9mm reloading Economics

[Jtate]

In today's market how affordable can you manufacture pistol ammunition at home? The premise is you have the brass, and you do not pay Hazmat fees. You need primmers, powder and bullets. What is recipe to roll your own for local club steel matches, and what does it cost you per round?

 

[DiRTY DOG]

Current prices (6 months ago) for me. Excellent accuracy, here's 10 shots at 25 yards.
$0.22 each
$220/1000

124gr Precision Delta JHP (2k bulk box)
4.2gr HP38/W231 (8lb jug)
SPP any
Free pickup cases

I could chop a penny or two off those prices by using poly bullets etc but it's not really worth it to me. Primer prices are what's killing the economy of reloading, powder has gone up but you don't use much for pistol, while bullets are only slighty higher than normal.

 

[moorepower]

I have seen plenty 115 and 124 grain fmj for .25-.27 per round.

 

[RegionRat]

Assume an 9mm with a cheap 115 gr bullet.

Using a Berry's 115 copper plated as an example, and the use of something like Titegroup and a common SPP, then all we do is fill in the costs.

Berry's 115 9mm copper plated RN is 116.99 per 1000, so $0.117 per shot
Titegroup is 237.99 per 8 lbs, and assume 4.3 grains per load, so $0.0183 per shot
SPP are showing roughly $0.08 per shot.

That totals at roughly 21.5 cents a shot with your no tax, shipping, HAZ or brass costs assumptions.

After taxes, shipping, HAZ and amortizing your brass, it will be higher.

Unless you are trying to build SD ammo, where the cost difference for the bullet makes sense, it is probably cheaper to buy than to make.

 

[SecondsCount]

I bought a lot of components pre-Covid and am currently loading polymer coated 9mm bullets at 11.2 cpr. If I go to a 124 HP, I'm at about 13.5 cpr.

Nowadays it looks like it would cost me about 22 cpr which is hard to accept when I can buy the loaded ammo for 25 cpr.

 

[Jtate]

Unless you are trying to build SD ammo, where the cost difference for the bullet makes sense, it is probably cheaper to buy than to make.

That is what I am thinking. I do not have a progressive press so I would have that upfront cost. I was doing the math on how many rounds it would take to get that money back. I could not make it pencil. I can not find SPP for less than 10 cents each buying them by the 1000 or 5000. With shipping and Hazmat in addition to it all. The math does not work. I just bought 1000 rounds new shipped to my door in less than 3 days. $280 all in. 28 cents a round. Am I missing anything?

 

[JB10]

I have never figured out the cost for me. For pistol its therapy. For riflet is accuracy

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I have never figured out the cost for me. For pistol its therapy. For riflet is accuracy

I enjoy making the pistol ammo too whenever the mood strikes. I have .38 and 9mm set up on a Lyman 8 hole turret press, basically all I have to do is put powder in my thrower and get after it. I use Alliant Sport Pistol powder for both and Acme bullets.

 

[GuitarmanNick]

I stockpiled a selection of different 9mm loads using several different bullet types. As such, each has it's own recipe. All cost under $.20 to make with the majority being around $.17.
My handloaded JHP's are the only rounds I trust for use in my carry guns.
My preferred pistol powder is Unique, but Win 231 works nicely, too.
My general purpose plinking load uses 124 gr. FMJs, 4.8 gr. Unique, CCI SPP, @ 1.150" OAL.
This has proven to function reliably in all of my 9mm toys and results in good accuracy.
They shoot exceptionally well in my 10.5" AR-9 and group nicely @ 100 yards.
I load for all of my toys except the .22LRs, and rarely shoot factory produced ammo.
Current pistol calibers that I load include .38 spcl, .45 ACP, 9mm, 9x18 Makarov, and 7.62x25 Tokarev.
Since I was fortunate to have stocked up before prices went crazy, I should be in good shape for many years to come.
It is currently less expensive for me to load than to buy ammo for all of my toys. The Makarov and Tokarev cases can be made from 9mm and .223/5.56 respectively, so acquiring brass is not a problem for any of them.

 

[padom]

That is what I am thinking. I do not have a progressive press so I would have that upfront cost. I was doing the math on how many rounds it would take to get that money back. I could not make it pencil. I can not find SPP for less than 10 cents each buying them by the 1000 or 5000. With shipping and Hazmat in addition to it all. The math does not work. I just bought 1000 rounds new shipped to my door in less than 3 days. $280 all in. 28 cents a round. Am I missing anything?

CCI SPP just went out of stock for 5000ct boxes.. Were in stock the past week and come out to $0.08 a primer.. That includes hazmat and shipping..

CCI Small Pistol Primers Free Shipping & Hazmat - 5000ct

CCI Small Pistol Primers Free Shipping & Hazmat - 5000ct

americanreloading.com

 

[D-4297]

I can't buy the loads I choose to carry either in my Glock 40 cal. , or for my wife in her Glock 43 , 9mm. , so the cost is irrelevant . Call them +P , or whatever , but I know the consistency and accuracy of the loads . I just refuse to bet my life , or Her's on someone else's load .

