Reloading 9s. Guess it's cool now. [Archive]

TheDoctor

11-22-2013, 09:13 AM

I started loading 9's about a year ago. Refuse to have a caliber I am not geared up for. And, never had a nine until then. Wife wanted one. I pesonally prefer something a little bigger. On a side note, loading nines has taught me a little tact, and instilled a little knowledge about what not to say, and when to keep my mouth shut. Made a comment to the wife unit about a nine being for those who have to squat to pee. Guess who has to load ALL of them now?

Lefty Red

11-22-2013, 09:28 AM

Yep, back when, it was cheaper to buy 9mm's. My daughter shot them and hunted squirrel with a 9mm Hi Point 995 Carbine now and then. Don't laugh, that was an accurate and fun weapon to shoot! :)

Lefty

Garyshome

11-22-2013, 09:51 AM

Now that factory stuff is $.36 and up, YES!

ultramag

11-22-2013, 09:57 AM

Has nothing to do with cool....it's simply cost effective now.

bob208

11-22-2013, 10:14 AM

I have always loaded 9mm even have a mold and cast for it. I even load and cast for the .32 a.c.p.

gbrown

11-22-2013, 10:29 AM

I said this on another thread, and will repeat here. The 9mm is a caliber we, Americans, have been slow to appreciate. The Europeans have used it for 100 years. I started reloading it 20 years ago, it was cost effective, even then for me, anyway. I bought components back then when they were relatively cheap. At one point, Dillon sold some Remington 9mm jacketed bullets in a sale for like 6 or 7 cents a bullet (bulk). 3 of us bought like 20 boxes of them in various weights. Still have a couple of thousand. People were selling brass for $10-$15 a thousand. I cast for them now, so I'm still loading them dirt cheap. I could (and still can) load a box for half the price of the cheapest sold with my components.

lancem

11-22-2013, 10:50 AM

I've been casting and loading the 9 for 40 years. Factory ammo has never been cheap enough for me to shoot for fun. Of course then there's the fact that I'm a cheap B$%^#$@

HATCH

11-22-2013, 10:57 AM

I was one of those guys that said I WILL NEVER LOAD 9mm.
Well my dad owns a 9mm and guess what.... I am loading 9mm.

It is crazy to think about how many pistol calibers I am currently loading for.
9x18, 9mm luger, 40sw, 10mm, 38sp, 357mag, 41 mag, 45acp, 45autorim, 45 colt, 44/40 , 38/40 , 32/20, 22 TCM, 22 hornet (not a pistol)
For the most part I use unique, a couple are bullseye, the hornet is little gun and the 22 TCM is H110/W296

The only thing that has changed in the past ten years or so is that now you have to look out for the GLOCK BULGE on 9mm brass. I use Lee Carbide dies with a Lee Carbide FCD (factory crimp die).
The brass comes out perfect like it is suppose to. I do have dillon dies but ran into the bulge so I just bought the Lee. They are cheap enough (under $50 for the 4 die set)

country gent

11-22-2013, 11:01 AM

I have loaded the 9mm for many years. I also have loaded the 380 acp now. I didnt used to as the small cases were a pain to handle. when I got my 650 dillon case handling became a non issue for me. I havve saved brass in small calibers for years I have mant 25 acp, 32 acp I have picked up been given over the years. I cleaned it and store it on the shelf just in case. In some older 9mms loading is the olny way to get ammo that feeds and functions reliably.

phonejack

11-22-2013, 11:26 AM

Same for me, my Midway order for dies, shell holder and bullets are supposed to arrive tomorrow.

jeepyj

11-22-2013, 11:38 AM

I've been loading 9s since 93 the only difference is I cast for them now instead of factory. funny how thing change when you get addicted to casting.
Jeepyj

dragon813gt

11-22-2013, 11:58 AM

Reloading has never been about economics for me. My goal is ammo that is better than what you can buy on the shelves. So I never subscribed to the "it's cheaper to buy factory" mantra. I also don't like being beholden to a store to feed my firearms. If I own one, I reload and cast for it.

