Cost for reloading 9mm vs. buying new ammo

[mtgianni]

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to add my 2 cents.
I've reloaded 9mm since I started shooting it back in the 90's for my 39-2. Through the years (decades actually) I've learned to buy cheap and stack it deep! I still reload 9mm @ $5/box; $10/100. Cheapest factory is $12/box; $24/100.
Primers now are about $65-$75/1,000 and powder about $45/lb. Not sure it would make sense to load at those costs and have to buy the equipment too. But when ammo isn't available off the shelf, you can still shoot if you have the components.

$24 per 100 is $240 per K. $75 primer cost, 4 gr of powder @ 7000 gr per lb is 1750 shots. $25.70 will be the powder cost. Berrys plated $120. Total $220.70. Not much of a savings unless you are a home caster. Bulk lead trades at $0.83 a lb. 18 lbs gets you 1008 bullets. Basic cost for home cast bullets less time and equipment is $15 lead + $26 powder + $75 primers $116 per K.

 

[rockquarry]

Handloaders who enjoy handloading and like to shoot the most accurate ammo for their gun(s) will continue to handload regardless of the small savings (if any) over buying inexpensive factory ammo. I like to keep some factory handgun ammo on hand but seldom shoot it.

 

[Doriangray6]

With the rise in the cost of reloading equipment and components it takes a lot more reloaded rounds to break even but what I've always considered to be the main benefit of reloading, being able to tailor your loads to a specific purpose, remains.

 

[bigggbbruce]

I have always reloaded 9mm, no matter what the cost situation, and I have never regretted it.

I don't see how you can shoot guns and not reload.

Around 1980 iirc, I purchased a Thompson Contender 7mm TCU. I quickly realized if I wanted to shoot it I was going to have to reload for it. From there I began reloading everything I shoot.

 

[Cibermac]

Since I don't own a 9mm, I don't reload for it, but do for many other chamberings.
I have got my neighbor into shooting and he has a 9 that he is shooting fairly often and is coming down to the end of his ammo stash.
If he was to buy some used equipment and start reloading for his 9, would he be saving enough to make it worthwhile, or should he just continue to buy factory ammo?

If he is starting from scratch meaning he does not have equipment than no it is not worth it. I looked into it just a few months ago and to buy "new equipment" and all the other bit you need just will not pay off when you can get factory fresh ammo for 23 cents around. If you have most of the gear than that changes everything.

 

[shil]

How much do you shoot 9mm? I don't shoot enough of it to make reloading it worth the trouble for me, and I am not wealthy.

 

[AJ]

$24 per 100 is $240 per K. $75 primer cost, 4 gr of powder @ 7000 gr per lb is 1750 shots. $25.70 will be the powder cost. Berrys plated $120. Total $220.70. Not much of a savings unless you are a home caster. Bulk lead trades at $0.83 a lb. 18 lbs gets you 1008 bullets. Basic cost for home cast bullets less time and equipment is $15 lead + $26 powder + $75 primers $116 per K.

My costs are much less than that. Most of the primers cost me $15 on average, powder ranged from $5.00 to $25.00 a pound, and I cast most of my own bullets. Lead comes from old wheel weights and free lead from friends. I bought 300 pounds of lead for $100 last year. Was given this on Thursday: https://smith-wessonforum.com/threads/gifts-from-a-friend.741786/. So my cost per round is cheap. I use light loads for target practice and very rarely full house rounds for any other shooting.

 

[TaxPhd]

If you place any value on time reloading 9mm only makes sense during periods when prices are high.

But during those same periods components are either high or impossible to find.

So I just “buy it cheap and stack it deep.”

That’s a common, but flawed component of the financial analysis of reloading. Reloading is a leisure activity, and as such, it competes with other leisure activities. Whether one spends their leisure time playing golf, watching TV, fishing, reloading, or any other myriad of activities, the opportunity cost is some other leisure activity, not what one would earn working a job.

 

[Narragansett]

I reload 9mm and present it cost me 5 cents for primers, 10 cents for JHP, 4 cents for powder. Brass I pick up at the range so no cost there. $19/100.
I don't count my time as I like reloading and I am shooting accurate JHP ammo.
It matters how much he shoots, how busy he is doing other things.
One thing people do not figure is buying components can be like buying ammo on layaway. I buy primers when I find them cheap, then when I see powder cheap I buy that, then when the funds are back up I buy bullets.
I load in batches of 1000, so that's $190/1000. I believe its worth pulling the handle!
ymmv



YMMV

I bought some decent stuff the other day for 20.5 cents a round. Reloading to save 75 cents a box? I don't think so

 

[Frailer]

That’s a common, but flawed component of the financial analysis of reloading. Reloading is a leisure activity, and as such, it competes with other leisure activities. Whether one spends their leisure time playing golf, watching TV, fishing, reloading, or any other myriad of activities, the opportunity cost is some other leisure activity, not what one would earn working a job.

I don’t disagree, but in my particular case I don’t view reloading as a leisure activity. For me it is a chore, like mowing the lawn.

I don’t *mind* doing it, but if somebody will do it for me at a reasonably low priced I’m game.