Calculating the cost of reloading 9mm

[chris in va]

Cast these in about 3 hours with a two hole Lee mold. Roughly 700 in there.

I'm a cheapskate. My casting setup consists of a hotplate, small iron skillet, SS spoon, mini muffin pan, walmart gravy ladle, used Lee Production pot and mold. Sounds like a lot but doesn't come out to be more than roughly $100. I recouped my costs after the first couple castings.

Including reloading/casting equipment costs and materials (primers, powder and lead WW) I can crank out a box of 50 for about $3.

 

[hydraulicman]

68 FMJ 115 grain
30 Primers
17 power pistol

115 if you get free brass

153 if you buy brass from oncefiredbrass.net

shoot lead and you can go cheaper than that

 

[thelaststand]

when making lead bullets is the led hard on a semi-auto pistol? Is the lead bullet as accurate?

 

[Sam1911]

when making lead bullets is the led hard on a semi-auto pistol?

Metallurgically speaking, the lead should be much easier on the barrel than jacketed bullets simply because the metal is softer.

There exists some debate about SOME pistols that use polygonal rifling instead of traditional land-and-groove rifling. (Primarily Glock, H&K, and some Kahr guns.) It has been suggested that the nature of polygonal rifling causes heavy "leading" (lead build up) that contributes to abnormally high pressure spikes. This is often quoted as one of the primary causes of the highly publicized proliferation of Glock "Kabooms." (Insufficiently supported chamber design being the other.)

Wiki tells us:

The manufacturer Glock advises against using lead bullets (meaning bullets not covered by a copper jacket) in their polygonally rifled barrels, which has led to a widespread belief that polygonal rifling is not compatible with lead bullets. Firearms expert and barrel maker, the late Gale McMillan, has also commented that lead bullets and polygonal rifling are not a good mix. Some have made a point of the fact that neither H&K nor Kahr explicitly recommend against lead bullets in their polygonal rifled barrels, and feel that it is probable that there is an additional factor involved in Glock's warning. However, Kahr's FAQ does include a warning that lead bullets can cause additional fouling][1] and recommends special attention to cleaning after using them. In addition, while H&K doesn't warn against the use of lead, at least one well-documented catastrophic incident in an H&K pistol[2] appears to be related to this issue. Furthermore, Dave Spaulding, well-known gun writer, reported in the February/March 2008 issue of Handguns Magazine that when he queried H&K about their polygonally rifled barrels that they commented: "It has been their experience that polygonal rifling will foul with lead at a greater rate than will conventional rifling."

Folks who are very knowledgeable about proper lead bullet hardness, and who trust their own cleaning procedures and testing have reported that they have no problem using cast lead bullets in their Glock (and other polygonally rifled) firearms, but the vast majority of owners seem to avoid putting lead through those guns.

Is the lead bullet as accurate?

Oh, heck yeah. You'll never have a complaint that lead bullets aren't as accurate as jacketed or plated. Many, MANY bullseye shooters and other precision pistoleeros have used cast lead for generations.

-Sam

 

[thelaststand]

Does anyone know of a good place to buy lead ingots? cheaper than ebay (with shipping seems to be about $1/lb of lead)?

 

[Seedtick]

-

thelaststand asked -

Does anyone know of a good place to buy lead ingots?

You bet we do.

The best place anywhere to buy lead bullets is also the best
place anywhere to buy casting alloy to make your own bullets.

Missouri Bullet Company
and
Their Bullet Casting Alloy

They even like us so much they give us a discount.
Here is the info on THR discount.

ST

 

[qajaq59]

If you are going to buy ingots be sure your source is very reliable. And I believe Missouri and a couple of others are. However you could start looking for lead wheel weights in your local recycling center or some of the places that sell tires. Just be sure you sort out any zinc before you start melting it.
And lead shoots just as accurately as jackets in most guns, if you load it correctly.

