New to 9mm - worth reloading?

[Arman4461]

Hello fellow reloaders. I am wondering if I would be wasting my time reloading for the 9mm Luger, considering the following:
I use a Dillon 550B, and typically reload for .45ACP and .44 Magnum, with 5.56Nato on occasion. The pistol calibers are either lead bullets bought in bulk from Oregon Trail, or FMJ Hardball bought in bulk for the .45ACP.
Since I finally decided to pick a few 2nd gen 9mm's, I bought a few thousand 124gr & 147gr loaded brass case rounds by the case. Compared to the 44 and 45 calibers, the loaded ammo is relatively cheap. I will be using the 9mm as a CCW round in a S&W 3913, so I won't be shooting thousands of rounds per month like I do with the .45 or the .44, which I use for target and metallic silhouette. What is your reloaded 9mm costing you per round to Produce, using either a 124gr fmj, or a 147gr fmj at NATO power levels? I get loaded WW 9mm NATO on sale for about $0.17 per round. I would like to know what you folks spend to reload similar ammo, add in the time it will take me to to clean, sort and reload the brass after I spend an hour or more picking 250 empties out of the rocks, and buy new dies and shell
plate. Not to mention the pain in my back from bending over repeatedly picking up brass out of the rocks:
You can probably tell that I am leaning towards just buying factory ammo in bulk. Maybe you can convince me otherwise
The reason I ask about the 147gr load, is because I carry 147gr +P GDHP's. The 124gr fmj hits close enough to the poi of the 147gr factory load that I don't have to adjust my fixed sight pistols for practice.
Thanks!
Arman

 

[Univibe]

I reload for 9mm. Using bulk 115 grain FMJ bullets from Everglades, it costs me about $6.00 to make a box of 50. I can get USA made brass cased stuff for about $10.00 or even a bit less. Sometimes I wonder why I do it.

Same for .223. Federal American eagle is 27 cents a round, and mine cost about 20 cents.

Savings go up for 45 acp and 10mm.

Big savings are revolver. That $25 box of .357 is $6.50. And the $30 box of 44 mag or spl is about $8.

 

[chiefbob81]

Reloading is great for the shooters who load specific losads. For us hackers shopping the sales and searching gun shows is better. IMHO

 

[bigggbbruce]

You don't say how much you will shoot.

I'd get set up so you can load HP's custom loads and what would be costly to shoot. But since I use a Turret press changing calibers is no big deal.

But range ammo.. factory would save the hassle for the few cents you'd save.

 

[rockquarry]

Some enjoy handloading as a hobby in itself. For those that don't, it makes good sense to buy factory ammo instead. I've always handloaded 9mm (almost exclusively with cast bullets). Seldom will factory ammo shoot with the same degree of accuracy that good handloads will. If accuracy is not a primary factor, again, it might be best to go with commercial ammo.

 

[STCM(SW)]

I have 3 9mm pistols(BHP,Luger,1911).
Reload it only for the fun of it.
My 38 Super had changed to 9mm because of chasing brass, if I can't find my 9mm brass, who cares. Lots of cheap 9mm ammo out there.

 

[BC38]

IMO if you are already set up for reloading and have the 9mm brass, I'd say that it is worth it.

With cast lead bullets for about a nickel apiece I can reload 9mm for 10 cents a round. About 2/3 the price of the cheapest 9mm range fodder around purchased in 1000 round bulk. Plus I can tailor the rounds to my liking and have better consistency than with the cheap factory ammo.

So it is worth it to me, but YMMV.

 

[DanWales]

Depending on where you are 9mm brass is everywhere. Even police depts give it away. Most ranges don't care if you pick up a couple thousand that are lying around.

For just throwing lead I use 125 gr Summers Bulets $25 for 500. Counting primer and powder I'm right at $9.00 a box of 50.

Sure we have piles of UMC stacked here at Gander Mtn for $9.99 a box.

Kinda like a hobby for me I don't have to go look for any when I'm ready to go. If I wasn't shooting a million rounds of the stuff I probably buy the factory.

9 mm is kinda like candy sort of like the .22 ripping off 4 or 500 is not out of the norm.

 

[BC38]

Depending on where you are 9mm brass is everywhere. Even police depts give it away. Most ranges don't care if you pick up a couple thousand that are lying around.

For just throwing lead I use 125 gr Summers Bulets $25 for 500. Counting primer and powder I'm right at $9.00 a box of 50.

Sure we have piles of UMC stacked here at Gander Mtn for $9.99 a box.

Kinda like a hobby for me I don't have to go look for any when I'm ready to go. If I wasn't shooting a million rounds of the stuff I probably buy the factory.

9 mm is kinda like candy sort of like the .22 ripping off 4 or 500 is not out of the norm.

Just curious, but what kind of primers and powder are you using?

If your bullets are a nickel apiece ($25/500) and its costing you $9 a box to reload them using free brass, then you're spending 13 cents a round on a primer and a powder charge.