garym1a2

11-22-2013, 02:05 PM

beagle

11-22-2013, 02:57 PM

Been loading 9mm since the late 60s. Then a dry period. Then 9mm got to be the "in thing" and I started saving brass until I had a wheelbarrow full. Finally bought a Ruger convertible and that didn't satisfy the itch so I went to a Browning HP. Now, two High Powers and two Ruger convertibles later I'm still loading 9mm and probably shoot more than any caliber. It's nice to be able to shoot and forget cases. Yeah, I remember chuckles about my loading 9s when it was $6 a box. Haven't heard many of them lately though. Just groans and whining about how high 9 is and maybe they should start reloading./beagle

Mk42gunner

11-22-2013, 04:19 PM

My complaint is having a press with 4 inches or more of ram travel to load the little 9mm. Too bad someone can't make a short press for sort ammo. Who needs a press capable to load the longest rounds when all it sees is 9mm and 40 short and wimpy.

It is called the Dillon Square Deal.

I started loading the 9mm in about 1992. Then I went overseas and the 9mm went bye bye. One of these days I will get another one and will load for it again. I was looking at a well worn TZ-75 a few months ago....

Robert

frkelly74

11-22-2013, 04:45 PM

I did load for 9mm and even cast for it, even though ammo was cheap. Then I sold the gun and all my tools for 9mm followed because there was no gun to feed any longer. If I had a 9mm I would certainly at least be able to load for it. It just seems to follow naturally.

Also, you can limit the travel of your press stroke to what ever is convenient by adjusting your dies in or rigging up a stop on the handle so it won't go all the way open.

DCP

11-22-2013, 06:14 PM

The only thing that has changed in the past ten years or so is that now you have to look out for the GLOCK BULGE on 9mm brass. I use Lee Carbide dies with a Lee Carbide FCD (factory crimp die).
The brass comes out perfect like it is suppose to. I do have dillon dies but ran into the bulge so I just bought the Lee. They are cheap enough (under $50 for the 4 die set)

Issue in Glocks was only for .40 S&W no problems ever with 9mm.

MT Gianni

11-22-2013, 11:21 PM

I have always loaded 9's. I bow in wonder to those that cast and load for the 25 auto.

armexman

11-23-2013, 05:52 PM

I wish I could just get any bulge in a Glock, never had any issue with 9, 40 or 45. How do they do that? Inquiring minds want to know? Oh, 25 years with Glock casting and reloading!

DCP

11-23-2013, 06:41 PM

I wish I could just get any bulge in a Glock, never had any issue with 9, 40 or 45. How do they do that? Inquiring minds want to know? Oh, 25 years with Glock casting and reloading!

How do they do that? Inquiring minds want to know?

Hope this helps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWPQlS4D-dU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83rr5jsbNFU

Harter66

11-23-2013, 07:06 PM

The 1st 100 9mm I shot cost me $18 the next 500 cost me $72 been less than $6/100 since then.
Now when I get that 135gr mould I'll only have to cast 1 boolit for 9/38/357 and if the throats weren't so huge on 38 short/S&W/new police it too. No sense being SOL when I wanna go shoot. I cast 10 cal and at least 2 cart in each cal.

On a lighter note while it isn't always about cost 45 Colts cowboy loads are $36-39/50 PD ammo is the same price for 20 the hand loads run right about $12 /100,so yeah it is about cost......

azrednek

11-23-2013, 08:15 PM

Back in the early 80's never thought I'd never reload 9MM. Found a deal in Shotgun News on either Swiss or Swedish (can't remember) surplus 9MM. The ad said being sold for components only as the sub-machinegun ammo pressure way to high for a 9MM pistol. Friend talked me into splitting a case, saying he'd pull the bullets. I just can't recall the price but the shipping was higher than the cost of the ammo. With shipping it cost a few cents, less than a nickel per round.

Upon arrival my shooting bud discovered the bullets were seated with a tough sealant or cement and nearly impossible to pull. Using his seating die he pushed the bullets inward to break the seal then began the tedious job of pulling the bullets. The dozen or so he pulled, he reduced the powder charge apx 25%. We quickly discovered the Berdan primers were way to hard. My friend's P-38 usually took 3 or 4 hammer strikes. My only 9MM pistol at the time a Chinese Tokarov simply refused to ignite the hard primers. We threw in the towel on the project and the 2,000+ case of ammo just sat at my friend's house for about a year.

