Are 9mm worth reloading

If reloading for 9mm wasn't "worth it" there wouldn't be at least 3 active threads on the subject, not counting this one

With popularity of 9mm carbines increasing, 9mm is the "new 22LR"

With my own cast bullets I load 9mm for about $4.00 a box. That makes it less expensive than most 22lr.
Most hobbies cost money and have no chance of saving you one red cent. Reloading can actually pay for itself.

9mm worth it?
YES!
As noted, you will shoot more but isn't that the idea? Consistent, high quality ammo is worth your (and my) time!

I reload for every caliber I shoot except .22lr/.22mag. I do this for the enjoyment, not to save money. I know I can produce safe and superior ammunition than what I can buy.

I honestly do not remember when I bought box ammo the last time. What I shoot shows up at my door as components and leaves my door as finished product ready to enjoy.

9mm is not a cartridge that is easily justified in dollars and cents, but that does not negate the value of other factors. Once you learn to reload, you will soon be able to tune your loads to suit your guns and to your own likes. You can't have that with cheap factory ammo, no matter what the cartridge.

My 9mm plinking loads are more accurate than any cheap aluminum cased discount ammo, they shoot softer, and the brass ejection throws to a predictable area. And my handloads cost less per round than the cheap factory stuf, too. I also buiild a full power load that costs half of what the top-of-the-line personal defense rounds, and shoots every bit as good.

If you count the time spent handloading as part of the expense, you'll never break even. I don't. My motto is "Time spent loading and shooting can not be deducted from a person's life." Handloading is one of my hobbies. Like fishing or hunting, I do not try to calculate the value of my workday time into my hobby activities.

9 is definitely worth it depending on your goals. If you plan on shooting for accuracy definitely as you can tailor the load to your particular gun. Same goes for defense or huniting loads, plus they can be much cheaper. If you just plan on loading blasting ammo it can be cheaper or more expensive.
Depending on the quantity you shoot, purchase, and load per session can also bear on it. If you shoot 500 rounds a year just buy a case of factory and you are covered for 2 years. If you plan on shooting 1000 plus or want a particular bullet, power level, or highly accurate round, reloading is the way to go. If you place a high value on your time, or don't have the time, maybe not.
If you have a large startup fund, little time, and need lots of ammo, a Dillon 1050 will do it easily. If you are financially challenged, a little more time, a Lee Loadmaster works great. There are lots of choices between. If you buy components in bulk, wait for sales and free shipping, it just gets better. If you go to bass pro for 100 bullets and primers, you won't save anything.
It really comes down to your budget, ammo needs, and how much ammo you need in what amount of time. Also your ability to get components in bulk at a good price, and hopefully get powder and primers locally will help too.

I load everything except .22 & 12ga and have for decades, and will continue to do so. I load for accuracy in each gun as well as SD rounds. Time is something I have in excess, budget is where I'm lacking, but I still shoot as much as I want, when I want, and 90% is 9mm. The rest is 38, 357, & 45, all loaded by me. Most of my guns have many thousands of rounds through them and no factory ever. For me it is definitely worth it.

cfullgraf said:

enjoy reloading as a hobby unto itself so reloading 9x19 is a no brainer for me.

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Me too.

cfullgraf said:

If the time spent at the reloading bench is drudgery, then reloading is not a good fit. For example, I used to do all my own car repairs but currently I do not care to spend the time or make the effort, so my check book performs the repairs these days.

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That's a great example, except that I never really did enjoy doing my own car repairs. I only did them myself because back then my check book couldn't handle paying someone else to do them - I'd already spent most of my money on handloading and shooting.

splattergun said:

If you count the time spent handloading as part of the expense, you'll never break even. I don't. My motto is "Time spent loading and shooting can not be deducted from a person's life." Handloading is one of my hobbies. Like fishing or hunting, I do not try to calculate the value of my workday time into my hobby activities.

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Precisely. I wonder if folks on fishing forums compare the cost of fishing with what fish costs at the store. Similarly for hunting. They'd never be able to justify those hobbies based on financial savings. They do them because they enjoy them.

otisrush said:

Precisely. I wonder if folks on fishing forums compare the cost of fishing with what fish costs at the store. Similarly for hunting. They'd never be able to justify those hobbies based on financial savings. They do them because they enjoy them.

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Ain't that the truth. I'd hate to price the cost per pound of mallard, dove or even deer for that matter. Also don't want to figure my hourly rate while scouting hunting spots, filling feeders or sitting in a blind

OK, where are you guys getting factory 9mm for $9? I haven't done a lot of homework, but I mostly see it for $13-14.

I still reload it, I recently switched from .45 to 9mm for a variety of reasons, but now I just reload one defensive cartridge for me and my wife.

I have seen steel cased 9mm online for $149 / 1000, or 7.49 per box of 50. Brass cased ammo is usually more, unless you can find a great sale. Some like the steel cased ammo, some don't, some report that their gun doesn't like it. I personally don't shoot steel cases in my pistols because I don't know how much it will wear on the gun- I read that the steel does not shrink after firing and can cause ejection problems in guns with tight chambers.

mljdeckard said:

OK, where are you guys getting factory 9mm for $9?

