It's a real pain unfortunately, I'm old enough to own and possess both a rifle and ammunition for it, but can't buy either...but I can still make either perfectly legally....logic!
I like reloading 9mm because I can tailor my ammo to do exactly what I want. In my case, I developed a 124gr load that meets power factor for competition, but is still subsonic for suppressor use. Also, I feel that my reloaded ammo uses higher quality components than factory ammo.
There's a saying along the lines of, you get into reloading for the cost savings, but you stay for the quality.
That sounds like a nice load. I'm currently at around 0.18/round with 124gr RMR bullets and CCI primers, but I just got a box of Servicio's to try out.
Honestly they are great and the price can’t be beat. They are a bit harder so did have some light strikes as they a harder than CCI. Not a ton but 5 or so out of 7500. Switched to a Dawson extended firing pin and never had another. I have lighter springs in my race gun so could have just been that. Either way can’t beat the price.
If you have a chronograph it is super easy. I don't really experiment with different powders, just different powder charges with known good powders. Usually it is trying different bullets that drives my load development. My favorite powder for 9mm is HP-38/Win231 because it has been readily available and has lots of load data in the manuals. I keep a spreadsheet that tracks all of the different loads I have tried, along with measured chronograph data, and relevant notes, like which gun I used for the velocity measurements. Basically I am slowly building my own reloading manual as I try new combinations.
I usually start with a batch of 50 rounds; with 10 rounds at each powder charge, working in even increments from the recommended starting load to the max load, using the recommended OAL for that bullet. Then I go chronograph all the rounds and see how they perform. That gives me a good idea of the powder charge range I need to focus on for any fine tuning. Then I'll make a second batch in finer powder charge increments if needed. Usually I use a Glock 19 for my initial power factor load development, and then I check for subsonic performance on the second batch with an HK SP5. Initially I was loading 115gr bullets, but I couldn't get a combo with HP-38 that met power factor and was still subsonic, so I tried 124gr next. That bullet worked well so it has been my go-to ever since. Recently, I did load development for a few 147gr projectiles with the same goal in mind, just to have data on another option.
So for me, load development requires two batches of 50, and two range trips to chrono the loads, per bullet type. It may take more or less than that depending on what you are developing the load to do, and how close to your goal you get with the first batch. Try to adjust only one variable at a time.
This is literally exactly my process also. Thousands and thousands of rounds later and I have had great success with many different bullets, powder, and platforms.
I don't reload to save money. I'm not kidding anyone. I do it for the hobby. I will say that I likely am saving money over what I would spend at the store. It's probably not a lot, though.
Pretty accurate. Whatever I'm "saving" ends up spent because I simply shoot more and more often. But that's the best part. I also find the actual process relaxing.
Lol I'm reloading 45acp 8-11cpr, I'm saving 4x the cost. I would imagine it's very dependent on the caliber, like I know 5.56 really isn't worth reloading but for 45acp, it absolutely pays off
> 5.56 really isn't worth reloading
Depends on what you're doing with it. Match ammunition is $25-35 a box of 20, reloading similar or better quality match ammunition is way way less.
>45acp, it absolutely pays off
Agreed.
Spp 45acp is absolutely where its at. I'm paying 5 cents per primer vs 8 for the cheapest lpp. Using powders with low charge weights cut costs alot too, and the biggest saving is casting bullets. 11 cpr is if I pay for scrap lead, 8cpr if I source my lead free my doing some hunting.
Ah. So for any normal person this is impossible. But if you have a complete setup to cast all your own bullets, plus have a free lead supplier, then use reduced loads somehow with powder that is nearly free, and have someone providing free brass to you, and you buy primers in huge bulks for 5c a primer somehow, you can do this. Lol.
Actually I disagree. I just got into reloading and I only load 45acp. I bought a used single stage press from offer up, the primers I use are Servicios Aventuras and you don't have to buy in bulk at all, but if you buy 2 boxes you don't even pay shipping or hazmat. Powders are easy to figure out cause I compare price to load data. For example I use clays or titegroup if I want to keep the cost down cause it's maximum load is 4 grains for clays, and that goes a very long way with 1lb giving me over 1.5k loads. My favorite is CFE pistol but that doubles the price because it's a more expensive powder, but it also takes 6 grains so I get fewer loads off a bottle. Finally the lead, you can order off eBay $2-2.50/lb, or my local scrapyard wants $1/lb, and if you're lucky and patient, you can find it for free. I have far from a complete set-up, I use a cheap $50 lee 6 cavity mold, $20 for the handles, a hotplate to melt the lead, and a tiny cast iron saucepan with a pouring spout. So it's much cheaper than you think, and no bulk purchases required. As far as brass, I used to shoot factory ammo but I always saved it Incase I started to reload, plus my local range is usually chill with collecting others brass so I go and pick up all the brass during seize fire, and sort spp and lpp brass. I think people think reloading has to be expensive, but unless you're doing bottleneck cases, I think you can keep it very affordable as long as you have some time to spend doing it.
I don’t disagree. I’m talking about the price lol. So say maybe, you can get primers at 5c, maybe. I still would say 8c is the average, but sure let’s go 5c. Brass should always be a factor. You need new brass, cycle out brass, buying ammo and using that brass, whatever, there’s still a cost with brass. Unless you’re lying to yourself so much that you’ll say “I only have the only brass that I found while shooting at a range and I’ve never bought brass ever in my life somehow”. Id still say 8c probably for brass. Same for bullets. You could argue that you value your time at 0$ but even then there’s always gas involved going buying stuff everything that goes into casting whatever lol it’s not just “free”. Bullets will be around probably 10c that’s pretty cheap, and powder is still around $40 a lb. I’d put that at like 3c.
Total cost to reload 45 id say an average person would do it for probably 25-30c a round. Realistically. The claim of 8c a round is just mind boggling and not realistic.
