9mm reloading cost

[Clarke123]

Are you talking about the four die lee sets?

The factory crimp die is largely unused for 9mm & .40 S&W ...AND

If you are going to load 9's and .40's, and even .45's ... My best advice is to get a Lee 4-hole Turrent ("Classic" preferred)
It's a decision that you will NEVER REGRET!

 

[vano1957]

i use the 4 die set for most every thing i reload with an old redding turret press but I also do things in stages deprime and resize one time prime the cases at another and the load them up another it goes fast use only jacketed 115 gr. The same process for everything i reload.

 

[bjordaninatl]

Initial start-up cost is high for even like a single stage press, case prep machine, case cutter, powder load dispenser, scale, micrometer, hand priming tool, dies, case oiling tray/oil (more for big rifle rounds),case holder preptrays, funnel etc. and then all the components too, brass, powder, projectiles, primers, tumbler, media. Its best to just get a kit that comes with most of the stuff I just listed, check Amazon. Im just getting into it and I am QUICKLY learning that set up cost is significant, but once you get there it IS cheaper to reload. The guy who tought me, told me, "If you arent doing it because you enjoy the hobby, then just go buy boxes from Walmart or online, because with start up costs and components combined you wont save money for a while". But I say work along on it, pick up what you can along the way. You will get there. Thats what Im doing. Good Luck brother!

 

[Smiley]

To me, the payoff for rolling your own 9mm is not there, if you are just looking for the cheapest ammo you can get. That said, if you want to make quality ammo at a reasonable price and actually dive into the hobby of reloading, there is not a cheaper caliber than 9mm to get started. 9mm range pick up is going to be the most plentiful and as components come back around you should be able to load jacketed rounds for under $150/1000. Pre-panic prices on 115gr fmj were as low as $200/1000 so when things stabilize out you will likely save around $50 per batch to offset the cost of your reloading equipment. I worked up a figure once and I believe it took me close to 10,000 rounds to achieve payback with 9mm alone. That is a lot of time at a single stage press. As a newbie, I would count on that taking at least 250 hours.

 

[draftpick]

To me, the payoff for rolling your own 9mm is not there, if you are just looking for the cheapest ammo you can get. That said, if you want to make quality ammo at a reasonable price and actually dive into the hobby of reloading, there is not a cheaper caliber than 9mm to get started. 9mm range pick up is going to be the most plentiful and as components come back around you should be able to load jacketed rounds for under $150/1000. Pre-panic prices on 115gr fmj were as low as $200/1000 so when things stabilize out you will likely save around $50 per batch to offset the cost of your reloading equipment. I worked up a figure once and I believe it took me close to 10,000 rounds to achieve payback with 9mm alone. That is a lot of time at a single stage press. As a newbie, I would count on that taking at least 250 hours.

not sure how much equipment you bought, but me and my dad bought the Lee Classic turrent press kit and it was only $200. It was a basic set up. After loading 1200 rounds of .38 spl we will have paid for the press set up. Not sure where you get the 10,000 round pay back. Even with 9mm pay back is only 4,000 rounds. And 9mm brass can be loaded 2-3 dozen times.

 

[Chuckdog]

Many handloaders are opportunist. We don't just pick up stuff when we need it, we pick it up when it's there and cheap.

I haven't shot much in the past few months, but it ain't because I don't have the ammo or money. Again, it's opportunity. Lot's of demand on my time now.

I bought a good size pile of Winchester 115 FMJ a few years back. I can shoot 9's and .38 Super for pennies a round. It ain't an endless supply, but I ain't worried about finding more anytime soon. If I do find more at a good price, I'll buy it without hesitation though.

Like most things, the savings depends largely on you taking advantage of bargains when they're there.

 

[Hunterrs]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[Smiley]

not sure how much equipment you bought, but me and my dad bought the Lee Classic turrent press kit and it was only $200. It was a basic set up. After loading 1200 rounds of .38 spl we will have paid for the press set up. Not sure where you get the 10,000 round pay back. Even with 9mm pay back is only 4,000 rounds. And 9mm brass can be loaded 2-3 dozen times.

I used math. All depends on how you work the numbers. Sure you can "pay-off" a cheap press quick if you compare prices to WWB at the LGS to you home cast wheel weight bullets on mom's stove, but I tried to take a bit more objective view. At the time, I could buy 115gr fmj Aguila for $189/1000. I think I had about $140 in there for comparable components, leaving me with a savings of about $50/1000. I also took into consideration for all of my equipment and that came up to about $500 for my press, tumbler, dies, media, gauges, and all the misc tools, etc.

Again, 9mm has got to be the slowest payback for reloading, which you can view as bad, I don't, because I look at it as the cheapest way to get into reloading. Now I load, .308, .223, .45ACP, .38/.357, 30-30, and 9mm and am looking into a progressive or nice turret press, I have stopped trying to justify any kind of pay back...

 

[YOTESHOOTER]

The guys above have offered to you some very great info.

Just remember a as rule there are 7,000 grains of powder in a lb. Of powder

how much for 1,000 primers

how much for bullets

how much if any is the cost of the brass

labor, not so much its a way to clear out the mind.. because the mind cannot think about 2 things at once.

Good luck, good loading, enjoy your new passion



remember by not making a decision, you have already made a decision..

 

[EMC45]

I cast my own bullets. I can load a 50 round box of 9MM for about $2 plus a little change. I bought primers at $15 a thou and have all the brass one could want all picked up for free. My load uses 3.7gr. Bullseye, that comes out to about 1890 rounds for a pound of powder. I bought all my gear in 2003 and it has since paid itsself off many times due to the volume I shoot. My handloads with cast have always trumped any factory ammo I have ever shot also. The consistancy and accuracy is there.