Help me Help you...

[shotgunpet]

Brass by Bill LLC has just opened this month (December 2012). I wanted to ask a few questions and get some feedback that will help me curve my business towards my customers needs.

1. What features do you look for when purchasing once fired brass?

2. Would you rather buy the brass "dirty" or would you like it tumbled?

3. Would you rather buy the brass de-primed or would you rather just do it yourself in the reloading process?

4. (answer only if you answered question 3 with a Yes)Would you rather have them de-primed and sized at the same time to save you a step?

5. What kind of quantities would you be purchasing at one time of rifle and pistol brass?

6. What value would you put on a company selling once fired brass offering services such as de-priming, sizing, and tumbling (stainless steel).

Thanks in advance for any help you give me! Please keep in mind this will help me be able to sell to you my customers in a more efficient and speedy way.

[oldandslow]

shp, 12/22/12

I reload about 12,000 rounds of pistol ammo a year, mostly 9mm, .45acp, with a few hundred 38sp, 44sp and a few hundred rifle-30-06, 270, 30/30.

First desirable feature would be truly "once fired" brass (not shot-out old reloaded cases often found at the range). I'd prefer non military crimps as they add an extra time consuming step to reloading.

I'd prefer it dirty, that is uncleaned and unresized and not deprimed. As I have a routine of case inspection,cleaning, depriming and stainless-steel tumbling I'd like to just plug them into my system and not rely on someone else's ability to do what I normally do to prepare them properly.

I'd buy in lots of 1000-2000 cases for pistol brass and lots of 200-500 for rifle brass.

By selling them unprepped in large quantities you will keep the cost down which is a major selling point for me. Also shipping by USPS Flat Rate box keeps shipping costs down. Good luck with your endeavor.

Merry Christmas- oldandslow

[jepp2]

Unless you can tumble for almost no cost, I would prefer to just buy in the as fired condition.

Depriming adds no value to me.

Shipping can be a significant expense, so to be able to ship in USPS Flat rate boxes is my preference. I would rather buy extra brass than to pay extra shipping. Even if this means I need to buy more than I need.

If you can wet pin tumble and make the brass look like new, I would be willing to pay some extra, but not as much as it probably costs.

[tkglazie]

what he said

[j357]

My order of preference, with some tongue and cheek laughs below based on several year of reading customer feedback around here:
Quality
Price
Speed

Customers want what they want, even if it is based on anecdotal evidence. What is the best pistol or rifle brass? Most people would prefer to buy once fired Starline or 98 LC pull down brass for less than scrap prices. Sell pkgs of sorted matching brass and pkgs of mixed headstamp let the customer know they can expect to pay more for quality goods.

Keep common pistol brass near .05 per case and common rifle brass near .08 per case + shipping cost, in lots of 500 to 1000. Don't deprime unless it is crimped, no body wants to pay you for working the brass unless it helps. Dont size, as shipping will mess that up and I'm gonna size it again anyway. With all of that you need to figure out lot size based on the USPS flat rate boxes and sell to that quantity. Then dont ever short me a single case, better to send me 5 too many than one short, I will rant to the end of days if you short me one case or send me a couple of 40s in a box of 45s. If your stainless pin tumbled brass sits in your shop for six months and yellows, it will be no better than my cat can do under the laundry room sink.

Ship it to me fast. If you dont have it dont try to sell it to me. I dont want to find out you offered me 200 ct 38 Super cases at great price because your buddy said he had them at home under his pool table and couldnt find them the next day.

Best of luck to you in this venture, a tough line of business you have chosen.

PS if you can get me 200 ct once fired 38 Super mixed stamp unprocessed cases by the new year for $20 including shipping I'll be your first customer.

[Two Old Dogs]

I'm not your average brass buyer. I load several, uncommon calibers (9mm Steyr, .351 Winchester SL, 32-20, 38-40, 44-40, 8mm Lebel pistol, etc). If you have what I want at a good price and in good, loadable condition, I''ll take it unprocessed since I do all the processing myself and my labor is cheap since I'm retired.

Currently I could use .351 Winchester SL and .44 special cases. If you have them available, please PM me.

Two Old Dogs

[mikld]

I would want it just like it was picked up; not tumbled, sized, or deprimed.