Reloading 9mm, is it worth it?

[TXSlade]

I reload a lot. Mostly large rifle calibers and large pistol, 338 lapua, 6.5 creed, 30-06, 454 casull, 45 colt, 45 acp, 357 mag, those are my most often reloaded rounds.



But 9mm, I have no dies, most of my brass comes from old machine gun ammo I bought years ago. Berdan primed, so its no good for reloading. I would have to start fresh to reload 9mm. I have never reloaded 9mm because I bought a lot of ammo in the early 90's that was Israeli MG stuff. I bought it for several class 3 weapons I own, and lately I am running low on that. Back then 1000 rounds was well under $100, and definitely not worth my time to reload.

Now it's 2017, 1000 rounds can be had for about $220. But components are a lot higher now as well. I don't shoot the full autos very much any more, but I have a couple 9mm handguns that I need to feed. I still kinda think its a round not worth reloading. I don't feel I will save much money, nor will I produce a better round than factory. Everything I reload, I either save money, make better than factory, and sometimes both.

I don't hunt with a 9mm, it really isn't my self protection gun, at least not the first I'd grab. I have a Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical, and a M9A3. They are fun shooters, I tend to choose a heavier ball type ammo in them, Although they will feed anything. I don't know what I would use in them if I cast boolits for them, I don't have a cheap source of lead, so I honestly think I'm better saving my lead for my 454 and 357/38s. Although, I seem to recall a boolit that someone loved for 38 special and 9mm, maybe I should find it.

Lastly, the 9mm case is kind of small, is it a pain for any of you fellas with big hands to reload? Might be a dumb question, but I have a single stage and not a whole lot of room for my hands in there.

all opinions welcome
Thanks

[Gunslinger1911]

Depends - haha.
If you can scrounge decent brass from a range and get/ make good cast boolets, then yes, well worth it.

I get brass from the floor of the range ($0), lead range scrap (0.75/lb) to cast my own.

Something like $4-5 / 50 rds

[Scharfschuetze]

Yes, it depends...

If you plan on shooting large numbers of 9mm again, then yes. If only a box or two a year, maybe not.

I have thousands of cases from both LE work and the military shooting teams so brass has always been free for me. Lead, I've got a ton of the stuff, so it's only primers, powder and lube that I have to pay for so almost any 9mm that I load is at a savings for me. I like the RCBS 9mm moulds and have used them for years, although I may buy and NOE gang mould at some point. I shoot more 9mm rounds per year than I care to cast for, so I also buy 124 grain cast bullets sized to .358" diameter for my 9 mils.

I have no problems loading the small 9mm case in an RCBS Rock Chucker and, over the years, have loaded thousand of them that way. While it's not an issue for me to use the single stage press, I generally load all of my 9mm for the year in January on a Dillon 550B press. In a few days of off and on again work I load all the 9mm brass in the house and I'm generally good to go for the coming year.

[runfiverun]

I load the 9mm too.
10-K boolits only takes like 180 lbs of alloy.
the primer is the biggest part of the price for a finished round.

[cwheel]

Guess it depends on how much free time you have and what equipment to reload with. I generally will reload 9mm for training and practice slightly reduced rounds. These lower recoil rounds work out well for training grandkids. I have lots of scrap lead, lots of older powder and 3-4K cases I use for this, so it lowers the cost of a loaded round to between 4-5 cents a shot. Also, I'm loading these on a Dillon 550B, so they load quickly. Longest part of the loading cycle is casting the bullets, and I'm casting a Lyman 358242 120gr. Don't think I'd reload these without the Dillon 550 to speed it up when you can still go into Walmart and buy a box for $10 or so. It's a good way to pass the time when the snow shuts down the outside stuff. They sure can be reloaded on any press and 9mm die set and still turn out fine. Comes down to what your time is worth to you. I happen to have most of this stuff anyway, just another way to use it loading 9mm. It would take loading 50,000 rounds loaded to justify buying the reloading equipment that I already have, 9mm alone wouldn't be enough. If you also wanted to run your 38/357's and 45acp rounds through a 550B you are getting closer to justify buying a progressive reloading press. ( depending on your annual round count )
Chris

[daloper]

I also load 9mm. I use a Lee auto index loader so I only put one on and then take it off. For me the quiet time I get reloading and casting is as important as the cost savings. When my brother comes over we will feed 500 to 1000 rounds so factory loads are not an option.

