Anyone loading 9mm? I've been buying the Walmart stuff. But its creaping up in price. Although components are going up as well too. I'm already reloading a few other calibers but it never seemed to me to be cost effective in reloading the 9mm.
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Reloading 9mm
- Thread starter Blues508
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I'm interested in this also. I don't reload yet, and I currently only shoot 9mm and 22. I'm thinking about buying a 1911 with the S&W rebate next month, so that'll make reloading more pressing. I'm curious if it's worth it to reload 9 also.
dannyk45
NES Member
It's definitely worth loading 9mm. I buy my bullets through midway and for the 4,000 count (free shipping) to a friend in CT Winchester 115 FMJ they were around $60 per k they recently went up, but that paired with 5 grains of Bullseye and a wsp my cost per k was $86 more than half of WWB. Keep in mind this was 3-4 months back.
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Reloading is always worth it. In the sense that you make your loads as mild or hot as you like. To save $$$, you have to buy in bulk. When I say bulk, I mean bulk. There are suppliers that will give you free shipping if you have a large enough order. You also have to max out your haz mat fee if you're buying powder and primers.
PLEASE DON'T NAME NAMES HERE. IF YOU KNOW A GOOD SUPPLIER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!
There's a startup cost with reloading, but if your shooting 200-300 rounds 3x a month, it doesn't take long to get your investment back. The last time I did a breakdown, I was making 9mm for about 1/2 of the price you see at Walmart.
Plus it's fun.![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
Kurt
PLEASE DON'T NAME NAMES HERE. IF YOU KNOW A GOOD SUPPLIER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!
There's a startup cost with reloading, but if your shooting 200-300 rounds 3x a month, it doesn't take long to get your investment back. The last time I did a breakdown, I was making 9mm for about 1/2 of the price you see at Walmart.
Plus it's fun.
Kurt
I just started 9mm, did my first couple hundred yesterday. For me, 9mm broke the buy/reload price last fall. Shot up most of my wwb stock, now reloading it. Using 5 gr unique to see what that does.
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Ive been using 5.5 grains of Unique behind a 115 FMJ RN. They have worked great in my Glock17. I dont have a chrono so Im not sure how fast they are traveling.
YES! - Reloading 9mm is so worth it.
I started last year, mostly because I had easy access to the equipment and could try it out without making any real investment. While cost is indeed a factor, I found I really preferred my loads over the WWB I'd been buying at Waly-Mart. I probably loaded about 5,000 rounds on a Dillon Square Deal 'B' last summer.
I also find re-loading very therapeutic.
For what it's worth, I've been using 124gr Montana Gold JHP over 4.2gr of Titegroup with an OAL of 1.165.
I also loaded some 115 plated bullets with Bullseye. I found the heavier slugs smother and the Titegroup a little cleaner than Bullseye.
I started last year, mostly because I had easy access to the equipment and could try it out without making any real investment. While cost is indeed a factor, I found I really preferred my loads over the WWB I'd been buying at Waly-Mart. I probably loaded about 5,000 rounds on a Dillon Square Deal 'B' last summer.
I also find re-loading very therapeutic.
For what it's worth, I've been using 124gr Montana Gold JHP over 4.2gr of Titegroup with an OAL of 1.165.
I also loaded some 115 plated bullets with Bullseye. I found the heavier slugs smother and the Titegroup a little cleaner than Bullseye.
I'm not actually sure. My project this summer is to test it and tune if necessary.
This was a starter load suggested by another (very credible) shooter and I've stuck with it because it works well for me. His tests have put it at about 10% above the USPSA minor PF floor. And it always knocks over the steel (providing I do my part and aim!)
I don't have a particular reason for JHP rather than FMJ. It was what is readily available to me. (don't ask
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
) I've heard people claim that JHP are more accurate or that they feed better. I'm not sure I can validate either claim from experience. But I would avoid platted bullets. Hope this helps.
