Is 9mm worth reloading??

Etruett said:
I’ve mostly been loading coated lead which run fine and for Target And plate shooting suits the need great.
just got in a 3360 round package of 125 gr from Hoosier Bullets and it was $240 shipped. Works out to about .07 each. @BatteryOaksBilly and myself have found them to shoot good. have also had good luck with Brazos Precision For coated lead. If you want plated or fmj, Xtreme has been running a few promotions around .10-.11 each but not including shipping
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Yeah I am at $242 for 3000 shipped for FMJ RMR 124GR but like I said I have to wait 8-12 weeks to get them. I have about 7000 on hand so I am not in a rush. Basically what I have been doing is place and order and once it shows up I place another one. This keeps a steady stream of bullet coming in. I might give Hoosier a try.

Have you run their 230gr 45 ACP?
 
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GoWolfpack said:
Over my time on this forum I have learned that reloading is not a hobby for people who want to save money. It's a hobby for people who love keeping records.


Of course if you want to shoot anything other than 115 grain bullets or you need to meet a power factor for competition or some other specific thing reloading makes sense. That's true for 40 and 45 too. I generally buy factory in those calibers too. See above about what my time is worth.


If all you're doing is cranking out stuff equivalent to the cheapest factory ammunition, reloading 9mm isn't financially justified, but there are plenty of other factors that could make it the right thing for you.
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I’d disagree, I started in order to cut costs, to avoid CA BS in regards to ammo and to tailor my rounds.

When I shoot 45 I shoot 200 SWC, typically not found on store shelves.

When I started with 9 it was cheaper than factory & I could load it to my & my guns liking.


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wvsig said:
When factory ammo was cheap I stopped reloading. I could get quality brass cased ammo for around $.17 a round delivered to my house. The $70 I could save by rolling my own was not worth the time so I just stashed my reloading supplies. In fact at the same time I was still buying reloading supplies cheap and stashing them as well. Now the the cheap factory ammo is gone I still have all my reloading supplies. All I have to get is bullet and I have source for those at about the same price I was paying. I play both sides against the middle.

Also the reality is that you do not save money reloading. You simply shoot more for the same $$$. Most people who shoot a lot have a certain amount of disposable income they use towards their hobby. If you save money per round shot most people simply shoot more or they buy more guns. If you have set aside $300 a month for your hobby then you will find a way to spend that $300 one way or the other.
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Good point, pre covid I was shooting 1,000 rounds a week - loading allowed me to feed the habit.


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steelciocc said:
For 9mm I mainly load for a suppressed MPX. 147s and VV N320 approximate famous Special K subsonic rounds. Although subs don’t cost any more to make most manufacturers charge more for them. So, in good times and bad it may make sense to reload “special” 9mm loads.
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This is the whole point of reloading to me - you can reload premium ammo for low cost
 
steelciocc said:
For 9mm I mainly load for a suppressed MPX. 147s and VV N320 approximate famous Special K subsonic rounds. Although subs don’t cost any more to make most manufacturers charge more for them. So, in good times and bad it may make sense to reload “special” 9mm loads.
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Actually I think that subs do cost the manufacturer more to make. They are heavier bullets and have less economy of scale because they sell a lot fewer of them than standard 115gr 9mm. If you have to breakdown the line and reset it up for a particular round all of that time translates to cost in down time and manpower. If the run is shorter there are less units to spread that cost over. It is not big material cost difference but the other associated costs with non-standard loadings are much higher per round. IMHO
 
wvsig said:
Yeah I am at $242 for 3000 shipped for FMJ RMR 124GR but like I said I have to wait 8-12 weeks to get them. I have about 7000 on hand so I am not in a rush. Basically what I have been doing is place and order and once it shows up I place another one. This keeps a steady stream of bullet coming in. I might give Hoosier a try.

Have you run their 230gr 45 ACP?
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I have not run any of the 45s from Hoosier but I've run their 115, 125 and 147 and never had a problem. I will tell you what impressed me about this little company. I bought several thousand of their 147 with the flat nose. When I opened the last bag of 500, there was a mixture of 124gr. Close to 150-160. Really wasn't a problem, but I did let the owner know just for his info. He replied immediately and told me I got a run right at a change over for bullets and no one caught it and apologized several times and told me he would send me some replacements. I told him it wasn't necessary that I could use the 124s and it was no big deal but just wanted him to be aware. About 3 days later I got a package with 500 147s to make up for the mistake. Now thats service especially when I was satisfied as it was. I've been sending him business ever since
 
simonp67 said:
I’d disagree, I started in order to cut costs, to avoid CA BS in regards to ammo and to tailor my rounds.

When I shoot 45 I shoot 200 SWC, typically not found on store shelves.

When I started with 9 it was cheaper than factory & I could load it to my & my guns liking.


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I also like the 200gr SWC. I have some I bought a long time ago from Missouri I believe and they sat on the shelf for a while. I really like to shoot them in my 45acp revolvers and 45 long colt revolvers as well. That is the the bullet I carry in my 2" Taurus 45LC Ultra Light. Loaded at around 850fps its snappy in the 2" UL but would be a mean bullet it it hit you.
 
I started reloading a long time ago. Figured i would be shooting for many years and initially saw it as cost savings over the long haul. About 10 years ago i realized the sense of stacking deep and started that. I've never had any problems during ammo shortages and many times been the only guy on the range. My gun club sells primers and powder for less than anywhere else I've seen, and I just started casting bluettes right before covid hit. Shooting is my primary hobby and do it often and reloading and preparation make this possible. 20201220_164904.jpg
 
Etruett said:
One thing that has me a little confused. Primes are out of sight, but bullets and powder hasn't taken the big jump yet. There are plenty of quality 9mm and 38 bullets out there and available for less than .10 each. Even at $100 per k on primers you can still load for less than .20 a round with picked up brass. Not too bad compared to what factory is going for.
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Same thing happened, more or less, back in 2012/2013. Primers were the first thing to disappear. But once the primers became available again, then pistol powders became scarce. People weren’t buying much powder at first, since they couldn’t find primers. I don’t remember bullets being that hard to find back then, but I think that is a whole different beast due to the manufacturing facilities needed to make the hazmat items.
 