I got a call one day from another friend needing money desperately wanting to sell his Ruger 357 Blackhawk. I bought it and as he handed me the box he said "oh yeah there is a cylinder in that velvet pouch if you ever want to shoot 9MM". If you're still reading this as you guessed the Blackhawk had no problem igniting the hard primers or handling the higher pressure. With over 2,000 rds never thought I'd need to reload the 9MM. Took me a few years but eventually shot it all up.

Today I cast and load 9MM often. I usually have apx 500 rds of handloaded 9MM on hand. The Lee 125gr RNF works just fine, no malfunctions in an auto and shoots accurately in both 9MM and 38 Special. Originally I was sizing .356 for 9MM and .358 for 38's. Now I size them all at .357 and use in either caliber.

brassrat

11-23-2013, 08:40 PM

I love 9mm cause I dont measure and trim like all the rest.

TXGunNut

11-23-2013, 09:18 PM

My first reload was with the 9 minimeter over 30 years ago, still have the dies and a few components but haven't had a gun chambered for it since 1987 or so. Nothing wrong with the cartridge, just no longer use it. But yes, if I had one I'd be loading for it! I didn't load for the 30-30 for quite a few years because they were $7-8 for good R-P loads. Now it's one of my favorite cartridges to load. Time changes things.

Charley

11-24-2013, 10:01 AM

NOW it's cool? Jeez, I've been handloading the 9x19 for 20 years. If you worry about being "cool", you aren't. The only handgun I have I don't load for is a Lebel revolver in 8MM Lebel. Load everything else I have, from .32 ACP to .45 Colt. the entire list includes .32 ACP, .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, .32 H&R, 7.62x25, 7.62x38R, .380 ACP, 9x19, .38 Auto, .38 Super, .38 Special, .357 mag, .38 S&W (both breaktops and .38/200), 9x18 Makarov, .400 Corbon, 10.4mm Glisenti, .44 Special, .44 Mag, .45 ACP, .45 Autorim, and .45 Colt. If you have the gun, you need the equipment and the knowledge to load for it. Otherwise, there's a good chance it will eventually become a paperweight.

horsesoldier

11-24-2013, 12:54 PM

I shot some of the IMI 9mm carbine ammo through my glock 19 once. It came from a sheriff seizure of a bunch of gangbangers ammo lol. Hot stuff, the little glock handled it but I wouldnt do it again unless I had too.I learned to check headstamps after that.

1Shirt

11-24-2013, 01:35 PM

Never had anything against or for 9MM till recently when I bought one. Good shooter, cheap and easy to load and cast for, no big deal. A can of bullseye and a few pounds of lead goes a long way with a lot of satisfaction.
1Shirt!

JonB_in_Glencoe

11-24-2013, 01:52 PM

Reloading 9s. Guess it's cool now.

The last time I did something, cuz it was 'COOL'
was back when I was a Junior in High School,
I decided it'd be cool to wear a Bandana like Rambo did in the movie First Blood...luckily I never came across any Bloods or Crip gangbangers while doing so, I might not be typing this today ;-)

gwpercle

11-24-2013, 02:10 PM

When I started reloading people looked at you funny...like you were some kind of mad scientist or something. There were two or three others that did. We were those gun loonies. Since nobody reloaded, the local range was littered with brass cases and I always scrounged all the empties I could...everything wether I reloaded for it or not. Now all my of my big pieces of reloadin gear were paid for decades ago ( at years ago prices) . My best friend his father were both in the tire business, I always bought my tires from them and got FREE wheel weights. All I wanted.
Now I look at all the people jumping into reloading and think Gary wasn't so crazy after all. I never did it to save money ..I just enjoy doing it.

azrednek

11-24-2013, 03:01 PM

I never did it to save money ..I just enjoy doing it.