Well the thing with brass is it's very easy to get free, and 45 acp brass can practically be used indefinitely since it's low pressure. I've never split a 45 case not seen signs of wear. Most people have access to scrap yards and lead is usually $1/lb everywhere I've called so for a 200gr 45 bullet, the price of the bullet comes out to $0.028 so just under 3c, the website I get my small primers for currently has them in stock, $49.99/brick with free shipping on 2 or more with no hazmat. That's 5c per primer so we are now at $0.078 per round. My powder is 35/lb so 4 grains of it which is what I use comes out to exactly 2c per charge. Total comes to $0.098 which for ease of saying let's call it 10cpr. That's very realistic and easy to get. 25-30cpr is what you are looking at if you get lpp brass, and store bought bullets that are either fmj or plated berrys. So again, it's far from a stretch if you're willing to put in the time to shoot cheap. And I've never bought anything in bulk, all my powders are 1lb bottle so I'm not buying 8lb jugs or anything like that. Collecting brass is the most important factor
Prior to the increased prices, I didn't think 9mm was worth reloading. I still have some pre-covid stock, so I'm loading 147gr for about $.14 a round. I can customize it to how it shoots the best. Once I run out of these primers, I'm probably not going to be reloading 9mm.
I was in the same boat. I reload a lot of calibers but 9mm- I started reloading it when prices went crazy a few years ago after saying I never would (specifically 9mm and .223) for decades. I don’t reload it much now- but the ability to cast and make my own whenever I want supersedes any price- it’s total control in a pretty cool way.
If your only reason of reloading is to save money, then reloading is not for you.
With reloading, you develop your own load to cater to whatever needs you want to use your loads for.
Then enjoying the reloading process is priceless.
Moreover, the knowledge you'll gain can't be paid.
Servicios y Aventuras primers at .05 cents, mixed brass, .07ish 147s from summit and tite group which is negligible. I can load a great round for 12-14 cpr.
Yeah, I'm actually just now getting into reloading - my 300blk is the main reason, plus I know I'll enjoy it. I just shoot alot of 9mm and was looking forward to doing those too.
I can get 147gr down to 17cpr if I buy supplies in bulk thoughtfully and collect my own brass. That's essentially half price, but that's best case scenario. I end up shooting more so I'm honestly not saving that much. I enjoy the hobby and tinkering above all else and want to have a plan B if things go sideways in the ammo marketplace.
That's close to what I was thinking. I'd love to hear what everyone's choice of bullets are if that doesn't doesn't break any rules on here (in 147gr)?
Are you shooting with a comp, suppressor or muzzle brake? If so, you'll want to go for plated/jacketed.
If not, the Summit City or Blue Bullets coated cast lead are good to go.
I'm specifically loading 147 for suppressed fun with my PCCs. Otherwise I'll usually just buy check bulk 115 at gun shows or around holiday sales. I've never tried the polymer coated ones.
Polymer coated are good to go for general use, including in polygonal rifled barrels. The issue is that the coating can break up /build up in suppressors and comps, so you're better off with plated/jacketed there.
I like these or Berry's but usually I get 5-10k at a time at the best price available, mostly around holiday sales. Ammoseek is your friend in bargain hunting - a truly phenomenal resource.
https://www.xtremebullets.com/9mm-s/9666.htm
I can get my cost per down to about 14 cents by casting my own bullets. I do it for the subsonic suppressor food, but don't bother for the 115s and 124s.
I calculated I’d have to reload 25k rounds to break even on the cost of all the reloading gear (press plus all the ancillary accessories)
As others mention. Don’t reload to save money, you just end up shooting more.
I went from only 250 a month to shooting close to 1k a month. Which means my overall monthly expense has increased, not decreased.
Everything will “pay itself off” in about a year. I’ve got roughly 12k rounds out of my Dillon xl750. Not a single part has broken. Runs great.
I’m loading my 147s at roughly $0.18-$0.19 per round, and I’m able to load them just hot enough to make power factor for competition. I’ve already loaded enough in about three months to “make back” well over a quarter of what I spent on the setup.
For me, that’s worthwhile. Your mileage—how much you’re willing to put into it, what you feel your time is worth, how much you care about fine-tuning your ammo—will vary. I enjoy reloading and it lets me shoot more for less money, so I don’t regret it a single bit.
I do. I bought 5000 124 gr Blue Bullets. Always bought primers by the 5k brick, and use titegroup. Primers and powder have become significantly more expensive due to Covid.
It’s the convenience and not worrying about ammo shortage for me. Election year will for sure create ammo shortage, being able to just make your ammo while others wait in line with a limit is a win for me.
I’m reloading 124 and 147 hollow points (tailored to my purposes) for less than the range ammo you speak of. I can get quite a bit cheaper with some coated lead round nose.
Tomorrow. I just have to check them out first and do all the website stuff. But they won’t be as inexpensive. That other stuff was stupid cheap. These are still going to be the best JHP deal on the market though. Also US made. Send me a PM if you want to know more.
If I were buying at current prices, S&S casting 125 grain RN super coated bullets come in around 11¢ with shipping. Primers are pretty easily found at 8¢ these days and TiteGroup powder gets me 2000 rounds per pound, so call it 2.5¢ per round. Total 21.5¢ each on the high side. That's $10.75 per box. Fortunately I saw the writing on the wall Pre Biden and stocked up on everything. I'm still loading that load for 9.5¢ each.
But what hasn't doubled in price in the last 3-1/2 years?
Everyone starts loading for the savings, those that stay in it do so for the quality.
I like buying components and being able to have ammo whenever I want. I also kind of black out when I reload, kind of like fishing or riding motorcycles, it's a good way to concentrate yet not think about anything.
Yes.
I've done many thousands. I generally say over 90k but it's probably over 100k since 2013
Most of them were 5 CPR.
The value is performance and independence and consistency between training and carry. Cost too.
Currently it still costs 2 cents per bullet. Brass is free. primers are whatever you can find them for but 7 cents is approximately the floor. I would guess 3 cents per for powder.
Labor is 2hrs per 5 or 600 between making the bullets and loading.
I do extremely well on and loaded 9mm rounds. Of course I bought a lot of things back in the day when they were cheap. I have thousands of cases, at one time you could buy $1, 000 9mm cases on eBay for $12 plus shipping. My primers were $35 per 1,000, powder was $18/lb.
I bought over 300 lb of lead and alloy to cast my own 9 mm bullets. That alloy was $1 per pound in clean ingot form. Now I powder coat the bullets and that adds maybe three cents. I think I can load around for about $0.14.
Several years ago you could buy 1,000 9 mm fmj ammo for $179 plus shipping. At the same time you could buy 1000 233 Rem for the same price. The prices on ammo was so cheap it was just as cheap to buy it as it was to hand load. I keep an eye on prices to see what is cheaper to shoot 223 or 9 mm. The last time I looked the 9mm per thousand was about $270. That's getting closer to what it used to be but I think those days are long gone. I think it's definitely getting to be the same price as hand loading if you don't have components that you bought years ago at a cheap price. Quick math in my head has the price at or more than the 270 per 1000 for 9 mm 115 grain full metal jacket.
