Cost of reloading 9mm

Cocked&Locked

Cocked&Locked

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A friend was asking what it cost to shoot 9mm reloads compared to WWB at 13.50 a box. Of course, I know it's cheaper, but I've never done the math. I figure someone out here must have....anyone know what it costs to shoot 9mm reloads with lead or plated bullets?
 
When I reloaded for my 9mm it varied on what type of bullet used. However, it still worked out cheaper than factory rounds. The cheapest 9mm factory ammo I could find at the time was $15 per 50 rounds. So reloading for me paid off, half price of factory ammo and sometimes not even half.
100 rounds of 115gr FMJ cost me $15
100 rounds of 124gr FMJ cost me $15
100 rounds of 130gr lead cost me $9.80
100 rounds of 145gr lead cost me $9.40
It also made a difference (but only pennies) on what powder was used. I stuck with Unique, Bullseye, Win 231, U-Clays & Titegroup.
 
You need 3 components , primers, powder & heads . Primers at say $ 25.00m equals 2.5 cents. Powder about the same ( depending upon brand ).
So 5 cents plus the head which can vary depending upon lead, copper jacket and where you buy them & quantity bought.
I have reloads on hand but I think when they are gone I may just buy WWB and spend my time reloading another caliber. Nice to shoot, accurate, clean burning & I wind up with clean once fired cases to put away just in case.
 
Cost of reloading vs "Store Bought"

..... There are a lot of variables when it comes to "re-loading costs" .... how carefully you shop, free brass, cast vs jacketed rounds. Then there's the fun/challenge factor, how do you cost that into the equation ? As a "ball park figure" I usually work off half the cost being a safe figure. If one were to cast your own bullets, once the cost of the equipment was amortized, it's probably well less than half the cost. ....... one problem with re-loading, is that one tends to go shooting more often. much more often, than if you had to go to the store and buy a box here and a box there ! ..... David K. ....:canadaFlag:
 
1lb of titegroup is $26
1000 FMJ = $72
1000 primers $30

my 9mm loads use 4.0gr of powder, so this is ( $26/7000=.003)X4= $.012 of powder per round.
bullets $72/1000= $.07
primers $30/1000= $.03

so each round I load costs me (.012+.07+.03)= 11 cents.
So then $.11 X 50 ( number in a box of factory)= $5.50.

1000 rounds costs $5.50X20= $110.$110 for 1000 rounds.... might take 3-4 hours to load them.

And if you look at my initial cost to buy all the material, you might have noticed that my numbers dont add quite right. it costs $128 to buy enough stuff to reload 1000 rounds, but I end up with enough extra powder for 750 additional rounds.
(7000gr/4.0)=1750.
as this continues, you will end up with enough powder that you only have to buy bullets and primers....

And what did you say factory White box goes for? $13?! yikes. I can make 118 rounds for that price....
 
I'm just gearing up to start reloading 9mm but my calculated costs are close to what many have posted here. 25.00 for a pound of Titegroup, 30.00 for 1000 small pistol primer and 80.00 for 1000 124g FMJ bullets, at 4.2 grains per round (estimated for discussion only-NOT FROM A RELOADING MANUAL) it'd be about 6.25 for 50 rounds.

Here's a link to a reloading cost calculator:
http://www.handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp
 
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Unless you are able to use someone elses reloading gear you should factor in the start up costs as well . There are some not too expensive set ups and some real spendy stuff. Once I got started reloading I found it an interesting side of the firearm sport. You get to try out many more load variations than you can buy in a box. It is cost effective if you shoot a lot:D :D
 
Figure that most start up costs will not pay for themselves in handgun ammo until you have reloaded a fair number of rounds.

Using a conservative savings of $10 per 100 rounds of 9mm
Single stage presses at $150 = 1500 rounds
Dies @ $40 = 400 rounds
Misc extras (Tools etc) @ $60 = 600 rounds
So you are looking at 2K reloaded rounds before you break even.
With a dillon 650 for example you spend upwards of 1200 (at $10 per 100 rounds that's 12000 rounds).
Time is were the payoff is.
Single stage presses: 30-50 rounds per hour (2000 rounds @ 50/hour = 40 hours labour)
Turret presses: 80-200 rounds per hour
Progressives: 200-800 rounds per hour (13000 rounds @ 500/hour = 26 hours labour)

You go to rifle calibers and you save even more...

Add in costs for tumblers, multiple dies, etc etc..... You get the picture.
 
Reloading costs

If you can view reloading as a hobby and pleasant pastime, labour costs don't really count as much.
Saying that, over the past forty years, with casting my own bullets, I've shot my handguns for less than the cost of .22 RF's.
 
Primers are $33 per thousand
FMJ are $72 per thousand
Cast are $68 per thousand
1 lb of unquie is $29 and good for about 1300 rds

Plus tax that works out to roughly $155 for 1,000 FMJ

Store bought is about $215 per thousand plus tax
 
I look at it this way...I get to do something involved with my hobby..(shooting)..I also get to save money, and make even more rounds for less than factory prices....in turn shoot more, I am in the basement where my wife does not venture:D ...I have peace and quiet for an hour or so Sunday mornings or nights! You also learn alot more about your shooting sport, than you would just buying factory rounds all the time.
 
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