reload 9mm?

[cracker57]

How many reloaders are loading 9mm? I hear a lot about how its not worth loading 9mm because the price of loaded ammo is coming down.
currently I am paying about 8 cents for primers, $45 bucks for w231, and 10 to 11 cents for a 124 grain JHP. I pick up range brass so it is free. My $45 powder gets me 1600 rounds, so that works out to less than 3 cents/round.
if we add that up it comes to less than 22 cents a round, for a very accurate round that performs very well in all my guns.
I will be pulling the handle, loading my load for my guns until factory ammo hits 15 cents.
If one wants to factor in time its not worth it but I consider reloading as a hobby and enjoy it.
How many are pulling the handle for 9MM?

 

[jjrr]

With 9mm at the price it is now I just started buying factory ammo, it’s break even and maybe little cheaper but my motivation is to save my primers and powder and bullets for hard times. I am not a youngster and I have seen some times when ammo and components were not readily available, at one point I even laid in some casting stuff so I can make bullets for the necessary calibers.

 

[gwpercle]

I not only reload 9mm Luger but I cast my own bullets .
A 4 cavity NOE mould allows me to cast a 124 gr. TC gas checked bullet that can be cast of a soft alloy (8-9 bhn) and still driven to +1000 fps .
Why ... being the master of your ammo supply feels good ... and I enjoy doing it .

I cast bullets and reload for every firearm I own ...
You never know what tomorrow will bring !
Gary

 

[dmar]

I’m currently just buying factory 9mm. Combination of factors with time being the biggest. And yes also price. I’ve bought cases of 9mm for $240, that’s $12 a box, not bad… I’ve got a bunch of components from way back before the crazy price increases, but I’ll still shoot some factory 9mm when it’s relatively cheap like it is today. I do like the accuracy of rolling my own, but I can always make some up when I really want that kind of accuracy.

Also, I find that I’m not as motivated to reload in the summertime because there’s so much going on and so many things I’d rather be doing. In fact I’m going golfing with my son and a bunch of friends at noon today. In the winter things slow down and I spend more time in the gun room.

 

[mtgianni]

I bought sp primers a couple of months ago at $0.06 ea. [6000 Fiocci for $365, shipping & hazmat inc.] I last bought lead around 2004 and still have 3/4 ton of alloy. I am shooting AA2 bought surplus in 2003 @ $6.00 a lb., in 6 lb lots. You don't want to know how little my loads cost and you have to be forward thinking in this recreational habit.

 

[stansdds]

I reloaded 9x19mm during and shortly after the great panicdemic as 9mm ammo (along with all other calibers) was nearly impossible to find and very expensive when it could be found. With current ammo prices, FMJ practice loads have become widely available and low in price, yet powder and primers are still quite expensive, making reloading the 9x19mm a far less attractive option.

 

[desi2358]

I've reloaded a lot of 9MM over the years but currently am just shooting factory stuff. Price is low enough that I would rather save my primers and powder for other handgun rounds such as 32's, 38's and 357. As well as some of the real oddballs I load and shoot like 9 Largo, 30 Mauser and a few others.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I not only reload 9mm Luger but I cast my own bullets .
A 4 cavity NOE mould allows me to cast a 124 gr. TC gas checked bullet that can be cast of a soft alloy (8-9 bhn) and still driven to +1000 fps .
Why ... being the master of your ammo supply feels good ... and I enjoy doing it .

I cast bullets and reload for every firearm I own ...
You never know what tomorrow will bring !
Gary

You’re wise!

I don’t cast any longer but have thought about getting back into it. I load 10 calibers and other than my 22’s and a box of 32 S&W along that I bought everything I shoot is what I load.

I don’t shoot much 9mm but shoot a lot of 38’s and like my loads much better than factory. They shoot softer (arthritis), they’re cleaner and cheaper plus I like the challenge of perfecting my loads for my guns. For example I load mild loads for my revolvers and load specific bullet weights for certain guns. Every gun has its own personality as to what shoots best in it. I also load specific hotter loads for my lever guns. Again every gun has a unique personality and no single load works best in all.

I just enjoy loading. I can sit down for a couple of hours uninterrupted and focusing on what I’m doing. I find it helps clear the mind.

I keep a nice supply of ammo, probably 1000+ rounds per caliber not counting 22’s. So that equates to 10-12,000 rounds I can pickup and shoot before switching my press over. I keep about 20,000 primers, enough powder for the rest of my life and a good supply of bullets but need to restock soon. I’m still using $25/lb powder and under $50/1000 primers. Actually I finished my last brick of $24/1000 primers early this year. I may be in the $30 bricks now. It’s like investing, prices go up so you wait for bargains and then stickup and then cost average.

Advice, stockup when you can.

 

[rockquarry]

I'm not much of a 9mm enthusiast and seldom shoot pistols so chambered, but I use cast bullets when I do. Took me a while to develop accurate cast loads but they will do as well as good jacketed ammo and much better than cheap jacketed ammo. I have no idea as to my cost, but it has to be cheaper than the cheapest bulk ammo. I also enjoy handloading as a hobby, not a chore. Cost doesn't have a lot to do with it.

