Very pleased with my 9mm reloads!

[ru44mag]

Just tested my reloads this morning. Flawless. I was afraid I could not reload auto loads that would function properly. No problems of any kind. Accuracy was no different from factory loads. 121 grain cast with 4.5 grains of Unique. I will stick with this. I know I'm not saving a lot of money reloading 9mm. Probably costing me $8 for 50 rounds. But, I plan to keep shooting even when ammo is hard to find. I am saving a lot of money on my revolver rounds and plan to start reloading .380 today. Besides, I have been enjoying spending a little time reloading.

 

[Leo]

Good Deal! There is nothing like the satisfaction of success. It is even better when you enjoy your labor. Stock up on supplies, and be happy for a long time. Saving $4 a box is no small thing either. Think of it as every third box is free.

 

[ru44mag]

Good Deal! There is nothing like the satisfaction of success. It is even better when you enjoy your labor. Stock up on supplies, and be happy for a long time. Saving $4 a box is no small thing either. Think of it as every third box is free.

My thoughts exactly!
I did recently find Perfecta 9mm for about $10 a box, but .380 is normally close to $20, same as 38/.357. And 44cal more like $40. And even with the extra powder, I still will keep the price below $10 per box. And it was just 3 years ago, that if you were lucky enough to find 9mm, they were often $20 per box. So yeah, I don't plan to not shoot when the shelves are bare.

 

[Mgderf]

This was the exact reason I took up reloading.
I was caught off-guard after Sandy Hook.
I had plenty of firearms, but not much to feed them.

I had laid in a respectable 12,000 rounds of .22Lr that I had been squirreling away before Sandy Hook.
Other than .22Lr, I was having a hard time finding 9mm, .357mag,.44mag,.45Colt, .454Casul,.223, .308...and the list goes on.

I found a deal on a Lee Anniversary Classic set up, and started laying in dies.
I had never reloaded yet, and knew nothing about it.
Bought 3 different manuals and began reading.
All the while I started piecing together components. 1K primers here, lb f powder there, oh look, there's some cases I could use...

Fast forward a few years...
I have everything I need now to be able to shoot most all calibers I own, at a normal rate for me, even if Hillary (God forbid) wins 8 years.
If powder and primers dried up today, I'll be shooting for years to come.

There's a gun show in my neighborhood in just a couple of weeks, and I'll probably buy a few more primers, maybe more powder...

I'm worried about the price of ammo, but I'm MUCH more worried about availability.

 

[BugI02]

This was the exact reason I took up reloading.
I was caught off-guard after Sandy Hook.
I had plenty of firearms, but not much to feed them.

I had laid in a respectable 12,000 rounds of .22Lr that I had been squirreling away before Sandy Hook.
Other than .22Lr, I was having a hard time finding 9mm, .357mag,.44mag,.45Colt, .454Casul,.223, .308...and the list goes on.

I found a deal on a Lee Anniversary Classic set up, and started laying in dies.
I had never reloaded yet, and knew nothing about it.
Bought 3 different manuals and began reading.
All the while I started piecing together components. 1K primers here, lb f powder there, oh look, there's some cases I could use...

Fast forward a few years...
I have everything I need now to be able to shoot most all calibers I own, at a normal rate for me, even if Hillary (God forbid) wins 8 years.
If powder and primers dried up today, I'll be shooting for years to come.

There's a gun show in my neighborhood in just a couple of weeks, and I'll probably buy a few more primers, maybe more powder...

I'm worried about the price of ammo, but I'm MUCH more worried about availability.

Totally agree. What I really love about it is reloading pushes aside daily concerns and aggravations for a while. The repetition is a little like raking leaves, where the job at hand doesn't require a lot of mental horsepower. I find my mind is free to think about many things over and around paying attention to the reloading. Although I'm a bit obsessive about the upcoming election reloading is a respite from stress and cares and when you're done you have something a lot more useful than a pile of leaves.

I think I spend more time just listening to music than almost any other activity

Now all I have to do is convince the wife that it's time well spent and I'll be all set

 

[tat2clod]

Started loading shotgun shells several years ago, then started on metallic for a 357 revolver and still adding dies. I find it almost therapeutic to spend time reloading like others said you are focused on a task but the day to day just slips away. I've slowly accumulated a decent stash of common stuff and the odd calibers are slowly getting stocked nothing like burning up a couple hundred 41 magnum or 45 Gap the reward is in the satisfaction of making a product you are interested in for a fraction of the cost and have total control of quality.

 

[indyjohn]

I had my concerns as well, years of bottleneck rifle cartridge reloading and zero pistol. Spent the time to research and it all turned out well. Glad to hear another fellow reloader had the same experience.

 

[King31]

Congrats on the reloading! 40sw was first for me and 45 is set up now. Over time I will likely add 9mm and others, but my time right now is more valuable than the amount saved in reloading for 9. If the funds are available whenever you see good deals go ahead and make the purchase as one day it might not be there.

 

[bulletsmith]

Just tested my reloads this morning. Flawless. I was afraid I could not reload auto loads that would function properly. No problems of any kind. Accuracy was no different from factory loads. 121 grain cast with 4.5 grains of Unique. I will stick with this. I know I'm not saving a lot of money reloading 9mm. Probably costing me $8 for 50 rounds. But, I plan to keep shooting even when ammo is hard to find. I am saving a lot of money on my revolver rounds and plan to start reloading .380 today. Besides, I have been enjoying spending a little time reloading.