[OptimusPanda]

My last batch of jacketed 9mm cost $6.50 a box of 50. When I use cast bullets it comes out to $3.70 or so. Even buying jacketed bullets is a third savings on the cheapest factory ammo.

[popper]

I cast & reload for 9mm because I can. Probably not worth it, very much like shotgun reloading. Box stuff is just (still) too cheap.

[gnostic]

When you begin buying, high end 9mm ammo, loading your own becomes worthwhile.

[SdRemmy]

With a single stage press 9mm might not be worth the time. With the progressive, casting the bullets, buying primers, powder, and brass in bulk and maybe on sale it is. You can get 1000 9mm brass for around $20 if you look around on here. I loaded 45 acp all day once on a single stage and ended up with 700 rounds. If I load all day on the progressive I have considerably more than that. I have bigger hands and don't have any problem reloading 9mm

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Class 3, as in full auto? I don't have any experience with cast in a machine gun, but it might require a little more work to get a suitable load. Maybe powder coat? I'd never bother loading jacketed, just not worth it. The price of factory 9mm has dropped 10-15% since the election.

[mdi]

If your only reason to reload is money, then no it ain't worth it. But I enjoy reloading and I have no idea what my reloads cost, and actually, I don't care....

[dh2]

I have had thoughts of stopping reloading 9mm, and .223 Rem because of not having the time I will always have to reload to feed bigger guns and wild cats. like 9.3x 62mm Mauser, .375 H&H Mag. .460 S&W and 45-70 and many more. but the way it is I have very little time to go shoot or work on guns, so to me the easy way to make up for some time is not reload for the cheap stuff

[quilbilly]

My 9mm reloads with 130 gr RFPB cost about 7 cents each on the high side.

[Phlier]

A local guy sells 9mm ammo at our range for 10 cents/round. The cheapest I ever see it at Sportsmen's, Scheels, etc is 12 cents/round. My cast loads cost 6 cents each. So for my family's large appetite for 9mm, yeah it makes sense. We'd never be able to shoot as much as we do without casting our own and reloading.

[DanishM1Garand]

I buy brass from the indoor range up the road at 29 bucks a thousand. I cast boolits from scrap lead. It still isn't that much more expensive to buy if you have nothing to load it with now.

If you plan to shoot a thousand rounds this year you need to get set up to reload. If you plan to shoot a hundred rounds? Go buy loaded ammo.

[Geezer in NH]

My 9mm comes out to less than $.05 each. I reload to shoot more.

[Mtnfolk75]

I buy 9mm in bulk for around $220 or less, also. The only handgun round I still load is .38 Special & occasionally .357 Magnum. The availability & cost along with the tapered case makes it easier to buy 9mm than reload, IMHO.

[mozeppa]

now i feel bad...:(...i reload 7,200 25 acp's and 10 k .380's.....i hope to aspire to 9mm someday!

heck yeah it's worth it!...just for alone time!

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

it depends how much you pay yourself.

I run either my own cast Lee 120gr truncated cone bullets from a 6 cavity mold and powder coat them with harbor freight red or if I am running short on time to cast I buy Acme bullet company cast 124gr hitech coated 500 for 35 dollars or just about 8 cents a piece by the time you add states sales tax , my local dealer carries these. I load them over 1.53 cents of Aliant power pistol and Selior and Bellot primer at 2.2 cents for a total of 11.73 cents a piece

I think it is worth it I get a load tailored to what I want at half the price of anything on the shelf

do I sometimes wish I had a faster press , yes

I load on a Lee classic cast turret I run lee carbide dies , deprime/size , then powder that adds a flair , then bullet seating and follow up with a taper crimp

[dverna]

I load 9mm. I do not like reloading. But the numbers make it a no brainer. I would never use a single stage press for pistol ammo as I go through a lot of it.

Don Verna

[W.R.Buchanan]

Loading 9mm Luger has got to be a labor of love as it is hard to justify reloading when the price of new ammo is so cheap.

That said you should be able to get the price down to around .05-.08 with boolits you make yourself. However you are really going to need to use a progressive press to get any significant volume done in an acceptable amount of time. A Dillon Square Deal would be a good place to start, and with one of those machines you would be able to make it worth while.

