for a cool price per round calculator

 

[reyno2ac]

35.00 per 100 for primers
10.00 per 100 for bullets
17.00 for 1lb powder
i've got the brass
comes out to 0.15 cents per round for 9mm

go to handloads.com for a cool price per round calculator

I'm hoping you mean 35.00 per 1000 primers. Thanks for the website. I think I've officially been sold on reloading. Now to track down a book I can read, no luck at Dunhams...

How important is it to get the brass spotless? Can it be cleaned with a wire brush? The tumblers seem rather expensive.

How many times can you reload a case? Does it just have to be visually free of defects and within spec?

 

[dave b]

You can use lead bullets that are about a nickle and Bullseye powder and get once fired brass for about 3 cents. Get powder and primers locally to save haz mat fees of $20 .Midway USA has a nice Lee kit for under $100 without dies. Cheap Lee carbide die sets are good. Lyman has a real good manual. Get a cheap tumbler for about 30-40 bucks to clean brass, to avoid lubing cases. Check out these bullets.Missouri Bullet Company Midway USA and Midsouth Shooters Supply have most everything

 

[reyno2ac]

You can use lead bullets that are about a nickle and Bullseye powder and get once fired brass for about 3 cents. Get powder and primers locally to save haz mat fees of $20 .Midway USA has a nice Lee kit for under $100 without dies. Cheap Lee carbide die sets are good. Lyman has a real good manual. Get a cheap tumbler for about 30-40 bucks to clean brass, to avoid lubing cases. Check out these bullets.Missouri Bullet Company Midway USA and Midsouth Shooters Supply have most everything

Is lead safe for the long haul? Are there any negatives to using lead?

 

[magnum12pm]

I think after reading this thread I should stock up on some more powder. I have 8lb. jugs of Clays, American select, and Titegroup all for less than 100 dollars. I believe I gave 88 dollars for the American. Its is usually pretty easy to find Berries bullets with free shipping. I just got 3500 Berries from Cabella's with free shipping, cheaper than I could get them from the manufacture. However I cannot get my hands on any Small pistol primers. The local store has tons of large pistol primers which of course I don't need!!

 

[dave b]

Reyno, lead bullets work great. Thats all I shoot anymore. I cast my own out of wheel weights. Everything from 32 mag to 45-70 ,including 8x57mm and 30-30. Just make sure they are 1-2 thou larger dia than your bbl. For 9mm , .356" is a good start. If you use a tight fitting bullet with a good lube, leading shouldn't be an issue.