Generic reloading question

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • Voldemort

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    Apr 4, 2014
    365
    18
    Indiana
    How much per round can you get 9mm fmj down to? Ive been hesitant to reload, seems tedious and complicated with all the different powders and primers etc.
     

    Goodcat

    From a place you cannot see…
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    151   0   0
    Jan 13, 2009
    3,382
    83
    New Pal
    Depends on what you pay for supplies, if you take the time to cast, etc. if you don’t shot a ton, investing into reloading 9mm right now is not worth it. I load for about $4 a box, because I buy up old powders, wait for steals of deals and am not picky with what bullets. Be prepared to spend an hour a night wasting time in classifieds and around the internet. Rifle and big bore hand guns, different story. Ha
     

    gregkl

    Outlier
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    33   0   0
    Apr 8, 2012
    11,868
    77
    Bloomington
    In today's economy you will be hard pressed to save money reloading 9mm.

    Do it for the hobby or for tailoring a load just the way you and your firearm likes it. Otherwise, just buy it and spend your time practicing.

    If I recall, when I was loading FMJ RN I was around $0.13/round. Not for sure, but that is close. I'm now loading with some coated lead bullets so they are less, but I really don't care for them as much as the FMJ.

    And I am going to load up the 3000 rounds I have and probably sell the reloading equipment. I'm not going through that many rounds these days. I'll probably just build a stockpile of 9 mm one great deal at a time.:)
     

    Xterminator

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Mar 11, 2018
    297
    28
    Terre Haute
    I have to agree with gregkl..9mm reloading usually runs .10 to .13 cents per Rd. But it's a great hobby. And ammo may be priced low now but you never know whats just around the corner with political BS
     

    bwframe

    Loneranger
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    93   0   0
    Feb 11, 2008
    38,170
    113
    Btown Rural
    I prefer heavy bullets in 9mm for a softer recoil and faster back on target. Icing on the cake is that hand loading is usually much cleaner than factory on the gun.

    I cast, so money on bullets is saved. If I counted my labor, I'm way behind. :)
     
    Last edited:

    Wolfhound

    Hired Goon
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    45   0   0
    Apr 11, 2011
    3,966
    149
    Henry County
    As already mentioned you have to either cast your own bullets or buy in bulk. No way to save money reloading 9mm if you are buying bullets in lots of 100/250 and paying hazmat on primers and powder. I can get 1000 plated bullets for 79.00 delivered from TJConevera.com. I have literally tons of lead stored in my pole barn and enough powder coat to last a lifetime if I can keep moisture from ruining it.

    If you don't have time to cast bullets or shop for deals, my local Wal-Mart is selling UMC 9mm for 7.97/50 plus tax. Hard to beat that.
     
    Last edited:

    red_zr24x4

    UA#190
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Mar 14, 2009
    28,794
    113
    Walkerton
    We shoot a lot of 9mm so reloading saves us some money. But we cast our own bullets.
    While reloading 9mm might not save you money right now, it will lead to reloading other caliber so the saving will increase.
    I think we are reloading about 10 different pistol calibers and 8 different rifle. The best part is tailoring the load for the gun. Take 223 for example, the load for my AR is totally different than the load for my bolt gun
     

    Bennettjh

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jul 8, 2012
    10,434
    113
    Columbus
    I'm probably at 13-14¢/round. It's pretty cheap to buy factory now but you never know what tomorrow brings. I enjoy the process and researching loads and what not. If you do decide to do it, get a good manual and read up on it.
     

    Steel and wood

    Sharpshooter
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Jul 23, 2016
    731
    27
    Tipton
    I dont save any on reloading 9 mm but I shoot about 4,000 to 5,000 rounds a year so I justify that with reloading but I also buy 3,000 factory ammo also when I see my favorite kind on sale. For just in case :dunno:
    But it is something that I do enjoy and fills those nasty days of winter and I do save money when I load my 45 acp. Just another dark rabbit hole of gun ownership
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    We shoot a lot of 9mm so reloading saves us some money. But we cast our own bullets.
    While reloading 9mm might not save you money right now, it will lead to reloading other caliber so the saving will increase.
    I think we are reloading about 10 different pistol calibers and 8 different rifle. The best part is tailoring the load for the gun. Take 223 for example, the load for my AR is totally different than the load for my bolt gun


    I agree, I mine a few ranges a few times a year in the summer and melt and clean with a wood fire for virtually free lead plus what I have stockpiled over the last 40+ years.
    casting make bullets the cheapest part of loading even with 9mm, Bullseye is 20 bucks a pound and I can get over 2,200 rounds per pound and S&B primers at 2 cents a piece. When certain things go on sale, I buy large...
    A couple of Bullseye, Unique or 231 eight pounders and a bunch of cases of primers and a person can shoot a long long time no matter what happens.

    I would suggest that everyone learn to cast and at the minimum buy a crappy Lee mold for every caliber you own and what you want to own.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,686
    77
    Camby area
    Yeah, unless you want something odd, you wont save money with today's prices on various flavors of 115gr 9mm. But you can have fun and get a load exactly the way you want it.

