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9mm Range Brass is it worth the effort?

If there is a caliber that doesn't make sense (purely from a financial standpoint), 9mm is it. With the higher cost of components (especially primers), one just doesn't save much, whether using fired or new brass. Casting one's own bullets and re-using the brass does keep costs way down - but still not enough to justify the labor for most folks. I keep my big bucket of fired brass, my bullet molds and sizers on hand in case the day should come I need them. Until then, I'll likely be buying my plinking ammo and loading my performance ammo for the 9mm.
 
I Buy 124 grain, XTP, JHP, Seconds or, Wait for, a 20% off Hornady sale and Buy 500 at, a Time.
But it AIN'T "About",.. the Cost, Saving's,.. it's about,.. the ACCURACY !
I can Shoot 1/2 Dollar sized 5 shot, group's at 25 Yds ( Rested ) thru my G-34, Marksman Barreled, Glock.
NOTHING, shoots,.. as "Good" !
And, I don't have to Worry about,.. Box to Box, Ammo,.."Consistency"
I Have been Known to, "Make Noise" with, CHEAP "Chit Ammo", once, in a While, on the Bigger, Steel Plates, tho.
 
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If there is a caliber that doesn't make sense (purely from a financial standpoint), 9mm is it. With the higher cost of components (especially primers), one just doesn't save much, whether using fired or new brass. Casting one's own bullets and re-using the brass does keep costs way down - but still not enough to justify the labor for most folks. I keep my big bucket of fired brass, my bullet molds and sizers on hand in case the day should come I need them. Until then, I'll likely be buying my plinking ammo and loading my performance ammo for the 9mm.

I get it. Even when things are available and reasonable, loading 9mm is not worth it, but...
I harvested all of this brass at one time, and at that time, brass and loaded ammunition were either unavailable or extremely expensive, so I thought it was a good idea. The more work I do on it, the less of a good idea it becomes.
 
I get it. Even when things are available and reasonable, loading 9mm is not worth it, but...
I harvested all of this brass at one time, and at that time, brass and loaded ammunition were either unavailable or extremely expensive, so I thought it was a good idea. The more work I do on it, the less of a good idea it becomes.
Yeah - I'd definitely keep that brass. One never knows where our politics and shortages will take us....
 
I get it. Even when things are available and reasonable, loading 9mm is not worth it, but...
I harvested all of this brass at one time, and at that time, brass and loaded ammunition were either unavailable or extremely expensive, so I thought it was a good idea. The more work I do on it, the less of a good idea it becomes.
I load it during the odd times I don’t have something else to do. I figure I could just sit and watch Utube videos or I could do something productive. I started last summer and I’ve done over 5 thousand so far. An hour here, an hour there adds up. I do it for all my pistol rounds. I’ve filled all my 45 ACP, 40 S&W, etc. The 9’s are all I have left to do. It’s a good feeling to have drawers full of ammo VS bags full of empty brass.
RMR sells a nice FMJ Truncated Cone bullet for about 10 cents a piece that shoot well in my guns. About the same price as plated bullets.
 
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I used to pick up range brass a few years back..one day as I was happily chugging along on the 1050 I had a primer kaboom. After changing my underwear and going over everything I noticed some of the finished rounds had high primers and smashed in primers, likely from crimped pockets that the swaging rod was having difficulty overcoming.

So long story short, I no longer use picked up range brass and haven't had an issue with primers and most importantly no more kabooms...man that was some hairy stuff. Was it a direct result of overcoming the crimped pockets, not sure but ever since I stopped picking up range brass I have not had a kaboom. Don't let this be a deterrent, range brass can be reused without issue but just look over your collection and weed out those that may need a little extra attention especially if you are reloading in a high volume production environment.
 
I load it during the odd times I don’t have something else to do. I figure I could just sit and watch Utube videos or I could do something productive. I started last summer and I’ve done over 5 thousand so far. An hour here, an hour there adds up. I do it for all my pistol rounds. I’ve filled all my 45 ACP, 40 S&W, etc. The 9’s are all I have left to do. It’s a good feeling to have drawers full of ammo VS bags full of empty brass.
RMR sells a nice FMJ Truncated Cone bullet for about 10 cents a piece that shoot well in my guns. About the same price as plated bullets.

I do most of my loading in the summertime also. I loved the summers when I was a young man, drinking beer and chasing girls in bikinis around the beach at the lake. I caught one of the girls in a bikini and we will celebrate 40 years of marriage tomorrow. I still like to drink a cold beer, but dang at 62 It feels a lot hotter than it did at 22 so I’m at the loading bench in the AC during the summer months now.
 
I started off buying 9mm mixed head stamp range cheap. Some crimped, some not. For me it wasn’t worth the effort, too much time involved. I’d suggest a taper crimp die if you do and a case gauge or use your barrels chamber for a case gauge. Some of that brass was way out of spec. I just use starline brass only now, it’s easier, takes less time to deal with and is worth the extra money imo. I still have four five gallon buckets of the mixed head stamped range brass just in case there comes a day I wish I had it but it’s certainly not my first choice.
 
Perhaps those were the 2 casings that shooter overlooked; most times I shoot at my ranges, I typically come home with more brass than I fired. Problem is, I’m always more than a few short of the casings from the ammo I shot.
 
I do most of my loading in the summertime also. I loved the summers when I was a young man, drinking beer and chasing girls in bikinis around the beach at the lake. I caught one of the girls in a bikini and we will celebrate 40 years of marriage tomorrow. I still like to drink a cold beer, but dang at 62 It feels a lot hotter than it did at 22 so I’m at the loading bench in the AC during the summer months now.
Yes, its 92° right now and not even noon yet..I don't see myself leaving the house much...

Happy Anniversary btw!
 
I have a 4 in 6 chance of hitting the side of the barn with a pistol if I am standing inside.
Buy yourself, a Glock Model 34, 5" Marksman Barrel,.. handload some, 124 gr. Hornadys, put a Timney trigger in it with, a Holsun 507 on Top and you'll start to,.. Hit stuff !
TRUST Me ! ( Especially IF,.. poor Eyesight / Trigger Flinch,.. once in a while ! )
ONLY, very Accurate Pistols, ARE, interesting !!
 
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Considering what one's time is worth, it may be better to buy than reload.

Yeah, but reloading is my hobby.
Buy yourself, a Glock Model 34, 5" Marksman Barrel,.. handload some, 124 gr. Hornadys, put a Timney trigger in it with, a Holsun 507 on Top and you'll start to,.. Hit stuff !
TRUST Me ! ( Especially IF,.. poor Eyesight / Trigger Flinch,.. once in a while ! )
ONLY, very Accurate Pistols, ARE, interesting !!
I dialed in my new Holosun, yesterday. I put it on my 10mm long slide Glock with a custom barrel. It’s my first red dot and it’s pretty nice. Out in Texas, I was hitting steel targets at 150 yards with open sights off a rest. Figured it deserved a try.
 
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Reloading Ammo, IS, my 4th, Hobby After, Steel Plate, Target Shooting, Hunting / Fishing, AND,..
I Have All Winter, to Do, It ! ( there are, very few Good Days to, Shoot for, 3-4 Months in Winter, HERE ),..
So I,.. Re-Load ammo.
I'll go Out to shoot, in Dec. / January IF with, NOT much, Wind and 20-25 Degree Weather, w/ a Foot of Snow on the ground, is,.. NO Problem, in the Desert,.. If, NOT,.. Windy !
Early Spring is, REAL,.. Muddy !
 
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