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Sportsman's Guide is selling Wolf Polyformance 115 gr FMJ (1150 fps) 250 rounds for $44.99 ($8.99/50) and $42.79 for members ($8.55/50) with free shipping on $49+ orders with promo code SH2422 - https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...ce-9mm-luger-fmj-115-grain-250-rounds?a=55612

Wolf Polyformance 115 gr FMJ (1150 fps) 500 rounds for $79.99 ($75.99 for members) and free shipping on $49+ orders with promo code SH2422 - https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...-9mm-luger-fmj-115-grain-500-rounds?a=1595101

Silver Bear 115 gr FMJ (1180 fps) 500 for $89.99 ($85.49 for members) and free shipping on $49+ orders with promo code SH2422 - https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...-9mm-luger-fmj-115-grain-500-rounds?a=1591312

- Coupon "SG2968" for $10 off $99
- Coupon "TAKEOFF15" for 15% off your first order (max. $30 discount, including ammo)
- Coupon "TAKEOFF20%" for 20% off your first order ($30 max. discount, excluding ammo)
- Coupon "BRADSHIP" for Free S/H (one time use)

I tend to not count commie ammo. I have one 9mm that will eat it just fine, and another that I haven't tried yet. FOR ME, part of the benefit of buying it is....more brass to reload, and I don't get that from commie ammo.

OP, you're getting a 9MM gun for free, you already reload. Setting up for 9MM would be a set of dies and shellholder or plate. Brass, pick up all you find. You don't have to go out and buy starline. Bullets, check out RMR or xtreme, or Berry's, try the 124/125 gr plated. Primers you probably have already. Powder, many will work.
Is it as cost efficient loading 9MM compared to most other calibers? No, but it is still cheaper. And on the topic of customizing, I've been loading 9MM subsonic 147 gr loads and there is not many of that in the bargain bins or online troves. So, for me, 9MM loading allows me to play with my suppressor for cheap.
Even now that I'm working on a batch of bullets that were relatively expensive at 12.5c each, the box of 50 still comes out to $7.98. Still a bargain compared to the subsonic I've seen for $16/50.
My usual component costs bring 9MM down to $5.31/50.
And we can add the plain satisfaction of making our own. BTW, 9MM is what I shoot and consequently load the most, or is it the other way around? 9MM is approximately 50% of what I load.

If you don't have the gear, you can get it piecemeal for well under $200 if you shop wisely. Besides dies, you need a scale, a press, and a set of caliper. You can get load books from bullet and powder manufacturers. But a reloading book or three is advisable.

To me just learning the skill is worth it. Being able to recycle is nice. Having custom loads and understanding my ammo is great. Not having big brother watch how much ammo I buy is priceless. And being able to reload during the next crisis is a huge benefit.

I'd say start saying your factory brass. Pick up brass at the range, get a box of bullets,primers, some powder and the above tools and you're good to go. If you like reloading then add more gear as budget and need arises. If you hate it let us know and someone here will buy it and you won't lose much if you buy wisely.

So yea folks here have listed many benefits. But even dollar wise it's worth it again if you buy your gear wisely and your components in bulk.

Jack B. said:

is it worth getting all the gear

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Short term? no, the setups can get kind of expensive.
Long-term, ABSOLUTELY. Now that I have all the gear needed, it costs me about $4/box of 50.

BUT, the even bigger issue is, I can tailor my ammo to my gun.
I can make MUCH more accurate ammo and I have fun doing it too.

Does reloading sound like fun to you?
If it's gonna be a chore, I'd recommend that you don't bother.
Heck, I've bought guns just so I have 2 or more calibers to play with.
I'm thinkin' I need a 327 Fed Mag = 32S&W Long, 32 H&R Mag, & 327 Fed Mag.

mljdeckard said:

OK, where are you guys getting factory 9mm for $9?

FOR ME, part of the benefit of buying it is....more brass to reload

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Brownells has brass cased Aguila 115/124 gr FMJ ammo for $9.99/50. With 10% off on $99+ order using M3P promo code and free shipping, it comes to $89.91/500 shipped:

115 gr FMJ (1250 fps) - http://www.brownells.com/ammunition...=Avantlink&utm_content=NA&utm_campaign=Itwine

124 gr FMJ (1115 fps) - http://www.brownells.com/ammunition...=Avantlink&utm_content=NA&utm_campaign=Itwine

- Coupon "M3P" for $10 off $99 + Free S/H on select items
- Coupon "LDN" for $20 off $200
- Coupon "LAV" for $10 off $100
- Coupon "M5Z" for Free S/H over $49

Jack B wrote:
Not even sure I'll like 9mm.

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That was what I thought when I was given a bunch of brass. Now, after 223, its the most common cartridge I load.

Watch out for 9mm, it has a way of growing on you.

I don't hand load to save money, and I'd never counsel someone to get into the hobby in hopes of saving money. I've been hand loading for roughly 45 years now, so I suppose I've reclaimed most of my dollars spent on equipment and goodies, but I've never calculated it. Maybe not, because I often find something new and cool that I need. I reload because I love to create my own ammunition in the most precise way that I can, for each caliber that I load for. Done deal.

Walkalong said:

I didn't care for it when I was a young man, not enough recoil. Now I love it, light recoil (Especially my plinker of a 124 @ 1050ish FPS), bullets are cheaper, lot's of nice 9MM pistols.

But yea, you're getting the gun for free, so buy a box or two of 9MM and see what you think. Saving money reloading 9MM can be a wash at times, depending on prices and what type loads you want to make.

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Yep, if you want to practice shooting quickly on multiple targets with fast transitions the 9mm is the way to go IMO. The low recoil helps that goal a lot.

bds said:

With popularity of 9mm carbines increasing, 9mm is the "new 22LR"

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That is pretty much how I feel about it. And more reliable in quality (handloads) and availability (again, handloads) when the last craze began.