Do you already reload? In general, most people will never shoot enough to pay back their reloading kit when only loading for one cartridge.
Here's the bottom line:
If you go to the range and shoot a 50 round box once a month, religiously, it'll take you 8 years to pay back all of the tools you'll need compared to factory ammo.
Reloading 9mm ammo tends to run between 15-20cents a round for the cheapest bullets AND planning to get 20 reloadings per each brass (they rarely wear out, but you'll step on them, lose them, etc...). You'll end up somewhere around $18 cents per shot for reloaded rounds.
Compare that to $13 per 50rnds for factory plinking ammo, give or take 25-26cents per shot...
To get set up with a minimalist kit for reloading, plus buying components for the first 100rnds:
Case Prep:
- Case length gauge Lee gauge = $7, but these SUCK if you're doing much volume (need parts from Lee Anniversary kit below)
- Chamfer & deburr tool: Take your pick = $10
- Primer pocket cleaner: Take your pick = $5-10
- Tumbler & Media: Lyman 1200 = $60, media = $15-30
- Case Neck Brush: Take your pick = ~$10 in with brush and handle
- Case Lube Pad: Take your pick = $10
Reloading:
- Press Kit: Lee Anniversary kit = $130, has a press, a safety scale, a press mount primer, and a hand case trimmer and lock stud. The powder thrower in the kit sucks, but will work to throw ~80-90% of your charge, then trickle in the rest. The scale/balance is super slow, but keeps you safe.
- Set of dies: Lee Carbide 3 Die Set = $30 for standard cartridges like 9mm
- Trickler: Take your pick = $15-20
Miscellaneous tools:
- Calipers: Cheap yet functional set = $20
- Cartridge trays: Want at least two, take your pick $5-10 each = $20
- Bullet Puller: Hammer style or press mounted = ~$15-20
Components:
- Bullets: 10-15 cents a piece = $15 for the first 100
- Brass: 10-20 cents a piece = $15 for the first 2,000 shots (20x reloads on 100 brass)
- Primers: ~3cents a piece = $35 for the first 1,000 (sold in 1,000ct lots)
- Powder: ~2cents per shot = $28 for the first ~1400 shots (1lb jar)
Total cost for the first 100 bullets = ~$400
So... That's $400 for the first 100rnds...
You have to buy bullets again every 100rnds (or buy in 500rnd or 1000rnd lots, but you end up the same for price).
You'll have to buy primers every 1000 shots (or buy in 10,000rnd lots, but again, the price comes up about the same).
You'll lose/damage your brass about every 2,000rnds, some faster, some slower, but 20 reloads tends to be about the mark for me. You could buy 500 or 1000 brass off the bat, the price projection ends up the same.
For powder, 9mm luger will eat up about 5grn per shot, so a pound of powder will run 1400rnds (on paper, never works that way in practice).
So... You buy bullets every 100, primers every 1000, powder every 1400, and brass every 2000 shots...
Starting with $400 for kit + 100rnds, using $13 per $50 (26cents per shot) for factory ammo and 18cents per shot for reloaded ammo, you'll end up break even at 4700 shots, just under 8yrs!!!
If a guy goes and shoots 50rnds a week, then you hit that break even point in just under 2yrs. If you only go shoot 5 or 6 times a year, then it takes you over 16yrs to pay back the equipment...