It doesn't really matter in your fantasies, if "you" consider your time to be free. In todays world it costs "you" money to just sit there, so in "reality," your time is worth something.

We live in a Capitalistic Society and everything is directly relatable to $. You've no doubt heard,,, "time is money?" If you are on a fixed income and get, lets say $1600 a month in SS, then every hour of your time is actually worth $2.22. That's based on a 720 hour month. If you look at it based on a 40 hour week then it is $10 per hour.

If you have a Mortgage on your house, it is accruing interest every single day, and it doesn't matter what you think,,, it is happening anyway. If you add up all the costs to live, IE mortgage food transportation etc, and divide it by 720 you will come up with how much it is costing you to live on an hourly basis. You ain't gonna like it!

People tend to overlook these simple facts, and it really doesn't matter if you care or not,,,, it is still happening every minute of every day. That is the biggest problem with reality,,, It doesn't care what you think, it just,,, is.

Making the most of your time can be a prudent course of action because in the end we all seem to want more time. Glenn Frey said something once which fits here. "People don't run out of ideas, they just run out of time." His ran out last year, he was 67. I'm 67 and it scares me silly!

Randy

[Ed_Shot]

I invest about 5 cents a round and a lot of care in my 9MM reloads. I consider the enjoyment and satisfaction of reloading priceless.

[Wally]

I agree. I suspect many of us reloaders shoot the 9mm Luger to replace the .22RF. When reloaded w/cast bullets it is actually cheaper and much more enjoyable to shoot. I use free brass & lead, cast my own bullets bullets. The cost per reload is about 4¢ each. Once one has found a good load, it is pretty easy to load. I use an RCBS Rockchucker and don't mind taking the time to load 9mm Luger with it...no difference loading it compared to loading a .40 S & W or .45 ACP. Factory ammo runs $11.99/50 (24¢ a round)...you can get Tula (berdan primed--steel case) ammo for 16¢ a round...so in my case I can shoot four times w/ reloads vs Tula ammo, per dollar spent.


I invest about 5 cents a round and a lot of care in my 9MM reloads. I consider the enjoyment and satisfaction of reloading priceless.

[Kenstone]

I've been accused of being a "Cheap Bastage" for reloading, by my shooting "buddy".
He was whining about his shots being 6" high of point of aim, with his fixed sight 9mm and cheap ammo...he buys the cheapest chit he can find.
I remarked maybe re-loading might get your hits to point of aim...I could literally see the lightbulb go on over his head :idea:
...sorry no, I don't let anyone shoot my reloads :bigsmyl2:
:D
Edit: the sob even buys chit with steel cases...thanks a lot.

[JMax]

I loaded 45ACP for my two Thompson's when I had teenage sons and a wife that liked to shoot buckets of ammo through them. I load and shoot lots of 9mm thru my Glocks and S&W 986. Started on two Dillon RL 300's and moved to 2 550's. Get a good progressive, cast your bullets and light up the sky (it's really fun to shoot a full auto at night while on the prairie) :-)

I agree with Wally, it is cheaper to shoot my 9's than 22's and nearly the same price for my 06 and Krag with the edge going to the rifles.

[fatelk]

I load 9mm too; free range brass, free range lead, lots of time.

Realistically for me it's probably not worth my time. One overtime call-out for work will pay for a whole lot of cheap factory ammo, but then everything in the paycheck goes into the household budget, so I need to load if I want to shoot. If I had overtime available on a constant basis I would never reload 9mm.

I've had friends and acquaintances over the years ask about buying ammo. The answer is: 1. I don't sell reloads, and 2. You couldn't afford them if I did. I've helped friends load a few boxes here and there using my equipment, but that's different. I'm rarely too busy to help a friend, especially if they're willing to put some time into it.

[jcwit]

Being as I purchased components years ago and all my lead is free I reload 9mm for around a penny each. Being retired my time does not count no more than the time I spend reading, eating, sitting on the throne or most any other activity I do.

100 rounds cost me about $1.05, life is good.

As far as money goes like has been mentioned, House is paid for,no mortage, both vehicles paid for, no bank loans, cost of living? Food, Gas & utilities, and thats pretty much it folks.

