Thinking of getting into the brass business.

[nzxtguy123]

Thinking of getting a brass business going all will be from indoor ranges.

What does the community like to see from a business like this ?

Ss tumbling ?

Roll sizing ?

Processed brass ?

Caliber conversions?

And how much do u like to pay for a given caliber. Given amount.

[Paul-the new guy]

Cheap, we like cheap brass! Good quality and cheap...

[Hi-Power Jack]

Andrew, if you take a peek at some of the Reloading forum

discussions of the past year or so (Click on Forums - upper

left corner; and then reloading, and then whichever caliber

you're interested in), you'll find numbers all over the place.

Depends on caliber, of course ... etc etc etc.

Welcome aboard - be nice to have an alternative source

of brass.

[EkuJustice]

For me I want the brass cheap IF I buy it. I would rather get just the brass basically right off the range for less money than to pay more for brass that's cleaned etc and ready to reload. I know some want it fully done but I don't mind tumbling or even sorting for cheap brass.

[EEH]

With all the brass I see for sale at some of the prices,there is no way I would try to make money selling brass. Just my .$02 cents

40 s&w at 35 to 40 dollars per 1000

9 mm at 35 dollars per 1000 may not be cleaned but where is the profit.

[Steve RA]

Probably by buying 55 gallon drums at scrap brass prices.

[wgj3]

To answer the OP's question, if buying brass instead of picking up and "processing" myself, having completely ready to load is the only way. SS pin baths make for the best looking brass I've ever see short of new...and sometimes even better than new.

So, for pistol brass that would be sorted, deprimed, primer pocket swaged, sized (rolled if possible for all the picky-chambered guns), and cleaned to a showroom-new shine. The improvement in the loading process is worth the cost for some and even for me sometimes.

I think the real "opportunity" here exists in rifle brass processing though. Mostly for .223, .308, and 300 Blackout. The addition of the trimming step is substantial for those of us with a limited time budget (my wife and young 'uns take most of my non-working, non-sleeping hours). What I haven't found lately is someone who has worked out a good process for consistent rifle brass for a LOW cost. Part of the problem is shipping costs and another is the quality and consistency of your starting product.

In addition to processed brass, I would like to see someone offer a brass processing service for the brass that I already have.

Edited November 3, 2014 by wgj3

[aandabooks]

At a certain price I'll just buy cheaper factory ammo to recover the brass. Need to stay below that limit for most people.

Now if you can get some of the harder to come by brass from ranges there might be money to be made. You don't often see revolver calibers and auto calibers like .38 super/.357 sig laying around.

[Flatland Shooter]

For 9mm brass, I go strictly by price. For .223/5.56 brass, I go for fully processed brass at a good price.

Like lots of reloaders out there, I have no brand loyalty.

Let us know when you open up the shop.

Bill

Edited November 3, 2014 by Flatland Shooter

[nzxtguy123]

Seems like most people don't want to pay for good.

[nzxtguy123]

They want cheap. Lol

[Flatland Shooter]

Oh we want good. We just want it cheap.

As much as we shoot, we tend to watch the pennies for the disposable items.

Bill

[ttolliver]

I have the time to run my own prep so I prefer to buy completely unprocessed.

Where I am happy to pay a premium is with single head stamp batches. Or batches with only 2 or 3 head stamps.

[njl]

You might do two "product lines".

Cheap: dirty brass, sorted by caliber, anything other than boxer primed brass removed

high end: deprimed, wet tumbled, resized, pockets swaged

There's obviously a lot more effort involved in the latter. Some are probably willing to pay for it. Many are not.

[rdinga]

I would really like to see semi processed 9mm brass at a price point. All I care about is swaged primer pockets to feed the 550. Everything else I can do myself in bulk. Shipping cost dont work well for pistol brass processing services.

[glenr]

You should check out the section of this forum that has the non dealer brass sales and dealer brass sales. The non dealer will be good for the repeat sellers that have a lot of brass for sale listed. Also check the older posting to see what has sold and what hasn't.