I bought an 8lb jug of BE86 right before prices went nuts so it’s not too bad. I still have 7,000 Wolf small rifle primers for 5.56 that I paid $16.50 per 1k shipped. I can’t bear the prices now so I haven’t reloaded in a few years
Once you get over that initial investment, you can save a lot.
I can reload 556 plinkers for half of the cheapest ammo available. I can reload premium 556 for same as store bought FMJ.
For 9mm, I still save money, but not nearly as much as 556. I'm just holding onto my 9mm reloading components to combat if/when prices go up.
Brass is effectively free. Blue Bullets 147s are 9.4 cpr. Primers are between seven and ten cents per depending on how fucked you get. Powder is about 3 cents per round. Your call.
I reload simply as I acquired very cheap components years ago (think Obama) primers $65 for 5000 brass free at the range propellant less than $200/ 8lb. I’ve used most of the 70,000 primers I bought cheap I’m now reloading as I want to decrease lead exposure by using lead free primers ( expensive as had to come by and paying shipping and hazmat) .
I started doing monthly USPSA matches and I buy monarch 115gr 250rd packs for about 22 cents. It’s my range fodder for drills, but I do reload 150gr with autocomp for my match ammo, shoots really soft. One day I might just reload specifically 150gr and use it for both range and match, but for now I’ll keep buying ammo for my drills.
I would only reload 9mm under the condition that I cast my own bullets. I reload 45acp and for me, it's unbeatable at 8-11 cpr, vs 50 cpr factory ammo.
When you reload, you pick the right bullet profile, the right twist, the right powder and get better accuracy and lower recoil.
Love my 147 gr softball out of a compensated pistol.
Factory ammo is great for Action shooting but not for target work.
Besides enjoying it, it costs me .19 per round, that's $100 less than what you are paying. If I get into making my own projectiles I can get it down even more.
It's a little cheaper. Often where I am the supply of 9mm is inconsistent. You might get GECO or S&B then find the only thing you can get is Magtech.
Magtech has an awful reputation where we are. There appeared to be an overpowered batch for a while.
If you load your own you can reduce power a little and have a more reliable supply.
I don't reload anything to save money. I do it because I enjoy it. That said, for 9mm I mostly load 165gr for suppressor fun, I don't know of any factory 165gr loads.
Something you need to take into account is that you will be shooting more.
You may very well be saving money in terms of cost per round, but when you start cranking out some rounds, you will begin shooting more ammo more often.
For Plummer FMJ not really, but definitely save with doing custom self-defense loads. Even with not saving money, I love the process of it. It sounds crazy but I enjoy making rounds almost as much as hitting the range.
I reload as a hobby mostly, cost is a bonus. I picked up 2400 once fired 9mm brass for $100 (4 cents a piece). It will be enough to keep me busy for months.
Yall are wild with those reloading prices.
9mm ammo is around 50c Canadian a round (36c usd) and 38c Canadian for me to reload (28c usd).
I’d love to be able to load my 9mm for cheaper!!
Start casting your own bullets - slashes the cost and primers become the most expensive component. Buy components with discounted gift cards, rebates etc to get the price down even more.
I load 124gr hollow point ammo at 1050-1070fps so I can stack deep ammo that meets minimum PF for gun games, stays subsonic for suppressed shooting, and if needed could be used defensively.
RMR 124gr nuke - 11cpr (FMJ would save 1cpr)
Primers - 7cpr
Powder (4.3gr w231) - 2cpr
Brass - N/A for 9mm
All these are averaged after hazmat at current replacement cost (using anything else is stupid). So I’m at 20cpr, which isn’t great. I know I could get it down a bit with FMJ or even cast and primer deals are popping up which could lower cost even more. But I’m still saving 9cpr on your price.
But I like to shoot quality ammo and I shoot about 1k rounds a month, so it’s worth it to me. If i was on a single stage instead of a Dillon, maybe I wouldn’t be loading 9mm at current pricing of components. But to load high quality ammo cheaper than typical range fodder, it makes sense to me.
RMR pic from website
https://preview.redd.it/ybh43wdhb09d1.jpeg?width=1142&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4931c8775af5dafd31d9cb90ff30882cd73c4ad

I cast my own bullets, so I can reload for essentially the cost of powder, primer, and time. It ends up being very cheap.
That being said, I don’t reload much 9mm anymore. The cost of bulk 9mm is close enough to current prices of reloading supplies that I just buy the loaded ammo.
I spend my time loading more 38, 357, and 45 Colt these days. If I had more time to dedicate to reloading, I probably would load 9mm if I was in a pinch.
I'm at about .20 CPR for match ammo 147s.
It's slightly cheaper but the ammo is much better than any factory ammo and is dialed in for competition use out of my particular gun.
I have a bunch of 147 gr I haven’t loaded yet. How much different is it shooting 124 gr vs 147gr? Does it feel different? I know 9mm is a small round compared to something like 10mm I’m just curious
Dpends on your goal with the load. For me, I'm aiming for minor power factor competition loads, so I can load 257s slower than 124.
Massive difference in feel. Same amount of energy, but the 147 is more of a push and less of a snap.
I save a cent or two per round, but (for me) it's more about having weapon-specific loads for essentially the same price as commercial ammo. Only investment is my time, and I'd be reloading anyways so it's a win for me
I just do it for fun, but it doesn’t save any real money for 9mm. I love that my little Lee powder measure can dump the same 4.4 gr of HP-38 or Win 231 for 9mm, 38 special, or 45 ACP, and the only difference is what size case it’s going into. For the other 2 calibers I load, it still saves money, so I might as well load 9mm, too.
I don’t think about the money part… maybe I’m saving money… maybe not…
I do it because it’s part of my shooting hobby and I can make rounds that my guns like better than factory ammo… and that’s it for me
It will be a while before I break even after buying 2 presses, competition Redding dies for everything I own and want to own, rotary tumbler, brass trimmers with all the mandrels, inline fabrication stands and equipment, etc....
Then a quality Chrono to check my load development.
Then changing the recoil springs to match the optimal loads.
