kvfelton Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 I have just gotten back into shooting after a 25 year hiatus. I started out as a casual shooter for the past couple of years, but am starting to get serious about training for IPDA and Steel Challenge. I decided to go with a 9mm to save money on ammo, so my wife won't kill me for spending our extra $$, and am now considering buying a Dillon reloader. I can find 9mm ammo, to practice with, online for about 10-12 cents per round, including shipping, but don't know how much I'll save by reloading. I know I'm probably opening a can of worms, but some input would be nice. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 If you know where to look, you can find 9mm rounds online for dirt cheap. I shoot almost exclusively 9's, the only reason I reload them, is I like having the choice of how hot to load them. I think ultimately it depends on what you want, and what your time is worth if you decide to reload. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 Wally-world has 9mm in Winchester in 100 round value-paks for $10-11. Natchezz seems to have the best mail-order prices and great service. http://www.natchezss.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted March 31, 2002 Share Posted March 31, 2002 The reason I load 9mm isn't to save money, it's consistency. It's difficult to find a sufficient quantity of the same stuff twice in a row. Reloading fixed that for me. Plus, I don't give a damn what anybody says, the stuff coming off my Dillon beats the hell out of what anybody's selling off the shelf. I can't tell you how many dollar a round squibs I've fired from name brand manufacturers. I've never loaded a dud on my Dillon. Never. If you're really serious, reload. E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 You can easily load nine for less than .08 rd not counting brass which is REAL cheap. That .10 sounds real good to me though. if I could buy accurate and consistant Super for that I would. Although self-loaded ammo is generally more accurate and cheaper. Its really the only way to shoot Major super Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 I totally agree with Nik. RELOAD!!!!!! and use a Dillon RL550 or XL650. I load 9mm ( here in New Zealand you will go broke if you don't reload ). It costs me around $35NZ ($15US) per 100 including the cost of once fired brass. The cheapest 9mm is Norinco ( utter SHIT ) at $40NZ ($17-18US) per 100. My loads are better made and more accurate. We can get good quality new at around $60NZ ($26US) per 100 but then it may not suit your gun. CCI Speer Lawman is readily available because our Police use it, but it is only available here in FMJ. The load you make will be what you want. Don't worry about the cost of the reloader as it will pay dividends in the future. If you go to another calibre later you will be well prepared for that. I also load 38Super and that is unbeleivably expensive. I would save 2/3 or more of the cost of ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 I think gm iprod brought up a very good point in that you will be able to use the reloader to make other calibers as well. You may only shoot 9mm right now but eventually you may want to try .45 for example and that stuff is almost never cheap at any store. Do get a Dillon press if you can. They make the best and even the Square Deal B is better than what most other companies put out. It is also cheap and caliber conversions for the SDB are pretty reasonable. You will be stuck using Dillon dies if you buy the SDB but there are worse problems you could have. Whatever you decide, good luck and have fun. -jhgtyre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 1, 2002 Share Posted April 1, 2002 Not sure about other areas, but here in the mid atlantic, most folks don't reload 9 to save money because its so cheap to buy loaded. Those who do reload 9 do it for other reasons. For IDPA, the advantage would seem to be getting the load you want as far as recoil/PF/accuracy rather than trying to save money. As one who champions reloading in general, I vote in favor of you reloading. No shortage of good advice here on BE.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkster Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 I reload 9mm's, but also with the cheap prices will shoot up a mess of factory. Reloading will give you the ablity to find the tack driving load for your gun.. Hawkster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 My 9 mm reloading costs are about $ 65/1000. That's achieved by buying bullets, primers and powder in bulk --- and leaving brass out of the equation. I buy once fired brass from ebay or auction arms for all of my soft loads. I bought 5000 cases for about $ 100 two years ago, they've been reloaded 5 times by me, with probably another 10-15 to go. I'm not seeing any brass wear yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted April 2, 2002 Share Posted April 2, 2002 one more element that people often forget to consider: what is your time worth? Mine is not free, and even with a good reloader, a good reloader spends 1 h per 800 rds or so. Add that to the equation, and you'll probably conclude that reloading the 9 is not worth it for financial reasons (unless you flip burgers for a living...). But it may well be for ballistic reasons (major 