Reloading 9mm in Canada---worth it?

C

corsara

Regular
Rating - 100%
32   0   0
Location
Southern Ontario
Hi,

Please forgive me, I am sure this has been asked/discussed before, but for some reason I couldn't find anything (poor search keywords I guess?! )

So, I am a beginner, completely clueless.. is reloading 9mm worth it? How much does it cost you?

I appreciate your replies!
 
There has been a few discussions on this, and the census seems to be that it is cheaper to reload 9mm than to buy factory rounds.
For me, I find that I just can't be bothered and would rather buy a box and go shooting,especially when you can find a box of CCI for between 11 to 13 bucks.
For some people though, it's the act of reloading that is enjoyable,creating your own ammunition sounds fun to me, I just don't have the time. Maybe one day though.
 
The cheapest I can reload 9mm for is $130/K

The chepest I can buy 9mm for is $190/K plus $35/K shipping (factory re-loads.... not new ammo).

I use a Lee 1000 (cause I'm cheap), So far not a hiccup. I don't "like" to reload..... I do it cause I can't afford to shoot unless I do.

My current costs brake down like this;
1000 Primers $29
1000 124gr LRN (cactus plains) $75
3/4lb powder (current load is 4.3gr) $22

For a total of $126/K

I have a TONN of 9mm brass so I didn't include the brass in the total, but factor in $35/K for used 1xf brass, then divide that by 20 (thats how many reloads you should be able to get) and add that to the total.

A new lee 100 will run you $250 (site sponsor) so it will take about 3000 to 4000 rounds to realise the savings from loading 9mm.

Yes it makes a differeance to reload 9mm over buying factory ammo. Why pay $13 for a box of 50 when you can reload 100 for the same money?

My $.02
Cheers!
 
Short answer - it is worth it if you shoot lots. Many people and me included use plated bullets and it comes to about $16/100rds if you load your own. But having invested into decent press helps a ton and means you need $600+ for setup. Personally, I paid for my setup after loading 3K rounds, that I go thru in 2 months if I stretch it.
If you cast your own lead bullets from lead scraps, it may get as low as $6-7 per 100rds.

Disclamer: I take into account taxes, bullet lube, power bill and so on...
 
For myself it is well worth it... We have two places in town that carry it and it was about 22.00 per box after tax the last time I bought.

I reload 124gr jacketed for 9.25/box and my own cast for 4.00 per box for consumeables. The downside is that you have to put out a few hundred to get started and a bit more if you get into casting but it is another part of the shooting hobby to enjoy. Cast is not a good idea if you are a Glock shooter with a factory barrel but I have had no problem with jacketed in my G17.

It comes down to the cost of ammo in your area and if you want to spend the time and money to get into reloading. It has been said before that you won.t save a lot of money but you will shoot a lot more.

The added bonus is loading other ammo is easy once you get started, just buy the dies primers, small parts, and powder for the new round and get reloading

Everything I shoot except rimfire is reloaded rifle, pistol, and shotgun.

Cactus
 
I was curious so i went to the cost calculator and my 9mm loads worked out to $7.26 for fifty and $8.33 for fifty in 9mm major. Still a fair bit less than a box of factory here at $16-18 for the cheap stuff.
 
Reloading 9mm is roughly half the cost of the cheapest factory ammo. Besides the cost saving, you never have to worry about your local ammo shop having what you want in stock. The last time I considered buying factory ammo, my local gun shop only had Remington 115 gr. JHP for $25 a box. I shook my head and walked out.
 
I can now buy Canadian BDX for 280$ bought from a local distributor.

Now if someone was starting out gathering components now this is about what it would cost.

Brass 25.00$ (If you do not have a ton of it then you have to get some)
Bullets 110.00 (80$ plus tax plus shipping)
Powder 28.00 (shipped taxed hazmat)
Primers 45.00 Shipped)

Grand total 208$ There is a saving but it is modest compared to other cartridges, whether its worth it is up to you. You can cast for greater savings.
 