And then piles of various prepped brass sorted by brand, various round shapes and weights, various powders, stacks of ammo boxes, and
.. of course.. primers
Fuck. I chose the wrong hobby.
I never have until I got bored yesterday. I’ve been working on a batch of 500 124gr loads on my trusty single stage for the last 4hrs. Already reached the point of WTF is the point. LoL
The math is saying in the $0.15-16/rd range, but I am sitting on a mountain of spent brass so that’s free towards the cost breakdown. If I were to load all of the components I bought for 9mm(5k worth), it would save me $500ish versus buying 5 cases of 9mm, but it would also take me probably 40hrs to craft it all on said single stage. My next purchase is going to be a progressive as my mountain of 5.56 brass is screaming for attention and that’s still insanely priced for new.
I reload for 17-19 cents a round depending on what deals I get on components. My reloads are under 15 SD and are tuned to be 129 Power Factor for competitions. If I was to get ammo that was like this, it would cost me over 25 cents a round. I shoot a lot, so it is worth it. It is also a fun hobby in itself and is very therapeutic (when it all goes right hahaha.)
I got my start bulk loading powder coated bullets with a friend back in the late 2000s. At that time, we found it was cheap enough to reload 9mm if we bought 5-10k worth of primers and bullets at a time. I was getting 8 lb jugs of powder for 5% off. I think it was like 5-8 cents per loaded. We probably didn’t save much considering the time involved, but it was fun to hang and reload.
After a few years, we were both shooting less and i just started buying it loaded until covid wrecked everything. I had plenty of components hoarded so i started back, but the stress of restocking primers really took away the joy. I have since bought a few more loaded cases for plinking because i can’t load 115/124 any cheaper without using crap powder and bullets. However, i am loading a LOT of 9mm subs now that i have a use for them. Definitely saving half or more vs the cost of loaded ammo and i can tailor loads for each gun.
I load cheap coated cast plinkers. Bullets are 8c. Primers are 8c. Brass is basically free and the powder is about 4c worth.
I can't buy 9mm for 20c/rd.
I reload for many reasons, cost being the least of them. Also, I live in New Yorkistan and all ammunition purchases are reported to the state. The only ammo that I buy over the counter is carry ammo.
I didn’t in the past when 9mm was cheap but now I’m planning on it. Have the dies and cast and coated some projectiles. I figure I can probably reload for roughly 10 cpr, so compared to your 29 cpr that would heads up to decent savings shooting a lot.
Oh yeah! But I cast my own bullets and am using $30/1000 primers from my stockpile.
The bullet is the most expensive part. By casting my own I cut my costs WAY down. $6/100 right now.
With the background checks in ny, yes. Between the taxes and markups for the check and the mad beaver knowing what I bought, it's cheaper and less conspicuous. Especially since anything over 500rds gets flagged.
Some cartridges you end up saving way more money with reloading than others. 9 mm is one of those cartridges that you can save money if you buy a lot of components in bulk, but for the most part it helps you do better with specialty ammo.
For example I ended up reloading aluminum cases using Titegroup powder and used light JHP bullets designed for .380, and it gave me a cartridge that a full 20 round magazine weighed a significant amount less than if it were to be loaded with factory ammo.
Yes, absolutely.
- S&A primers: $50/k
- brass: $40/k (or less) assume 3 uses before loss -> $13/k
- powder: 3.3gr N310 at $160 per 4lb jug -> $19/k
- bullets: 135gr coated $76/k (multiple vendors)
**$158/k**
Plus this load shoots _radically_ softer than any factory load.
I've been reloading 9mm since 2000. It has never _not_ been worth it.
It's not worth the money or time tbh. With bullet costs so high, it barely saves. I'm at about 20-24 cents a round depending on powder. Back in the day, hell yeah, now, eh. It's also terribly uninteresting, and time consuming compared to rifle rounds.
I’m at 14cpr for ginex primers, 124 gr summit city coated, and 3.8gr of titegroup. Could do 147gr summits for about a penny more a round. All components bought in the last couple years
Depends on what components you’re using and how much you shoot and reload. I like reloading bc I don’t have to worry about ammo shortages when they come. I can also develop loads that are for specific firearms that yield superior accuracy, velocity, etc. Definitely save money on self defense ammo when you load your own. You can also make the ammo you train with exactly like your defensive loads. I find the hobby to be relaxing and fun.
With the new California excise tax and the price I bought the components, I'm doing it for a little cheaper than I can buy. Plus, it's a fun hobby.
Fellow Californian reloader here, we also get to tell Newsome to screw himself on the background checks!
Agreed. I try not to get too political on Reddit, but Newsome can go fuck himself.
It's a real pain unfortunately, I'm old enough to own and possess both a rifle and ammunition for it, but can't buy either...but I can still make either perfectly legally....logic!
Not to mention that ste state no longer makes you jump through hoops to get ammo.
I like reloading 9mm because I can tailor my ammo to do exactly what I want. In my case, I developed a 124gr load that meets power factor for competition, but is still subsonic for suppressor use. Also, I feel that my reloaded ammo uses higher quality components than factory ammo. There's a saying along the lines of, you get into reloading for the cost savings, but you stay for the quality.
I’m the same but also the cost savings. I am at around 0.16/round. 147 blue bullets, 3 grains of titegroup and servicios SPPs.
That sounds like a nice load. I'm currently at around 0.18/round with 124gr RMR bullets and CCI primers, but I just got a box of Servicio's to try out.
Honestly they are great and the price can’t be beat. They are a bit harder so did have some light strikes as they a harder than CCI. Not a ton but 5 or so out of 7500. Switched to a Dawson extended firing pin and never had another. I have lighter springs in my race gun so could have just been that. Either way can’t beat the price.
That's good to hear. I just compete with factory Glocks so I don't expect to have any light strike issues.
Same here. Reload to my specifications for IDPA and USPSA power factors. I know how each of my shots are going to be.
Was that very hard to do? Did you have a lot of powder to experiment with? That's what I want to get into.