My motive when I started was saving money especially after a box of 30/30 went up to over $4.00 per box. I also shot 38 Super and it was near impossible to find. Most gun shops had 38 Auto on hand. My now X-wife worked at a discount store and got a 10% employee discount. The store was closing out Lee Loaders, coupled with the 10% discount and for about a $10.00 investment I was into reloading.

I didn't save any money but the idea of shooting 100+ rds on a single outing had me hooked. Didn't take me long to graduate from Lee Loaders to RCBS after I got a 308 Norma Mag and literally wore myself out beating those cases in and out. Had I known about case lube at the time I might still be using Lee Loaders.

Petrol & Powder

11-25-2013, 05:41 PM

My complaint is having a press with 4 inches or more of ram travel to load the little 9mm. Too bad someone can't make a short press for sort ammo. Who needs a press capable to load the longest rounds when all it sees is 9mm and 40 short and wimpy.

Never thought about that but it's a good idea. I bet you could shave at least an inch of travel off of a Dillon press frame and have something that was a lot faster to use on handgun cartridges.

Petrol & Powder

11-25-2013, 06:00 PM

I've loaded 9mm for more years than I can remember. I play with 38 Special a little more these days but the 9mm Lugar is still close to my all time favorite handgun cartridge. Even when factory ammo was relatively inexpensive, I loaded 9mm more than any other cartridge. Bullets were cheap, the casings were generally free, it doesn't use much powder and there are a LOT of cool pistols that use that cartridge.
Back before all of the madness, I had more than one person ask me why I reloaded 9mm when factory ammo was so cheap and plentiful. My answer was - I enjoy reloading (still do), I wanted to be able to load my own and even cheap factory ammo becomes cheaper when you can recycle the casing.

azrednek

11-25-2013, 07:00 PM

I shied away from 9MM for years. My first attempt loading 9 was a dismal failure. Store-bought stuff was dirt cheap so it was why bother. My problem handloading 9MM was due to the Chinese mfd 9MM Tokarov pistol I was shooting. Even today I'm perplexed why the Tok wont function reliably with handloaded ammo but eats and digests factory ammo like a hungry teenager. I gave 9MM another attempt after the SHTF and haven't had a single problem in any other 9MM auto with my handloads. Thx to board member JiminPhx giving me some castings from a Lee 358/125/RNF and advice to size 357 or 356. I can't recall a single failure with my 9MM handloads except for the Tokarov. My last batch of 500 cast and handloaded 9's worked perfect in my Taurus 92, wife's Beretta PX-4 and a shooting bud's Bersa and odd ball 1960's Spanish 9MM.

trochilids

11-26-2013, 03:13 AM

If you have the gun, you need the equipment and the knowledge to load for it. Otherwise, there's a good chance it will eventually become a paperweight.

Well said.

RED333

11-26-2013, 09:12 PM

I have always loaded 9mm even have a mold and cast for it. I even load and cast for the .32 a.c.p.

25 ACP here, them small cases is a bit of a challenge to say the least.
All the way up to 12ga is reloaded, cost is the factor.

alg3205

11-26-2013, 09:20 PM

I started loading 38 specials in 1971, not much different than the 9mm, I started loading that cartridge when I got a S&W 39 in 1972. Untold thousands of .38, 9mm, .40 and 45 ACP. If I shoot it I load it. By the way I started casting about 15 years ago, terrible to say I can load a box of cast cheaper than buying .22 rim fire. Really don't see any different in loading any of the pistol cartridges.

Moondawg

11-27-2013, 06:47 PM

I hang my head in shame. I have been reloading 9mm Para for a little over 20 years. Mostly because I am frugal and cast boolits were cheap.

armexman

12-05-2013, 12:25 PM

Hope this helps.
Thanks, Nice videos. Still can't get a bulge; I have been trying for over 25 years to get a bulge on a round fired through a 9-2nd gen, 40SW and a ported 45 ACP/all with factory barrels. Must be doing something wrong, and I only have shot cast (by Me) handloads. About the only thing I've done wrong with a Glock is limp-wristing.

jmort

12-05-2013, 12:37 PM

Why would someone "...try... for over 25 years to get a bulge on a round..." and deny reality to boot. Unsupported chambers will "fire-form."

