# Is it worth it?



## Cannon (May 1, 2016)

A little history I shot skeet and sporting clay's competitively for about 10yrs. as a result I loaded all my practice ammo with my MEC 9000 and would buy factory loads for competition. I stopped reloading when reloading was not really saving me money (The price of components became so high it wasn't worth the time) 

I shoot 9mm and is it worth getting a press or am I better served buying practice FMJ ammo? Thanks!! 

Oh and if you think it would offer real savings can you give me a rough idea of how much I'd have to spend to get started? I currently average 50 to 100rds per week.


----------



## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Last time I checked, 9mm range ammo was pretty cheap in 500 round lots. I used to shoot a lot and bought in quantity when it was cheap so never felt reloading was worth the time or expense.


----------



## Cannon (May 1, 2016)

That's what I was thinking to but just in case I thought I'd ask.


----------



## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

I think if you price out the press,dies, powder, primers, etc, it might get more expensive than buying in bulk. I guess it all depends on your situation though. Depending on what state you are in, it could be a pain just to try to buy in bulk. In SC there are no restrictions on ammo, so you can buy as much as you want if you can find it. I think 22 is still kinda pricey but as mentioned, the last time I looked 9mm range ammo was fairly cheap by comparison to when you couldn't find any a few years ago.


----------



## Cannon (May 1, 2016)

RK3369 I know all about buying in quantity for reloading, I used to buy 25lb kegs of SOLO 1000 for my shotgun reloads.


----------



## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Just looked at gunbroker, 1000 rds 9mm Aguila 124 grain is $209 plus $25 shipping so 235 for 20 boxes is only $11.70 per box to your door. Price the components then you"ll know the answer. Also, how much is a good press? I,veg never really had the time to consider reloading but I,m sure a good press is fairly costly? Dies? I don't know the answer but to me, pretty cheap just to buy in bulk if you can.


----------



## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

Cannon,
With shooting only 1 or 2 boxes/week it may not make sense for you. I reload all handgun rounds: .380/9mm/38sp/357mag/40sw/45acp/45lc. I do this with a Lee Turret press. I purchased my set-up about 6 years ago. My reasons were pretty simple; I lived in Upstate NY where the winters could be long, so I would load all winter and shoot all summer. I did save money because I would shoot probably 400-500 rounds a week. I still reload now that I live down south, just because I do not like be "short" on ammo. I just loaded 250 rounds of 9mm yesterday after I came home from the range. I have certain amounts of ammunition that I like to keep on hand at all times, and this makes it very easy for me to maintain those levels, no matter what happens with shipping, etc. I do not load for rifle, as I just buy that in bulk when I see it on sale. 

I know that I have reloaded tens of thousands of rounds so far with my set-up, so for me it definitely was worth it. Oh, yea..... it's GREAT therapy for this old guy.


ETA: right now it is costing me right @ 11 cents/round to load up 9mm. This obviously is with reloading my own brass., which I was fortunate enough to get "loads" of a few years back.


----------



## high pockets (Apr 25, 2011)

In all likelihood, you should figure about $500 to get set up to reload. That would be for a decent press, and all the accouterments, like a scale, caliper, manuals, etc.

Here is a site that will help you calculate the cost of reloaded ammunition. Handloading Cost Calculator
I've been reloading for many years, so the cost of my equipment has been amortized over time. I also re-use my brass, which is probably the most expensive component.

Back when I started reloading I was shooting 200 to 400 rounds per week, so it was a no-brainer. Since I usually have little or no cost in brass, I reload 9mm for about $145/1000, or about $7.25 per box.


----------



## Cannon (May 1, 2016)

I can't thank you guys enough for your honesty on reloading brass. I'm going to continue purchasing bulk ammo instead of making a substantial commitment on a press and all the components needed to produce quality ammo. I had to ask those who do reload brass so I could make the decision... Many Thanks!


----------



## dominic135 (Apr 13, 2016)

Let me tell you about Aguila ammo! Found a great price and bought 1000 rd's of 9mm for range use. Now I'm almost out but using Aguila has made the effort a nightmare! I have a 6 mo. old CZ 75b that had no problem with cheap rounds until I bought the Aguila. I can't go 100 rounds without having to break down the CZ and do a rough cleaning at the range. I'm a member at our range so I don't have to pay by the hour but it still ticks me off to have to clean on range time valued at $20/hr! The carbon buildup is so bad that after EVERY use, I have to soak my CZ in "Break Free" solvent. blow dry with air, before I re-clean the pistol and re-oil. If I don't do that, I'll experience 50% FTF's after only one clip (16 rd's) on my next shoot! 
I should have just chucked the whole shipment but I am notoriously picky about not getting my money's worth! About 300 rounds left to go and my cost of solvents and time have already wiped out any savings involved in buying CHEAP (as in almost useless) ammo! Never again! There's a difference between cheap and inexpensive. 
I could have had proven reliable ammo for another 2 cents per round! How stupid do I feel?


----------



## Bobshouse (Jul 6, 2015)

It's not all about the price of ammo. It's expanding your hobby to where you can enjoy it off the range as much as on the range. Nothing more relaxing than sitting in my garage loading a few hundred rounds of ammo and then taking it to the range and observe the results of my "work". Also, the exercise you get picking up the brass! Can't forget that!

Then of course the security of knowing you loaded each cartridge.


----------



## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

Cannon,
At least start saving your brass even though you are not reloading yet. It will make it more cost effective if/when you decide to get into reloading. You may ask around to see if anyone you know reloads, and would be willing to help you out making your decision. I usually offer to help out guys by letting them come over and load up some loads to see if they enjoy the hobby. I've gotten more than a few involved in the hobby.