Good work!


Shop around for components. Once you have your brass, cost should come down.

My 9mm worksheet:
component price Units cost per unit units per cartrige cost per cartrige primer $30.00 1000 $0.03 1 $0.03 powder $30.00 7000 $0.004 4 $0.017 bullets $35.00 500 $0.07 1 $0.07 Cost/round $0.117 Cost/box $5.86

 

[t-squared]

Here is a pretty handy cost calculator that saves you from doing the math....Handloading Cost Calculator

 

[padawan]

This was the exact reason I took up reloading.
I was caught off-guard after Sandy Hook.
I had plenty of firearms, but not much to feed them.

I had laid in a respectable 12,000 rounds of .22Lr that I had been squirreling away before Sandy Hook.
Other than .22Lr, I was having a hard time finding 9mm, .357mag,.44mag,.45Colt, .454Casul,.223, .308...and the list goes on.

I found a deal on a Lee Anniversary Classic set up, and started laying in dies.
I had never reloaded yet, and knew nothing about it.
Bought 3 different manuals and began reading.
All the while I started piecing together components. 1K primers here, lb f powder there, oh look, there's some cases I could use...

Fast forward a few years...
I have everything I need now to be able to shoot most all calibers I own, at a normal rate for me, even if Hillary (God forbid) wins 8 years.
If powder and primers dried up today, I'll be shooting for years to come.

There's a gun show in my neighborhood in just a couple of weeks, and I'll probably buy a few more primers, maybe more powder...

I'm worried about the price of ammo, but I'm MUCH more worried about availability.

Good bit of wisdom right there gents.

 

[ru44mag]

Good work!


Shop around for components. Once you have your brass, cost should come down.

My 9mm worksheet:
component price Units cost per unit units per cartrige cost per cartrige primer $30.00 1000 $0.03 1 $0.03 powder $30.00 7000 $0.004 4 $0.017 bullets $35.00 500 $0.07 1 $0.07 Cost/round $0.117 Cost/box $5.86

I had not bothered trying to figure powder cost. After shipping, I paid $70 for 1000 9mm cast bullets. Same as you. $37.00 for 1000 primers, and $27 for powder. I have never bought cases. I have been collecting my brass for many, many years with the plan to reload someday, which now has come. My guestimation for cost was probably a little high due to not calculating powder cost. I have reloaded around 600 cases now, and my first pound of Unique seems to be less than half used up.

 

[Mgderf]

I had not bothered trying to figure powder cost. After shipping, I paid $70 for 1000 9mm cast bullets. Same as you. $37.00 for 1000 primers, and $27 for powder. I have never bought cases. I have been collecting my brass for many, many years with the plan to reload someday, which now has come. My guestimation for cost was probably a little high due to not calculating powder cost. I have reloaded around 600 cases now, and my first pound of Unique seems to be less than half used up.

7000 grains in a pound of powder.
At 4grs +/- p/round, a pound of powder makes a LOT of cartridges...

 

[Fullmag]

Welcome to reloading addiction. So since it's an addiction maybe it will become paid for by the government.

 

[tat2clod]

Like anything you enjoy there's a certain expense. Maybe I'm biased but still seems like a good investment and endless reward until you need more componets.

 

[bulletsmith]

I had not bothered trying to figure powder cost. After shipping, I paid $70 for 1000 9mm cast bullets. Same as you. $37.00 for 1000 primers, and $27 for powder. I have never bought cases. I have been collecting my brass for many, many years with the plan to reload someday, which now has come. My guestimation for cost was probably a little high due to not calculating powder cost. I have reloaded around 600 cases now, and my first pound of Unique seems to be less than half used up.

Isn't that great though? Once you get down to the real cost, you realize that this really makes the hobby affordable. Try to buy your powder in 8lb jugs, and 5000 primers at a time. Watch for local gun shows, or find a store near by that sells the powder you want. That will save you the haz. charges.

Brass hoarding is a good sign of somebody who is going to be a good reloader. Save your nickles and start buying before it's too late.

 

[Bennettjh]

That's an awesome feeling when they fire like they should.

Way to go.

 

[Sniper 79]

I have also been enjoying making some 9mm. I got four thousand small rifle primers at a show for next to nothing. They were meant for .22 hornet although are perfect for 9mm. Got to be in the neighborhood of three or four bucks a box.

Nice target loads cheaper than .22LR. Using free range pickup brass, plated pills, and Titepoop pow-da.

 

[Mgderf]

I have also been enjoying making some 9mm. I got four thousand small rifle primers at a show for next to nothing. They were meant for .22 hornet although are perfect for 9mm. Got to be in the neighborhood of three or four bucks a box.

Nice target loads cheaper than .22LR. Using free range pickup brass, plated pills, and Titepoop pow-da.

Is this a typo? For 9mm?
I was not aware rifle primers could be safely substituted for pistol primers.

 

[Sniper 79]

Is this a typo? For 9mm?
I was not aware rifle primers could be safely substituted for pistol primers.

It can be done if you do your homework. Not a typo. .22 Hornet small rifle primers have same pressure rating as 9mm and are same diameter.

I know people have used small rifle primers in 357 mag. Sure it isn't recommended but it works in some instances with a little research.