DCP

12-05-2013, 12:41 PM

I think it might be satire (try)

Why would someone "...try... for over 25 years to get a bulge on a round..." and deny reality to boot. Unsupported chambers will "fire-form."

jmort

12-05-2013, 12:50 PM

I get that, not the part about no bulge in unsupported chambers.

trochilids

12-05-2013, 06:29 PM

The more I get into learning about reloading, I think I'm in the camp of many who have been reloading "lesser" calibers for years (at least I am in spirit). The value of of learning and practicing the trade, coupled with the independence of doing it myself, would probably cause me to reload 22s if it were possible.

armexman

12-05-2013, 06:33 PM

Mr. Jmortimer, DCP got it. I have reloaded untold 10000's (Yes sir 10,000's) for my Glocks. My best freind told me that I "must" reduce the height of my Lee #19 shellholder to size down the "bulge" that would invariably form by firing in a Glock any round; for the same reason stated above, namely, the Glocks have unsupported chambers. It may be that they do, and I will grudgingly admit that there may be some out there that are unsupported. But, try as I might (medium and high pressure loads), I cannot see any bulges on my cases (checked with micrometers and magnifying glasses).Most have been Range scrap, police pick-ups.
Respectfully Yours

I do not get bulges on my Fired-in-Glock cases.

garym1a2

12-05-2013, 08:26 PM

Try a good charge of Bullseye, Clays or WST.

Mr. Jmortimer, DCP got it. I have reloaded untold 10000's (Yes sir 10,000's) for my Glocks. My best freind told me that I "must" reduce the height of my Lee #19 shellholder to size down the "bulge" that would invariably form by firing in a Glock any round; for the same reason stated above, namely, the Glocks have unsupported chambers. It may be that they do, and I will grudgingly admit that there may be some out there that are unsupported. But, try as I might (medium and high pressure loads), I cannot see any bulges on my cases (checked with micrometers and magnifying glasses).Most have been Range scrap, police pick-ups.
Respectfully Yours

I do not get bulges on my Fired-in-Glock cases.

Wag

12-05-2013, 09:20 PM

azrednek

12-06-2013, 01:45 AM

I load everything I shoot except for 7.62x39. The round I load the most is 9mm. I would have to go look to see what the cost has been. My next mold will be a .38/.357 and right behind it will be the 9mm mold I want.-Wag--

Wag for your next mold consider the Lee 38-125RF. I use it both 38 and 9MM. I originally sized 38 at .358 and 9MM at .356. Last batch, apx 25 lbs worth. I sized them all at .357 and it works fine in both calibers. Not the best choice though for 357.

Wag

12-06-2013, 09:21 AM

Most likely, I'll slug all the barrels and work from there.

--Wag--

Brett Ross

12-06-2013, 11:09 AM

I started reloading about 3 years ago mostly to feed my mil-surp addition and save money. My p1 always tended to lead a bit. I than read the thread on using the 38 SW expander, now no more leading. Man, I love this web site.

Adam10mm

12-06-2013, 11:14 AM

I had an H&K P7 for a couple years, as it was my dream gun. Naturally being a reloading snob, I loaded for it. I don't hold onto safe queens, all my guns are working guns, so I got rid of it. Only reason I still load 9mm is because it sells and I make money. Personally, I have no use for it. I can do everything I want with the 10mm. If I wasn't a hunter, the 9mm would be a consideration.

Moonie

12-06-2013, 12:02 PM

I learned how to reload on 9mm 25 years ago. Didn't know it was unfashionable lol

Springfield

12-06-2013, 01:59 PM

Never had any trouble re-loading Glock 9mm brass but the S&W Sigma brass had HUGE bulges, like scary looking. I used to reload for a lot of the guys back when I worked driving an armored truck and I had to make sure I kept the Sigma brass all sorted out. One firing and it was junk.

tiger762

03-30-2014, 08:18 AM

Two of my four SMG's devour 9mm. The other two are 380 and 45. I cast and reload for all four. The idea never has occurred to me to NOT load my own.