MO


----------



## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

dominic135 said:


> Let me tell you about Aguila ammo! Found a great price and bought 1000 rd's of 9mm for range use. Now I'm almost out but using Aguila has made the effort a nightmare! I have a 6 mo. old CZ 75b that had no problem with cheap rounds until I bought the Aguila. I can't go 100 rounds without having to break down the CZ and do a rough cleaning at the range. I'm a member at our range so I don't have to pay by the hour but it still ticks me off to have to clean on range time valued at $20/hr! The carbon buildup is so bad that after EVERY use, I have to soak my CZ in "Break Free" solvent. blow dry with air, before I re-clean the pistol and re-oil. If I don't do that, I'll experience 50% FTF's after only one clip (16 rd's) on my next shoot!
> I should have just chucked the whole shipment but I am notoriously picky about not getting my money's worth! About 300 rounds left to go and my cost of solvents and time have already wiped out any savings involved in buying CHEAP (as in almost useless) ammo! Never again! There's a difference between cheap and inexpensive.
> I could have had proven reliable ammo for another 2 cents per round! How stupid do I feel?


Hey, sorry. I never said it was good ammo. I only said it was the lowest price I saw on GB last night. I've never shot it, so I have no idea. I tend to stick with Federal, Blazer, Remington, WWB. I have shot a lot of Silver Bear Russian stuff and not had a problem. Some folks don't like it but it hasn't bothered me. Only issue with it is they probably use crappy powder because it sure does seem to throw a lot of sparks.


----------



## Cannon (May 1, 2016)

Some guns are picky about ammo & some don't care, my opinion is a lot of issues with feeding or malfunctions are due in part due to the lube you use on the gun. Had a friend that only used Rem oil, the gun was always hard to run. Got him to try the stuff I use, his issues were were over just that fast, sometimes its the gun but often its the lube that frees up the guns.


----------



## high pockets (Apr 25, 2011)

Watch the Russian ammo. A lot of it is Berdan primed and cannot be reloaded. I realize Cannon decided not to reload at this time, but there is no point in saving Berdan primed brass.

Berdan brass has two holes in the primer pocket versus Boxer primed brass which has one hole in the primer pocket. Current reloading equipment is unable to remove Berdan primers. I only bring this up because I am seeing more Berdan brass on my local range.


----------



## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

High pockets, great point. I should have mentioned that Berdan primed brass is not worth trying to reload.

MO


----------



## Cannon (May 1, 2016)

I suppose I could save the brass, I know one of the expenses with shot shell reloading was getting good quality one fired hulls like Winchester AAA or Remington STS they were among the best. I would imagine if nothing else if not used for reloading the brass might be worth something as scrap metal?


----------



## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I hand load for rifles and some handguns, but rarely for 9mm. 

I bought a set of Lee dies and reloaded 9mm, when 9mm was hard to find, and too expensive. I keep the components on hand, in case that happens again, but for the most part, I just buy Winchester white box ammo in whatever grain bullet they have, usually 115gr., even though I carry 147 grain HPs for self defense. I mostly only shoot 9mm in subcompacts, and the POI usually doesn't differ from POA enough to bother me, at close range. 

I do still hand load a few 147 grain 9mm cartridges for more serious accuracy practice, but that is more a matter of availability than price.


----------



## Blackhawkman (Apr 9, 2014)

I have a Dillon Square Deal B, I have about $700 and one caliber conversion. I have been loading for 40 years, and I have components built up. I don't shoot as often as I used to. But I have supplies of my reliable/accurate ammo on hand for all my firearms. My friend has a Dillon 650 with several caliber conversions. We load 5.56 on his 650 for ease of loading. He has $1500 invested in loading 5.56. Case feeder powder die and measure. Look on Dillons web site and get some ideas as to price. IF I just had only a 9mm to shoot I'd just buy bulk ammo that works in my gun. Another example is I load 44 mag loads for my friend and my single action pistols. My friend loads 44 specials for our S&W model 21's and others. I have a good source of loading components and I pick them up saving more money plus a cash discount bulk prices. For me it makes more sense to load. There are alot of good loading presses out there. Research is key. jmo fwiw


----------



## ITC45ACP (Jul 6, 2016)

I had the same questions and now that my wife is now wanting to go shooting every weekend, I ran the numbers and it made sense for me to look at reloading. I researched presses and had it narrowed down to two, Hornady LNL AP and Lee Load Master, and based on the bottom line, I decided on the Lee because I could get a decent press tooled for both 9 MM and 45 ACP much cheaper than the Hornady. If we were only shooting 9MM, I don't think I would have invested in reloading, but only saved my brass and either sold it for scrap or to a shop here that has a brass exchange program. The big savings for me is in the 45 ACP ammo. My total investment for the press, dies, tools, and case prep for both 9 and 45 is just under $600 and the consumables for the first 1000 9mm and 500 45 ACP are around $300. Since the wife and I usually shoot 200 rounds or 9 and 100 rounds of 45, I will recoup my equipment costs in ~3.5 months of reloading. I am saving ~$72 per 1000 rounds of 9 and $110 per 500 of 45 ACP. These prices are based on decent quality ammo, Remington UMC or Winchester white box from Academy. If I had not purchased a 45, and now that the wife wants a 45, I doubt I would have made the decision to reload.


----------



## Blackhawkman (Apr 9, 2014)

I think it would be better to buy 9mm in bulk, then sell the brass, buy ammo?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------

