Cheap 9mm Ammo: Ammo Economics
One of the (many) redeeming attributes of 9mm Luger is that it is a relatively affordable pistol cartridge, all things considered.
But, it’s still up twice or more from where it was like 10 years ago. That has more shooters wondering how they can save on shooting - and it goes past cheap 9mm ammo. Here are a few things you should know.
Buy in Bulk and Learn to Reload
Obviously, if you get a box of cheap 9mm ammo that will help keep costs down. Shopping online is also good because with a few clicks you can find the best price available to you (most of the time, at least).
Also, if you shoot a lot, learn to reload. Just like cheap 9mm ammo, you can buy bullets and primers in bulk too, and reload. The small investment in a press and some other tools will quickly offset itself, if you actually do shoot a lot.
Just remember this: the volume has to substantiate the project. If you expect to save on shooting by reloading, you need to shoot through thousands, if not tens of thousands, of rounds per year.
Also, if you really get into reloading, you can tailor your own loads, getting better performance than you might otherwise experience from store-bought ammo.
Shop Specials and Buy Opportunistically
Police trade-in specials and other bulk buys are another great way to save money on 9mm ammo. Remember, ammo’s not going to go bad as long as you store it properly. Quality ammo will last for years assuming as much.
This is why you should buy opportunistically. If you find a good deal on quality 9mm, buy it when you see it. Don’t wait for your ammo cans to start to get low before you buy. That’s a sure-fire way to pay more than you need to.
Shoot Steel (or Aluminum)
Another great way to save on 9mm is to buy steel-cased ammo. In some instances, steel-cased ammo is some of the cheapest 9mm ammo on the market. Options like MagTech are a great bet.
Another alternative if you don’t want to shoot steel is aluminum-cased ammo, like CCI Blazer Aluminum, which like steel is cheaper than brass.
You can buy these in bulk and save even more, just take this bit of advice with the following caveat. Neither steel nor aluminum casings are intended to be reloaded, so you’ll have to skip on that tip if you want to take this one.
Shoot Lighter
Look at that box of ammo you’re shooting. Look for the bullet weight, it should be there in grains. Common weights for 9mm target bullets include 124 grain and 115 grain. If you’re shooting the former, try finding a round that’s loaded with 115-grain bullets, as these might be a hair cheaper. It won’t make a huge difference in the per-round cost but if you buy bulk 9mm ammo it might.
Skip the Fancy Bullets
Ideally, if you’re shooting outdoors and at paper, you should be shooting FMJ bullets, especially if you are not competing. TSJ bullets, which limit lead exposure, and wadcutters, which punch round holes in paper target, easing scoring, both offer value, but you need to pay for it.
If all you’re doing is plinking and enjoying range therapy, there’s no need for you to pay for these things. Just get the cheapest FMJ target ammo you can find.
Sight in Strategically
The live-fire portion of sight adjustment is basically wasted ammo, especially if you don’t take shortcuts where you can.
Got a new handgun? Use a laser boresighter to get your shots on paper before you advance to live fire for final calibration.
Basically, you insert a boresighter, aim the gun, take note of where the laser dot falls, and then adjust your sights so the point of aim corresponds to where the laser falls on the target.
You’ll still need to do your final sight-in to make sure the point of impact of your groups aligns with the point of aim, but this can save you some trouble.
Explore Cheap 9mm Ammo Here
All told, there is no magic panacea to keep the price of ammo down. For better or worse, we’re in an age where the price of ammo is going to be what it is, at least for the foreseeable future.
Even so, there are things you can do to help save a few pennies at the range, and pennies can add up. Some of the tips in this article may be able to help you recycle some funds into your shooting hobby, whether you hunt with a handgun, carry for self-defense, compete, or just shoot for fun.
Either way, take a look through our catalog of both premium and cheap 9mm ammo and see if you can find a round that works for you, not just in terms of performance but also price.