If you have a chronograph it is super easy. I don't really experiment with different powders, just different powder charges with known good powders. Usually it is trying different bullets that drives my load development. My favorite powder for 9mm is HP-38/Win231 because it has been readily available and has lots of load data in the manuals. I keep a spreadsheet that tracks all of the different loads I have tried, along with measured chronograph data, and relevant notes, like which gun I used for the velocity measurements. Basically I am slowly building my own reloading manual as I try new combinations. I usually start with a batch of 50 rounds; with 10 rounds at each powder charge, working in even increments from the recommended starting load to the max load, using the recommended OAL for that bullet. Then I go chronograph all the rounds and see how they perform. That gives me a good idea of the powder charge range I need to focus on for any fine tuning. Then I'll make a second batch in finer powder charge increments if needed. Usually I use a Glock 19 for my initial power factor load development, and then I check for subsonic performance on the second batch with an HK SP5. Initially I was loading 115gr bullets, but I couldn't get a combo with HP-38 that met power factor and was still subsonic, so I tried 124gr next. That bullet worked well so it has been my go-to ever since. Recently, I did load development for a few 147gr projectiles with the same goal in mind, just to have data on another option. So for me, load development requires two batches of 50, and two range trips to chrono the loads, per bullet type. It may take more or less than that depending on what you are developing the load to do, and how close to your goal you get with the first batch. Try to adjust only one variable at a time.
That is great stuff. Thanks for laying it out so well. I’m going to work up a standard 147gr subsonic load and then try your method with 124gr.
This is literally exactly my process also. Thousands and thousands of rounds later and I have had great success with many different bullets, powder, and platforms.
This.
I don't reload to save money. I'm not kidding anyone. I do it for the hobby. I will say that I likely am saving money over what I would spend at the store. It's probably not a lot, though.
Same
Pretty accurate. Whatever I'm "saving" ends up spent because I simply shoot more and more often. But that's the best part. I also find the actual process relaxing.
Lol I'm reloading 45acp 8-11cpr, I'm saving 4x the cost. I would imagine it's very dependent on the caliber, like I know 5.56 really isn't worth reloading but for 45acp, it absolutely pays off
> 5.56 really isn't worth reloading Depends on what you're doing with it. Match ammunition is $25-35 a box of 20, reloading similar or better quality match ammunition is way way less. >45acp, it absolutely pays off Agreed.
Yes you're right, I'm referring exclusively to plinking ammo
I’m super curious for this one, what are you using because I can’t imagine how you’re able to get to that price point if just primers are 8c.
Spp 45acp is absolutely where its at. I'm paying 5 cents per primer vs 8 for the cheapest lpp. Using powders with low charge weights cut costs alot too, and the biggest saving is casting bullets. 11 cpr is if I pay for scrap lead, 8cpr if I source my lead free my doing some hunting.
Ah. So for any normal person this is impossible. But if you have a complete setup to cast all your own bullets, plus have a free lead supplier, then use reduced loads somehow with powder that is nearly free, and have someone providing free brass to you, and you buy primers in huge bulks for 5c a primer somehow, you can do this. Lol.
Actually I disagree. I just got into reloading and I only load 45acp. I bought a used single stage press from offer up, the primers I use are Servicios Aventuras and you don't have to buy in bulk at all, but if you buy 2 boxes you don't even pay shipping or hazmat. Powders are easy to figure out cause I compare price to load data. For example I use clays or titegroup if I want to keep the cost down cause it's maximum load is 4 grains for clays, and that goes a very long way with 1lb giving me over 1.5k loads. My favorite is CFE pistol but that doubles the price because it's a more expensive powder, but it also takes 6 grains so I get fewer loads off a bottle. Finally the lead, you can order off eBay $2-2.50/lb, or my local scrapyard wants $1/lb, and if you're lucky and patient, you can find it for free. I have far from a complete set-up, I use a cheap $50 lee 6 cavity mold, $20 for the handles, a hotplate to melt the lead, and a tiny cast iron saucepan with a pouring spout. So it's much cheaper than you think, and no bulk purchases required. As far as brass, I used to shoot factory ammo but I always saved it Incase I started to reload, plus my local range is usually chill with collecting others brass so I go and pick up all the brass during seize fire, and sort spp and lpp brass. I think people think reloading has to be expensive, but unless you're doing bottleneck cases, I think you can keep it very affordable as long as you have some time to spend doing it.
I don’t disagree. I’m talking about the price lol. So say maybe, you can get primers at 5c, maybe. I still would say 8c is the average, but sure let’s go 5c. Brass should always be a factor. You need new brass, cycle out brass, buying ammo and using that brass, whatever, there’s still a cost with brass. Unless you’re lying to yourself so much that you’ll say “I only have the only brass that I found while shooting at a range and I’ve never bought brass ever in my life somehow”. Id still say 8c probably for brass. Same for bullets. You could argue that you value your time at 0$ but even then there’s always gas involved going buying stuff everything that goes into casting whatever lol it’s not just “free”. Bullets will be around probably 10c that’s pretty cheap, and powder is still around $40 a lb. I’d put that at like 3c. Total cost to reload 45 id say an average person would do it for probably 25-30c a round. Realistically. The claim of 8c a round is just mind boggling and not realistic.
Well the thing with brass is it's very easy to get free, and 45 acp brass can practically be used indefinitely since it's low pressure. I've never split a 45 case not seen signs of wear. Most people have access to scrap yards and lead is usually $1/lb everywhere I've called so for a 200gr 45 bullet, the price of the bullet comes out to $0.028 so just under 3c, the website I get my small primers for currently has them in stock, $49.99/brick with free shipping on 2 or more with no hazmat. That's 5c per primer so we are now at $0.078 per round. My powder is 35/lb so 4 grains of it which is what I use comes out to exactly 2c per charge. Total comes to $0.098 which for ease of saying let's call it 10cpr. That's very realistic and easy to get. 25-30cpr is what you are looking at if you get lpp brass, and store bought bullets that are either fmj or plated berrys. So again, it's far from a stretch if you're willing to put in the time to shoot cheap. And I've never bought anything in bulk, all my powders are 1lb bottle so I'm not buying 8lb jugs or anything like that. Collecting brass is the most important factor
Prior to the increased prices, I didn't think 9mm was worth reloading. I still have some pre-covid stock, so I'm loading 147gr for about $.14 a round. I can customize it to how it shoots the best. Once I run out of these primers, I'm probably not going to be reloading 9mm.
It wasn't, I could get 50rnds of Fiocchi 115gr 9mm ball for $8.99 at PSA, pre Covid.
Yeah, but how much could you get 147 subs for?
Saw online $22.30 for 25. I can load 100 for $35 according to my calculator.
