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What's the cost of reloading 50 rounds of 9mm?

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cciman

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Just to give perspective on relative cost of reloading vs. factory boxed ammo (which is currently avr 25 cents per round or $12.50/box - before taxes and shipping)

Leaving out the cost of the equipment and time spent, and just the cost of materials (new brass case, bullets, powder, primer)- how much does it cost to make 50 rounds of 9mm?

How much focused time is needed to reload 50 rounds of 9mm using new brass?

Average cost to buy the average amount of equipment (new) to do the above (without the materials)?
 
#2 ·
Haven't cranked up my press in awhile, but if memory serves, last time I did a cost analysis it was about 30¢ per round, but that was for 147 grain Hornady hollow point XTP. once my press is set up it takes about 6-7 minutes to produce 50 rounds. I have an XL750 (progressive reloader) so once the dies are set correctly on the tool head, I can leave them, pull the whole toolhead and insert another with a different caliber setup. The gear isn't cheap, just the base is 750.00$ add in the primer tubes, caliber dies, powder measure, bullet feeder, case feeder, etc. cost goes up dramatically. when I bought mine it was 1500.00 out the door, with just the gear to reload 9mm (today it's closer to 3 grand), I've since added 30-30, .45, & .223 to the lineup. Each conversion kit runs about 400.00-500.00.

If you're thinking about reloading, buy a used single stage press, like a Lee, or RGB, learn to reload on it, then decide if you want to go to a progressive reloader, the learning curve can be a bit daunting if you haven't reloaded before, on a progressive everything happens at once on each pull of the handle, on a single stage only a single action is performed per pull, it's slower but easier to learn on.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Figuring cost is a little more complicated than your question . Different cost for different powders , different amount for different powders , how hot are you going to load it . What bullet you are going to use .

To save the most money you have to buy in large quantities with free hazmat and look for sales this day and age . You are also going to buy at least 1 pound of powder , 100 primers , 100 cases , 100 bullets .

Example : today not counting hazmat and shipping and tax using W-231 Midway $40 lb , Starline brass $22/100 , Hornady 115gr fmj rn $17/100 , .17 per bullet , Winchester primers local $8.00/100 .

Example 2 : Xtreme 115gr rn plated bullets $39.50/500 , .08 per bullet.

7000gr per pound , do the math and it won’t save you any money using new brass and buying in small quantities and without free hazmat and buying on sale .

The only way you are going to beat the price of factory 9mm target ammunition today is to reload your brass or range brass , buy on sale in large quantities of powder , with free hazmat and shipping and use plated or lead bullets also bought in quantity on sale with free shipping . Then you might save a couple of bucks per 50 .
 
#7 ·
Comes down to how cheap you source components, what your load consists of, and whether you use reclaimed once fired brass. I come up with "not worth it" to me, at current retail range ammo prices, if I'm just loading to punch paper on the range. (Prices sourced from Natchez, using free pickup brass). Also doesn't include hazmat, shipping and taxes. I'm not good with math so double check.

CCI spp $75/1000 = .075 cent/ea = $3.75/50

Berry’s plated 124 rn .09 cents/bullet = $4.50/50

Accurate #7 8# jug $330 | 6.5 gr = 8,615 shots = .038 cent/ea = $1.90/50

= $10.15/50
 
#8 ·
Using his example from post #5 with new brass and the cheaper plated bullets, you’re looking at $4 for bullets, $4 for primers, $11 for new brass and about $1.7 for powder to make 50 rds = $20.70
Where the savings comes in is reusing the brass. Reloading it 10 times reduces the per rd cost to $10.80 per box. Also, you can reduce further by using cast lead bullets.
However, the biggest advantage is the joy of making your own ammo and tailoring it to you gun.

Jim
 
#9 ·
(new brass case, bullets, powder, primer)- how much does it cost to make 50 rounds of 9mm?

Depends on which brass, bullets, powder and primers you buy.
Starline being the most expensive, others less
most expesnive bullets, Precision Delta jacketed hollow points, HiTeck coated about 1/2 that (casting your own is the very cheapest but most work)
Powder, depends on the density. Low volume, high density, like TiteGroup yeilds the most rounds per pound.
Primers, Federal being the most expensive, foreign made primers cheaper.
How long, depends on what press you are loading on.

For me, I get once fired indoor brass (for free), use HiTek coated bullets from different sources, about $70/thousand, TiteGroup powder (14,000 rounds per 8lb jug) from 6 years ago when I bought 48 lbs of it. CCI or WIN primers from 6 years ago when I bought 200,000 primers,

loading on a Dillon 550, it runs about 300 rounds per hour.
 
#10 ·
BluTundra said:
Using his example from post #5 with new brass and the cheaper plated bullets, you’re looking at $4 for bullets, $4 for primers, $11 for new brass and about $1.7 for powder to make 50 rds = $20.70
Where the savings comes in is reusing the brass. Reloading it 10 times reduces the per rd cost to $10.80 per box. Also, you can reduce further by using cast lead bullets.
However, the biggest advantage is the joy of making your own ammo and tailoring it to you gun.

Jim
Click to expand...
That is true with free shipping and no hazmat fee . Just look what it would cost if you bought your bullets at one place , your powder , primers and brass at another place without free shipping added to that $20 dollars . You could easily be adding another $40 dollars to be divided into the number of rounds that you can load with the quantity of your order .
 
#11 ·
No defined answer. You would need to pick one powder, bullet, primer, brass. Then narrow it to range brass, time of year, political agenda. Not trying to be difficult, but it's around $.30 I will guess.I will say for me I don't care the cost, it's fun, time away from tv and winter cold or summer heat.
 
#13 ·
Just to add my two cent, TLDR all of the replies, I was told this when I started reloading. You wont save money but you will shoot alot more. Another benefit is ammo shortages wont bother you so much. I only load target rounds, not my carry rounds. As such I use less power and used cases which drives the cost per round down even more. I have gone from a single stage Lee to a Dillon square deal B and waiting to sell both and install my new to me Dillon 550. Bill
 
#14 ·
My kid loads on a Dillon 1050 with bullet feeder, case feeder, oversized powder hoppers, and 20 primer tubes ready. He buys once fired, same headstamp pre-processed brass, use BE-86, Precision Delta JHP bullets. That press can load 1,500-1,800 rounds per hour (not withstanding brass jams).
 
#18 · (Edited)
Last night I loaded some 9mm/115 gr target loads using White River small pistol primers at 4.7 cents, Armscor 115 fmj at 8 cents, and Hodgdon CFE Pistol that is presently $41.99 lb. / .0299 cents per shot at 5 grains. 12.7 cents total per shot. These prices exclude shipping. Check those calculations as I did them pretty quickly just now.

Of course this doesn't count brass. I have been picking up range brass at the club where I shoot and some folks, LEOs I think, are finding some off the wall brands I have never seen. Some of this crap is throwing a kink in my rhythm, (9mm stamped on 380). If these people want me to keep picking up their trash they are going to have to buy better trash. One of the ladies put a sign up saying to "Pick up your trash. Your mother doesn't work here." :LOL:

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