9mm....worth it?

[TheSpaceWanderer]

This is not a thread asking about the cost savings of reloading 9mm. I am new to hand loading but I've been loading long enough to know I'll save money.

My question is do you think it's worth the time?

Currently I only load for revolver (38,44) so brass retrieval is not an issue. It seams like picking up all the brass would be a chore. Is it worth time and sore back invested?

I can share powder and primers with 38spc. So there's that.

I don't know, I'm on the fence.

I have a Beretta 92fs coming to me so this is my mind.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Wow
If I was basing my reloading on the value of my time I wouldn't be doing it. So the value to me is in the joy of loading and making good ammo.

You know this is the answer you'll get in various forms. My suggestion is to ask yourself if you enjoy reloading, and/or are the various benefits worth it for each caliber you do. There's nothing wrong with saying yes to one and no to another. Likewise there's nothing wrong with whether you decide.

Based on your question I get the feeling you are on the fence. If that's the case then if you have the dies buy a few bullets and load some rounds and see. If not, decide if the cost of a set of dies is worth it. If not you have your answer. If so you also probably have your answer!

 

[peterk1234]

Lord, I hope so. I have saved up over 2000 fired brass so far, and do not even have the die set yet Granted, I have been only reloading for about seven days. On a serious note, I knew was going to reload 9mm, no matter the cost or hassle, so I started to save my own fired brass. Now I will also begin picking it up at the range. I think it is actually worth purchasing 1000 rounds of ammo, use it, and grab the brass. I have not done the math, but I bet it is cheaper than purchasing the brass, and certainly a lot more fun than walking around the range scrounging for it. I have found 9mm for 21cents a round so I think my plan was sound.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I shoot a lot and enjoy reloading nearly all the ammo I use.
I load 9mm on a progressive press, loading it on a single stage would take the fun out of it for me.

 

[bullseye308]

I lay out a tarp when I shoot outdoors and it catches my brass for me. At the indoor range I sweep it up and drop it in my bag. I have loaded a few hundred thousand 9's over the years and it's definitely worth it to me. I tune a load to each pistol and crank them out. Look at RMR for bullets, buy 4 or 8 pound jugs of powder, and primers by the case locally if possible.

Depending on your goals, it is worth it. If you just want blasting ammo and don't care about accuracy, WWB is great and cheap. If you want dependable, consistent, and accurate ammo tuned to your gun, loading is the way to go. Only you can decide what is best for you.

 

[Diliimar]

I just started reloading and 9mm is what I started with I'm right at $5 for a box of 50 fmj and can put out 150 an hour with turret press so I'm "making or saving at least $15 an hour" but over that I'm really enjoying it

 

[jaguarxk120]

I think the 9mm has become the 22 LR of the day, cheap to shoot and there is lots for sale.
At the outdoor range I can always pickup at least 1/2 box of 9mm.
Reloading, I shoot a 120 grain cast bullet and powder chargers are very small.
I would rather shoot the 9mm than a 45 since I always leave the range with more brass than I started.

 

[springer99]

Depending on what you're loading now for the 38Spl, you might even be able to use the same bullets when loading 9mm. I shoot a lot of cast and find that .357sized works very well for both. Guess it depends on how much you plan to shoot the 9mm, and how much you enjoy your reloading hobby.
You can probably load cast 9mm for $6-7 per 50. Compared to buying bulk 9mm ball ammo, you can save a couple of bucks per box. How many boxes will you shoot to pay off a new set of dies. That's about your only added expense. That, and of course, having to bend over to pick up the empties!

 

[jmorris]

I can load 1000 up for under $40 takes less than an hour to load them, around another two, to cast, coat and size the bullets.

I quit loading 9mm for a decade or so when extra time was really tight and factory ammo was dirt cheap ($3.99/50 Winchester white box), I only started back up because the load I wanted, I could not buy.

 

[Blue68f100]

The 9mm is worth it, provided your buying you supplies in bulk to get the lowest price. But trying to feed a simi-auto with a SS press is not fun task. I moved to a AP when I started loading for guns that can eat large quantity of ammo quickly. As far as keeping up with the brass, the only way is to use a brass catcher. I made my own to fit in the space I had at the local range. If your shooting in an open area a sheet or tarp works.