[mozeppa]

i got 15,000 9mm brass 110,000 primers 150 lbs powder and 2 tons of ww lead....why not ?

all i have is time.

[jcwit]

i got 15,000 9mm brass 110,000 primers 150 lbs powder and 2 tons of ww lead....why not ?

all i have is time.

That's the way to plan it!

[RogerDat]

I got a friend interested in reloading, he has a 9mm and 45 ACP so he came over to try my Lee Classic Cast turret press to make some 45 ACP ammo. He went out and bought one himself and dies for 9mm, month and a half later he commented that he now had the perfect round, smooth as butter and shot to point of aim. He was shooting more often, and decided he would buy a true progressive. Uses the turret to reload for his wife's .380 and the progressive to crank out 9mm.

Does he save enough to pay for the equipment? Don't know, I imagine over time he does. He doesn't cast and is still getting some savings for his labor. But he has better ammo and feels as if he is doing something constructive with his free time (retired but pretty active) Used to go to the range maybe a couple times a month now it's one or two times a week. So per round he saves, per month I'm not so sure he doesn't actually spend a little more but he has fun doing it and enjoying life is a good way to spend the time you get.

Turret press at $100 for a Lee from Titan Reloading is faster than single stage, turns out on finished round every 4 handle pulls but without removing the brass until cartridge is completed. Progressive is $247 or $174 and those turn out a finished round each pull of the handle after the first round completes and all the stations have a case. Maybe worth the money to have a faster solution, maybe not.

Me I would say a set of dies is pretty inexpensive insurance policy on rising prices or scarcity and chance to try out how you like loading 9mm. Find out how your own ammo performs won't set you back much. Heck people sell 9mm brass in our S&S section for about scrap brass prices. You get 1k cases, 500 or 1000 inexpensive bullets, 1k pistol primers and $30 worth of powder. Your investment will be fairly modest, and if you don't like the hassle just set it aside, who knows might come a time when store bought is hard to come by and you will be able to make a bit to tide you over even if you don't generally enjoy it or save enough. Nothing lost by having ingredients on hand.

[buckshotshoey]

Depends...... I reload 9 mm because i like to do it. And if you reload with high end boolits, it is definitely economical. Try to buy factory ammo with 124gr or 148gr Gold Dots. They are ridiculously expensive for a 9mm.

Now I know some will chastise me for saying this, but I do carry my Gold Dot reloads for self defense. I keep very good records, and a velocity check will show Im not creating some kind of extra deadly ammo. But i do practice with what I carry, and can afford to do so if I reload.

I reload single stage, hand weigh every charge, and have 110 percent confidence in my loads. Never had a failure in the 20+ years ive been reloading 9mm. Cant say the same for the Winchester white box factory ammo.

In short, its not mainly the economy issue, but the confidence factor in my ammo.

[Big Boomer]

Because I have a Dillon XL 650, a Lee 356-125 RN 6-cavity mould, free brass and free lead, its a no-brainer for me and my family. My son, my brother and my brother's family are all into 9mms, .38 Spls., .45 ACPs and .380s. The above Lee boolit can be used for light .38 Spl. loads. I make my own lube. Now, all those steps cost money. It takes propane to melt the wheel weights. It takes electricity to operate the Lee 20 lb. pot (with PID). Then there are primers. Tite Group powder runs around $ 20 per lb. If we bought all the ammo we shoot, it would cost a whole lot more. I have one niece who is an avid shooter. She says my cast boolits out-shoot any over the counter ammo she has tried in her Sig .380. Then too, I just enjoy the entire process ... its more a hobby. So yeah, I reload the 9mm plus several more. Big Boomer

[Love Life]

I have often asked myself the same question. I compromised, and buy jacketed bullets or only cast gas checked 9mm bullets.

The 9mm can be finicky with accuracy with cast bullets but a .357 diameter gas checked TC bullet does alright as a universal bullet. The 124 gr JHP is quite accurate in any 9mm I have shot them in.

However, just the bullet (jacketed) is $.08 apiece.

[Budzilla 19]

It all depends on your 9mm consumption, in my opinion only. Shoot a thousand or less yearly?? Buy them. As for myself,I load them by the thousands!!! I like shooting my own cast boolits, powder coated, in free brass. Like was said before, I also bought most of my components years ago, so it is cheaper compared to today's component prices!! Good luck which ever way you decide to go.