Toprudder said:
Same thing happened, more or less, back in 2012/2013. Primers were the first thing to disappear. But once the primers became available again, then pistol powders became scarce. People weren’t buying much powder at first, since they couldn’t find primers. I don’t remember bullets being that hard to find back then, but I think that is a whole different beast due to the manufacturing facilities needed to make the hazmat items.
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Moral of the story, buy what is available when it’s available and priced reasonably. If someone is getting into reloading right now, buy the brass, Bullets & powder you need and as much as you need then some more, when the primers are available again stock up on those, continue to stock up on all components so you have a 1-2 year buffer next time this happens.


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wvsig said:
When factory ammo was cheap I stopped reloading. I could get quality brass cased ammo for around $.17 a round delivered to my house. The $70 I could save by rolling my own was not worth the time so I just stashed my reloading supplies. In fact at the same time I was still buying reloading supplies cheap and stashing them as well. Now the the cheap factory ammo is gone I still have all my reloading supplies. All I have to get is bullet and I have source for those at about the same price I was paying. I play both sides against the middle.

Also the reality is that you do not save money reloading. You simply shoot more for the same $$$. Most people who shoot a lot have a certain amount of disposable income they use towards their hobby. If you save money per round shot most people simply shoot more or they buy more guns. If you have set aside $300 a month for your hobby then you will find a way to spend that $300 one way or the other.
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The summer I was 21 I went to summer school instead of working, so I had very little/no money. My dad said I could shoot whatever ammunition I loaded from components he had already. So, with reloads being essentially free I shot more that summer than any year before or since. 100% reloads.

Now I have a job and money, but also a family and many more obligations. All I want is ammunition that goes bang, and I'm happy to let the folks at the Tulammo factory handle loading duties for me and pay their price.

I even bought factory 45 LC ammunition because it was a decent deal compared to my time investment required to load my own.

Id your tastes run more exotic than mine I don't blame you for reloading.
 
wvsig said:
Bullets are up about 10-20% depending where you are shopping for FMJ. Where are you seeing in stock 9mm for less than $.10 shipped? Also a lot of vendors are out of stock or backordered. I can backorder at RMR for $85 per thousand but you are prepaying and waiting 8-12 weeks. Which is what I am doing.
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Northeast Reloading has 124 grain plated 9mm for 8.3 cents per bullet if you buy 2000 bullets. These bullets are thicker plated than most, and I get them in 2-3 weeks.
 
I started reloading 12 GA for skeet, then Obama came into the picture. I too started to load 9mm, 45 colt and 45 acp. While everyone was waiting for Wal-Mart to get a shipment, I was reloading. Since then, I have build up reloading components and never have to worry about if, when or price if ammo any more. Last price I heard for 9mm was .70 a round. Even if you can find it. Just loaded 750 9mm the other day in just over 1.5 hours. Today I am loading another 1000. No shortage, no waiting 12 weeks. Just walk in the reloading room and load baby load!
 
Bullseye Baldee said:
I started reloading 12 GA for skeet, then Obama came into the picture. I too started to load 9mm, 45 colt and 45 acp. While everyone was waiting for Wal-Mart to get a shipment, I was reloading. Since then, I have build up reloading components and never have to worry about if, when or price if ammo any more. Last price I heard for 9mm was .70 a round. Even if you can find it. Just loaded 750 9mm the other day in just over 1.5 hours. Today I am loading another 1000. No shortage, no waiting 12 weeks. Just walk in the reloading room and load baby load!
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That's great but there is a false narrative in this tale. One could have done the exact same thing with factory loaded ammo. If people just bought when it was cheap and stored it they would not need to buy it today at inflated prices. The same mentality applies to factory loaded ammo. If I want to go shoot today I don't have to do anything but open up a box. OF course I have reloading supplies as well. :)

The other side is just like with factory ammo you can't buy primers, powder or bullets at 2019 prices right now. At some point if you keep shooting you will have to buy reloading supplies just like eventually most people will have to buy factory ammo at some point. I have never understood why reloaders think that their position is any different. Yeah you could cast your own bullet but you eventually need to buy primer and powder
 
But you forgot one thing about reloading. One can control recoil and reload for each firearm. When I started reloading 45 colt loads were .70 a round and I reloaded for .12 a round. Plus I do cast for certain rounds like 45 70 and can cast for 45 colt and acp. Also I load for 405 win, 348, and ,56,56. 9mm is just a bonus. So reloading isn't just for having ammo, it for loading ammo one cant find even if there isn't a buying spree. But if one plans ahead, one can have all the ammo they want......so you are right about that! Reloading is just another hobby, that supports my other hobby while saving big dollars!
 
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I buy all of it when I can get it for a decent price. Diversity works well in the investment world. Buy it cheap stack it deep and you can’t go wrong.
Ammo and reloading components will never be something you lose money on. It supplies your hobby, works for self defense, is great barter material, and gives you peace of mind.
I still shop for items even in these lean times. Deals are out there to be had if your willing to look. Shopping is entertainment to some extent. It’s like fishing and other hobbies. Sometimes you catch what you fish for and sometimes you get skunked.
It’s a great feeling to walk out of a store with a brick of small pistol primers for $30.00 or a box of .380 for $20.00 in today’s market. You also get to update fellow infidels on items they may need.
 
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