5 Cent 9mm Load with 102 gr Cast Boolit and IMR-700x

[Jonaz15]

Reload 9mm for 5 cents per round!

This is the cheapest way to reload 9mm that I have used. It allows me to train more often without breaking the bank. The cost of ammo is constantly increasing and this is one of the best ways to reload if you are doing it economically. This reloading recipe has been fired out of a Glock 17, Springfield XD 9mm, and an M&P Shield.

102 gr Lead Cast Round Nose
3.5 gr of IMR-700x
COAL 1.07”
Tula Small Pistol Primer
Medium crimp on the bullet

The most significant reduction in reloading cost comes from the bullet I use. I use a 102 grain lead cast round nose bullet. The bullet mold I use is the Lee Precision 356-102-1R Double Cavity Mold. I use the bullets in both 9mm and .380 Auto.

The powder I use is 3.5 gr of IMR-700x. IMR 700x is a shotgun powder that is fast burning and can produce significant pressures quickly, so when I was developing this load I started off at 3.0 gr and worked my way up to 3.5 where I found the sweet spot. I even loaded it to 4.0 gr and still did not experience any signs of over pressure in the case or primer. So please, give this a try, but start off by loading at the recommended 3.5gr and if it does not cycle the action step it up in small .2 gr increments. I used the Lee Precision Pro Auto Disk and used the .35cc disk cell to get 3.5 grains.

The primers I use are Tula Small Pistol Primers. I have not had one malfunction due to the primers and they have performed very consistently.

2.3 cents for each primer; buying primers in bulk $23 per 1000
1.2 cents for each load of 700x powder; $92 for 4lbs
1.5 cents for the bullet; $1 per pound of lead
0 cents for brass casses; range scrap

Please comment below if you have any questions or have tried this load and it worked.

Here is a video I made for this load for youtube viewers: https://youtu.be/-Hq843M2lVg

[quilbilly]

You might be off a little bit on the powder and add a little for the lube. I am sitting at 6.9 cents for my 9mm and a 130 gr boolit (actually the Lee 125 RF) and Unique. I know - picky picky. Good fun and better than a 22 anyway.

[Jonaz15]

True I might add a bit for the lube. After checking the price of IMR-700x online, it seems that with the addition of hazmat and shipping the cost would be $0.003 greater per round. However, if you bought it in a 8lb container it would be correct. If anything the price for lead may be what could increase the cost the most. I managed to pick some up for $1 per pound, where as the street price is almost $2 per pound. That would bump the price to $.065 per round if so. Using a 102 gr boolit helps out with lead savings.

[MT Gianni]

356402 @ 121 gr, $1 a lb pb = 1.7 cents per bullet. 4 gr AA2 bought years ago as surplus $48 per 6 lbs, still shooting it, .45 cents per shot. Primers @ 2.5 cents a shot including shipping last order of 10K. 4.65 cents a shot.
32 long 90 gr bullet, 1.1 cents, 2.5 gr Red Dot $145 per 8 lb keg. .6 cents per shot, same primer costs for a total of $0.042 per shot. For cheap go to a revolver.

[Jonaz15]

Holy smokes MT Gianni! That is incredible. 8lb kegs bring that price down a ton. I don't shoot revolver, but they sure are fun and after seeing that price I might have to buy one. Thanks for the info.

[smkummer]

That seems to be a very light load. I was loading about 3.3 grains 700X behind Lee's 125 RNTL bullet and if the female shooter would limp wrist, it would not cycle well. Went to 3.6 grains and the problem mostly went away. Up to 3.9 and the problem is completely gone.

[runfiverun]

buying 8 lb jugs around here drops the price from 23.00 per lb to 18.75 per lb.
at 3 grs per round that's 18-k loads per jug or .008 per round for powder.
a couple of years back I was buying 8lb jugs for between 104.00 and 120.00
which made things even cheaper.
I still have some red-dot and tite-group marked 95.00 per jug.

I nabbed 6 jugs of unique for 85.00 each OTD plus tax price right before the current stupidness took off.
I swapped one of them for 16 lbs of AA-4100 and have shot about 16 lbs since then, leaving me 24 more at the 10.62 a lb price.
even at 8.5-9.5grs per load that's gonna last a while.
I guess I have to value the 4100 at 5.31 per lb since it was a 2 fer 1 swap. [not my idea]

[dverna]

This save on powder use Promo. It uses the same load data as Red Dot. Good for pistol, low velocity rifle, and 12. Ga shotgun loads.

