Is it worth it to reload 9mm

[asbtg]

The question should be, "Is it worth it to reload 9mm TODAY?" Maybe, maybe not. Tomorrow, post-1639 and the increasingly draconian and un-Constitutional "gun control" laws, I see it becoming less a value statement and more a necessity. Source: see California. Buy powder and primers; lead will be harder to regulate and easier to find relatively in a hostile political climate.

 

[thorborg]

If you already reload two calibers they you should be able to answer your own question.
Juxtaposing 9mm magazine dumping at a target to (I assume) carefully placed match ammo of .223 and .308 is not apples to apples or even apples to another fruit. Machine gunning (so to speak) and bench resting are two completely different reasons for hand loading with two completely different objectives for outcome.
I load some for savings and others for specific outcomes regardless of cost. It would seem then only you can conclude the answer you are looking for since the value, real or perceived, changes in the mind of all hand loaders when you plug in each individuals reasoning for hand loading each specific caliber. i.e.. lots of shooting, accuracy, obscure calibers, unavailable loads or projectiles, lowest cost etc.
What equipment you have will also be a game changer in an answer. Single stage verses state of the art progressive with carbide dies cannot compete when it comes to real cost reduction if you factor labor.

 

[titsonritz]

There's more than just the monetary savings. If a feller enjoys reloading, then it's cheap entertainment. My time is also valuable, so the savings is not worth my time to reload 9mm ball ammo.

And those that choose to save .04/round and spend say 4 hours reloading 1000 rounds are "paying" themselves $10/hour to reload. Progressive press and other tools purchased notwithstanding.

My time is worth more than that. Just saying.

This is what it boils down to, time vs money. Yes, you can save money reloading and yes, you can burn up a lot of time dong it. Whether it is worth it or not is pretty much like "What's the best AR grip?", it's 100% up to the individual. Speaking personally, I don't have much free time so it's not worth it to me, that said, it would be prudent for a reloader to have components on hand for such a task. One never knows when the scale will shift the other way.

 

[CLT65]

My two cents are about the same as everyone else's, but I'll add them anyway: It depends. For me the answer is both yes and no. I also shoot at CVSC and have access to free 9mm brass. I cast and powder coat my own bullets, and have access to free lead that I pick off the top of the berms, so actual out of pocket cost for me is just the cost of powder and primers. That comes to less than a nickel per round.

So, is it worth my time to collect brass and lead, cast and powder coat the bullets, and reload the ammo. This is where the yes and no comes in. I'm probably lucky if I can save or "pay myself" $10 per hour doing this. Especially when OT is available at work, I can earn many times than much per hour. That, and the fact that large quantities cease to be enjoyable. So, not worth it, right?

Well, the fact is that I have a houseful of kids and money is tight. Income, including OT, goes to household expenses, with not a lot left over for gun stuff. I can't really justify buying a thousand rounds of store-bought 9mm. If I want to shoot, I find the time and make my own.

If I didn't already have decades accumulation of molds, dies, presses and such, there's no way it would be worth it. I'd just have to shoot less.

All that said, I can load and shoot .45 Colt ammo for roughly the same cost. That's where the real saving comes in.

 

[Helocat]

I don't have allot of free time. But I enjoy the process and the results. I have adjusted my reloading equipment over time to maximize my time investment to yield a greater return loaded per hour.

My pay per hour is me relaxing and putting work out of my mind why I reload. This makes me more profitable when I am working.

Big one for me is to be able to keep shooting when the next big shortage hits. Stockpiling primers and powder.

 

[41mag]

I don't like to reload them squat little bassids these days.

In retirement now, I've saved enough over the last 40 years at the reloading bench
I can pretend I'm paying myself them extra 4 cents/round & just buy 'em.

 

[JO JO]

I reload 9mm but I like to reload I am at $4.94 cost per 50 , but to make it worth it you need to buy components in bulk
I will say if I was loading 9mm on a single stage I would say forget it no way it would be worth it to me.

 

[robertvarner]

I reload 9mm but I like to reload I am at $4.94 cost per 50 , but to make it worth it you need to buy components in bulk
I will say if I was loading 9mm on a single stage I would say forget it no way it would be worth it to me.

I'm not ready yet (as a fairly new reloader) for a progressive press, but I did buy a Lee Classic Turret Press on sale and have really enjoyed it. It's faster than a single-stage, but not as fast as a progressive.

 

[JO JO]

but I did buy a Lee Classic Turret Press

those are a good press and can knock out a fair amount of loads for sure much faster than a single stage

 

[Papercidal]

If I buy projectiles it's a little under 100.00 a thousand to load 9mm match ammo. I usually cast and coat my own projectiles so I'm around 60.00 a thousand for 150 gr match loads. Being as the cheapest bulk 9mm I've seen is around 160.00the savings is not huge but at 12-15,000 a year it adds up to the difference between being able to shoot almost as much as I would like and not.

 

[robertvarner]

NOW IT STARTS AGAIN!!

(Walmart to stop Alaska handgun sales, end sales of short-barrel rifle and handgun ammo nationwide).

They are following the Dick's philosophy of being afraid of the media after a shooting just to save their skin. And you know how that affected Dick's.

This is why I have learned to reload, whether it is cost-effective or not.

 

[Member 5605]

At $.10/round reloading...

Yes. $.20-$.22 buying in store.

 

[Legion489]

Mike Ventreno (Handloader Mag, Rifle Mag, five/six other mags) had an article about how he doesn't have a .22 RF because he casts his own bullets and loads his own ammo. Since his bullets are a couple cents each (he buys the metal to his specs rather than use whatever he can find so he knows what he is getting), say 3-5 cents each in metal/electricity/lube, his time is "free" (he enjoys bullet casting and reloading), the primer is 2 cents and his powder is 3-5 cents per shot, he is "paying" 8 cents to 12 cents per round for centerfire ammo for his pistol cartridges (9mm/.38 Special/.45 ACP). When you got a bunch of full auto guns to feed, a couple cents per round add up fast (like 400rds/minute fast!).

If you can find bullets cheap on sale, buy in bulk, and pick your powders, you might be able to get the price for 9mm down to the 12-14 cent range. Enough of a savings over buying it in bulk for 17cents/rd? Up to you.

 

[P7M13]

I used to load pistol to save costs so I could shoot more. Then, playing with recipes, discovered loads that were much more accurate in my gun.
Literally went from 6" scatter patterns to ragged hole.
Lately I am buying 9mm at 17 cents/ round.

 

[OREGON FALER]

Yep, I load it but I'm relatively new and wanted to get figured out before I absolutely had to reload it also I'm also chasing "Quieter" powders for suppression.
The 9mm has led me into .357, 45 acp and 45 Colt and I feel like there can be some savings in those calibers.
Luckily I've been saving brass for 15 ish years.