Question...

[SoonerP226]

If you're doing it to save money, this is probably not the best time to be getting started; pretty much everything gun-related is going to draw a premium price these days. If you're doing it just because you want to try your hand at it or want a new hobby, you might as well go for it.

As I was told long ago, reloading won't save you any money because you'll just end up shooting more...

 

[EKing]

What does it cost these days to reload 9mm with say 115gf FMJ or 124gr FMJ?

I happen to have some brass and I don't reload, but I'm curious as to whether or not I should bother someone I know to use their setup to reload, assuming a guy can get components.

Thanks.

If you know a guy who has all the equipment and he'll let you use his stuff, go for it. That's a great way to find out if you even like making your own ammo. Primer availability and cost is the biggest hurdle to get over right now but if you're willing to pay the inflated cost, they are out there. Good luck.

 

[BReeves]

Nothing wrong with starting with a Lee Loader, I did back in the early 70's reloading 44 special for my Colt New Frontier. If you were closer I would give you enough powder to do you first 1000 + some. Only primers I have are large pistol otherwise I would sell you 1000 at cost (pre covid). That is all I can help with as I traded off all my 9mm stuff couple months ago.

Go for it, you will be fine.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

if you shoot a 1000 rds a year it would be worth looking into. Right now getting the primers reasonable is a little tough but you always keep an eye out for them and you will eventually get a brick or two spotted. Even if you pay one hundred dollar a brick thats 10cents a round.

For something like a pistol a lb of powder will do a bunch. It is running about 33-38 dollars a pound here and I would imagine a can would get you through at least 300 rds. There are online calculators that will tell you how many rounds you will get out of a lb for the grain charge you use. In your case it most likely would be 15-20grains so its cost ends up negligible. maybe a few cents. Loading for a mag rifle with 80 grains ends up costing something you could measure as you may only get 80rds to the can for that.

Main thing is to get started looking for a press. I found my little RCBS Jr 5 for 30 bucks at a pawn shop and it has paid for itself 1000x. Then get your dies which are around 50 bucks per set. Then a 50 dollar powder scale and 20 dollar caliper will get you started. You can even get a caliber specific Lee Loader for a song that will crank out rounds on the cheap for 50 bucks or so if you have to. Just slow is all.,

The bullets you can spend how much ever you want here. For a box of 50 Noslers, Bergers and the like for 50bucks to 7 cent bullet pulls from online places or even plated bullets if you like them on the cheap.

IF you have the cases helps as that is where most of your expense is at if buying new. But you can find bulk buy once fired used ones all the time.

I am currently loading 300win for 70 cents total with brand new cases, 20 dollar powder from Gene Sears and Hornady Interlocks to give you an idea of what you can save if your patient. The second loading of these cases will be around 35 cents. Loading 30/30 with bullet pulls,BL-C2and used cases for maybe 20 cents.

Load data can be found on all the powder and bullet companies websites for free, the Sierra and Hornady phone apps or a manual.

Have fun

7,000 grains in a pound.
8 grains nearly fills a 9mm case. (Not a recommended load, just pointing out)

A popular powder uses 4.1 grains for 124 grain bullet.
7000/4.1=1,707. Powder charges.

You lose some powder to little powder gnomes, spillage etc.
1680 powder charges is a reasonable number to expect for 9mm 124 grain bullet load using Win 231 or HP-38.

 

[HoLeChit]

@O4L im one of the dummies that decided to start reloading this last 12 months or so. Still haven’t started, but I could now. Just collecting components at the moment. I didn’t start reloading now because it was cheap, but because I could have a supply of pre assembled ammo outside of my stash, and so that I could work on a consistent 762x39 hunting load that I like. Really just making nice hunting loads for everything. I’m also tired of paying retail for 38/357 plinking ammo. The other reason is because I told myself I was going to start reloading during the Obama scare, but availability started coming back and I never got back into it or even stocked up on much ammo.

The process of getting a hold of everything I need has not been easy or cheap, but if you’re patient, and take your time, you don’t have to pay exorbitant premiums. I bought a nice new in box turret press off a member here for a little less than street price, with accessories. Dies seem to have gone up a little, but I’ve found every single one I need, in the quality I wanted too. I only buy ammo and powder from places like cabelas and gene sears, and they seem to try to stay reasonably honest. Components like bullets seem to have gone up an awful lot, but I like to have some on hand for the security of knowing that I have them in case ammo gets even more scarce. That peace of mind is worth the cost. I save a ton of money on brass because I have a decent collection of range pickups, and my logic is that if I need more brass, I just go shoot some of my factory ammo and pick up that brass.

