Fellows, I am about to receive my new, "custom" 7 X 57...need to stock up on reloading supplies and would like a suggestion as to how many cases I will need to last the rest of my shooting days (and I plan to shoot the new acquisition a lot)...somehow 500 sticks in my mind for some reason. Your thoughts and ideas are most welcome! Arthur Olds

A 7x57 is normally a hunting rifle, not a target rifle or a varmint rifle, so it wouldn't be expected to get all that much volume of shooting. Certainly, you will shoot it some bit from the bench in working up loads -- as a matter of fact, shooting from the bench will likely be 75% or more of all the rounds you put through it. You're not likely to lose brass when firing from the bench, wheras you might suffer some misplaced brass when hunting by ejecting it into the grass when preparing for a possible follow-up shot.

A good rule of thumb would be to allow one lost case per animal taken. So, how many animials do you intend to take with it in the next ?? years (you don't say your age or how many times per year you might hunt for how many species). Also, it is likely not to be your only hunting rifle.

If you thought you might take 100 head of game in the rifle's (and your) life, then 200 cases should provide plenty of cases for both load development and hunting and still leave behind a useful amount of ammo for your grandchildren.

It depends on how much you shoot in a session. I know guys who buy a box of 20 rounds, sight in with 10 and have 4 left after hunting season is over. I shoot 110 to 150 rounds a month, 1200 to 1500 rounds a year.

500 pieces of brass will give you between 1000 to 5000 rounds depending on how well it holds up.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
A 7x57 is normally a hunting rifle, not a target rifle or a varmint rifle, so it wouldn't be expected to get all that much volume of shooting. Certainly, you will shoot it some bit from the bench in working up loads -- as a matter of fact, shooting from the bench will likely be 75% or more of all the rounds you put through it. You're not likely to lose brass when firing from the bench, wheras you might suffer some misplaced brass when hunting by ejecting it into the grass when preparing for a possible follow-up shot.

A good rule of thumb would be to allow one lost case per animal taken. So, how many animials do you intend to take with it in the next ?? years (you don't say your age or how many times per year you might hunt for how many species). Also, it is likely not to be your only hunting rifle.

If you thought you might take 100 head of game in the rifle's (and your) life, then 200 cases should provide plenty of cases for both load development and hunting and still leave behind a useful amount of ammo for your grandchildren.

I also had 200 in mind. For a hunting rifle this allows me to have 50 rounds each of one or two bullet choices loaded up and ready to go and still leaves extra cases if I want to try out something new. Last year I shot two bucks with 2 rounds so I should be all set for the next 25 years.

I have 500 cases for my 7x57 and that is not necessarily because of strictly hunting need but more because I have different cases for different aplications.
I bought 250 cases first and after serious case prep and sorting put 50 matched cases asside for longer range loads with the 120gn GS Custom and another 50 for the 160gn Woodleigh.
A further 50 are for 160gn cast softnosed at 2400fps for hunting purposes with another 50 for 160gn cast practice loads for the hunting softnose. That is 200 needed and because I wanted to do a lot more casting and plinking I got another 250 so the remaining 300 are split between a plinking load @1400fps and another at 1900fps.
So for me 500 is about right. I can go through 30-50 rounds from this rifle any time I go the 3 mile to my range and that is often twice a week or more.

Von Gruff.

I think as stated it depends on the shooting you're going to do. Another factor to consider, the 7x57 has been around a very long time, and is still going good, you're not likely to have a brass supply problem down the road.

I too think 200 for a hunting rifle is good. Depending you should be able to get 5 reloads if you're not hotrodding it. I have I think 240 for my Norma, I figure that is too much for the three norma's in the family considering how much they get shot, but you never know, it's not always easy to find.

Red

200 is a good number but 100 will probably do the job.
Your next year's posting or year after that,will be about your new 6.5 X 51.8 IMP., DEEP THROAT, and it won't end there.
I know I'm not alone when I say that some of my rifles get out maybe once every three years.
The ones that shoot great with little recoil get out a lot more often. The 2 ea. 7mmx57mm get out maybe twice a year now.
The .358 X .404 IMP and the 8mm X.404 X2.5 IMP" get out about every two years.
It's kind of hit and miss with the rest.
Like I said I'm not alone and I'd just bet you join the club. roger

I usually get 100. Each rifle fills a niche so I work up one good load for a rifle and use it for everything. If I want a lighter or heavier bullet, I go to a different rifle.