[dragon813gt]

My current cost is $.03 a round. Cost will go up when I start using components bought this decade and lead I paid for. The thing is my guns like to run 135s. Can't find that weight on the shelves. And loading 147s can get expensive quick.

I don't shoot anything in high volume because I'm not home enough to. Reloading is kind of like therapy and it's a way for me to unwind. It's a lot easier to slip into the basement or garage once my son is asleep. Loading up 9mm rounds is quick and easy so they're loaded often. I just need to work on shooting them more often.

[TXGunNut]

I have a 550, Dillon dies, adequate components, etc. No mould but no biggie as I don't have a 9mm weapon at this time. For years I didn't load the .380acp but now I do because of increased factory ammo costs. If I did have a 9mm I would probably shoot mostly factory loads for the same reason I shoot factory loads in my trap and skeet guns; factory ammo works fine and is not much more expensive than loading it myself. I love to reload but there are other cartridges I'd rather reload; cartridges more interesting and more expensive/elusive to purchase.

[Mtnfolk75]

I said I don't reload 9mm .... I have dies, some bullets cast along with the moulds, primers & powder. For now I can afford to shoot 2k 9mm & 1k 7.62x39 a year, my reloading focus is on .38, .243 & .270.

[Krieger82]

It is of course cheaper than buying ammo, but if that ia your motivation, with time taken into consideration, it would be more efficient to liad other calibers, unless you shoot TONS of 9mm. Factory ammo can be found at 10 - 15 bucks a box depending on brand and location. You save 5-10 bucks per 50 rounds. You save lots more by loading 45, 40, 380, and untold amounts more with rifles. If time isnt an issue, go for it, but I sell the brass (saved enough for myself should it get too expensive to buy) and focus on loading more expensive calibers.

Krieger

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[trapper9260]

I reload 9mm Luger because i can shoot better with that then the factory, also the cast boolites i shoot are from the same molds i use for my 38/357 also and beside I can do it.

[GhostHawk]

Comes down to what you like to do with your time.

Last few months I have been taking a little break from casting and reloading.

But the ammo table is overflowing. I have zero need.

Before that it was casting buckshot and slugs to make my shotgun ammo stash.
That too is well taken care of.

But if you would rather do something else, go buy some factory loads.

I bought a thousand Federal 9mm

A because I had a 9mm keyholing and I wanted a supply I could trust.

B So I could keep my shooting buddy supplied when he needed ammo.

I solved A with a .38 124 gr mold and B is still in play, still have half those.

Ohh and C

C In a SHTF scenario having a few hundred or thousand Factory loads in common calibers would be good barter material for things you may have forgotten or not have.

Most of my stash for this is in .223 and 7.62x39 as I think those guys are going to go through a lot of ammo until they learn they have to make e v e r y s i n g l e s h o t count.

By they time they see that, they will have shot up their reserves and be crying.

LOL Or not, maybe my grandkids will inherit it. Fine by me.
]

[rototerrier]

If you have a 9mm carbine with multiple 32 round magazines and run through them, often, then reloading 9mm becomes very well worth it. If you have women in the family that shoot, and prefer the lighter recoil of 9mm, then also worth it. Training new people to shoot with light 9mm loads can also consume quite a lot of ammo.

Guess, as others have stated, if you shoot enough of it then it becomes worth it.

I probably shoot a 45 more often than 9, but when I break out the 9's I tend to shoot more of it. It just seems to go faster.

[dondiego]

Handloading is my hobby, so yes, I do reload 9MM brass.

[bedbugbilly]

If you shoot a lot of 9mm - hen yes. Brass is cheap - I have purchased large quantities of it that was LE brass from range for very little - if you can get it from a range floor - it's free. The biggest expense is the primer. I haven't purchased store bought ammo in a long long time. I have cast for many years and just use range lead. I haven't figured out per round cost in a long time but it's probably around close to what some have already stated. The brass I buy is so cheap that if I loose a few, I don't even worry about it anymore.