That seems really high. I get CCI SP primers for around 2 cents each ($20/1000) and 4-5 grains of any powder - even ones that are $30 a pound - is just over 2 cents per round.

So my powder and primer cost is less than a nickle a round - not 13 cents. Add a nickel for the bullet and that's less than 10 cents a round (under $5 a box of 50).

Heck, I can actually load two boxes for $9 or just a few cents more...

 

[Rogeronimo]

I don't do it for savings. 147gn. ammo can be unobtainium on store shelves, and lighter stuff never hits POA for me ... unless I roll my own. Then, it comes down to powder selection. I spend a lot, new brass and all, but I'm worth it.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

9MM LOADING

Beyond the above-- yes, plenty of cheap ammo out there at this time. Wasn't so awhile back. However, that can change at any given time. It could be worth it if you cannot get ammo-- it has happened and no doubt will again. If a young guy, it might pay to buy cheap ammo now, but at least have the capability to load your own later. Just saying.

 

[Arman4461]

Thanks for the numbers and the opinions. I typically shoot 40,000+ rounds a year, handguns. Mostly .22lr and .45ACP, With about 2,500 .44 magnum loaded light for 50 yard metallic silhouette. Since I'll probably shoot the 9mm about 500 rounds a month to stay familiar with the DA/SA transition and where the pistol impacts, I believe your numbers have convinced we to use bulk factory. The prepper in me already has a large supply of sp primers (THANKS OSAMA AND OBAMA), I can pick up all the 9mm brass I want, and a set of dies and a shell plate for the Dillon progressive is easy to get. My wife thanks you for keeping me available for honey-do's

 

[Lou_NC]

I suppose it all depends on how you define "worth it". I haven't found anyone willing to pay me to watch TV between the hours of 9 pm and 11 pm, so I find that reloading is a good use of my time, regardless of component, powder, or any other costs.

Lou

 

[stansdds]

I have reloaded 9x19mm from time to time. The last time was during the great ammo famine of 2008-2016. I find the 9x19mm to be a little difficult to reload, specifically, it relates to size. the cases are small, the bullets are small, the powder charges are small. It's just easier on my fingers to reload 38 Special or larger calibers.

Given the availability and low cost of 9x19 in the past couple of years, I've put away my 9x19 dies and just buy ammo by the 1/2 case or full case.

 

[gwpercle]

For now , buy dies , a mould and save your brass .
With one election and the stroke of a pen ammunition can disappear from dealers shelves and no longer allowed to be purchased over the internet.
As the scouts say...be prepared .

I say this because I've lived through it ...at one point not too long ago, ammo and reloading supplies were not to be found on dealers shelves and then a governor signed into law rules outlawing the internet sales of ammo, citizens never had a chance to vote on this law .
Can't Happen again.....don't bet the farm on it .
Keep your eyes wide open and watch the left .

I reload for the 9mm because I can still do so and reloading is a hobby I enjoy.
Gary

 

[CH4]

I am a single stage Rock Chucker guy, so I only load for rifle and revolver cartridges; however, I've been contemplating loading for .38 Super and 10mm. When factoring in my time and volume, 9mm and .45 don't make sense...yet

 

[MyDads38]

I started reloading in 1980 to save money, I've continued to reload because I enjoy it and because I'm proud that my ammo excels in accuracy over factory ammo. I still save money, compared to the cost of factory ammo, but that's not the only reason to reload your own.

 

[old tanker]

I have reloaded 9mm in the past. For a time, in my youth, I was on a quest to find "the load" that would shoot flawlessly AND be the most accurate in every 9mm pistol I owned. It turned out that for serious target work I had better guns in better calibers.

Then, there was the time when loading the latest 'just as good as a .45' hollow point held sway. I did avoid the "make IPSC major" with this borderline crazy powder charge fad.

With 9mm ball cheap and easy to find in bulk, that has become my choice. It's all just blasting ammo.

Should I decide that to make a 9mm EDC then buying the botique bullet of the month is likely the easiest way out.

So until the next drought, crawling round hunting for itty-bitty brass and putting itty-bitty bullets into those itty-bitty cases on a single stage press is relegated to bad memories, like disco and double knit polyester leisure suits.

 

[scattershot]

For the limited amount of shooting that you would do with it, I don't think it would be advantageous for you to reload it. I do, but then I reload everything I shoot. I figure it costs me a little over $6.00/box to reload, and factory is readily available for around $8.00. Premium self defense ammo is more expensive, and what I use for self defense purposes. I have so much 9mm brass that I don't even pick it up any more, so I'll probably reload 9mm ror the forseeable future, for plinking and target loads.

Bottom line is, I don't think I would bother.

 

[Chief Wiggums]

I buy reloads from a buddy / work colleague
I provide the brass and packaging, that is all.
the packaging i get from my range (trash picker) , and the majority of my brass
brass is only used 2X in our case

my cost averages .11 per round
not bad