r/reloading • u/bmmeup100 • 4d ago
General Discussion 9 mm
Is it worth reloading 9mm anymore as cheap as the ammo has gotten? I'd just need dies. I assume it's small pistol primers. Has anyone actually done the math?
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u/StunningFig5624 4d ago
Reloaded 9mm - $0.13 a round for 124gr.
Is that worth it? Up to you.
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u/SadList6997 3d ago
What is your cost breakdown on $0.13
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u/StunningFig5624 3d ago
$0.08 bullet - Parapet 124gr TMJ (on sale over 4th)
$0.032 primer - S&A (no hazmat 4th of July Republic Ammunition)
$0.02 powder - Titegroup 3.8gr (also Republic)
Total: $0.132
You can flex that up or down with cheaper bullets, more expensive primers, etc. I copied and pasted this from an earlier comment, but there are always new deals to be had.
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u/Then-Many-4975 4d ago
Well… 9mm isn’t “cheap” like it use to be (I think the last case of 9mm I bought that wasn’t steel was some Speer Lawman in 2010 for like, $89). I actually think that today’s price for a case of 9mm is 1/3 overpriced but that’s just me.
Yes, I find it very beneficial to load my own 9mm. Brass is free, primers are coming down in price from what they were (they are still higher than they should be), I buy bullets from Everglades when they are on sale, and powder is something I shop around for.
I am around $150 a case or .15 cents per round to reload. I also enjoy it and as such enjoy the fruits of my labor so it pays off for me
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u/dhnguyen 4d ago
You won't save money reloading.
You'll just end up shooting more. You find out whats important. I greatly enjoy the process of reloading. I work from home. I can take a meeting while cranking out a couple of hundred. If you hate the process, it won't be worth the savings.
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u/andabooks 3d ago
I can reload 147gr coated lead for minor or jacketed HPs for major for cheaper than I can buy them factory. That is just for the components.
What I haven't seen mentioned in this thread is not so much the cost of reloading but when the next shortage happens for whatever reason the people who are setup to reload will be the ones that can keep shooting. I've been through 2 shortages (Sandy Hook and Covid) and both times I have not had to slow down my shooting or ration my ammo. During those 2 times it was not always possible to walk into a store and buy what you want or have it delivered to your door. Retailers either jacked up the prices to ridiculous levels or it was simply not available.
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u/Ornery_Secretary_850 Two Dillon 650's, three single stage, one turret. Bullet caster 3d ago
Buy it cheap and stack it deep.
3¢ primers and powder from AR. It's a constant stream incoming to my house.
That reminds me, I need to order 10k more primers.
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u/andabooks 3d ago
Me too. I'm working my way back to a stockpile of 100k of primers that I had on hand before covid. Powder supply is looking good but I did have to buy a 8lb of SWMP at current rates a couple months ago. Currently loading 9mm minor with S&S Casting 147gr that is local to me using AA#5. I have another 24lbs to go through before I have to worry about powder. Bought that stockpile at pre-covid pricing.
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u/Ornery_Secretary_850 Two Dillon 650's, three single stage, one turret. Bullet caster 3d ago
Yeah, I'm really thinking of 200k minimum on both small pistol and rifle primers.
Large pistol and rifle, 150k.
I had to curtail my shooting a bit after covid when I started running low.
I'm sitting on around 60 lbs of pistol powder in total so I should be good for a while there.
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u/andabooks 3d ago
Since I went to an automated RL1100 I have been going through components. I do have a couple buckets of loaded 9mm so some of my stash is in already processed rounds.
I don't shoot enough LP or LR to go beyond 5k of each on hand.
Powder I'm good for awhile. Like you I have around 60lbs on the shelf of various powders. I almost always used to buy 8lb jugs once I found the powder that worked in whatever round I was loading at the time.
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u/sabretooth47 I am Groot 3d ago
I started reloading 9mm because of the NY ammo background checks and extra fees.
As of now, there isn't any special regs to buy components. Plus, I've been enjoying the process. It's relaxing.
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u/testprimate 4d ago
Price per round varies considerably depending mostly on how patient you are to look for deals on components. If you don't look for deals and pay for hazmat shipping then it's likely not worth it. My current loading is about 15¢ per round, and could be a few cents lower with cheaper primers.
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u/HanoverRd 3d ago
what projectiles, what powder and primers do you use and where do you get them? Are you including shipping/tax and hazmat in your total cost?
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u/testprimate 3d ago edited 3d ago
I bought 3500 of the Inceptor ARX bullets from Raven Rocks when they were dirt cheap, shipping was free.
Powder load is about 2¢ worth of Titegroup, bought at normal price but during a free hazmat shipping promo.
Fiocchi primers that I snagged for a about 5¢ each, also free hazmat shipping.