[bigolsmokebomb]

I reload a helluva lot of 9mm for competition and cast for it too. It comes down to money and getting the exact round that you want. Yes you can go buy the bulk 9mm for cheap but i can reload cast for cheaper and shoot 10rds in one jagged hole at 15yds. I have yet to find anything but match grade ammo do that out of a factory.

[FISH4BUGS]

I shoot cast in all my 9mm sub machineguns. I am not sure I would want to do it on a single stage press, however.
I cast mine with a H&G #331 6 cavity mould, 5lbs ww to 1 lb linotype, size them .356" on a Star sizer with Magma Red lube, 4.2 gr WW231, and load with a Dillon 550. I usually will do 3000+ each time I cast and load. I am not a small guy and don't have any issues with small cases like the 9.
It is one of the easiest rounds to load after the straight wall revolver rounds like 38 and 44.
Enjoy!

[FISH4BUGS]

Comes down to what you like to do with your time.
Last few months I have been taking a little break from casting and reloading.
But the ammo table is overflowing. I have zero need.
Before that it was casting buckshot and slugs to make my shotgun ammo stash.
That too is well taken care of.
But if you would rather do something else, go buy some factory loads.
I bought a thousand Federal 9mm
A because I had a 9mm keyholing and I wanted a supply I could trust.
B So I could keep my shooting buddy supplied when he needed ammo.
I solved A with a .38 124 gr mold and B is still in play, still have half those.
Ohh and C
C In a SHTF scenario having a few hundred or thousand Factory loads in common calibers would be good barter material for things you may have forgotten or not have.
Most of my stash for this is in .223 and 7.62x39 as I think those guys are going to go through a lot of ammo until they learn they have to make e v e r y s i n g l e s h o t count.
By they time they see that, they will have shot up their reserves and be crying.
LOL Or not, maybe my grandkids will inherit it. Fine by me.
]
I cast 1000+ H&G #51 plain base and 1000+ H&G #51 gc last week. Do I need them? No. I already have 2000+ 38's and 2000 357's loaded and in the closet. I did it because I enjoy casting. 223? 3000+ loaded and in the closet. 308? 1000+ loaded and in the closet. 44 mag? 1000+ loaded and in the closet. 9mm? 3000+ loaded and in the closet.
I will load and put everything into the closet. Never too many rounds in inventory.
I will probably trade here on the S&S Board the sized, lubed and gas checked #51's for more bullets and brass. That's the fun of it all.

[Lloyd Smale]

show me where I can buy 9mm for the cost of a primer and 4 grains of powder and a little bit of my time to cast some bullets and load ammo. Might not be worth it if you 9mm sits in the safe but I probably shoot more 9s then anything and its nothing to go through a 1000 in a day at the range between handguns and my ar15. Especially if the grandkids are along.

[toallmy]

I would do it even if it cost more to load my own ( witch it properly does ) over store bought , but my wife likes shooting the 9 and I enjoy shooting everything , so if you are already loading your own ammo it's not a huge investment . You can load some nice jackets as well as cast in the 9mm .

[fredj338]

But 9mm, I have no dies, most of my brass comes from old machine gun ammo I bought years ago. Berdan primed, so its no good for reloading. I would have to start fresh to reload 9mm. I have never reloaded 9mm because I bought a lot of ammo in the early 90's that was Israeli MG stuff. I bought it for several class 3 weapons I own, and lately I am running low on that. Back then 1000 rounds was well under $100, and definitely not worth my time to reload.

Now it's 2017, 1000 rounds can be had for about $220. But components are a lot higher now as well. I don't shoot the full autos very much any more, but I have a couple 9mm handguns that I need to feed. I still kinda think its a round not worth reloading. I don't feel I will save much money, nor will I produce a better round than factory. Everything I reload, I either save money, make better than factory, and sometimes both.

all opinions welcome
Thanks
I have never understood the idea you don't save enough money to load 9mm. You will save at least 50% over cheap brass cases factory. I won't shoot Russian steel pooo, but I can reload 1000rds for about $100 buying plated or cheap jacketed bullets. If you already have the gear, a die set will set you back as little as $35, what is that, less than 200rds. You can buy once fired 9mm for $30/1000 all day. I just pick it up at the range lots of 9mm on the ground from like minded factory ammo shooters.
Shoot a lot, you save a lot over factory ammo. I go thru about 9-10K rds a year. Call it 10k rds, $2200 or $1100? Seems like quite a savings to me. We won't talk about what it really cost me using my own PC cast bullets & primers bought 10yrs ago.