[Jonaz15]

Those are crazy low prices. Since Obama took the reigns and Firearmagedon started, prices have never been the same. Hazmat fees alone over quadrupled. That is awesome that some out there stocked up before hand. I started reloading in the midst of the furry as a means to create bullets that were not available.

Thanks for your input on non-typical powders that work for handgun everyone!

[zomby woof]

Tula primers no longer available

[Hick]

I use a similar load in my 38 Special with 700X. In fact, I also use 700X in my 30-30 and 32 WS. This powder does very nicely with very small loads, and the Lyman cast loading handbook (edition 3)has lots of great 700X loads-- all very inexpensive and very accurate/

[quilbilly]

Tula primers no longer available

I recently started using the S&B primers that are available around here at $24/1000 and $19/1000 on sale. They shoot well and so far have been reliable. My local Cabela's has them.

[Handloader109]

I've got the Lee 95gr Ranch dog, but I've averaged $1.1per pound for the lead, and got a pile of cci primers I bought from a guy quiting reloading for $20 a k along with free brass and I few hundredths of a cent for pc or lube, and red dot at little over 4 gr gives me a price fairly close..... I've got 4 lbs of 700x for a good price too..

[Jonaz15]

I recently started using the S&B primers that are available around here at $24/1000 and $19/1000 on sale. They shoot well and so far have been reliable. My local Cabela's has them.

I need to keep an eye out for those primers as well as that Promo Powder. I need to do a bulk purchase prior to the big election this year.

[runfiverun]

I do nothing but bulk purchases regardless if it's election year or not.
if primers are not to be had I buy powder if powders short I buy brass.
setting up a budget and then blowing it all to hell when you find a good deal or major bulk purchase pays off eventually.

[Mytmousemalibu]

My 9mm plinker loads were hitting the under the 3¢ mark!

Powder- 9/10ths of a cent per round of Vectan AS @ 3.5gr, I get a bottle (they are 1.10lbs) for $20
Primers-2¢ per primer for S&B small pistol, $21 per 1000
Brass- free range pick-up
Lube- I got a few pounds of powder coat powder for free from a buddy at an HVAC manufacturing place so no lube costs either!
Lead- I have a huge stash I got for free, yes I know, I suck! Free lead = free boolits


Might bump it up a little if you count the electricity used to cast & coat. So due to lucky circumstance, I can shoot 9mm for less than 3¢ per round and that 3.5gr charge of Vectan AS is right about 975-1000fps.

If you play your cards right and put on your cheapskate hat, you can probably do as good!

[Jonaz15]

Setting up a budget and then blowing it all to hell when you find a good deal or major bulk purchase pays off eventually.

Quote of the day award goes to runfiverun. I try to tell my wife that, but it just doesn't sound great when she hears it roll off my tongue, ha ha.

[Jonaz15]

Lead- I have a huge stash I got for free, yes I know, I suck! Free lead = free boolits

You guys with your free lead sources make me jealous.

[hydraulic]

Last year I got 2 five lb. tin containers of 700X on an estate sale for $l50. I'm shooting 10 grs. with the Lyman 311413 bullet at 170 grs in a O3A3. I still get a monthly bucket of WW's from the local Ford dealer, actually about 5 -10 lbs in the bucket, but I can't say the WW's are free because I buy a new F150 every three years and next month will be my tenth so I'm sure I'm paying plenty for free WW's. Anyway, 3 cents for a primer, 3 cents for a gas check, and 3 cents for powder lets me shoot '06 for a dime a round. I shoot the SR-1 target prone at 100 yds with the hope of keeping all 20 rds. in the 5 inch black. I have a few acres 5 miles from home where I have my own range, and I try to get out there twice a week and shoot 40 rds. Usually I don't make it because of weather and grandkids. And I do manage to keep them all in the black once in awhile.

[dtknowles]

I think the free lead guys have a different approach to budgets and accounting.

To me if you shout a pound of bullet casting lead into a berm and don't recover it you just spent a dollar even if it was free since you could have sold it for a dollar instead of casting bullets with it.

Now I can understand if you are talking hobby budget and cash flow then free lead does not require any cash and the accountant is not aware of the expenditure because it is off the books so to speak.

Since I don't have to account for my hobby spending to anyone but myself, the cost of ammo is just an academic exercise. If I want to shoot something availability is way more important than cost.

Tim