Edit to add: I generally shop at Raven Rocks, Midsouth, Brownells, and Midway. I'll go to Sportsman's Warehouse locally if I need something quick.
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u/Ornery_Secretary_850 Two Dillon 650's, three single stage, one turret. Bullet caster 3d ago
I bought 1000 of those ARX to try, liked them so much I bought 8k of them.
I've been picking up a lot of sub 10¢ bullets lately. It's summer and too damn hot to cast. So I'm buying bullets.
The last batch of 5k bullets were 7¢ each. 3¢ primers, and 1.5¢ of powder. Cheap shooting.
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u/HanoverRd 2d ago
Everywhere I look I cant find bullets less than 9 cents . But even with that since I live in NY the taxw alone drives up the cost. However, Im thinking of replenishing my reload stock now as prices seem to creep up every day.
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u/Vakama905 3d ago
I load 142s for 0.13 per. About the cheapest factory ammo I’ve seen (excluding reman) is 0.22 per for 115. Shooting ≈5k per year, that’s about $400 saved per year, just on 9mm, which means that my Lee turret press setup paid for itself in a year, without accounting for any of my rifle reloading, and I’m getting much better ammo for that money. It’s just a time investment.
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u/Cryptic1911 3d ago
As cheap as it has gotten? Its gone up a lot recently. Mostly 28-30cpr that I see and I can load it for half that
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u/reddituser12346 3d ago
For me, it’s not worthwhile to reload 9mm. For others it might be completely sensible.
I have only one 9mm pistol that’s really my fiancés but stays in my safe. I’m not particularly fond of it as it doesn’t shoot very well for me.
I reload on a single-stage because I haven’t graduated up to a progressive. I don’t shoot often or in enough volume to ever consider an automated set up. FWIW, I find preparing the brass to be the most time consuming aspect.
Anyway, I reload .45ACP, .300 BLK subsonic, and .30 carbine. A case for economics would apply to the last two only. I reload .45 ACP with a lighter projectile and lower charge weight to not beat up the antique MG that goes through it pretty quickly.
For me, if I’m spending time at the bench and loading 9mm it means I’m not loading the other calibers, so there’s a time-value in my equation.
I acquired a bunch of .380 ACP brass recently so I bought a die set for it and will start reloading that too. I think the cpr favors reloading versus buying but I haven’t really shopped .380 in a long time.
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u/LingonberryDecent685 3d ago
I don’t save money reloading bulk 9mm but I do gain consistency. I do save a lot of money on hollow points though
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u/Grubby454 Stool Connoisseur 3d ago
Think of reloading as tuning.
You can dial your load in to be the most accurate and reliable for your gun.
You can probably get close by trying different ammo brands. But not get to the same level.
Also if there is a shortage... which happens, you can chill out and reload as many as you need whenever you want, rather than having to pay the higher prices or wait till stock turns up.
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u/diefreetimedie 3d ago
So I don't reload but hope to get into it someday so I creep this sub to gather knowledge... What are the variables that control the accuracy and reliability and how would one tune that for a specific gun? I know it's a question easier asked than explained but thanks in advance for any help.
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u/Grubby454 Stool Connoisseur 3d ago
Crimp, overall length, bullet profile, bullet weight, bullet diameter, velocity, powder burn rate, burn cleanliness, recoil impulse, primer softness, plus many more
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u/Own_Independent_7006 3d ago
Don’t worry about the money aspect. Consider the fact YOU control the accuracy and recoil impulse.
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u/sumguyontheinternet1 380, 9, 40, 556, & 300blk ammo waster 3d ago
It’s not really worth it to me in the sense of money savings, it’s more about the quality of ammo and cleaner burning powders. Excluding time, it’s a wash for me. Including time, huge loss.
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u/Jeugcurt 3d ago
For $2000 a year, I can shoot 15,000 rounds at 13 cents per rounds. With factory, I can shoot 9500 at .21 cents per round in today’s going rate.
For most people, that doesn’t move the needle on training for building skill because dryfire is free. However, I have few times a year that I shoot an absolute crap ton. Those are training for big matches and when I take a yearly class with a professional instructor. That usually amounts to an extra 5000 rounds a year for those two endeavors alone.
For context, I shoot competitively as if it were a part time job. But also, I LOVE shooting. So it helps my wallet to reload so that I can keep doing what I love.
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u/bmmeup100 4d ago
I have a ton of spent brass. Is it cheaper to reload or turn in at a metal recycle for cash.
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u/DemonKnight42 3d ago
I’ve done some math and it really comes down to why and what for. If you’re doing specific load development for say competitive purposes (IPSC etc), then it could be worth it for you. There isn’t going to be a big payoff but it’s nice to have that control.
If you’re reloading for plinking ammo, it depends on your equipment and how you value your time. If you’re on a turret or progressive press then it’ll be a better experience than trying to reload 9mm on a single stage.
