Is it worth it to reload 9mm

I have been reloading for about 30 years as well as pouring my own bullets. All I can say is that for me it's well worth it. If I had to start out today at todays prices , I'm not so sure,but then again if you compair prices then to now it probably would work out the same. The only thing I know for sure is that stuff was more available back then.
 
I have found, particularily with 45, but nines as well that it's sometime difficult to get the same brand reliably. If they don't have it in stock and you have to buy a differant brand it can affect your point of aim. I reload for other calibers already so it's a no brainer, but to get all rigged out for reloading will set you back the cost of a couple of cases of 9mm ammo so it depends on how much you shoot. That said, once you get set up, you will almost certainly end up loading for other calibers
 
I started just, reloading 9mm, then I started casting my own 125 grain lead bullets. With using range brass I have my cost down to $2.92 a box of 50.
IMHO it is worth reloading!!
 
The price of a reloading set up is not that expensive in my mind, as it is something that will last possibly a life time. I enjoy reloading and enjoy saving some cash as well. It appears that it is quite easy to cut the price of 9mm in half by reloading. Along with the many other benefits of reloading. Not only will I then be able to shoot a lot more, my friends I bring out can have a lot of fun as well and not have to worry about the higher cost of factory ammo.
 
My IPSC match loads with Vit N320 and Frontier 147 grain plated bullets come to about $8 per box of 50. Using my cast practice bullets brings the price down to close to $3, not counting the electricity to power the melter, nor the propane to make the ingots. It's been so long that I've actually bought commercial 9mm, I don't even know what they cost anymore.

Edit: I should have said that those prices are based on components before taxes. Since that's variable depending on where we live, I figured I'd leave it out.
 
i guess ill chime in with my cost since i just last month got everything set up. i went with a hornady lnl ap since it didnt make sense to reload pistol rounds on something not a progressive

im into it for 703.20 according to my excel spread sheet, and i still need to buy a tumbler. i also got some extras like the rcbs lockout die as well so its a bit more than you have to spend but i figured ill get everything i need and the peace of mind is nice

ill be going with a stainless steel tumbler so thats another 250 added to the price
 
mmcintyre1220 said:
I know nothing about casting bullets. Never seen it done or anything. Were is the best place to get information on casting your own ? Also what is a average basic setup worth?
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I started with youtube videos and castboolits.com.

My basic setup (not counting the side burner salvaged from a broken barbecue) was around $40.00.
That was a steel serving ladle for stirring the lead $1, a stainless pot $1, a proper lead ladle for filling the molds $8 and a 9mm bullet mold which was around $30.00 with shipping. That is probably the least you could spend. The sky is the limit if you want all the nice stuff.

Oh, and a muffin tin to pour lead into for ingots. Another big $1 at the thrift store.
 
Boolitcaster said:
.....My basic setup (not counting the side burner salvaged from a broken barbecue) was around $40.00.
That was a steel serving ladle for stirring the lead $1, a stainless pot $1, a proper lead ladle for filling the molds $8 and a 9mm bullet mold which was around $30.00 with shipping. That is probably the least you could spend. The sky is the limit if you want all the nice stuff. Oh, and a muffin tin to pour lead into for ingots. Another big $1 at the thrift store.
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:D:cheers:

A man after my own heart. I spent a little bit more but you get the idea.
 
My recent startup costs came to $1300 to reload 9mm.
This is a lot of money, but even if I only ever use it to load 9mm, which I won't, I will break even on the $1300 late 2013.
After that I save money every batch for the next ___ years.. the sooner a person starts, the sooner the savings will be realized :)
 
I enjoy reloading for whatever calibers I have. Maybe someday I will try factory ammo but presently it's foreign to me. Never fired a factory round other than rimfire. All reloads with cast bullets.

When crunching numbers the only spot where pretty much everyone will go wrong is the comparison of factory ammo per 50 to reloads per 50. If new 9mms are $15 for 50 and reloads are $3.50-9.00 per 50 you will still spend $15 at the range that day but will just shoot more rounds and have more fun :)

It's like homemade wine making...at $12-15 wine store prices for a bottle of table wine you tend to only open what you need, while homemade can be as low as $3.00 a bottle so during a party who really cares if 5 bottles are opened that night :)

Enjoy
 
mmcintyre1220 said:
I know nothing about casting bullets. Never seen it done or anything. Were is the best place to get information on casting your own ? Also what is a average basic setup worth?
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The best online "book" resource I know of is "From Ingot to Target: A Cast Bullet Guide for Handgunners". It's free and can be found here. I wouldn't bother asking any questions about bullet casting on the Cast Boolits forum until you read everything there twice. You may also find the book "Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook" useful as well. Watch a few YouTube videos of folks making bullets and melting wheel weights for ingots.

All that said, making your own bullets is a lot easier than a lot of people make it out to be. To start off with a 20 pound electric melting pot and a 4 or 6-banger bullet mold with implements, you're realistically looking at spending about $150 to start with the hobby.
 
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