9, e.g.). --Detlef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos Posted April 3, 2002 Share Posted April 3, 2002 Agree w/ detlef- I can't buy the ammo I prefer at any price so I make it they way I want. Does take time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted April 4, 2002 Share Posted April 4, 2002 I bought my Dillon specifically to do 9mm first, and will branch out to 40 and 45 later. My costs are 3.70 for a box of 50, I buy bullets in lots of 4K, powder will soon come in kegs, and the primers are a deal. I make the rounds I like with the pep I want and that my pistols like, and take a great deal of satisfaction in the end product. Brass I have coming out the wazoo since I have been a brass monkey since before I started reloading...I bought the Dillon while I had 6k brass in coffee cans. Do I save money? No, but once I've shot 4,760 rounds or so, it has paid for my Dillon...and its half paid now! As for time, yes, mine is valuable, but there is also something to say for that quiet time doing reloading. And, I shoot an awful lot more than I did before and am seeing improvement, and that's the name of the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted April 5, 2002 Share Posted April 5, 2002 vluc, all fine and good, but when you move up to buying bullets in 25k lots (and all the UPS drivers know and hate you!), powder by the dozen lbs, primers in lots of 30k, and are consuming brass equal your own weight every 2 months because you shoot .40s major, meaning when you shoot 40-50+k rds a year, then reloading becomes a hazzle and nuisance that distracts from the shooting! To me it has simply become a time consuming obstacle. Not that I see any way out... --D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vluc Posted April 6, 2002 Share Posted April 6, 2002 detlef, well put! I'm only at about the 5-7k a year shooting, and it probably will become a pain! Haven't aggravated the UPS drivers yet, though I do imagine they wonder what all this stuff is that is coming to my house...probably put me on a watch list! I've just been reloading a short time and already find there is no way out except to go cold turkey, but to have to shoot factory rounds again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted April 7, 2002 Share Posted April 7, 2002 that's why Production starts looking so attractive! --D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted April 9, 2002 Share Posted April 9, 2002 Detlef Best part about that is, you get to buy another pistol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted April 11, 2002 Share Posted April 11, 2002 so true....(don't tell anyone....) --D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
para man Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 .09 or .10 cents a round is cheap enough , But if I were you a would consider a square deal set up for the 9mm., I think you will save money in the long run have better ammo to shoot. Plus just the enjoyment of reloading Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 *enjoyment of reloading*????? Are you one of those transcendental guys walking glowing coal and sleeping on a nail bed? Detlef-I-"hate"-reloading! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted May 13, 2002 Share Posted May 13, 2002 I like reloading but I hate changing calibers on my press. I thought it would get better with my new press (Dillon 650) but it still sucks. I just hate that part of the process. It isn't that it takes too long or that it is hard to do I just don't like doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypher Posted May 16, 2002 Share Posted May 16, 2002 I didn't mind reloading too much either, but like you I didn't like to change calibers. So I bought more tool heads for my 550 along with powder dispensers and all that stuff. Then I really decided I didn't like changing the primer feed from small to large and vice versa when I changed some of the calibers. Solution: buy a second 550 and mount it on the other end of the bench (I have a big bench). Now caliber switches are almost painless... (I still don't like having to switch shell plates). Homero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhgtyre Posted May 16, 2002 Share Posted May 16, 2002 Yes. Changing the priming system out is the worst part. I think a long bench lined with Square Deal B's would fix the problem. For rifles it would be a little more expensive... Now where are those lottery tickets I bought? -jhgtyre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm iprod Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 Or when you shoot lots of different calibres and pistols you have a bigger headache. I now own 1 x XL650, loading 38spl, 9mm 115gr, 38Super and 40S&W. 2 x RL550, one for large primer one for small. I load 357Mag, 38spl wadcutter, 223 69gr and 40S&W 200gr subsonics. 45ACP and 44Mag 1 x Square Deal. 9mm lead and 32ACP. 1 x AT500, .17Rem, 500 Linebaugh and 308Match and hunting loads. Mike Dillon would be proud. Plus a couple of single stage presses for some of my odd ball wildcats and a 50BMG Hornady Setup. So it is really simple!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cypher Posted May 17, 2002 Share Posted May 17, 2002 GM, Man, I wish my life were that simple... That setup sounds sweeeeet!!!! Homero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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