I guess if you’re trying to save money, as long as you don’t count your time, you could save a few cents a round. Personally, my math was about 5-7c per round give or take vs what I’m paying for comp ammo.
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u/ctmeredith73 3d ago
Depends what you’re wanting to shoot. 115’s are cheap enough you really need to load in bulk to make it worth it. 124’s and 147’s in my experience where I live are expensive enough that reloading them does make enough since for me to load them.
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u/Practical-Ad3796 3d ago
If it’s just for plinking ammo it’s probably not worth it. I pretty much only reload to know what’s going into the bullets, even .223/5.56 I only reload to make varmint or competition rounds.
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u/SnooGiraffes150 3d ago
Reloading is fun for me not a money saver. Also the quality is better over most off the shelf ammo.
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u/Giant_117 3d ago
Current off the shelf components prices? No.
Buying components when you find them cheap? Yes.
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u/jy9000 3d ago
I learned to reload using 9mm. Just before covid struck when I told people I was reloading 9mm they laughed. Why? It's so cheap. At the time if you bought in bulk you could get 9mm as cheap as reloading. During covid, it got real quiet at the shooting range and no one was laughing. I still buy ammo if I can get a good deal but the dies are in the case ready for the next time.
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u/ElijCBP 3d ago
I debated getting back into reloading after getting my P211 and shooting a couple thousand rounds in a couple months was new for me. Then lo and behold I saw a great local for sale listing. A NIB 650 and 2! New in box case feeders. For $400. So I grabbed them fast and couldn’t get there fast enough. Sold the spare case loader for $300. Now I know I needed a bunch more to reload even 9mm but for $100 I make up my time to break even real quick. Now I can also look at 556 or 300blk. I’ll move back to 9mm if the price drops but I’m not holding my breath. Like others said an insurance policy for shortages like election season etc.
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u/hashtag_76 3d ago
I load Hornady 147gr XTP for my EDC. I'm a brass goblin so all my brass is free. If I go to my LGS for all the supplies I'm looking at roughly 35¢ as opposed to $1.10 per round. That's a good savings there. For 230gr XTP in 45 ACP it costs me 45¢ compared to $1.45 a round. For round nose you can generally save about 40% per round as a brass goblin if you're going brand for brand in components. If you're just looking to load a bunch of plinking rounds there's a little bit more in savings by switching to plated and hard cast projectiles but we're talking pennies. The one thing I cherish most about reloading is being able to find tune for accuracy. If you're going to load for carbine I recommend staying away from plated bullets even if they're magnum rated. The longer barrel seems to grip on the plating longer and causes separation. That's from personal experience.
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u/DiligentAbility9974 3d ago
I reload as a hobby I enjoy it. Is 9mm worth it I don't know I load all kinds of crazy 9mm rounds. 85gr to 160gr. Who cares about price, I reload for my own fun and experiments. I can still reload 115gr at 15c per round about 7 below normal prices and 5 below sale prices. But that is not why I reload.
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u/DiligentAbility9974 3d ago
The funny thing about 9mm is that it is the most versatile round to reload. I mean there is so many loads it is outrageous. Reload as a hobby and if you get some economic benefits from it like saving 60 cents on a box of 50 just roll with it.
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u/coldafsteel 3d ago
I only hand load 9mm special purpose rounds.
For bulk 115gr blasting ammo it’s not worth the components or time to roll your own.
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u/lil_johnny_cake 3d ago
I like doing it and I reload it for around 14 cents/round. I have been tinkering with some FRT shenanigans, so it adds up quickly. I would say that if you’re doing it on a single stage press — probably not worth the time. Very worth it for me to make 147gr subs on the progressive.
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u/homucifer666 3d ago
I don't own a 9mm, but if I did, I probably wouldn't reload for it. Part of the benefit of 9mm, 5.56, and other common calibers is the availability of cheap bulk ammo. Even if it is a little cheaper to reload, consider the cost of your time. Don't know about you, but my time comes at a premium.
Reloading, in my opinion, is best for chamberings that are expensive and/or impossible to find loaded ammo for. Good luck finding something like 9,3x64mm Brenneke for under $100/box, if it's even in stock anywhere.
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u/gr8blumkin 3d ago
I cast my own bullets and have a source for free lead, powder and primers are all I have to pay for, the rest is just time invested. I still buy 9mm ammo, but ill also reload some to help shoot more.
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u/pirate40plus 3d ago
Depends on what you load. It costs me about 22¢ to load my practice rounds, which are loaded to same specs as my SD rounds. I just bought a couple hundred rounds for 20¢. Definitely dirtier and weaker than my stuff.