 

[Nuke8401]

Whenever prices are discussed here at THR I see prices in posts that I have personally haven't seen in the past year, primers $22.00/1000, 9mm bullets 66/1000 etc. I live in the world where I buy from retailers today, not uber secret deals from dealer buddies or use prices for stuff I bought in the 1950’s

Based on current real prices: Berrys, plated 9mm 115 80.88/1000 or hard cast 81.88/1000, titegroup 16.29/1 lb or 111.99/8 lbs and small pistol primers 32.99/1000 and free cases my cost is roughly 6.25/50 or 12.5 cents/round. A box WWB is about 12.99 around here if you can find it.
As far as the wheel weight bullets go, sure they might be fine for low volume reloading but for hundreds of rounds a week not practical.

If you are thinking about reloading because of cost; if you spend 150 on the low end or 400 for mid range equipment then it would take 1200/3200 rounds to break even.

I’m not picking on anyone about their prices just using everyday prices normal guys have to pay, since most of us aren’t “uber special”.

 

[editingfx]

Whenever prices are discussed here at THR I see prices in posts that I have personally haven't seen in the past year, primers $22.00/1000, 9mm bullets 66/1000 etc.

I only started a year ago, so I'm far from "uber"-anything! But, those are prices from this year, with no deals involved.

147 Grain 9MM FP, $56/1000 at Missouri Bullet (buy 2k lots)
http://www.missouribullet.com/results.php?category=9&secondary=8

CCI SPP at Graf & Sons, sorry, I did make a mistake there, forgot the hazmat & shipping, which brought it to $23.04/1000 (obviously I didn't buy just 1k to get the hazmat amoritized that low), but $110/1000

http://www.grafs.com/product/256547

 

[blue_ridge]

I just bought a nice Lock-n-Load press from Midsouth Shooters Supply for $368 + $20 shipping. If purchased before 12-31-09 you send in a rebate to Hornady for 1000 bullets. They let you choose from a good list of commonly used good quality jacketed bullets (e.g. - 45 cal 185gr. XTP). Kind of hard to pass up if you ask me.

Regarding casting lead bullets. Is that safe? Might be a dumb question, but I know lead is not the safest of materials and have heard questions about lead exposure just from shooting lead bullets. Is casting lead a safe process? (exposure to lead?)

 

[Walkalong]

Lead is perfectly safe if you wash your hands after handling it, don't mix it with your Red Man, and don't sniff the lead pot while casting.

Cleanliness and common sense is the key.

Those are gorgeous chris in va

 

[RandyP]

I reckon I'd add that I reload for several reasons, and cost vs factory ammo was just the starting point. I also appreciate the fact that with my careful purchasing and inventory of components there is NO ammunition shortage I need worry about, not now nor in the forseeable years to come.

There is also something positive to be said about making something with your own two hands. I am 60 yrs old and in this 'new age' of throw away economics, where just about nobody knows how to fix anything, I can be self reliant in my shooting needs and pass that skill to the next generation.

 

[nulfisin]

No offense, but cost is not a great reason to load 9 mm. If you get better performance or can't buy cheap ammo at the store, then reloading is your only real option. Otherwise, I'd pay a little more at the store and spend my time reloading a more expensive round.

My personal favorite rounds are 45 LC and 44 Sp. Reloading even a few boxes of those rounds gives you some great savings right away. Plus, it's more fun because you have a bigger range of safe loads to experiment with.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I've loaded cast slugs for practice when I did 'shoot&scoot' and left the brass laying. likely had more time in it than it is worth.
I always save&scrounge new fired brass to handload with 'premium' slugs for friends and relatives - saves some money.

 

[fireflyfather]

8 lb powder at $154, 6gr charge, primers @ $22/1000, lead 9mm @ $112/2000, free brass

OMG where are you buying your powder? That is an outrage. Try powder valley. Even with $20 hazmat and $20 shipping an 8lb jug is less than that. If you are ordering more than 1 jug and/or a few thousand primers, you can spread out the hazmat and shipping quite a bit.

Can I suggest that you use a powder that bulks up well in the case? Using the powder that is cheapest may result in really small charges, which do not bulk up well, and it's hard to tell a double charge from a single charge.

CDD

Actually, Red Dot and Promo are among the cheapest powders out there for pistol and cast bullet rifle loads. They also tend to be pretty damn bulky. So much so that it is almost a compressed charge with certain heavier bullets in 9mm (Truncated Cone 124 grain @ 3.0 to 3.5 grains of red dot comes to mind).