Hmm, I bought primers from WSS for under $40/1000 after tax.
Brass can and should be collected free of charge at the range.
Powder should be no more than $21/LB after tax.
Bullets will vary; I usually pay ~$110/1000pcs after tax (and shipping if it applies).
Try to buy cheaper powder that requires low (e.g. 4gr r less) charges per round.
 
When I first started reloading I bought 1000 aim bullets so I could start reloading 9mm... To date I probably have 950 left... It's not that it's not worth reloading 9mm it's just that I would rather spend my time reloading more expensive calibres such as .45acp or 357mag and just go out and buy 9mm. I also find that the smaller casings are harder to handle while switching between stages. I use a Lee single stage and it takes me about 30 minutes to reload 50 so I spend what little time I have reloading on the expensive stuff. On a good note if we have another ammo shortage then I've got 950 9mm ready to be reloaded.
 
It's worth it just for the availability.

In my little town (even though I don't have anything in 9mm) you can't get any. Hell even in Moncton it's your best guess if Better Buy will have any.
 
Depends on what your time is worth and how much you're shooting. If you shoot a LOT well then the 'small' savings become magnified and if you simply don't have time to reload then the 'small' costs of remanufactured ammunition is similarly magnified. After you figure that out, the answer is clear.:yingyang:
 
tgt40 said:
Depends on what your time is worth and how much you're shooting. If you shoot a LOT well then the 'small' savings become magnified and if you simply don't have time to reload then the 'small' costs of remanufactured ammunition is similarly magnified. After you figure that out, the answer is clear.:yingyang:
Click to expand...

Very true. Plus i shoot a lot of 9mm. As for a person's time, that's not an issue for me and trust me when i say this. We have long winters in the Yukon.
Reloading becomes another hobby.:D
 
It is worth it if you shoot lots...

Or if you want to tinker with the loads. Cost is a big factor, but so is being able to reload a round that works best in the gun. That is what has always driven me to reload: matching a round to the gun AND application.
 
If it takes you 6 hours to load 9mm its not worth it. Work those 6 hours extra at your job, or get a second one and work it. You'd be further ahead. But if you need to reload due to specific needs for your gun, well I guess its worth it then. I load 2000 in an hour typically, I hate it the entire time I'm doing it. But when you shoot 50-60,000 a year and your guns need you to load to certain power factors and such, you need to do it.
If I shot 100 a week I'd just buy my ammo.
 
I got into reloading out of necessity... because I decided to get into the "dark side" of gun collecting and bought a bunch of antique guns for which ammo hasn't been made in well over a century. That implied not only reloading for those types of guns, but also creating my own custom ammo (adapting casings, researching experimental loads & even casting my own bullets sometimes).

While I'm at it, I can also reload my modern stuff too, so I manage to pretty much hit two birds with one stone. I'd go as far as saying that reloading and casting have opened my eyes so much that it quadrupled my pleasure of owning and shooting firearms. Now, I firmly believe that no one deserves the title of a 'firearm enthusiast' as long as they haven't made their own ammo, lol! And it's not even a question of money...

:cool:

P.S. Learning to reload is a fast process for anyone who's willing to put some effort into it. I've learned it on my time off in between two jobs and a full time university degree I was finishing last year... so it's definitely feasible with the minimum of effort and a decent reloading book. That, plus there's of course CGN which is a goldmine of info and of great & experienced people willing to help out.
 
I load 9mm to make a custom accurate load for each gun. usually 2 or more pistols like each laod, but I have not found a load they all like.

It is cheaper to make 9mm than to buy commercial relaods. But I buy commercial rlaods and see what guns like them, then load for the other guns. For 38 and 9mm the ammo is so cheap (about $9.00/50) that i would rather buy than load.
 
I am not that fast on the dillon 550. :p
Sure i could go faster, but need more tool heads. most of the time is setting up the damn dies. Plus i have not been loading for very long.
There is no gun shop in my town, and the one closest to me i can never make it to during his hours, and my work schedule, so reloading is the only way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom