Reloading 9MM Today

[Cdog]

Traditionally the cost of some ammo has made cost savings a topic of debate. The 9X19 has been at or near the top of this list for quite some time.

With primer cost still pushing the 10 cent each mark, plus availability still being an issue finding newly manufactured brass case ammo under 30 cents each now not only do I know that I'm not saving I also feel like I'm wasting money handloading 9mm now.

I look at the cost and availability of .38 Special/.357, .38 Super and other small pistol primed ammo that I use and it's the stinking primer making the difference now.

Prime 1000 pieces of 9mm brass @ $100 and add another $100 in projectiles, then powder their little behinds and it simply ain't worth it. There's this nagging issue too. I enjoy handloading pert near as much as I do the shootin'.

Instead of burning primers in 9mm, I believe I'm beaten. Just going to break down and buy bulk loaded 9mm ammo.

I hope lower cost 9mm ammo being in good supply is a sign of lower cost primers not being too far over the horizon.

The dead horse has risen again.

Vent over.

 

[Racer X]

I agree. I am saving my small primers for 40, 357 sig, or 38/357 revolver loads.

 

[Imissedagain]

While cost savings can be a great thing, most loaders do so to produce ammo that provides extreme accuracy and the velocities that factory ammo may not provide in their firearms for their intended uses.

Primer pain ain't fun.
I have less than 10k of primers on hand but a 15yd archery range in the backyard.
I found a brick of CCI/SPP sitting in my bicycle helmet that was missing, after the loading was done, so I had to use the MagSPP to load 380/9mm not long ago.
Bike sits next to one of the loading supply cabinets and dumb me put them in the helmet while reaching for the other components.

Walked on a sailing catamaran, some years ago, and the owner was amazed that it took less than 30 minutes to get the computers/HF radios/Pactor working.
The four techs prior were clueless and their soldering pitiful.
Kept me there for the day going over everything and teaching him and the Mrs all they need to know about that 60' vessel.
Billed him $800 for the day and he said, "would you be offended if I gave you $1600".
They also fed me well that day.

Headed right to the LGS and bought VV N320/$50 a pound, primers/$35 and bullets.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I found a way to save on the cost of 9mm. I do have a lot of brass, and frankly don't shoot 9mm all that much; but somebody (or plural) at our club pistol range shoots a lot and apparently doesn't reload. I started picking up the brass from out in front of the firing line and behind the shooting house, where usually the brass doesn't get cleaned up. It's obviously fresh brass, still clean and shiny. Getting the free brass offsets the increased primer prices, and I have tons of bullets because I also load .38 Super.

And as a bonus, this past weekend when I took my SIL and other daughter's boyfriend to the range, found 50 brand new large primer .45 Auto brass cases.

I found a brick of SPP's a while back and still have a decent supply. I'm loading mostly .40S&W, .38 Spl. and .38 Super with them.

What's most depressing to me is how much powder prices have seemed to jump. I've collected powder here and there for years and have a decent selection to choose from for pistol, but just a couple for rifle, which is okay because I'm really particular about my rifle loads and don't experiment with them now. Trouble is, the powders I use have almost doubled per pound for one chambering. I still have plenty for the other rifle I load for.

 

[Green Frog]

Primers have become the limiting factor for me in all reloading considerations. I know I'll need SPPs for my various 32s, that's just a given, but like others here, I have to really weigh the price of components vs that of "bargain priced" 9mm ammo which is generally just used by me for recreational shooting at casual events.

Each of us has his own frame of reference.
Froggie

 

[mtgianni]

As a bullet caster, whose bullet cost approach $0.03, I still find it cheaper to reload 9mm.

 

[zeke]

Have never had to actually buy new 9mm brass, but even the price of powder, jacketed bullets and primers (if you find any) is about even with the cost of factory loaded rounds?

9mm is my most frequently reloading done with small pistol primers by far. Am only still doing it cause have the primers.

 

[GypsmJim]

Traditionally the cost of some ammo has made cost savings a topic of debate. The 9X19 has been at or near the top of this list for quite some time.

With primer cost still pushing the 10 cent each mark, plus availability still being an issue finding newly manufactured brass case ammo under 30 cents each now not only do I know that I'm not saving I also feel like I'm wasting money handloading 9mm now.



The dead horse has risen again.

Vent over.

I have never bought 9mm brass. Once fired range brass has been free forever. With an unlimited supply of lead acquired many years ago, boolits are free as well.

I'm currently loading nines for 2 bucks a box. When my primers run out and I need to buy new ones, I figure they will cost 8 cents, and thus the box price will increase to 5 bucks.

If I had to buy bullets that would add another 8 cents, or 9 bucks a box.

What I see advertised for bulk ammo is about $300 / 1000, or 30 cents a round.

Looks like I'll continue reloading nines. Also, It's just a fun hobby.

 

[smithra_66]

It's still much cheaper to reload it, especially if you have a fast loading machine, and especially if you are loading specialized ammo, such as I do for IDPA competition, and especially if you already have thousands of cases.

Since I don't use full house loads, I've also found that small rifle and small pistol mag primers work just fine too. That may open up your options a bit more.

I do think we are close to breaking the dam on the primers too. I'm seeing them more and more all over.

 

[rockquarry]

I enjoy handloading. 9mm is not a favorite cartridge, but I spent at least twenty-five years working on the development of an accurate cast bullet load to see if it could be done. Like all handgun cartridges I've worked with so far, the "right" cast bullet load will equal or exceed the accuracy of most jacketed bullet loads.