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Newbies! I use a single stage press w/ a Lee measure. W231 powder. 85, 115, 124RNL, 147hp. I shoot them out of a Sig P6, Walther P1 and a hi-point carbine. The best handgun they ran out of was a Taurus PT92af. Never an issue. I can run 300 rounds an hour start to finish. jp
You might look into borrowing/buying a chrono to test your loads for IDPA power factors.
HP bullets are supposedly more accurate than typical plated or FMJ bullets. I honestly doubt the accuracy of a good HP bullet would be noticable in IDPA type shooting... but that's just my opinion. Maybe it could matter at the master level.
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A lot of people are picking up their 9mm brass now. I used to hear "you can have it, I don't bother picking up 9" all the time. I used to say that my self. Now it seem like everyone is after the 9mm brass.
9mm brass is much more scarce at the range than it used to be. I used to get a bunch of once fired at my range. Part of it is that people are reloading 9mm more but I think just as many, if not more are coming in and taking all the brass for the scrap.
The 231 and TG loads listed are close to what I have used to get minor PF out of my CZ and Glock. The OAL of 1.165 sounds pretty long for the Glock or CZ though.
The 231 and TG loads listed are close to what I have used to get minor PF out of my CZ and Glock. The OAL of 1.165 sounds pretty long for the Glock or CZ though.
EC1
NES Member
I don't have a particular reason for JHP rather than FMJ. It was what is readily available to me. (don't ask
Hope this helps.
Just curious, why do you avoid plated bullets? I have reloaded only jacketed bullets so far, but with the price of them rising I thought I might try the plated ones which can be less than half the price of jacketed ones in bulk.
I'm loading 3.9gr TiteGroup under a Berry's 124gr RN bullet with an oal of 1.155. This provides me with the following velocities and Power Factors:
Avg vel: 1085 fps / PF: 134.5 (Glock 17L)
Avg vel: 1056 fps / PF: 131.0 (Glock 34)
Avg vel: 1031 fps / PF: 127.8 (Glock 17 with Zero FMJ bullets)
Hope that helps.
-Cuz.
As I understand it, (anyone feel free to jump in), plated bullets are more likely than jacket bullets to come apart and can be less accurate. I think this would be particularly true if the plating one some brands of bullets is getting thinner as some have said. Again, don't take my word for it. I stopped using plated after the first 1000.
But I have had some of the WWB break upon firing.
I got some Unique too and one manual calls for 5.3grains. Which takes up pretty much the whole case. I didnt like what I saw when i made one round. I took a few to the range and they are VIOLENT. I shoot lead too, and I think the bullets were disengrating(sp) before making it to the target. I stepped the charge down to 4.9 and it seemed a little more bareable but I stopped using Unique in 9mm after that.
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I cant explain the huge differences in our experiences. ![[thinking]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/010.gif "Thinking [thinking]")
The case is relatively full before I seat the bullet, but I dont really think there is THAT much compression of the powder.
I'm sure that I'm getting an accurate reading on my scale as I use a set of check weights to zero it before using it.
Ive had friends shoot my loads in their pistols and they never say that they feel too hot. The 5.5 grains recipe comes straight from the Alliant web site.
Just to be sure ... I am using Alliant Powders Unique smokeless powder. Comes out of a 8lb container.
If you ever make it out to Harvard, maybe we can get to the bottom of it at the range.
The case is relatively full before I seat the bullet, but I dont really think there is THAT much compression of the powder.
I'm sure that I'm getting an accurate reading on my scale as I use a set of check weights to zero it before using it.
Ive had friends shoot my loads in their pistols and they never say that they feel too hot. The 5.5 grains recipe comes straight from the Alliant web site.
Just to be sure ... I am using Alliant Powders Unique smokeless powder. Comes out of a 8lb container.
If you ever make it out to Harvard, maybe we can get to the bottom of it at the range.
I can remember a couple of years ago when the buckets were overflowing. They couldn't get anyone to empty them. Now, I can't remember anytime in the past year when there has been enough brass in the buckets to even cover the bottom. Someone has to be stopping by almost daily. I guess I could check the video cams to see who, but there is currently no rule against it so it doesn't matter.
-Cuz.
