9mm ammo cost?

[Beendare]

Does it make sense to reload for 9mm FMJ practice ammo?

I shoot a few cases a year on steel.........and have saved a pile of brass. I'm getting the 124gr 9mm FMJ for- sometimes- under $300 a case....call it about $.30 a piece on avg.


But I am in Ca where ammo purchases are a bit restrictive. Its not like I need another hobby....is it worth it?

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[Jc2020]

You can save money reloading but it is kind of expensive to get into it Plus time consuming I started on a single stage press which is pretty slow but eventually upgraded to a Dillion progressive with is fast but it was expensive

 

[Oldffemt]

Not for me. But I live in a free state and stack it deep while it’s cheap. If you’re going to load bulk ammo do yourself a favor and get a progressive press. I can do about 100 rounds an hour on a turret press. My buddy does 2-300 an hour on a Dillon 550b.

 

[tunafed]

Before I moved out of CA I reloaded 9mm. I would just wait until some 124 gr bullets were on sale and buy a couple thousand. My load was in the low 4 gr range with W 231 so a pound of powder would last for 15-1600 rounds. With a progressive it was definitely worth it in CA. Now I am not so sure.

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[HuntHarder]

If a case of 9mm practice ammo is $300 a case in CA, it is definitely worth it to reload. Before the 'Rona hit, 9mm was around $169 a case here in Az. You can still reload it for cheaper, but after you factor your time into that, $169 is hard to beat.

 

[HuntHarder]

to help break it down,
avg of 5 grains of powder in a 9mm 124gr. load
7000 grains in a pound of powder = 1400 rounds $30ish a bottle

bullets 6-8 cents for lead 1400 x .08 = $112

primers - roughly $30.00 a thousand $45.00 for 1500

Brass - you have already

Total = $30 powder
$112 bullets
$45 primers
$187 for 1400 rounds or 13.35 cents a round
Obviously just a quick example, but you will be in this ball park a little one way or the other.

 

[5MilesBack]

The only handgun rounds I reload is 10mm. With sale prices and rebates at times you can get the 124gr 9mm Blazer Brass down to 14-15 cents per round.....but probably not in CA.

 

[Beendare]

HH, thanks for the breakdown....I owe you one.

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[NDGuy]

Why is it so much higher in CA? Is it restricted to who can ship ammo there?

Like hunt harder stated, pre corona 9mm brass was <$190 a case for 1000 rounds. Now is a little worse closer to $200-220.

 

[Wrench]

being in Cali, I'd stock up on components AND buy available ammo. At some point the government will save you from yourself again and it'll be a good time killer.

 

[Beendare]

Why is it so much higher in CA? Is it restricted to who can ship ammo there?

Like hunt harder stated, pre corona 9mm brass was <$190 a case for 1000 rounds. Now is a little worse closer to $200-220.

Politics is why. This is why we all need to stick together. The gun and ammo restrictions start in the liberal states; NY, wash, Ca...and leak into the other states.

Many say...."CA can take a flying leap...Ha Ha I don't give a rats ass about CA" the problem is the way laws are enacted in the US is through precedents. Ca starts a precedent...and other states use it as an argument to follow. Its happened many times already.........with hunting seasons and gun laws.

We used to be able to order ammo to our door in CA...they cut that off a couple years ago. Now every box of ammo you buy has to have paperwork identifying the buyer and hunter safety certificate info. Of course the politiicans are trying to make things difficult...and it is. You cannot handle ammo boxes until they have been paid for- so stupid. The liberal argument is so Felons can't get ammo.....[even though there is already a law for that!]

There is a roster in CA for handgun purchases.....only guns on the roster can be bought-started about 10 years ago. Anything handgun related trying to be added to the roster has to be able to microstamp a code on each cartirdge before its fired. Impossible technology....so no new guns have been added to our roster...and many have fallen off due to new models.

Gen 4 and gen 5 Glocks- nope can't buy them from a dealer brand new...but can from a private party- PPT. All PPT's must go through a FFL with appropriate paperwork. Its a budding business here....guys getting Sig 320's, Glocks 42,43, gen 5's etc through family members out of state- legal...and selling them for a $400 profit. A typical gen 5 glock is about $1000 here.

Sucks for me...as I'm a lefty that likes the ambi controls on the gen 5's.

As we speak, the liberal progressive politicians are trying to figure a way to enact CA gun laws across the country. Its a shit show.

A recent court case, judge slapped an injunction on our ammo laws.....and it lasted 3-4 days until the AG stopped it. The law is so stupid....they might be able to get it overturned...that would never have happened with an Obama or Biden as president.


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[Beendare]

Thanks for the info guys....I do see a press in my future....so I've been saving my brass.

I've probably got 4k plus bags of brass....it will probably be 8k by the end of the summer.

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[Jess]

Only problem is right now its hard to find small pistol primers and 9mm leads.

 

[Rich M]

Don't forget to calculate your time in there - The lowest we bill anyone out at here is $60/hr. I'n not sure what you get paid or what you figure your time is worth. So, say you can load em for $150/1,000 and it takes 3 hours to load 1,000 = you do the math. If there is other stuff you'd rather do, it's probably just better to buy it bulk and pay whatever it costs.