If you’re trying to save money, you’re going to have a real hard time right now. If you like going on treasure hunts, are patient, and want the peace of mind of having a couple thousand rounds worth of components tucked away for your loading convenience, you’ll do ok.
This is all just my .02 though, might have gotten into uncle Terry’s high speed chicken feed just a few minutes before this post was made.

 

[O4L]

Okay guys...I realize that reloading isn't 'cheap' and there are up front costs but if one can reload a round of 9mm plinking ammo (I won't be using it for self defense and I'm not a semi-professional shooter) for one half the cost or better of steel cased crap factory ammo I really don't see the downside.

What am I missing here? (Real question???)

If ammo prices were going to come back down to pre panic prices eventually it wouldn't matter so much but that may never happen and prices on ammo and components could just keep going up.

If that is the case, what better time than now to get started, especially when I have some free to me brass.

Again, what am I missing?

 

[SoonerP226]

The only downside I can see is if you're careless in your loading practices you could end up damaging your gun and/or injuring yourself. If you start slowly and work methodically, you greatly lower the risks of that happening. At worst, if you don't like reloading, you can alway sell the stuff to someone else.

 

[HoLeChit]

Okay guys...I realize that reloading isn't 'cheap' and there are up front costs but if one can reload a round of 9mm plinking ammo (I won't be using it for self defense and I'm not a semi-professional shooter) for one half the cost or better of steel cased crap factory ammo I really don't see the downside.

What am I missing here? (Real question???)

If ammo prices were going to come back down to pre panic prices eventually it wouldn't matter so much but that may never happen and prices on ammo and components could just keep going up.

If that is the case, what better time than now to get started, especially when I have some free to me brass.

Again, what am I missing?

The one thing you’re missing is the short term cost of the needed equipment. When loading smaller quantities of plinking ammo you end up having a higher cost per round due to the cost of the equipment needed. It takes longer to start seeing savings. But in the long term, it evens out. For example, if you spent $500 for your equipment, you have to factor that cost into your proposed savings. If you divide it up by 1000 rounds your first year at maybe $.30 per round, you’re adding $.50 per round to cover your equipment costs. So each round is actually costing you $.80. But the next 1000 round is gonna be $.30 and you actually start seeing savings. That cost goes even lower in the future hopefully, as you should be able to one day buy components for even cheaper.

In my opinion there is no downside if you can afford startup costs. You get a cool new hobby that can save you money in the long run.

 

[Aries]

If I recall, 9x19mm is actually a slightly tapered case (like .30 Carbine also).
I want to say that Lee has made the "take a hammer to it" loader in both calibers and the instructions for both said those two are harder to resize than "normal" straight wall cases.

This is what I thought he was talking about, the little Lee kits that were basically dies, you didn't need a press, you just tapped the cases into and out of the dies with a mallet. Does Lee even still make those? I couldn't find it on leeprecision.com

My earlier response was that they were painfully tedious to use, and the money for a press and dies sounded a lot more reasonable after I tried to load a dozen or so cartridges that way. Especially as inexpensive as Lee products are.

But yeah, as several above have said, it's the cost of the equipment. You can buy a Lee set that will have a lot of what you need for $150 bucks or so, but you'll want a few other accessories, and if you're only going to load 500 to 1000 rounds that couple of hundred bucks will eat up your savings.

I live in Sapulpa, but if it's worth your drive here you can use my equipment. I won't load it for you, but I'll show you how and supervise to try and make sure you don't blow yourself up. I'll even go in the house and get you some coffee or diet dr. pepper if you want, it'll be fun!

 

[swampratt]

Does Lee even still make those? I couldn't find it on leeprecision.com

Yep they are called Lee Loaders.
https://leeprecision.com/lee-loader-9mm-luger.html

I started with 30-30 then 30-06 and then .308 with those Lee Loaders.
Wack-A-Mole loader.
You can make very accurate ammo with them.
Only down side for the rifle cases is they Neck size only.

If you got brass that was fired from a large chamber gun you may discover it will not fit your gun after sizing.
Been there done that.
I graduated from those to the Lee Cast iron classic press and Lee dies.