 

[fireflyfather]

Casting roughly quadruples the time involved in reloading, or even more, depending on your casting procedures, equipment, whether you do it in big batches or small, etc. Right now I have enough cast to last me several years (except for rifle bullets, which I don't shoot that many of. Less than 50 per range trip, and I only shoot a couple times a year). In an hour of casting, I can cast about 50-100 good, usable bullets. That doesn't count the time scrounging for cheap lead, sorting out the junk weights & tire stems, smelting the lead prior to putting it into the casting pot, and lubing the bullets. Then there is the sizing and re-lubing, and sometimes adding gas checks for rifle bullets or magnum pistol rounds. It is definitely an involved process. If you want to get into it for just pistol shooting, get a lee mold, a small lee pot, and a micrometer. Add in a metal spoon for stirring & fluxing, and you are good to go. If you go for a non-bottom-pour pot you will also need a ladle. If you enjoy reloading & working with your hands you may like casting. If reloading is tiresome to you, then forget casting. I love it but don't have a lot of time for it recently.

 

[Seedtick]

Here is some WW lead for sale in the Trading Post now.

WW Lead

Idaho Elk Huntr -
57 lbs Wheel weight lead IDAHO

57 pounds of wheel weight ingots for casting.

$60 shipped
paypal ok

Probably won't last long though.

ST

 

[armoredman]

I have a Lee bottom pour pot, and a pot/ladle combo if I want to try that way. I REALLY need to get that pot turned on, too...it is kinda fun, and productive!

 

[editingfx]

OMG where are you buying your powder? That is an outrage.

The prices I gave included haz & shipping. Price was $10 more than PV on powder alone.

 

[Afy]

It costs me about 6 Euros a box of 50 to load a 124 grain fmj with Vithavouri powder, versus about 10 Euros a box of magtec ammo. So I do save a bunch of money.

 

[spartywrx]

Whenever prices are discussed here at THR I see prices in posts that I have personally haven't seen in the past year, primers $22.00/1000, 9mm bullets 66/1000 etc. I live in the world where I buy from retailers today, not uber secret deals from dealer buddies or use prices for stuff I bought in the 1950’s

I placed an order today with Missouri Bullet Co. for 1000 125gr. LRN 9mm bullets. $60.25 including shipping. That was after their 5% THR discount.

As for everything else, its quantity that will get you a discount. Primers bought by the 10k or more really gets the price down. Powder by the 8lb jug or more. And of course, shop around.

 

[thelaststand]

Starting to look for powder

I'm looking at using winchester WSF starting at 5.0 grains per load for 115gr FMJ and total metal jackets. What do yall think? Does anyone else use WSF for 115 grain FMJ? How much powder do you use?

Are there any other good brands for 115 grain bullets?
What about 125 grain lead cast ones?

 

[rfwobbly]

I'm looking at using Winchester WSF starting at 5.0 grains per load for 115gr FMJ and total metal jackets.

I think you'd do better with a slightly faster powder like Win 231, but that's a personal preference. For 115gr jacketed I usually load in the neighborhood of 4.5gr so it's going to use less powder.

Are there any other good brands for 115 grain bullets?

For jacketed, try Magnus, Precision Delta and Montana Gold
For plated, try Berry Mfg
For lead, try Missouri Bullet

 

[billsnogo]

For plated, try Berry Mfg

I just ordered some plated from Berry at Cabelas. They are an sale right now, and if you use there $20 off coupon that is advertised on there home page, I got 750 9mm 115grn bullets, and 500 125grn fp .38/.357 bullets for a grand total after tax (shipped to store, so no shipping) $91.51.

So that is $91.51 for 1250 bullets, or .07 a bullet. I don't plan on casting quite yet as the lead seems a bit hard to come by, and Delta is on backorder, so this seemed pretty decent deal overall.......

 

[thelaststand]

rjwobbly, is the 4.5gr for win 231 (for 115 FMJ) a medium load? What should I start with on the low end, 4.3? I heard you don't want to go to low for 9mm because that can cause increased pressures also.

I meant to ask about what powders do yall use and what amount for 115 FMJ or plated
and for 124 or 125 gr Lead Cast bullets.


Don't worry I have my own resources, I just wanted to see what experienced people are using.