Do these numbers sound right?

[56FordGuy]

I got my press set up today, and I'm almost ready to load up some 9mm. I don't have any dies or components yet, I'd planned on getting by The Reloaders Bench tomorrow to pick some up. But I was poking around online, and using some rough prices I got off Gunbroker and Midway, I came up with the following rough cost.

Powder: 1lb at $35.00

Primers: 1000 at $30.00

Cases: 2500 at $115.00, divided by four, for $28.75

Bullet: 500 at $95.00

Do those prices sound about right? I divided the brass by four, assuming I can recover all of it and reuse it four times. That gives me a per round cost of .25 cents, or $251.50 for 1000 rounds. According to gun-deals.com, I can buy 9mm for anywhere from .17 cents a round to about .27 cents a round, on average. It looks like reloading doesn't really come out to any real cost savings, but you do get the benefit of having a load tailored to your gun. I was expecting to see a bigger cost difference, though. Did I get some numbers wrong, or is this fairly accurate?

[Guest onefastgun45]

way too high!

Powder 20-23 dollars buy local no hazmat

primers 27 dollars same as above

bullets Delta Precision or berrys 1000 for less than the 500 you found and delivered.

Brass I pick it up at the range so not sure on that one.

[56FordGuy]

Ah, it seems the bullets were way out of line. Berrys has 1000 124 grain flat points for 71.97, just changing that dropped the cost to .13 cents a round, or $133.47 per 1000. Much better.

[SpacemanSpiff]

Zero bullets: 9mm - 1000 jacketed for around $80.00, no shipping charges

[Guest Mugster]

Ah, it seems the bullets were way out of line. Berrys has 1000 124 grain flat points for 71.97, just changing that dropped the cost to .13 cents a round, or $133.47 per 1000. Much better.

You may or may not save much money on your first buys. Just get quality components and learn the craft, the good deals come along.

I scored an 8 pound jug of 2230 (rifle powder) for 223 for 80 OTD on a sale deal a couple years ago. Recently, midway ran a sale on blemished .30 cal tips. I put 2 and 2 together and can churn out .308 rifle ammo for pretty darn cheap.

So my cost on 150 rounds of .308 using a speer 130gr hp is right at $50 or close to .33 a shot. I can also load a 150gr btsp sierra bullet for right at the same amount, .34 a shot. Or I can go cheap and use a 168gr bthp for .29 a shot, although I'd use a slower powder.

Edited March 17, 2009 by Mugster

[ftncityfatboy]

1# powder - $18 to $20

1k primers = $30

1k lead bullets/125 gr - Missouri Bullet = $52

brass - picked up at local range =$0

loading till the cows come home----priceless

[Rightwinger]

Don't buy Powder and Primers on line. Buy it locally and save the HAZ MAT charges. Reloaders Bench in Mt. Juliet is your friend here.

Heck, if you want, call and get the prices on what you want, holler and we can meet one morning on my way to work and I'll pick it up for you. I'm two exits down from them on I-40

[56FordGuy]

I appreciate all the information, y'all. RightWinger, I really appreciate the offer, but I can usually get by the Reloader's Bench, either on my lunch break or the way home.

I'll be loading the plated bullets, because plain ole lead is supposed to be a bad idea with polygonal rifling. Aside from that, I'll have to purchase my brass. I don't shoot at a range, I've got enough space out here to go out behind my shop and shoot. As a result, my only range pick up brass is the stuff I just shot.

I'm currently on the hunt for some carbide dies, haven't found any locally yet.

[Rightwinger]

I forgot you are out near me at times. I got sometimers going on I think.

[56FordGuy]

I actually stopped by The Reloader's Bench yesterday afternoon, they didn't have the dies I was looking for in stock.

I haven't gone on a call in your area in a while, but I can usually make it on my way home if I'm southeast of town.

[Guest Astra900]

9mm for me runs as:

*8lbs of AA #2 = roughly $145 tax and all. 7000g in lb = 56,000g

> load 4.0g for 125g cast lead bullet will = a hair over a penny each. Calculating a percentage of lost powder fair for that much loading, we'll call it .02 each

*Take your pick for primers, but tax and all $30/1000 is about right.

> So that's .03 cents each

* ALL my brass is scavenged from ranges, and I tell everyone I know to save it for me. I manage to get...errrr, plenty;)

*Initial investment of about $20 for a Lee 124g Truncated cone, tumble lube mold, and an initial investment of less than $20 for a Lee .356 sizer. You can't in any fairness count these in "per round" cost because they are a Non-consumable item.

*Tumble lube runs about $5 per bottle, and I usually get about 3k out of a bottle. That's actually less than a penny, but lets say .01

*Lead, your cost will differ from mine here, because I have a very extensive supply of wheel weights from work, and I don't pay for them.

What's my total? .06 each or about $60 per thousand.

I'm not tooting my own horn here, but I have tailored my 9mm loads to my XD9 and they are VERY accurate. More accurate than anything I have come up with for my XD45 so far!!

Anyway, you need to do a little more research into your components, and you will be surprised at what you can do;)

[Guest FroggyOne2]

http://handloads.com/calc/loadingCosts.asp Here is a "Handload Cost Calculator" for ya.

[DWARREN123]

A good place for lead bullets

WWW.SNSCASTING.COM

[frankmako]

prices are high. shop around for supplies. a pound of powder will go a long way. 9mm bullets are $29.40 for 500 at king's shooter supply.