This also depends on how often you intend to reload - some people do it over the winter but shoot often throughout the year, they need more cases to keep their supply constant; others reload every time they come home from the range / hunting or even reload in the field... depending on the life you get out of your brass, your reloading habits and volume of shooting may mean that you need as little as 50 cases at one extreme and 1000 cases or more at the other

A couple other things to keep in mind, the price of brass probably won't be going down, and there is chance (however remote), that for whatever reason, 7x57 brass might be harder to come by one day. You know, the "seasonal run" excuse. Also, you can just about always get your money back (or close to it) on new brass if you should decide to sell it.

For a normal hunting rifle I start with 100 cases can't off the top of my head remember running out.

If using just for hunting.. 50 cases is plenty..

if you plan to shoot it a lot more, then a 100..

heck, any decent reloader can get 10 reloads out of a case, if you don't redline it..

if one knows a little more, they can get 20 to 25 reloads, if not more...

not unless you are the type that reloads 500 rounds for a new rifle.... and then 20 years later still have some left over and the rest have never been reloaded again...

I would get 200.
Sort them by weight if you get bored.
Set aside the most uniform weight group for your best loads.

Work up to your top loads with the worst or heaviest cases.

Personally, I like 1,000 to 2,000. Yes, I know. A bit much.

I figure 5 reloads per case on the avg some more some less inclueding loss. If this is a main rifle the 500 If it is a secondary rifle then 200.

I brought a 270 just because I had 250 casings I brought 300 bullets sighted it in with 30 rounds I am set for a long time. I am just not going to use it much.

When I change scopes I'll shoot another 30 to 50 rounds then a few if I take it hunting. Many years of use for a secnodary rifle.

If it was some uncommon cailiber where brass might be hard to come buy another couple of hunderd just in case they stop making brass.

500---that way you will prep it all at once, be able to shoot it at least 3 times before anneal will be required.

I always buy 1k because most of mine are wildcats and brass prep is a pain so I do it all at once. Takes a whole day to fireform that many with Bullseye LOL!!

In a common calibre I'd just get 300 but ALL OF THE SAME MAKE AND "BATCH". So that when I find a "sweet" load I have no need to worry about any pressure differences between different makes or batches of cases.

That way I can have also have always some spare unfired new cases that are always available for hunting loads and once they were fired use reload and reload them again them for load evaluation and development.

In a less popular calibre like 7x57 I'd maybe buy 500 just to have a reserve in case, as others say, it becomes a rare calibre.

Don't laugh as, for example, there was a time when it was difficult to obtain 303 British cases or bullets and, of course, try and fing ANYTHING in say 351 Winchester or 401 Winchester today.

Even some common calibres such as 222 Remington Magnum or 220 Swift are perhaps difficult now to find.

For the same reason once I found a bullet that I liked I'd buy maybe 500 of that as well.

I like the Speer 150 grain 270 Winchester Hot Cor with no crimp groove and a flat base. Common enough ten or five years ago.

But now in 2011? Whoever thought that Speer would stop making it! But they have! Glad I stocked up when I did...I have 500 of them and they will see out my hunting and out-of-season practice needs for the next five years.

And if it is an "oddball" calibre like 8x60S? Then I would buy maybe 500 as who knows when that calibre will get dropped by the ONLY TWO companies that now load it? And even RWS now no longer sell it as an empty unloaded case.

I wonder how longer before the new beltless short magnum cases become scare too?

quote:

Originally posted by enfieldspares:

I wonder how longer before the new beltless short magnum cases become scare too?

Oh my! Now wouldn't that be a loss? roger

After load development I like to have 250-500 rounds on the shelf. If it is a varmint rifle double that.

I buy a lot of brass… I just don't pick up anyone else’s brass

I have about 1K+ 450M

800 pieces of Win 30-06 and 600 pieces of Rem 30-06 (all new)

1K+ win 338WM

500 Fed 338WM

1K 45 acp

800 (ish) 480R

500 45 Colt

I do a lot of Prep and sorting…

Same with bullets

To be totally honest 300 would probably do you for good.

that said, when I pick up a new caliber in rifle or handgun nowadays, it gets 500 pieces to it's self.

As mentioned production demands change and I have seen great bullets and brass become non existent, or hard to find and expensive. Does "out of stock, seasonal run" sound familiar?

If you have it, it will eventually be used up or as mentioned above, can be sold as part of the package if you sell the rifle on to someone else.

