9mm: Who uses cast bullets ?

[Earl Keese]

I buy cast bullets from a local source and then I powder coat them myself! $55 bucks per 1K then the time to coat and I have to size them myself! For me it is well worth the extra effort in the resizing step. These bullets shoot as good as anything I have ever used in the past, no matter what they were, jacketed, plated or other commercial coated bullets. I'm lucky to have such a good source and a cheap one to boot!

You do all that to save a half cent per round, or do you just enjoy the process?

[deadsh0t]

There's a difference in terms of salaries and costs in USA for sure (I know there is, especially for some jobs).

If I can save about 40$ for 1000 rounds, that's a lot. I try to pick whatever costs less and works, for training.

At the moment I'm paying about 3-3.5 cents (€) per bullet, 1.7 cents per primer, and about 1 cent per cartridge in terms of powder. That's about 6€ for 100 rounds. Factory rounds cost 10-14€ / 50, so from 20 to 28 for 100 rounds and it's nothing special, just FMJ bullets with a really hot load. That is using cast bullets (in training)

For competitions I'm using slightly better components, unless I find what works better.
Color coated bullets
Murom primers (2.5 cents per primer) -> they are soft like federal, just not as consistent
Same powder (at the moment)
Once fired brass, which costs me about 30€ / 1000. Hard to find enough to use them all in competitions so I have to buy them for important matches.

Up to 20 yards, accuracy is enough for training, maybe not the best available. I can still hit stuff at further distances but not with consistency

[m1a_scoutguy]

You do all that to save a half-cent per round, or do you just enjoy the process?

LOL, Yea I guess so Earl. I guess I never did the math, hows it works out to only 1/2 cent per rd? I guess if you figure time then it might only be that much. Powder coating is no big deal at all, my buddy and I can do a couple of thousand bullets in less than an hour and the PC powder is fairly cheap. If you are figuring the casting then I can see where you're coming from but with that said my buddy has been casting for 15 years or more, I'll have to ask him I guess, he has all the high-speed high tech casting stuff that has been paid for many times over so no issues there. As far as to lead/antimony he pays for and buys very little if anything, he has great sources for metal! I have nothing invested other than time & a few pounds of powder coating powder, Harbour Freight powder is $6 bucks a pound out the door and a pound does 1000s++++ of bullets, cheap cheap! I have bought some better more expensive powders that cost twice that amount but they do work better and a pound does close to 10K of 148grn 9mm bullets! I still buy bullets online just for variety and for the total cost I can come close to my local price, but have never beat it, YET, I'm always looking though ! I have come close with discount codes from Galant and the normal price on Summers Ent,but for actual $$$ going out of my hand,not counting time I'm always less $$ getting local. 

[Earl Keese]

LOL, Yea I guess so Earl. I guess I never did the math, hows it works out to only 1/2 cent per rd? I guess if you figure time then it might only be that much. Powder coating is no big deal at all, my buddy and I can do a couple of thousand bullets in less than an hour and the PC powder is fairly cheap. If you are figuring the casting then I can see where you're coming from but with that said my buddy has been casting for 15 years or more, I'll have to ask him I guess, he has all the high-speed high tech casting stuff that has been paid for many times over so no issues there. As far as to lead/antimony he pays for and buys very little if anything, he has great sources for metal! I have nothing invested other than time & a few pounds of powder coating powder, Harbour Freight powder is $6 bucks a pound out the door and a pound does 1000s++++ of bullets, cheap cheap! I have bought some better more expensive powders that cost twice that amount but they do work better and a pound does close to 10K of 148grn 9mm bullets! I still buy bullets online just for variety and for the total cost I can come close to my local price, but have never beat it, YET, I'm always looking though ! I have come close with discount codes from Galant and the normal price on Summers Ent,but for actual $$$ going out of my hand,not counting time I'm always less $$ getting local. 

To be clear, not being critical just curious. You mentioned $55/1000 (.05/rd) and I usually buy at .06/rd so that's where I get the 1/2 cent difference. To be fair, .06/rd is generally a Black Friday deal so you have to stock up. I never seem to catch up reloading for matches and practice, but if I had time I'd love to cast/coat/swage my own.

[m1a_scoutguy]

To be clear, not being critical just curious. You mentioned $55/1000 (.05/rd) and I usually buy at .06/rd so that's where I get the 1/2 cent difference. To be fair, .06/rd is generally a Black Friday deal so you have to stock up. I never seem to catch up reloading for matches and practice, but if I had time I'd love to cast/coat/swage my own.

Absolutely Earl, no worries at all! I assumed it was more inquisitive than anything. Yes, I know there are deals out there, but this is my buddies everyday price, and that's for 128 grn 9mm up to 230grn 45acp bullets and anything in between. Like I said he has been doing it "forever" and is very good at it! That's the trouble with SALES, when there are sales I don't have money and when I have money there aren't any sales... LOL we all know how that works out!  I feel lucky that I have access to cheap bullets, luckier than most I guess, as I said I will buy online but I always wait for Sales/discount codes,etc, I use the Code for the Galant bullets and I think it was $217 for 3300 124grn RN bullets so that's pretty darn good price also and I don't have to coat or size them, LOL When ya ad that up its a tick under $66 bucks per 1K, and for store-bought and shipped that's a darn good deal I think !

[Creeker]

Do you reloaders like using cast bullets , 9mm ? or prefer copper jacketed?

Yes I like cast in my 9MM.

[J Lee]

I really like HiTek coated lead bullets and use them a lot.  Only exception is the PD 124gr JHP that I also load.  Have found nothing more accurate out of my CZs, and at a good price for the quality and accuracy they give.