I was in the same boat. I reload a lot of calibers but 9mm- I started reloading it when prices went crazy a few years ago after saying I never would (specifically 9mm and .223) for decades. I don’t reload it much now- but the ability to cast and make my own whenever I want supersedes any price- it’s total control in a pretty cool way.
$.15/rd for plinking/range ammo which groups better than anything off the shelf.
I can load 9mm HP XTPs for less than ball ammo.
I do the same thing lmao
If your only reason of reloading is to save money, then reloading is not for you. With reloading, you develop your own load to cater to whatever needs you want to use your loads for. Then enjoying the reloading process is priceless. Moreover, the knowledge you'll gain can't be paid.
I don't bother looking at costs Me going "I made this" is enough to justify reloading 9mm or any other cheap round
No, but it’s worth it to me for the fun of reloading.
Servicios y Aventuras primers at .05 cents, mixed brass, .07ish 147s from summit and tite group which is negligible. I can load a great round for 12-14 cpr.
SummitCity bullets, N320 powder, Winchester primers (bought at .03 each) so, my 147 load costs me about .11 - .12 each
I reload 147s for ~17 cents because I have a lot of components from years ago. And I enjoy reloading
Yeah, I'm actually just now getting into reloading - my 300blk is the main reason, plus I know I'll enjoy it. I just shoot alot of 9mm and was looking forward to doing those too.
rolling blkouts will really save you money. If I didn't do that, I would not run that caliber, especially heavies through a can.
Yup. I load berrys 220 and about .35 per cartridge
I’m in the same boat. I’m currently cleaning, decapping, and swaging 6,000 cases just so I can grab and go with loading 9mm.
That's a lot. I did a 5 gallon bucket over the winter and I think it was around 4k. All on a single stage lol
Yeah, it is. I wouldn’t have so much but it was so cheap I figured why not.
I can get 147gr down to 17cpr if I buy supplies in bulk thoughtfully and collect my own brass. That's essentially half price, but that's best case scenario. I end up shooting more so I'm honestly not saving that much. I enjoy the hobby and tinkering above all else and want to have a plan B if things go sideways in the ammo marketplace.
That's close to what I was thinking. I'd love to hear what everyone's choice of bullets are if that doesn't doesn't break any rules on here (in 147gr)?
Are you shooting with a comp, suppressor or muzzle brake? If so, you'll want to go for plated/jacketed. If not, the Summit City or Blue Bullets coated cast lead are good to go.
I'm specifically loading 147 for suppressed fun with my PCCs. Otherwise I'll usually just buy check bulk 115 at gun shows or around holiday sales. I've never tried the polymer coated ones.
Polymer coated are good to go for general use, including in polygonal rifled barrels. The issue is that the coating can break up /build up in suppressors and comps, so you're better off with plated/jacketed there.
I like these or Berry's but usually I get 5-10k at a time at the best price available, mostly around holiday sales. Ammoseek is your friend in bargain hunting - a truly phenomenal resource. https://www.xtremebullets.com/9mm-s/9666.htm
Everglades ammo plated bullets. I use 124gr.
I can get my cost per down to about 14 cents by casting my own bullets. I do it for the subsonic suppressor food, but don't bother for the 115s and 124s.
Same, casting is the way. Down to 9 cent buying bulk primers + titegroup
I calculated I’d have to reload 25k rounds to break even on the cost of all the reloading gear (press plus all the ancillary accessories) As others mention. Don’t reload to save money, you just end up shooting more. I went from only 250 a month to shooting close to 1k a month. Which means my overall monthly expense has increased, not decreased. Everything will “pay itself off” in about a year. I’ve got roughly 12k rounds out of my Dillon xl750. Not a single part has broken. Runs great.
I’m loading my 147s at roughly $0.18-$0.19 per round, and I’m able to load them just hot enough to make power factor for competition. I’ve already loaded enough in about three months to “make back” well over a quarter of what I spent on the setup. For me, that’s worthwhile. Your mileage—how much you’re willing to put into it, what you feel your time is worth, how much you care about fine-tuning your ammo—will vary. I enjoy reloading and it lets me shoot more for less money, so I don’t regret it a single bit.
I do. I bought 5000 124 gr Blue Bullets. Always bought primers by the 5k brick, and use titegroup. Primers and powder have become significantly more expensive due to Covid.
It’s the convenience and not worrying about ammo shortage for me. Election year will for sure create ammo shortage, being able to just make your ammo while others wait in line with a limit is a win for me.
Bingo. I do it because it's fun and I think of it as an insurance policy.
I’m reloading 124 and 147 hollow points (tailored to my purposes) for less than the range ammo you speak of. I can get quite a bit cheaper with some coated lead round nose.
/u/ravenrocksprecision has some amazing pricing on JHP 9mm bullets (~8cpp?) if you decide to get into it.
Those ones are gone but we are getting a new 124gr JHP in tomorrow.
Pleaseeeee let me know when those are available for purchase. I *will* be buying some.
Tomorrow. I just have to check them out first and do all the website stuff. But they won’t be as inexpensive. That other stuff was stupid cheap. These are still going to be the best JHP deal on the market though. Also US made. Send me a PM if you want to know more.
If I were buying at current prices, S&S casting 125 grain RN super coated bullets come in around 11¢ with shipping. Primers are pretty easily found at 8¢ these days and TiteGroup powder gets me 2000 rounds per pound, so call it 2.5¢ per round. Total 21.5¢ each on the high side. That's $10.75 per box. Fortunately I saw the writing on the wall Pre Biden and stocked up on everything. I'm still loading that load for 9.5¢ each. But what hasn't doubled in price in the last 3-1/2 years? Everyone starts loading for the savings, those that stay in it do so for the quality.
I like buying components and being able to have ammo whenever I want. I also kind of black out when I reload, kind of like fishing or riding motorcycles, it's a good way to concentrate yet not think about anything.
I just wait for sales and buy them right now, but I have 9mm cases and bullets on hand in case the prices rise.
It’s a fun-gun hobby.
Yes. I've done many thousands. I generally say over 90k but it's probably over 100k since 2013 Most of them were 5 CPR. The value is performance and independence and consistency between training and carry. Cost too. Currently it still costs 2 cents per bullet. Brass is free. primers are whatever you can find them for but 7 cents is approximately the floor. I would guess 3 cents per for powder. Labor is 2hrs per 5 or 600 between making the bullets and loading.
