Handloading a 9mm or a 40SW Question

[Walterm]

Is there a big price difference loading up some bullets, say 9mm compared to 40SW? Looking at the cost of a new box of bullets it's apparent the 45 auto is the highest price of the popular calibers but I'm looking for the difference between 9mm and 40SW when rolling your own.

Thanks,
Walter

 

[Dragon88]

Bullets are the biggest component cost in handloading (unless you cast your own and get free lead). I use Berry's plated bullets, so that's the pricing I go buy, and yes 9mm is noticeably cheaper. Just like caliber, 40 is right in the middle in terms of cost between 9mm and 45.

 

[handgunner356]

One other thing I look at is brass, although 9mm can probably be reloaded more times, I find 40 brass much easier to come by. With most LE using the 40 the price keeps coming closer to 9mm. While the plated and jacketed bullets have a pretty good spread between the two calibers most cast bullets are fairly close in price.

 

[goldenlight]

Bullets are the biggest component cost in handloading (unless you cast your own and get free lead). I use Berry's plated bullets, so that's the pricing I go buy, and yes 9mm is noticeably cheaper. Just like caliber, 40 is right in the middle in terms of cost between 9mm and 45.

My experience too.

9mm is probably the least expensive round to reload. 9mm bullets weigh less than 40 or 45, and they are made in much higher quantities, which lowers the price just a bit, as well.

 

[Neumann]

My experience too.

9mm is probably the least expensive round to reload. 9mm bullets weigh less than 40 or 45, and they are made in much higher quantities, which lowers the price just a bit, as well.

The prices are related to the amount of material in construction. Midway and Cabelas have a good selection, which will give you the best idea of cost.

Most of the cost of reloading is in the bullet, since the brass can be used many times. Both 9mm and .40 SW are loaded to about 38,000 psi, compared to about 20,000 psi for .45 ACP, which may result in fewer reloads. You lose a lot of brass unless you stand in the middle of a 20' tarp - 15% to 25% per session. In other words, you don't keep brass long enough to wear out or split. The hidden cost of reloading is time, especially if you're self-employed (or retired and busy).

I just bought a Dillon progressive press (550B), which will quadruple my output, and mean I can actually shoot more (and spend more on components).

 

[mcracco]

9mm is definitely the cheapest to shoot. I'm buying Berry's plated 147GN bullets at $94/1000 delivered which is the cheapest I have found. TJ Conevera is a great source.

After that primers are the second most costly at $.03/round.

Brass to me is almost a non factor. I pickup brass after practice so my initial purchase of 3,000+ rounds is going a long way.

Powder is not a concern either as I am throwing 2.8GN per round. 7000GNs in a pound so I get 2800 rounds per small jug. That's less than 1 cent per round.

So not counting brass: 13.2 cents per round.

Don't ask me to factor in the Dillon 1050 I will be ordering later this morning.

 

[WashMP9]

the 9mm has the least return. 45 the biggest. I can load moly 9mm for $93 1k. 40 moly for $118. 45 moly for $125

9mm FMJ in my area goes for $180 1k. 40 FMJ $280 1k. 45 fmj $325 1k

The caveat is the initial investment in a machine and accesories. If you shoot a lot like me,it comes back quickly.

 

[fredad]

Or you can shoot lead bullets at about $59/1000 Missouri Bullet Company
And before you start hollering nonsense
Missouri Bullet Company

 

[Dragon88]

the 9mm has the least return. 45 the biggest. I can load moly 9mm for $93 1k. 40 moly for $118. 45 moly for $125

9mm FMJ in my area goes for $180 1k. 40 FMJ $280 1k. 45 fmj $325 1k

The caveat is the initial investment in a machine and accesories. If you shoot a lot like me,it comes back quickly.

Handloading ammo isn't an investment, it's an expense. Regardless of what 45 ACP costs in your local store, it is still costing you more to load and shoot that cartridge than 9mm.

 

[S&W Rover]

I reload .40 and enjoy the heck out of it and save some money.

Factory 9mm costs a lot less than .40 (roughly half to two thirds) so reloading them does not entail as much savings. And I have a fairly large stock of 9mm I bought during the Great Ammo Shortage, which I am shooting gradually.

But I am saving all of the 9mm brass, and when I get to the end of the run, I will probably start reloading 9mm, too.

The other benefit (both 9mm in the future and .40 S&W now) is the ability to put together a load that is powerful enough to cycle the gun flawlessly, is accurate, but has milder recoil. In this, too, reloading favors the .40, since the 9mm has less recoil. But still, I will be able to work out some nice 9mm loads and probably save around (I'm just guessing) five cents a round -- about 20% -- over factory.

Enjoy! Reloading is fun anyway.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I started stocking up on .40SW cases a while back. I waited until I found steals of deals on the cases. There is so much LEO use of .40SW that I was able several times to buy them cheaper than 9mm. Then if you scrounge around the ranges you will find that the popularity of the .40SW allows a lot of use while people still leave their cases behind. I don't know how many thousands of them I have stashed up now, but it is a LOT more than anything else I have tucked away.

If you do opt for the .40SW then buy either the Lee bulge buster for use with their FCD body or the Redding G-Rx die which I think now comes in carbide. You won't regret it.

 

[sps282]

I reload 9mm and .40 and there is a fair amount of savings on both, in my case it allows me to shoot more than I would typically be willing to spend for factory ammo. Range brass is plentiful for both so it's not really a cost factor just takes time to gather it up. I prefer loading the .40 as the brass & bullets are a lot easier for these old fat fingers to handle. If you cast your own lead bullets it cuts your cost even more....however some of the polygonal barrels don't like lead too much! If you are just loading target loads the powder cost is not much! I have recouped the cost of the loading equipment since I'm using the same stuff I started with in 1967!

 

[VMaxSplat]

Is there a big price difference loading up some bullets, say 9mm compared to 40SW?

The 9mm is the ultimate in cost effectiveness. Bullet prices are considerably cheaper than the 40/45.