I have bought a lot of brass from there, I do process range pick up brass myself.

Check this place out for what they are offering prepped or not.http://300aacbrass.com/9mm_luger_once_fired_brass/9mm_luger_once_fired_tumbled_brass_for_reloading Be aware that they do offer discounts 10% Coupon use code: ACrowe25

They are in Vegas, I purchased 5.56/.223 from them prepped and it is all they advertize that it is.

I have no connection with them other than a satisfied customer.

[Steve RA]

I buy prepped .223/5.56 Lake City from a couple of suppliers - non dealer - on this site. Both have been perfectly satisfactory and all I do is stainless/walnut hull and load. Prices have varied from $85.00 per thou to $125.00 per thou (high price during brass shortage).

I'm more than happy to pay a reasonable price for prepped rifle brass but want to acquire pistol brass as cheaply as possible as it doesn't require all the steps rifle brass does prior to loading.

[mjohn]

Also consider sorting by head stamp. I know that there are several head stamps that I will not use and if I get alot of those head stamps in my mixed brass, then I am not a happy camper.

So............offer head stamp sorting as an option!

[nzxtguy123]

Basically there's like a hundred people telling me not to do this because the market is so saturated with people who get it for free is that it's hard to make a profit because there's actually people selling it for lower than scrap value cost. So the ammunition market is looking a little bit better besides the high cost to run the business

[glenr]

Basically there's like a hundred people telling me not to do this because the market is so saturated with people who get it for free is that it's hard to make a profit because there's actually people selling it for lower than scrap value cost. So the ammunition market is looking a little bit better besides the high cost to run the business

Not so much telling you not to get in to it. But more so that you have to understand the market forces that will be at work for and against you. Not to insult you, but we have know knowledge of of your biz experience. The feds allow a biz to have 3 years out of 5 of taking a loss on the income tax.

There are things that you have to take into considerations such as your start up costs for equipment, space, supplies, utilities the day to day operating costs and a 100 other things.

Then add in the fact that you can't take a profit out of the biz for a couple years. This is were the average person that starts a bi and then try's to live off the money coming in while still running the biz gets into trouble.

If you have zero to minimum experience with business here is the must read site.http://www.sba.gov/ The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) From soup to nuts the starting and managing sections are a must read before starting.

[nzxtguy123]

I have a decent learning curve in business exp but no personal exp besides the company I work her. We're a small company and I'm close with the owner and he's the one helping me through this. Yes it does suck because u have to have a commercial address and limitations of how much u can store at a time. I'm gonna start with just getting a ffl. As well as insurance is a a_-hole.

[glenr]

I have a decent learning curve in business exp but no personal exp besides the company I work her. We're a small company and I'm close with the owner and he's the one helping me through this. Yes it does suck because u have to have a commercial address and limitations of how much u can store at a time. I'm gonna start with just getting a ffl. As well as insurance is a a_-hole.

The only other bit of advise that a guy from the SBA as a local mentor gave me, about 40 years ago when I started my first sideline was always remember three things.

1. Have a set amount of money put aside for the business that you can afford to loose, No loans from bank,family or loan shark!

2.Don't spend the rent, grocery, mortgage, or any payments on the business ever, faster way to go down the drain! As something always comes up and you can't make the payback.

3.Do the tax thing, as the benefits are there for deductions etc. A lot of the people that say don't do it (taxes), have never done it or have any idea about it.

As the underground cash economy can get you jammed up if you have a ex-freind or family member turn you in, to the IRS for the reward etc. And they do some times for the silly slight!

[jmorris]

Clean, sorted by primer pocket size 45 acp.

[nzxtguy123]

45 seems like the only brass to make a profit on

[nzxtguy123]

Great advice glen. My owner will be my investor. He wants me to get all the knowledge I possible can get 3 statement forms then go present to him. So he can make a decision.