So what do y'all consider the minimum number of cases to inventory in a new cartridge? I'm fairly new to the 7mm SAUM myself (also in a Model 7) and have assembled 300 cases to get started with. Just curious what others think of as minimum.
I have 100 case for each hunting rifle and 300 for each colony varmint rifle that I load for. If they are common cartridges, I just buy brass as I need it. If they are uncommon, obsolete, or orphan cartridges, I buy at least 300 cases to use in 100 case lots and I'll buy more cases if they are available and the price is acceptable. The most brass that I have ever bought at one time were 8K pieces of Federal WSSM brass that I bought on closeout from Graf's.
I have a 7mm SAUM and have 100 cases that that I'm currently using, with another 200 new cases from the same production lot that I'll use when the first set of 100 cases wear out.
I assume that I'm going to get at least 8 reloading cycles from each piece of brass and I'm not likely to shoot my 7mm SAUM much, so the 300 cases will probably still be in use when I dead and buried.