[Rockzilla]

Reload 9mm here also, worth it, as others said it depends, to me it's a "hobby", when you
cast, get your brass "free" but when that becomes work or I have to, then maybe not. I reload some of
the same .338 Lapua, 50 BMG, 458 WM, small stuff 22 Hornet, 17 Rem, 256 WM, a bunch
of others, so the investment really doesn't factor in, just like starting out reloading it just
grows, you need this, you want that. I even use .22LR cases to make bullets (Corbin setup)

-Rock

[Leadmelter]

I reload 9mm just because I reload everything else I shoot and I cast for 9 also.
I keep several factory rounds on hand I buy on sale.
Leadmelter
MI

[1988-4551]

I'm about to start and literally can't wait for it. Haven't shot much nine in the past couple years because I could reload for the .45 cheaper than buying nines at Walmart.

[Moonie]

I like 147gr loads for low recoil for some sub compact pistols. Hard to find 147gr loads for anywhere near as cheap as I can load them.

[FISH4BUGS]

show me where I can buy 9mm for the cost of a primer and 4 grains of powder and a little bit of my time to cast some bullets and load ammo. Might not be worth it if you 9mm sits in the safe but I probably shoot more 9s then anything and its nothing to go through a 1000 in a day at the range between handguns and my ar15. Especially if the grandkids are along.
It might not be your cost but mine is exactly that. I got over 2000 lbs of wheel weights from a friend for FREE when he sold his tire shop. The 9mm brass I loaded up on when it was $100 for 10,000 SHIPPED. i think I bought 20,000.
Using 231 powder from 8 lb jugs stretches that cost further. Buying primers in 5000 lots saves a bit too.
So the cost of the primer and 4 gr of 231 is exactly what my 9mm costs me. I have probably 20,000 9mm brass but I still scrounge 100-200 when I go to the range.
Sorry...i just can't help myself.

[Digital Dan]

If it makes sense to load a flintlock it probably makes sense for the 9mm. Or cents. Something like that.

[gloob]

Depends on how much you like to reload, how much you like to shoot, how much you like money, and how much free time you have. :)

Sounds like you already reload in calibers which are super expensive, so good for you. I used that justification, myself, when getting into casting. E.g, me to myself: "If I cast bullets for 7mm and 308 and 223, I can save huge &&&... then I can buy a $20.00 Lee mold for each of my pistol calibers, too." So I convinced myself casting would save me money. It does... but not nearly enough to justify the enormous timesink it created. These days I rarely cast pistol bullets, myself. There are guys with automated machinery pumping out decent bullets and selling them to me. This works. But I do reload 9mm.

In your case, reloading 9mm might not make sense. FWIW, it's not any more fiddly for me to load 9mm than 357. It's a bit easier, actually, cuz the cases take up less space (less "reloading" of the bins). Also, 9mm brass is cheap as chips, so the lack of brass to start with should not be a big consideration.

Here's the flip side. I purchased dies for 380 and 9mm mak.... and if I could go back in time, no thanks. Even though I could theoretically save more money on 380 vs 9mm (per round), it just doesn't make sense for me. If you are anything like me, you should focus not only on the calibers where you save big money. You might have to consider which calibers you like to shoot the most, in terms of volume of rounds.

[pka45]

Many times I am reloading more specialty rounds than available from the factory. Hotter, milder, different bullets, etc.

[paul h]

Other than 22rf, I reload everything I shoot. I can't imagine not being able to feed my guns, and as recent history has shown, factory ammo isn't always available when you want to buy it.

Even if you have to purchase once fired brass and lead, you can reload 9mm for $10/100 and that's AK prices for powder and primers, once you re-use that brass it saves you $2/100. With little effort I can come back from the range with more brass than I arrived with.

If I can save $20-30 a range session, yeah I'm reloading. I figure I can cast and reload 500 rounds in 2 hrs. While I value my time at more than $25/hr, I enjoy casting and handloading. Saving money is just a byproduct of the hobby.

[GONRA]

GONRA loads 9mm Range Pickups:
"Over the manual powder charge" for Subsonic Suppressed UZI SMG blasting,
"Under the manual powder charge" for odd auto pistol collector items.
Can't puchase this ammo..

