Joshua Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 I'm wondering if it's worth reloading 9mm, .308, .223.... Nothing obscure and just for the range. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgecrusher Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 Do you have anything or in need of all components and equipment? If that’s the case now is a bad time to start. There’s just nothing available. I found I don’t save any money. I shoot more for relatively the same cost. More time involved but more control over what I shoot. I only load rifle though, I still find handgun rounds are cheap enough for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belt Fed Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 I really can't see reloading 9mm myself, especially when it was about 200 a thousand a while back. I have no idea how long it would take to load 1000 rounds of 9mm but my ADD would kick in quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armed Eye Doc Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 (edited) 9mm is now $320+ per 1000, and that is for steel case. As @edgecrusher said, it depends on what you already have and what you need to start reloading. If all you need is components, you might save a little money. If you have to buy equipment, keep shopping for ammo deals. www.ammoseek.com Edited October 17, 2021 by Armed Eye Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted October 17, 2021 Report Share Posted October 17, 2021 As pointed out it depends if you're starting from scratch as gear and components have jumped in price when you can find them. I found I enjoy reloading( originally bought gear because of US ammo shortage back in 08) I think if you find reloading a chore then buy in bulk. One nice thing about reloading is that components can be used to make several calibers along with making different loads for a single caliber to suit the firearm and/or use. So even if you didn't save money this would be in itself a great perk. As to saving money I'm going with yes. First off if you buy decent gear and look after it it has good resale value( at least up here) so I don't factor gear into my overall cost. Even with 9mm I save money if using Lee Classic Turret( first press and a great starter press) it works out to approximately $C20CAN/HR the Dillion 550 works out to approximately $C45CAN/HR Note these prices are based on my cost for components I've stockpiled. https://x-reload.com/load-cost this is a cost calculator were you can punch in the various component cost and get a price to compare to store bought equivalent( if you can find what you want). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted October 18, 2021 Report Share Posted October 18, 2021 NO! You won't save money, but you WILL shoot more. I've been reloading for over 40 years and I've never saved any money but I have shot a lot more than I ever could have afforded if I had just bought loaded ammo. At one point, when I was real active in USPSA competition, I was reloading and shooting 8 to 10 thousand pistol rounds a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaffe48 Posted October 18, 2021 Report Share Posted October 18, 2021 As long as you shoot a good quantity of rounds you will save money (per round). That's especially if you are looking for rounds that are accurate in your rifle. You can find factory loads that your rifle likes but as likely as not these won't be the cheapest pos ammo you can find. Of course, many people spoil their cost saving with unnecessary nick knack tools and too much experimentation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted October 18, 2021 Report Share Posted October 18, 2021 I can buy .338 Lapua Magnum match-loaded 285gr ammo for about $120 a box. OF TWENTY ROUNDS. That's $6 per round. I can load that for about $2.50 a round. Not long ago, I was loading that for $1.90 a round -but "these times" happened. Does it save money? Definitely. For range-blasting ammo, I was buying PMC Bronze 5.56 55gr ammo for $250 shipped, case of 1k rounds, to my house, in 2012. 25 cents each, and it used to cost me about 27 cents to load one of those. No-brainer. Ship it to me cheaper than I can load it, and I don't have to work? Done. What's that 1k case of PMC Bronze 55gr cost now? About $600 (or north of that), if you can even find a full case to buy... Reloading saves you money. Period. Especially for precision ammo. Sometimes even on bulk ammo (considering today's prices). My $0.02... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Posted October 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2021 I would be buying equipment. I was also told before starting my rifle build that it was a bad time, and it's almost finished. I'm very patient, and I don't buy unless it fits my budget. As long as it saves money per round, the equipment eventually pays for itself. Plus being a little more independent is never bad. If only one could make their own primers, powder, and bullets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve crawford Posted October 18, 2021 Report Share Posted October 18, 2021 Where you save money reloading is to reuse your brass. It takes a little time to pick up, sort clean and check the brass every time you shoot. I like that I can try to tune my loads to my rifle. I am not as good at that as some of the guys here but I can tell the difference in my groups between my loads and cheap factory loads. It takes time to reload. If you start with the basics you will find out if you like it. Be careful. You may end up with a room full of reloading tools. It may grow on you just like rifles do. 🙂🙂🙂 Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Posted December 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2021 Wife bought me the Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenger Kit for Christmas. I think I want to start with 9mm to get the hang of it. A question for the experienced reloader: do 9mm cartridges need cleaned or trimmed? I see some doing it and some not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgecrusher Posted December 26, 2021 Report Share Posted December 26, 2021 On 12/26/2021 at 3:41 PM, Joshua said: Wife bought me the Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenger Kit for Christmas. I think I want to start with 9mm to get the hang of it. A question for the experienced reloader: do 9mm cartridges need cleaned or trimmed? I see some doing it and some not. I don’t load handgun but I would absolutely clean your case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albroswift Posted December 26, 2021 Report Share Posted December 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Joshua said: need cleaned or trimmed? Cleaned for sure. I have never in a million rounds trimmed 9mm. Have you started rounding up components? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted December 26, 2021 Report Share Posted December 26, 2021 As the others said, definitely clean them, dirty cases can be really hard on the sizer die. In the tens of thousands of pistol rounds I've reloaded (38 Spec., 357, 44mag & Spec., 40 S&W, 45 ACP, 38 Super and 9 MM), I have never trimmed a pistol case. Since they are straightwall, they don't stretch like a shouldered rifle case does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Posted December 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2021 I'm pricing components now. I need to put together a workbench first, so I sketched out a plan. Going to get lumber tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armed Eye Doc Posted December 27, 2021 Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 30 minutes ago, Joshua said: Going to get lumber tomorrow. That's where the money will come out of the budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Posted December 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 22 hours ago, Armed Eye Doc said: That's where the money will come out of the budget. Set me back about $80 and a few hours of time. Modest and simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armed Eye Doc Posted December 27, 2021 Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterrex Posted December 27, 2021 Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 Nice bench. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonewolf McQuade Posted December 28, 2021 Report Share Posted December 28, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 6:26 PM, Joshua said: Set me back about $80 and a few hours of time. Modest and simple. Well done @Joshua !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve crawford Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 (edited) Sorry to say. Your hooked now. I started with a 18 inch square table with a shelf on the bottom. I lived in a 2 room apartment. I now have a 8 foot work bench that has no extra space on it. Took 50 years to get to this. I still enjoy the time I spend reloading. I tried loading 9 mm but I kept pinching the F out of my fingers. 9 mm and 380 are just to short for me to reload. I can reload over 8 pistol and 8 or 9 rifle calibers. Gives me something to do in my retirement. Getting to old to get out and shoot much anymore. Sad. ☹️☹️☹️ Steve P,S, That is a good looking reloading bench. Edited December 29, 2021 by Steve crawford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagebrush Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 nice bench! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsquared Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 On 12/27/2021 at 6:26 PM, Joshua said: Set me back about $80 and a few hours of time. Modest and simple. Modest and simple always work my man. Looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unforgiven Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 Nice bench brother have a long healthy retirement 🍺🍺 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armed Eye Doc Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 On 12/30/2021 at 2:38 PM, Rsquared said: Modest and simple always work my man. Says the man with the Star Trek set for a living room... Ok, maybe not a full set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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