How many cartrages to start with?

[johngfoster]

Starting to load a new caliber. How many shells is a good starting number to purchase. Thinking of going with Lapua brass. I realise I should try to get them all the same lot number, so this would be more likely (but not garanteed) if I bought them all at the same time from the same dealer. Any thoughts?

 

[Bug]

That would depend on the cartridge and its intended use. For pistol rounds bein shot a lot, as in IPSC, around 2000 seems to be enough. For standard rifle rounds, and hunting pistol rounds, I like to have at least 500. Varmint class rifles prolly need at least 1000. For the more esoteric cases that can cost as much as $2 apiece - or more, or that require a lot of laborous/time-intensive forming, I can get by on considerably less. 'Course these usually only get fed 100 or so a year.
What I'd do is figure five firings per case (just an average, YMMV), and get at least enough to last you a year, based on your expected useage. By then you will have decided how many you are likely to really need.

 

[CatShooter]

If you are buying brass from a small~ish dealer, like Sinclair International, they will give you all the same lot number IF you ask.

I would agree with what has been said.

For small varmint rifles, like .223's, I usually get 500 pcs, just because it's easier to load them up in the winter and spend the summers shooting.

For my Prairie Dog rifles, I have 1,100 for my 6mmBR, and 6,000+ for my two .223s.

Larger varmint rounds... I have 550 for one of my 6mm Rems, and 400 for the other.

For the 264 Varmint rifle, I have 270 pcs.


For my target rifles, I usually have 300 to 400 pcs.

Large game rifles, 100 pcs is enough.

For the 50 BMG, I have 460 pounds of empty brass (I think it's somewhere around 3,600 pcs)... I got a "deal" that I couldn't refuse.

Consider your usage, and how you load. If you don't shoot much, then less brass is needed... if you spend your summers in woodchuck fields, you might want a lot of brass... or spend evenings during the week to reload.

It's really up to how much you shoot, and the way you load.

.

 

[johngfoster]

Looking to load for high accuracy 308 win. If I'm going to be plinking, then will probably just shoot mil surplus. Do you shoot through the whole lot of brass before loading it a second time (this would make sense to me, but...) Thanks for the replies so far.