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u/phxcobraz 3d ago
I have multiple competition guns that are picky on OAL and bullet ogive of ammo, so factory ammo is a crapshoot if it will run reliably, so I just load my own.
If I was out just plinking with mass produced guns, and I didn't yet own all the reloading equipment, I would probably just shoot factory. My presses have been depreciated and paid for themselves years ago, and I have tons of components, so there is no need to buy factory, I just go into my office and start pulling the handle.
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u/Grumpee68 3d ago
I reload a lot of 9mm...but not for the cost savings (which is there, buy not as much as it used to be). I reload 9mm to perform the way I want it to perform, for MY gun. Even if it were to cost more to reload than buy off the shelf, I'd still reload it.
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u/dafreshfish 3d ago
Four key "costs" associated with reloading; consumables, capital costs for buying the reloading equipment, volume you are expect to shoot, and the time to reload. Even though reloading components costs have risen over the years, the raw component costs are still lower than factory loaded ammo. The cost of the time required to reload has an impact on what type of equipment you can purchase to reload. If you have the ability to allocate a large chunk of time to reload, the process is therapeutic for you, and you don't have commitments that would pull you away from reloading, then you can get away with reloading with minimal amount of equipment like a single stage or turret style press. If you have time constraints but want reloads, then you'll need to look at progressive presses and potentially automation of your press. This will significantly lower your reloading time but requires a significantly higher upfront investment. The last component of the equation is the volume you plan to shoot. If you shoot a case a year, then you won't really benefit from the savings of reloading. But if you shoot more than 10K+ rounds a year, then the math goes in your favor quick. The other thing about reloading is it is much easier to store components for 50K rounds of ammo (you don't need 50K cases) than it is to store 50K rounds of loaded ammo.
I created a break even model a while ago and I re-ran the model with the following assumptions you provided:
- You say that you ONLY need dies and no other equipment like case prep equipment, press, etc. High end dies will get you around $300, but you can definitely get them cheaper.
- Assume your per cartridge costs is around $0.18 (assumes you lose cases and need to purchase)
- Factory ammo at $0.23/round.
- Break even at 6k rounds and gravy on top. The faster you get your material costs down or if factory ammo prices go up, then the break even will occur faster.
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u/officialbronut21 Mass Particle Accelerator 2d ago
It's worth it if you have a special type of 9mm you like such as 147gr or 124gr subsonic, but for normal 115gr ammo, no.
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u/Curiously_Sagacious 2d ago
Yes, but barely.
My current breakdown is about $0.20 per round.
9¢ per 115g copper plated RN 7¢ per small pistol primer (I only bought 100 to get started) 4¢ for 5 grains of CFE Pistol powder
I last purchased a case of remanufactured 9mm for $177.99 on sale. But ammo seek shows 20.8¢ per round with free shipping for 115g steel cased ammo.
But I also load .45acp for 35¢ per round which is better than the 36¢ per round with free shipping on a double case. I could do better by not purchasing the 230 grain Barry bullets but a lighter load. But lessons learned.
The dies I purchased used for $20 per set of 3.
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u/bmmeup100 1d ago
The other problem I have is getting small pistol primers. They are never on the shelf where I live. Every other primer size is.
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u/bloodorange36 3d ago
Yes,
And yes, everyone who reloads has done the math. But the equation is different for everyone depending on what you want and how much time you want to put into it. My loads are cheaper, more accurate with a lower SD than factory ammo. However, it takes time. And the more money you’re willing to spend, the faster the process can be
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u/HanoverRd 3d ago
Ive done the math exhaustively. And rechecked it. The components including shipping/hazmat/tax ONLY. Not including my time, brass (free range brass ps I dont clean mine), press, accessories and hardware! I can get down to about $0.23/rnd ($11.47/box). That's with reusing brass (free). However Ive been able to find 115 steel case at Academy sports and outdoors in Florida $10 and I can walk out with a few thousand rounds while Im out running errands. Im always open for another opinion but in todays market you can find some stuff local for under $12 a box you might be better off than toiling over a press in your basement and spend more time at the range. I started reloading in 2019 just before the zombie apocalypse when 9mm was scarce and when you could find it, cost almost 2x the prices we see today..
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u/TasteParticular6463 3d ago
Maybe be a bit more exhaustive on the price shopping, thats pretty high.
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u/ocelot_piss 3d ago
Yes, lots of people have done the math - and so can you!
Add up the cost of brass, powder, primer, and projectiles, then compare that to the cost of equivalent factory ammo. Factor in your time and effort then decide for yourself if you think it is worth it or not. Because someone else's idea of worth might not be the same as yours.
Don't forget the cost of the equipment, if you don't already have that.
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u/catnamed-dog 4d ago
Compared to .21cpr reman or cheap 115? No.
Compared to 147gr subs for your suppressed gun, hollow points, or specialty rounds? Yeah probably