 

[TJm15.38]

I have some nice RCBS carbide dies with taper crimp bullet seater and have been reloading nines for a while, especially during the pandemic. At today's prices, it's cheaper to just buy factory ammo. I also reload 9x18 Makarov, but finding the fired cases has proved to be a challenge. The Bulgarian pistol ejects them halfway to the moon.

 

[glenwolde]

Only enough to be sure I can do it if I need too. Not that I shoot much 9mm. I save my components for cartridges where the savings is larger, which is mostly .38 Special.

 

[BE Mike]

I reload a lot of 9mm. I use coated cast bullets. I have some old components and can load a lot cheaper than factory. I'm long retired so time isn't a factor for me. I can't say that I enjoy the reloading process, but I do get pleasure from shooting ammo that I make.

 

[Marksman]

Reloading 9mm.............

You have to be resourceful with current prices in order for reloading to be cost effective. I frequently barter for powder and primers, I buy bullets in lots of 1K and have been able to sell 500 for what I paid for the thousand making my bullets cost free. Some fellow shooters have been kind enough to gift me the brass that I need, sometimes we trade so I seldom purchase brass.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

First caliber I started reloading was 9mm, back in 1972. Still cranking them out.

Homemade cast bullets from scrap lead (wheel weights, printing type, etc) accumulated over many years, only costs are electricity for the casting pot and a tiny amount of bullet lube.

Stocked up between the last two big shortages in supply chains, what I then considered to be over-priced $30 per thousand primers, canister powders at ~$20 per pound. I figure my current supply has cost me about $4.50 per 50-round box (9 cents per round). Back in the 70s I was doing the same thing for about 75 cents per box.

Reliable supply and independence from supply chains mean more to me than convenience or cost.

Good set of reloading dies and a mold or two are added any time I acquire a firearm in a new caliber. Some of my vintage and antique firearms couldn't be fed factory ammo for less than $5 per round, but I'm doing it for 10 or 15 cents each.

Yes, worth it to me.

 

[mikld]

I like reloading. I like all aspects of reloading from load data research, acquiring components, processing brass, assembling, recording, shooting and recording results. I started out of curiosity not for money "saving" (in the early 80s as I emptied the cylinder of my 38 I thought "I wonder if I could reuse these?"). I don't know how much my handloads cost, nor do I care. Reloading is a quiet time for me and a very rewarding hobby. I normally shoot to reload. I like reloading....

I have 5, 9mm handguns and I reload for them all (no idea the cost of a premium self/home defense, +P ammo costs). I also cast and my JIC stash numbers in the thousands. I haven't purchased more than 5 boxes of factory ammo for all my handguns since 1985...

Not bragging! Just explaining my take on the often discussed "money vs reloading" threads. Money ain't everything!

 

[Fishinfool]

I went thru a spell where I did some 9mm reloading - mostly experimenting with cast bullets in Glocks. Otherwise, I just buy bulk ball ammo, and use factory ammo for SD carry.

For the cost savings, if any, its not worth my time. I'd rather spend my time at the bench loading more expensive stuff like .45 acp. and .44 mag., as well as .308 Win. / 7.62x51.

Feel pretty much the same with .223 / 5.56 unless I am loading for best accuracy in a particular rifle. I stocked up on 5.56 ball when it was $300 or less a case.

Larry

 

[max503]

I not only reload 9mm Luger but I cast my own bullets .
Gary

Same here. It's not a big savings, like some other calibers, but I get so much satisfaction out of firing my reloads. Shooting factory ammo is boring. Also, I never load a bunch in advance. Maybe I'm weird, but that's what makes the sport enjoyable to me.

To each his own.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I am not loading 9mm right now but that is just because I have so much I have a storage issue. I remember when you could get 50 rounds for $5 on sale. I didn't reload it at that price.

 

[Warren Sear]

I not only reload 9mm Luger but I cast my own bullets .
A 4 cavity NOE mould allows me to cast a 124 gr. TC gas checked bullet that can be cast of a soft alloy (8-9 bhn) and still driven to +1000 fps .
Why ... being the master of your ammo supply feels good ... and I enjoy doing it .

I cast bullets and reload for every firearm I own ...
You never know what tomorrow will bring !
Gary

I do the exact same.

 

[SMSgt]

I have some nice RCBS carbide dies with taper crimp bullet seater and have been reloading nines for a while, especially during the pandemic. At today's prices, it's cheaper to just buy factory ammo. I also reload 9x18 Makarov, but finding the fired cases has proved to be a challenge. The Bulgarian pistol ejects them halfway to the moon.

9x18 can be easily made from 9x19 cases. Run the 9x19 through the 9x18 sizing die, trim and load. They look a bit weird until fireformed but work well. And yes, the cases tend to go into low-earth orbit somewhere.