+1

I try to keep about 300 brass on hand for all my rifle and 1000 brass on hand for each pistol.

Some of my less frequently shot rifles (6mm Lee Navy, 256 Newton, 45-70) I only keep 100 brass on hand, because I rarely use them anymore.

Barstooler

quote:

Originally posted by ArthurOlds:
Fellows, I am about to receive my new, "custom" 7 X 57...need to stock up on reloading supplies and would like a suggestion as to how many cases I will need to last the rest of my shooting days (and I plan to shoot the new acquisition a lot)...somehow 500 sticks in my mind for some reason. Your thoughts and ideas are most welcome! Arthur Olds

I don't know how old you are or how long you will likely live Arthur...both of which come into play in answering your question.

I do know that I have been shooting the 7x57 for about 45 years (just in hunting, though). When I first got a rifle in that chambering I made 100 cases from GI SL-52 .30-06 cases... a lot of work. I am still using cases from that batch and have NEVER had to buy any others.

I have 3-400 each of the three bolt action rifle cartridges I reload for.
45ACP & .223 are a different matter entirely.

7 X 57 cases are not exactly hard to come by....get 100 cases and if it looks in a couple years that it's not enough....get some more.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:**** I made 100 cases from GI SL-52 .30-06 cases... a lot of work. I am still using cases from that batch and have NEVER had to buy any others.

My first were from Den 42 and 43.Made some of those into 22 Varminters also. .250 - 3000 cases became a little hard to come by. roger

quote:

I am about to receive my new, "custom" 7 X 57...need to stock up on reloading supplies and would like a suggestion as to how many cases I will need to last the rest of my shooting days (and I plan to shoot the new acquisition a lot)...

Well, we don't know how old you are but if you're going to shoot it a lot and want a lifetime supply maybe the 500 you mention will get you through a year. Multiply that by the number of years you think you will shoot it or until the barrel will be burnt out. That cartridge should be good for maybe 6K rounds so having more than that would likely be wasted unless you rebarreled it with the same chamber.

I don't know what the statistics are with the responses to this thread but I will buy 100 new cases for a new rifle. I will usually reload them 4-5 times for range work.

Once I find a load that I plan to hunt with I will shoot 10 new cases that will then be fire formed to my chamber. Those are then reloaded for my hunting rounds to be used that season.

On the small stuff i go 500 as a minimum....nitros and .450 and over i go 200.....

In the mid 60s I got a 308 Norma Mag. rifle. Fireformed 20 ea 300 H&H cases for it. Shot pronghorn ,mule deer, and elk and worked up some reloads with it. A year later got five boxes of Norma brass. Three boxes have not ben used get. For new varmint rifles I get 200 ea cases. For big game rifles I get 100 ea brass. The only target shooting I do is when I work up some reloads. I did get some extra brass for my varmint rifles when I had seen copper prices going up about five years ago.-- If you get 500 brass cases and dont use them ,you can sell them later on. Its unlikely that the world price for copper will be going down in you life time. I paid around $ 3.00 per box of 20 in the mis 60s , last time I looked Norma 308 Mag brass was around $ 50 per box of 20 ea.

Hey Arthur, For a Mid-Bore rifle you intend to shoot a lot, 500 Cases sounds about right to me.

I like to do a Full Case Prep and Weight Sort the entire Lot. That way you can break them up into any size quantities you desire and have bunches of Cases as nearly alike as possible.

If however you do not see any merit in doing a Full Case Prep and Weight Sort, 50-100 is as good as anything else. Then just buy a few more as you see them at a good price.

Best of luck to you.

Depends on your loads & how much you plan on shooting, but getting 5x per case is pretty conservative IMO. So 500 cases would last you at least 2500-3000rds. Quite a bit for a hunting rifle. Big game rifle, 100 would be a bare min & then load them light to extend their life. For a varmint or target rig, 500 would likely not be enough.

I have about 5000 rnds for each defense, assault rifle . All the rest , about 100.That has been good for forty or so years. Figurin' about 7 or 8 reloads from hunting guns.

I just rebarreled a Tikka T3 to 7x57 and purchased 200 pieces of brass. It gives you 4-5 range sessions working up loads allowing me to use new brass then I spend an afternoon punching primers, resizing, and case prep. Now I have all 200 (once fired) to begin again. This way I can keep the brass on the same "schedule" (all once fired, 2x, 3x etc.)