I'm still using a large batch of Winchester 9mm brass that I received as once-fired thirty years ago. I probably should put it in the scrap pile, but after many loadings, it continues to work well. I don't know what it costs to load 9mm. For me, there's a lot more to handloading than cost per loaded cartridge. I couldn't imagine buying 9mm mediocre accuracy bulk stuff when you can make better ammo. When I'm out of small pistol primers, I may see things in a different light, but I hope that's not soon.

 

[Funflyer]

If you like to practice with exactly what's in your EDC then hand-loading remains a significant savings over factory. I carry Sig 124 V-crown in my 9's and the best price on factory ammo I've found is about $1.08 per. Even with primers at .10¢ I can load them under .40¢ per. Some may feel that's not much in savings considering you don't practice with hundreds of rounds a month, but add not having to buy factory .40S&W, 380ACP, and 45ACP to that savings and what have you got. I fire at least a box per month (20-25 rounds) of those also.

 

[reddog81]

$.10 per primer
$.02 for powder
$.02 for homecast bullet
$.14 Total for 9mm or .38 Special. For .45 ACP add about an extra $.01 for the larger bullet.

I still reload for basically all my shooting. The "savings" are better for .38 Special, but if I want to shoot 9mm than I reload for 9mm.

 

[glenwolde]

Even at today's prices, using bulk cast bullets, you can load it for less than .25 a round.

I'm using $40 powder, $100 primers, and $100 for 1,000 bullets for pricing. Assuming you've got free brass. The 9mm is not my favorite cartridge but it is fun in a 1911. It's not my most frequently-shot but I like to shoot it for variety.

I like to be able to load it just in case I have too. But I am not opposed to factory ammo.

 

[jag22]

This really isn't a new discussion. Even when times were good and prices were low there was always a discussion about what benefits, if any, there were to loading 9mm. If 9mm is all you're ever going to shoot, and you don't care if you run out for six months or so every couple of years then just the investment in equipment isn't worth it. In the real world, most reloaders do many, many different calibers. I think I do eight on a regular basis and I know of many who do multiples of that. I do it because it is a hobby I enjoy. I've seen some argue that if they put some dollar figure on the amount of time they spend it's not worth it. Stupid argument. Mostly we load calibers that you won't find sitting on the shelf at Cabelas. Make them your self or don't shoot that gun. Simple as that.

 

[mikld]

FWIW; Sorry for the thread drift, but I started reloading out of curiosity (as I emptied the cylinder of my first 38 special I thought "I wonder if I could reuse these?" waaaay pre web). While I am fairly frugal when buying components I do not use money as an excuse for reloading. I reload because I like to. I have a few reasons why I don't try to compare my costs to factory ammo but I'll leave it at I reload because I like to...

 

[Racer X]

As a bullet caster, whose bullet cost approach $0.03, I still find it cheaper to reload 9mm.

yes, because, time not withstanding, you are saving 70 to over a hundred bucks per 1K.

I don't have the patience to cast. Lots of options for decent coated bullets @ 10 cents, or less, in quantity, shipped.

But if I were to shoot large caliber revolvers, I would learn to cast.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

Cheaper, yes - at least since I'm a bullet caster. But I have never enjoyed loading 9mm. I find it tedious due to the small size of the case. And although I've been a reloader for over 40 years and successfully loaded .45 ACP most all of those years, I find it more difficult to produce 9mm ammo that is as good as factory stuff. Your experience may be different, but I quit loading 9mm years ago although I really don't shoot it much anymore anyway. I'll buy a little factory ammo when the price is right and save my stash of SPPs for .38/.357 .

 

[ajgunner]

If you are figuring your brass cost at .10, you are not buying it right or opposed to scrounging.
If you are using .10 bullets, you need to spend some time shopping for better deals, including coated lead or even plated.

 

[zeke]

Cheaper, yes - at least since I'm a bullet caster. But I have never enjoyed loading 9mm. I find it tedious due to the small size of the case. And although I've been a reloader for over 40 years and successfully loaded .45 ACP most all of those years, I find it more difficult to produce 9mm ammo that is as good as factory stuff. Your experience may be different, but I quit loading 9mm years ago although I really don't shoot it much anymore anyway. I'll buy a little factory ammo when the price is right and save my stash of SPPs for .38/.357 .

Some of the most accurate factory rounds i have used were the Win White box Q4172. And yes, there used to be at least 2 variety's commonly referred to as Win white box .

Very accurate in every 9mm ever tried it in. After trying to replicate the accuracy unsuccessfully, pulled one of the bullets and found out it was a hollow base jacketed. Given enough pressure, suspect the base expands to fit various 9mm barrels. So now i buy those bullets specifically.

Everyone has differing experiences and purposes. I shoot way more 9mm thn38 special, and use small pistol magnums for 357.

 

[S&WIowegan]

9mm range brass

I need to introduce a word of caution for 9mm reloaders. The USPSA open class shooters have mostly switched to shooting 9mm handloaded ammo which is very 'hot', high pressure stuff. These shooters routinely leave the brass on the ground. I see people harvesting that brass. I recommend being very cautious re-using brass from a range where USPSA shooters are active.

I have personally witnessed a gun blow up which was shooting used 9mm brass,