I haven't heard anyone disparage reloading 9mm in quite a while. :-)

DLCTEX

03-30-2014, 04:36 PM

375RUGER

03-31-2014, 08:32 AM

I didn't know it wasn't cool to load 9s when I started, 21 years ago. Didn't matter anyway no one ever expected me to do what everyone else was doing or not doing. It may have been cheap to buy, but handloading was still cheaper. I was loading for accuracy too, which you couldn't buy with a mass produced box.

dragonrider

03-31-2014, 09:02 AM

I have always reloaded 9mm,since I bought my first one. I reload and cast for every caliber I have

Petrol & Powder

03-31-2014, 09:26 AM

I can't even guess how many rounds of 9mm I've reloaded. Lots.
Even back in the days when 9mm FMJ was cheap and plentiful I reloaded 9mm. If you purchased it by the case it was almost as cheap as reloading but I never saw it cheaper than reloading. Of course, reloading required labor on my part but I enjoy reloading.
Most of the people that were saying it was cheaper to buy vs. reload - didn't reload ! I understand that when you consider the cost of the equipment and components, there's a break-even point that you must reach before you start to save money. However, each time you purchase factory ammo INSTEAD of putting that money into presses, dies, components, etc.; you are pushing that break even point even farther into the future.
It was a tough decision for me to start reloading. I had very little money and diverting cash to purchase presses, dies, etc. meant NOT buying factory ammo for a while. But I'm extremely glad I did.

crazy mark

03-31-2014, 10:23 AM

I've been reloading 9's for over 20 years. Didn't care what they cost. Got better accuracy.

azrednek

03-31-2014, 01:44 PM

My first experience loading 9's was a dismal failure. I was using up to date published data but shooting in Lugers, P-38's and a Spanish Star and Astra. About the same time the Chinese stuff flooded the market and I could buy two boxes of loaded ammo for about and sometimes less that the cost of 100 name brand 9MM J-words. The Chinese both brass and steel ran nearly perfect in the old war horses.

I got out of loading 9's until I got deeply involved with bullet casting. Previously I only cast mini-balls and 38 DEWC's. Reluctantly I tried giving handloading 9's another attempt. I had acquired a Ruger Blackhawk with spare 9MM cylinder and figured if I couldn't get my 9's to run in the pistols I'd shoot them up in the revolver.

Likely here or another hand loading board mentioned the need for hotter ammo in the military pistols. Using +P data for the war horses worked fine but most have been since traded away. Using standard data from modern published resources in modern pistols made it cool again in my mind at least to load 9's again. My only finicky 9MM is an Argentine Hi Power I will try running +P's next time around.

Garyshome

03-31-2014, 04:15 PM

9mm is the new 22LR!

azrednek

03-31-2014, 07:49 PM

9mm is the new 22LR!

And nearly as scarce.

Wag

03-31-2014, 09:56 PM

And nearly as scarce.

Unless you roll your own. :D

--Wag--

azrednek

04-01-2014, 12:43 PM

Unless you roll your own. :D

--Wag--

You're right about that. At my range there is no shortage of unwanted, reloadable 9MM and 40 S&W brass begging to be brought home. I always come home with considerably more 9, 40, 45 and 223 brass than I arrived with.

dragon813gt

04-01-2014, 12:51 PM

And nearly as scarce.

Really? I know it's regional but all centerfire ammo is available by me. Now I don't like the price of it. When I was shooting WWB it was $20 per hundred. Now it costs $27. Glad I don't buy factory anymore.

MostlyLeverGuns

04-01-2014, 01:21 PM

I've reloaded for every centerfire I have owned, including .32 ACP and .380, do .22 Hornet, .218 Bee count. No .17s, .20s or .25 ACPs...yet. The accuracy gain in the little Browning .380 1971 model was really interesting.

knobster

04-01-2014, 01:21 PM

You're right about that. At my range there is no shortage of unwanted, reloadable 9MM and 40 S&W brass begging to be brought home. I always come home with considerably more 9, 40, 45 and 223 brass than I arrived with.

+1

I hit the range once a week and typically come back with a couple hundred more brass in the same calibers. I don't know what's more fun: picking up free brass, casting bullets, reloading ammo, or shooting!