    And if you do want something odd by the case, Bobcat Armament (INGO advertiser) in Shelbyville can do custom loads for VERY reasonable fees ($30 setup fee per run whether its 500, 1,000, or 20,000) And his prices per round for standard loads are fantastic. Not steel cased Russian import fantastic, but pretty darned close to Winchester White Box, with more reliable performance fantastic. (and your dollars are putting food on a Hoosier family's table, not dividends to Winchester's shareholders)

    Bobcat does all my competition ammo,(124gr Flat points over HP-38) and I love it. Reminds me its probably about time to put in my order for 2019's shooting season.

    I also reload, but more for fun and for plinking. I dont think I have purchased factory 9mm now for at least 3 years. (except carry loads of course)
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    I can load a box of warm 9MM rounds for well under 2 bucks for 50 rounds using my own cast bullets.. For some to say its not worth it, maf's must be really hard.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
    Staff member
    Moderator
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    May 12, 2013
    31,686
    77
    Camby area
    I can load a box of warm 9MM rounds for well under 2 bucks for 50 rounds using my own cast bullets.. For some to say its not worth it, maf's must be really hard.

    But remember, time is money. Time spent acquiring lead, sorting it from the chaff, melting it down, casting it, maybe powder coating it because you shoot a Glock, etc. That time aint free. It does have a real cost.
     

    Clay Pigeon

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Aug 3, 2016
    2,740
    12
    Summitville
    But remember, time is money. Time spent acquiring lead, sorting it from the chaff, melting it down, casting it, maybe powder coating it because you shoot a Glock, etc. That time aint free. It does have a real cost.

    Actually labor time is free when its one of your hobbies, I enjoy the time spent doing my hobbies. I have a good small business, no wife, no mortgages nor car payments and my only child has enlisted in the Marines.
    I dont powder coat bullets, and I do shoot cast bullets through a few Glocks occasionally. Never had a problem with doing it, you just have to use the right alloy and most importantly the correct lube.

    I use down time like rainy or wet days to do my indoor hobbies, I'm at the range I fill up 4 to 6 five gallon buckets with bullets and dirt*** 10 min or so.
    I fill the buckets at home with water and they sit until I get to them, I use a drywall mixer on a 1/2" drill and make thin mud and then run a hose to flush out the mud and trash from each bucket.. maybe 5 min per bucket.
    I have vented buckets they dry and get stored in for future use. I have a cast iron pot that will hold about 75 lbs of jackets and lead that I put on hot coals in a fire pit, all this is done while I am mowing the lawn, cleaning the pool or working on one of the trucks here or maybe i'm reloading.
    The lead gets poured into 20_ lb ingots until its needed. It doesent tak alot of time each year to clean 500 to 1,000 lbs of lead when you get 20 to 35lbs of finished lead from each bucket of range material.
    Most of my molds are gang molds and it doesn't take long to cast hundreds in a short amount of time. I have a Star lub-sizer and thats also really fast to size and lube bullets with.
    I dont live to work, I work to live and enjoy myself.
     

    Goodcat

    From a place you cannot see…
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    151   0   0
    Jan 13, 2009
    3,382
    83
    New Pal
    We only load 9 for specialty rnds... For example, 147gr pull downs or 100 gr mouse farts. Otherwise buy cheap stack 'em deep.

    i guess I never consider that side of the equation. I load 147gr for all suppressor 9mm use and that does save significant $. You prob have the best ingo user name by the way, if I haven’t told you.
     

    JeepHammer

    SHOOTER
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 2, 2018
    1,904
    83
    SW Indiana
    How much per round can you get 9mm fmj down to? Ive been hesitant to reload, seems tedious and complicated with all the different powders and primers etc.

    It depends entirely on...
    *IF* you have TIME to trade for money,
    And what you are shooting.

    9mm is a super common round, so it's often very low cost to begin with.
    You would have to invest a BUNCH of time (and equipment) to get 9mm costs below what you are paying for discount packaged ammo.

    *IF* you were shooting $1.50 to $3.00 a round super premium rifle ammo in some odd ball caliber, it would be much easier to reduce costs.
    Since I've never heard of a 9mm, one hole bench rifle, you are out of that category...
     

    crewchief888

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Aug 13, 2016
    549
    43
    NWI
    i currently dont own a 9mm, (that may change soon) but i kinda keep an eye on bulk factory ammo prices, "just in case"

    for me, buying components, caliber conversion for my press, and scrounging up brass, i think it would take quite a while to recoup the "investment.
    i have no choice except to reload for my USPSA open gun, back when i started shooting/reloading, i broke even within a couple months. at the time, the press was about 1/2 the cost of what it is now, powder was $14/lb, primers were dirt cheap, 1000 LSWC ran me $25.


    :cheers:
     

    schmart

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Nov 10, 2014
    559
    47
    Lafayette
    I've kept it at right about $5.50/box by buying in bulk for 147 grain light (IDPA) loads. I shoot w/ several other reloaders so we purchase coated bullets by the 10K when they go on-sale. I think we bought 25K primers last order... Saving $2.50/box comes out to $50/1000. When you are shooting 4-12K/year, it adds up. I've got about $500 in my progressive press and it takes me about 90 minutes to load 1000 rounds.
    The price difference is greater for 45acp and really gets significant in 38/357 and 44 mag, and even more so in rifle rounds.

    However as others have said, reloading for me is also part of the hobby and it gives me something to do after dark.

    --Rick
     
    Top Bottom