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

A farm store near me had Blazer brass 115 gr fmj for 11.99/50 last week. Shelf emptied quick.

 

[drop_point]

I can't buy the loads I choose to carry either in my Glock 40 cal. , or for my wife in her Glock 43 , 9mm. , so the cost is irrelevant . Call them +P , or whatever , but I know the consistency and accuracy of the loads . I just refuse to bet my life , or Her's on someone else's load .

It can be an expensive proposition, I hear, to use reloads in a defensive situation. I've read about multiple cases where the defense had to pay for ballistic testing for shootings in which facts were disputed. I've read it can be up around $70,000+ to have reloads evaluated in such a way to have the results admissible in court. If you choose a common round carried by big departments, the testing is done, usually by the FBI and the information is available.

 

[Zero333]

In Canada this is how it comes down to (considering you already have a bunch of brass)...

1000 small pistol primers = $ 120

1000 plated bullets = $ 120 - $ 150

1 LB of Titegroup = $ 55 ( Titegroup goes a long way so 1 LB will do at least a few thousand 9mm rounds )

So I pay roughly 25 to 30 cents per round. (more if you use Jacketed bullets)
Cheapest box of 9 mm Parabellum is about $ 25 nowadays (50 rounds).

When you first start handloading ANYTHING (be it pistol or rifle), I do NOT recommend a progressive or turret press. Use a single stage press for at least several months.

Remember... This is in Canada and I gave you the most economical scenario I can.
25 to 30 cents CND is about 18 to 22 cents USD.

 

[Rsadams]

Current prices (6 months ago) for me. Excellent accuracy, here's 10 shots at 25 yards.
$0.22 each
$220/1000

124gr Precision Delta JHP (2k bulk box)
4.2gr HP38/W231 (8lb jug)
SPP any
Free pickup cases

I could chop a penny or two off those prices by using poly bullets etc but it's not really worth it to me. Primer prices are what's killing the economy of reloading, powder has gone up but you don't use much for pistol, while bullets are only slighty higher than normal.

That's my favorite load for 9mm... I need to try the delta bullets...

 

[Rsadams]

In today's market how affordable can you manufacture pistol ammunition at home? The premise is you have the brass, and you do not pay Hazmat fees. You need primmers, powder and bullets. What is recipe to roll your own for local club steel matches, and what does it cost you per round?

I just got into 10mm and sat down and figured that out.... Since I had to buy brass from starline because you just don't find it laying around like 9mm and with today's prices I am not saving any money really over blazer if using Hornady bullets and I can't say to much about accurate because when I tested the blazer over a crono the numbers were actually decent.... But I can get full power or close by hand loading.... Trying out some xtream bullets right now and the price is a lot less than Hornady for plinking....

Sooooo , yes you can save some money right now but you have to choose the components correctly.... The real kicker for me is I never really have to worry about ammo.... I learned after Sandy Hook to buy when nobody wants it and are saying I can buy it cheaper than reloading it... Buy it cheap and stack it on shelves...

 

[big5ifty]

I just bought 1000 rounds new shipped to my door in less than 3 days. $280 all in. 28 cents a round. Am I missing anything?

We need to figure out a way to keep Jtate quiet so our wives don't get wind of this, and start asking questions about the necessity of a kitted out reloading room.

What you're missing is the money can make selling all that once fired brass. That might get the price under what you can reload for.

 

[D-4297]

It can be an expensive proposition, I hear, to use reloads in a defensive situation. I've read about multiple cases where the defense had to pay for ballistic testing for shootings in which facts were disputed. I've read it can be up around $70,000+ to have reloads evaluated in such a way to have the results admissible in court. If you choose a common round carried by big departments, the testing is done, usually by the FBI and the information is available.

I live in Arizona ; where we have Stand Your Ground Law , and Castle Doctrine Law . If I lived in a Communist Blue State , I might be concerned about it . I'm NOT ! You sound like a Lawyer . Are you ?

 

[drop_point]

I live in Arizona ; where we have Stand Your Ground Law , and Castle Doctrine Law . If I lived in a Communist Blue State , I might be concerned about it . I'm NOT ! You sound like a Lawyer . Are you ?

Stand your ground or not, the facts can be brought into question and that is when it is important. No, I'm not a lawyer, just somebody that reads many, many civilian use of force cases and it is something I've seen come up multiple times, even in 'stand your ground' and 'castle doctrine' states. Despite favorable self-defense laws, one can still find themselves in court. I'm not telling you what to do, it really doesn't matter to me, but it is something that should be considered for anybody strapping a gun to their hip.

Are you a lawyer?

 

[jepp2]

here's 10 shots at 25 yards

Nice group! When I first started using a red dot on my Glock, my 25 yard groups were half the size. Elimination of sight error. Not as good as yours however.