[garym1a2]

I cast and reload for 9mm for a CX4 storm and 3 glocks. But I find 40 S&W to be my favorite over the 9mm and 45acp. The brass is much better quality than what I find in 9mm. .223/5.56mm I can't justify loading plinking ammo as it costs 21 cents in material and too many labor steps.

[Shiloh]

Absolutely worth it. Free range brass, free cast boolits.
Primer 3¢-3 1/2¢
Powder 2¢

Less than $6 for 100 rounds?? Absolutely worth it.

Shiloh

[Engieman]

Absolutely reload for 9mm. I have five 9MM that need regular feeding, plus there is no comparison in terms of accuracy and performance when you get the right load and bullet weight/shape dialed in for each particular pistol. Takes some time, research and experimentation....but once you get it right it is just the best feeling. Off the shelf ammo goes bang, but is a one size first all generic approach. You can do better. Never forget the day I was firing my 1911, and over a couple years in the rotation, I was considering selling it because it just living up to it's potential. Then tried a new bullet and load, first shot a ten, then another, and another...I was just giddy. Best feeling ever. Not going to be selling it....

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I have just started reloading 9mm, with some 124 gr purchased bullets. What brand and type of boolit do you guys cast that would work in a couple of Shield 9mm's. What diameter do you cast and then size it too?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[fredj338]

If you already have reloading gear, adding the 9mm will set you back $50-$100, depending on press. If casting your own, you are reloading for less than 5c per round. So decent Bulk 9mm (not cheap Russian poop) is about 22c each. Pretty easy to do the math on that one.
My bullets are free but for my time & a bit of elec. My brass is free range pickups, primers at 3c each, 1c for powder. Throw in another penny for the elec & powder coat or HT, less than a nickel a round.

[Idaho45guy]

I reload for accuracy and power and not economy. I own one 9mm and I'd like to sell it and replace it with a .40 S&W. So, not for me in the least would I ever reload 9mm.

Also, no ranges around here to source used brass and projectiles for. I know that may seem weird to most people, but this is the West. The rural West. I know where the police range is, but there is no public range. There are dozens of places to pull over where you can shoot. I usually shoot at my dad's house which is about 12 miles away. He has an indoor shooting bench with rests and spotting scopes and targets set up at 25, 50, 100, and 300yds away. He's a big-time reloader, so no scrounging up brass at his place.

[olafhardt]

I started out loading for cheap ammo. Soon I found my self just reloading and shooting. Then I found myself at the range shooting and thinking, "Cool, I am creating new brass to reload!" Then I got fond of stopping by Wally World buying a brick and going out blasting. Then Wally ran out of ammo. Shucks! Got back to reloading a little bit and casting some boolets which was fun but slowly quit being fun and Wally has ammo agian. I think the biggest reward of reloading is the insight I gained into ammunition construction. I consider the experience extremely rewarding to me, can't say I made a dime, and am danged glad Wally has ammo.

[Kenstone]

I started out loading for cheap ammo. Soon I found my self just reloading and shooting. Then I found myself at the range shooting and thinking, "Cool, I am creating new brass to reload!" Then I got fond of stopping by Wally World buying a brick and going out blasting. Then Wally ran out of ammo. Shucks! Got back to reloading a little bit and casting some boolets which was fun but slowly quit being fun and Wally has ammo agian. I think the biggest reward of reloading is the insight I gained into ammunition construction. I consider the experience extremely rewarding to me, can't say I made a dime, and am danged glad Wally has ammo.
A lot of shooters became reloaders, switching to center fire guns, when 22 ammo got scarce, and many have not or will not be returning to 22 anytime soon.
jmo
:grin:

[Idaho45guy]

.22 is still scarce around here. I haven't seen it for sale in the local gun store or in any Walmart for a 30-mile radius for over three years. I did see some .22 short for sale in Walmart a few months ago, but it was gone the next day.

[Shiloh]

I reload for accuracy and power and not economy. I own one 9mm and I'd like to sell it and replace it with a .40 S&W. So, not for me in the least would I ever reload 9mm.


I load for accuracy as well. I do it very economically because of cast boolits, FREE cast boolits.

Shiloh