Automated Bullet / Brass Sorting Service

rgdavidson

My company owns a high-speed, industrial robot that sometimes sits idle for long periods between jobs. While thinking about what else it may be used for, it occurred to me that some handloaders besides myself might be interested in its ability to sort bullets or brass by weight very quickly. A computer controls the robot as well as a fast, digital laboratory scale that measures to within ? 0.015 grains. These devices used together can sort thousands of bullets or cases (or other small, lightweight items) into however many categories are desired.

For example, a couple thousand cases of the same type could be sorted into 100 per box with weight spreads of only hundredths of a grain across each box.

I would be willing to offer this service on GunBroker.com if it could be profitable, but I would like some feedback first to see if there are a sufficient number of customers interested in paying for such a service.

Questions:
Would you use such a service?
How many cases and/or bullets would you want sorted per year?
What is a reasonable charge per case or bullet?

Any helpful comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

5mmgunguy

not sure there would be much interest in sorting bullets by weight...but you might have something with the cases but would want the guys who sell to the benchrest crowd...and maybe the varmint hunters. the problem is once the cases are sorted you are good until you replace them. you might look for a benchrest forum and ask the same questions. do have one question for you? what would be the minimum charge...lot size you would do?

rgdavidson

For sorting new brass, the lot size could be anywhere from 2 to 2,000.

It's difficult to come up with a minimum charge, or charge per case, without more feedback because I have never seen this kind of service offered before on a commercial scale.

Let me throw out some numbers and see what sticks to the wall:

$0.10 per case, with a minimum charge of $10.

Too high? Too low? Just right?