 

[dgod]

I shoot a LOT of different calibers, but to address your issues... As Springer said, 9mm and 38Spc can shoot the same plinker bullets as there is only .001 to .005" difference in diameter. If I want full (Or nearly Full) cases, I use Trailboss. I recently acquired 2 38Spec and 1 38 Short Colt Revolvers. I can use the same cast bullets in all 3.

I can say having loaded since the late 70's, it feels really good to develop a new load from scratch and see for yourself the results, coupled with the fact, You Made It, you took the time and energy to develop this load and then shoot it.

Great Reward for the time and material invested.

Dan

 

[Bartojc]

I started with 9mm. I think it is worth it. The nice thing about 9mm is that brass is everywhere. Everyone at a range shoots 9mm so you'll likely never be short on brass. If you do not feel like picking your up some day let them lay there. Sometime when shooting at my BIL place where the grass is long we leave as much brass as we retrieve. No worries it is plentiful.

-jeff

 

[red rick]

I see 9mm JMJ for $10 dollars on sale a lot now , so sometimes I wonder . It cost me about $6 dollars to load some plated bullets last week with range brass . I have 9 extra hours a day of free time now , so I can reload or watch TV . Maybe if I had to buy brass for 9mm , I would watch TV .

 

[Jeff H]

OP if you ever spend some time at an indoor range, 9mm and .40 cal brass will never be scarce. Just sweep up what is around you and you'll always leave with more than you came with.

 

[jaguarxk120]

How many boxes will you shoot to pay off a new set of dies. That's about your only added expense. That, and of course, having to bend over to pick up the empties!

If I had to reload to pay for my tooling, I would be reloading for at least 200 years. I have more invested in some of my presses than some have in their whole reloading set up!

 

[kcofohio]

Like bullseye308 said. If your range will let you spread out a tarp. Or, there are brass catcher nettings. And the wire nut wheel (but these are picky about the grass/suface uniformity).

http://www.nutwizard.com/prod01.htm

 

[stoky]

If you enjoy hand loading, it's worth it, but it probably won't pass muster from a hard nosed economic analysis regarding the time spent.
Picking up brass can be stretches for the hamstrings and obliques an/or half squats for quads and glutes.

 

[Doublehelix]

Totally worth it. I am loading 9mm at somewhere between 9 and 12 cents a round, depending on the current pricing schemes and sales.

But as mentioned, it is not about cost savings, it is about pride and making quality ammo that shoots well in your gun.

I just upgraded my turret press to a progressive, and man, can I crank out the ammo now! I am thinking it is about 10 minutes to make 100 rounds.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Most factory 9mm seems a little too much recoil for my wife, so I load up to the max she can enjoy shooting a couple dozen rounds. Yeah, it's a pain rounding up all her brass. But I usually pick up more 9mm than we brought. I also sort the headstamps so that each box she shoots has the same headstamp. The cost savings on 9mm isn't a lot, but my wife wouldn't shoot as many rounds if we used factory all the time. Normally she shoots 7 of what she carries and 21 of what I load.

 

[Tcruse]

All of the people that continue to hand load handgun ammo seem to have two things in common.
1) They go thru a lot of ammo, either by regular range trips or by occasional big shooting days.
2) They consider the re-loading as a part of the enjoyment of the sport.
Hint: for picking up brass get a small brush and scoop to get the brass in a bag to carry home.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

If I had to reload to pay for my tooling, I would be reloading for at least 200 years. I have more invested in some of my presses than some have in their whole reloading set up!

I'm the opposite. I picked up the bare minimum needed. Looked for sales and such and have about $300 or so in gear. So I quickly recovered the cost. Everything from here on out is gravy.

Well other than getting dies for any calibers I want to add. Well and adding addition things to make it faster or easier. Or the wants.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Hint: for picking up brass get a small brush and scoop to get the brass in a bag to carry home.

I started bringing a broom too.
I now sweep up the area in my stall before I star shooting then after.
The last trip just doing this I wound up with a lot more brass than I thought.

 

[RussellC]

Yes, it is worth it to me anyway.

Russellc

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Would I buy a full setup to load the 9mm alone, probably not. Since you already load for the 38 and 44 it would be worth the time investment for me.

 

[red rick]

The range I last went to was sweeping the brass up as fast as it was hitting the floor . They must resell it . I was glad that I was shooting a revolver .