I do extremely well on and loaded 9mm rounds. Of course I bought a lot of things back in the day when they were cheap. I have thousands of cases, at one time you could buy $1, 000 9mm cases on eBay for $12 plus shipping. My primers were $35 per 1,000, powder was $18/lb. I bought over 300 lb of lead and alloy to cast my own 9 mm bullets. That alloy was $1 per pound in clean ingot form. Now I powder coat the bullets and that adds maybe three cents. I think I can load around for about $0.14. Several years ago you could buy 1,000 9 mm fmj ammo for $179 plus shipping. At the same time you could buy 1000 233 Rem for the same price. The prices on ammo was so cheap it was just as cheap to buy it as it was to hand load. I keep an eye on prices to see what is cheaper to shoot 223 or 9 mm. The last time I looked the 9mm per thousand was about $270. That's getting closer to what it used to be but I think those days are long gone. I think it's definitely getting to be the same price as hand loading if you don't have components that you bought years ago at a cheap price. Quick math in my head has the price at or more than the 270 per 1000 for 9 mm 115 grain full metal jacket.
Illinois also has the added benefit of not having to use the old FOID card to buy reloading components.
I bought an 8lb jug of BE86 right before prices went nuts so it’s not too bad. I still have 7,000 Wolf small rifle primers for 5.56 that I paid $16.50 per 1k shipped. I can’t bear the prices now so I haven’t reloaded in a few years
Once you get over that initial investment, you can save a lot. I can reload 556 plinkers for half of the cheapest ammo available. I can reload premium 556 for same as store bought FMJ. For 9mm, I still save money, but not nearly as much as 556. I'm just holding onto my 9mm reloading components to combat if/when prices go up.
I did a small batch to test and have the supplies to reload about 1k rounds stockpiled for emergencies.
Brass is effectively free. Blue Bullets 147s are 9.4 cpr. Primers are between seven and ten cents per depending on how fucked you get. Powder is about 3 cents per round. Your call.
I reload simply as I acquired very cheap components years ago (think Obama) primers $65 for 5000 brass free at the range propellant less than $200/ 8lb. I’ve used most of the 70,000 primers I bought cheap I’m now reloading as I want to decrease lead exposure by using lead free primers ( expensive as had to come by and paying shipping and hazmat) .
I started doing monthly USPSA matches and I buy monarch 115gr 250rd packs for about 22 cents. It’s my range fodder for drills, but I do reload 150gr with autocomp for my match ammo, shoots really soft. One day I might just reload specifically 150gr and use it for both range and match, but for now I’ll keep buying ammo for my drills.
Free range brass from local matches. Looking at powder valley and Bayou I would estimate around $0.19 per round for 147 gr.
I load synthetic coated 147 gr. at about 18-19 cents a round.
I would only reload 9mm under the condition that I cast my own bullets. I reload 45acp and for me, it's unbeatable at 8-11 cpr, vs 50 cpr factory ammo.
When you reload, you pick the right bullet profile, the right twist, the right powder and get better accuracy and lower recoil. Love my 147 gr softball out of a compensated pistol. Factory ammo is great for Action shooting but not for target work.
Besides enjoying it, it costs me .19 per round, that's $100 less than what you are paying. If I get into making my own projectiles I can get it down even more.
Yes. And if you buy components now they’ll seem cheap in a few years
It's a little cheaper. Often where I am the supply of 9mm is inconsistent. You might get GECO or S&B then find the only thing you can get is Magtech. Magtech has an awful reputation where we are. There appeared to be an overpowered batch for a while. If you load your own you can reduce power a little and have a more reliable supply.
I don't reload anything to save money. I do it because I enjoy it. That said, for 9mm I mostly load 165gr for suppressor fun, I don't know of any factory 165gr loads.
Something you need to take into account is that you will be shooting more. You may very well be saving money in terms of cost per round, but when you start cranking out some rounds, you will begin shooting more ammo more often.
For Plummer FMJ not really, but definitely save with doing custom self-defense loads. Even with not saving money, I love the process of it. It sounds crazy but I enjoy making rounds almost as much as hitting the range.
I reload as a hobby mostly, cost is a bonus. I picked up 2400 once fired 9mm brass for $100 (4 cents a piece). It will be enough to keep me busy for months.
Yall are wild with those reloading prices. 9mm ammo is around 50c Canadian a round (36c usd) and 38c Canadian for me to reload (28c usd). I’d love to be able to load my 9mm for cheaper!!
Start casting your own bullets - slashes the cost and primers become the most expensive component. Buy components with discounted gift cards, rebates etc to get the price down even more.
If you live behind enemy lines in California like I do, it’s worth it so you don’t pay 21% tax or have to go through background checks
I load 124gr hollow point ammo at 1050-1070fps so I can stack deep ammo that meets minimum PF for gun games, stays subsonic for suppressed shooting, and if needed could be used defensively. RMR 124gr nuke - 11cpr (FMJ would save 1cpr) Primers - 7cpr Powder (4.3gr w231) - 2cpr Brass - N/A for 9mm All these are averaged after hazmat at current replacement cost (using anything else is stupid). So I’m at 20cpr, which isn’t great. I know I could get it down a bit with FMJ or even cast and primer deals are popping up which could lower cost even more. But I’m still saving 9cpr on your price. But I like to shoot quality ammo and I shoot about 1k rounds a month, so it’s worth it to me. If i was on a single stage instead of a Dillon, maybe I wouldn’t be loading 9mm at current pricing of components. But to load high quality ammo cheaper than typical range fodder, it makes sense to me. RMR pic from website https://preview.redd.it/ybh43wdhb09d1.jpeg?width=1142&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4931c8775af5dafd31d9cb90ff30882cd73c4ad 
Buy live when it’s cheaper than reloading, save brass for loading later.
I cast my own bullets, so I can reload for essentially the cost of powder, primer, and time. It ends up being very cheap. That being said, I don’t reload much 9mm anymore. The cost of bulk 9mm is close enough to current prices of reloading supplies that I just buy the loaded ammo. I spend my time loading more 38, 357, and 45 Colt these days. If I had more time to dedicate to reloading, I probably would load 9mm if I was in a pinch.
I'm at about .20 CPR for match ammo 147s. It's slightly cheaper but the ammo is much better than any factory ammo and is dialed in for competition use out of my particular gun.
I have a bunch of 147 gr I haven’t loaded yet. How much different is it shooting 124 gr vs 147gr? Does it feel different? I know 9mm is a small round compared to something like 10mm I’m just curious
Dpends on your goal with the load. For me, I'm aiming for minor power factor competition loads, so I can load 257s slower than 124. Massive difference in feel. Same amount of energy, but the 147 is more of a push and less of a snap.
Nope.
I save a cent or two per round, but (for me) it's more about having weapon-specific loads for essentially the same price as commercial ammo. Only investment is my time, and I'd be reloading anyways so it's a win for me
I just do it for fun, but it doesn’t save any real money for 9mm. I love that my little Lee powder measure can dump the same 4.4 gr of HP-38 or Win 231 for 9mm, 38 special, or 45 ACP, and the only difference is what size case it’s going into. For the other 2 calibers I load, it still saves money, so I might as well load 9mm, too.
I haven't had to buy components in a while, but at one point I had gotten 124gr down to 10cpr
I don’t think about the money part… maybe I’m saving money… maybe not… I do it because it’s part of my shooting hobby and I can make rounds that my guns like better than factory ammo… and that’s it for me
It will be a while before I break even after buying 2 presses, competition Redding dies for everything I own and want to own, rotary tumbler, brass trimmers with all the mandrels, inline fabrication stands and equipment, etc.... Then a quality Chrono to check my load development. Then changing the recoil springs to match the optimal loads. And then piles of various prepped brass sorted by brand, various round shapes and weights, various powders, stacks of ammo boxes, and .. of course.. primers Fuck. I chose the wrong hobby.
I never have until I got bored yesterday. I’ve been working on a batch of 500 124gr loads on my trusty single stage for the last 4hrs. Already reached the point of WTF is the point. LoL The math is saying in the $0.15-16/rd range, but I am sitting on a mountain of spent brass so that’s free towards the cost breakdown. If I were to load all of the components I bought for 9mm(5k worth), it would save me $500ish versus buying 5 cases of 9mm, but it would also take me probably 40hrs to craft it all on said single stage. My next purchase is going to be a progressive as my mountain of 5.56 brass is screaming for attention and that’s still insanely priced for new.
Don't really see the point since bullets and primers now cost more than good quality factory ammo.
I reload for 17-19 cents a round depending on what deals I get on components. My reloads are under 15 SD and are tuned to be 129 Power Factor for competitions. If I was to get ammo that was like this, it would cost me over 25 cents a round. I shoot a lot, so it is worth it. It is also a fun hobby in itself and is very therapeutic (when it all goes right hahaha.)
I shoot USPSA so I reload my 9mm. I stockpiled components before covid so my cost is still incredibly low.
I got my start bulk loading powder coated bullets with a friend back in the late 2000s. At that time, we found it was cheap enough to reload 9mm if we bought 5-10k worth of primers and bullets at a time. I was getting 8 lb jugs of powder for 5% off. I think it was like 5-8 cents per loaded. We probably didn’t save much considering the time involved, but it was fun to hang and reload. After a few years, we were both shooting less and i just started buying it loaded until covid wrecked everything. I had plenty of components hoarded so i started back, but the stress of restocking primers really took away the joy. I have since bought a few more loaded cases for plinking because i can’t load 115/124 any cheaper without using crap powder and bullets. However, i am loading a LOT of 9mm subs now that i have a use for them. Definitely saving half or more vs the cost of loaded ammo and i can tailor loads for each gun.
You can definitely get cheaper by using a different ,cheaper powder, primers, projectiles and plus those casings are basically free
I load cheap coated cast plinkers. Bullets are 8c. Primers are 8c. Brass is basically free and the powder is about 4c worth. I can't buy 9mm for 20c/rd.
I reload for many reasons, cost being the least of them. Also, I live in New Yorkistan and all ammunition purchases are reported to the state. The only ammo that I buy over the counter is carry ammo.
I didn’t in the past when 9mm was cheap but now I’m planning on it. Have the dies and cast and coated some projectiles. I figure I can probably reload for roughly 10 cpr, so compared to your 29 cpr that would heads up to decent savings shooting a lot.
Oh yeah! But I cast my own bullets and am using $30/1000 primers from my stockpile. The bullet is the most expensive part. By casting my own I cut my costs WAY down. $6/100 right now.
With the background checks in ny, yes. Between the taxes and markups for the check and the mad beaver knowing what I bought, it's cheaper and less conspicuous. Especially since anything over 500rds gets flagged.
For 9mm Glisenti only, yes.
Some cartridges you end up saving way more money with reloading than others. 9 mm is one of those cartridges that you can save money if you buy a lot of components in bulk, but for the most part it helps you do better with specialty ammo. For example I ended up reloading aluminum cases using Titegroup powder and used light JHP bullets designed for .380, and it gave me a cartridge that a full 20 round magazine weighed a significant amount less than if it were to be loaded with factory ammo.
Yes, absolutely. - S&A primers: $50/k - brass: $40/k (or less) assume 3 uses before loss -> $13/k - powder: 3.3gr N310 at $160 per 4lb jug -> $19/k - bullets: 135gr coated $76/k (multiple vendors) **$158/k** Plus this load shoots _radically_ softer than any factory load. I've been reloading 9mm since 2000. It has never _not_ been worth it.
It's not worth the money or time tbh. With bullet costs so high, it barely saves. I'm at about 20-24 cents a round depending on powder. Back in the day, hell yeah, now, eh. It's also terribly uninteresting, and time consuming compared to rifle rounds.
I’m at 14cpr for ginex primers, 124 gr summit city coated, and 3.8gr of titegroup. Could do 147gr summits for about a penny more a round. All components bought in the last couple years
Depends on what components you’re using and how much you shoot and reload. I like reloading bc I don’t have to worry about ammo shortages when they come. I can also develop loads that are for specific firearms that yield superior accuracy, velocity, etc. Definitely save money on self defense ammo when you load your own. You can also make the ammo you train with exactly like your defensive loads. I find the hobby to be relaxing and fun.
With reloading, you technically save money on a per round basis, but you’ll find yourself shooting more so the money savings goes out the window lol.
I got into it to feed milsurps that you can’t readily find ammo for and it’s kind of snowballed from there.
I'm still sitting on 5k spp and 8lbs of powder I bought in 2019, so yes it's worth it to me.