A new year is upon us! Message from BTSniper

[BT Sniper]

A happy new year to everyone.

I want to give everyone much thanks for their support and patience over the last year. I would also like to offer an update to current orders still in the books yet to completed. I wish to post this message here rather then my vendor form to get the chance to address as many of you as I can. If necessary I will request to have this thread moved later.

I have gotten a couple PMs lately from concerned customers regarding the time frame and completion of their order and I wish to address some of those concerns here with all of you.

Last year was a challenging year to put it mildly. A year that saw another run on our ammo and reloading supplies with plenty of price gouging and also an increase in demand for bullet swage dies. I am happy to post that my prices have remained the same since Nov. 2012 yet I am not immune to the same delays and back logs that plagued our shooting suppliers over the last year and still to this day.

I keep very busy here at this awesome site, I just checked my messages and I have stored over 1100 private messages sent to me last year alone (edit1/11/14)(with as many answered as I could, my goal is to answer everyone that inquires yet I may miss a few messages, I'm only human and doing my best), this doesn't include ones I deleted after replies where sent and no longer needed. With 309 started threads and 3900 posts with 99% of all that activity right here in this swaging forum. I'm not looking for gratitude or sympathy here, I am simply wanting to show my level of dedication I have to my customers and members of this site when it comes to making great jacketed bullets and quality swage dies.

As time quickly passes many customers on my back log list may have growing concerns as to my intentions and dedication I have towards finishing their order. I realize in many, if not all cases, I have miscalculated my completion time frame estimates, quite a bit in some if not all cases. I offer my apologies to those of you that have been waiting much longer then we both expected.

I wish to reassure all of you that have orders outstanding that I indeed have NOT forgotten about you, that I am working to complete all orders as quickly as I possible, that all dies are turning out perfect and that I will not ship them till they are. I have a long standing positive reputation here that I wish to maintain with happy, satisfied customers. I have been providing customers here with swage dies for over 4 years and the quality of these dies is only getting better. I invite anyone of my customers to contact me whenever they have questions concerning their order as it is not always possible for me to keep everyone 100% up to date with progress reports all of the time.

In my attempts to keep everyone informed of my progress I have posted my work order list in my vendor sponsor forum page. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?204492-My-Work-Order-List Just since I posted the list I have averaged one shipment every other day including weekends. I would hope this shows some level of my dedication to all of you. It is not a perfect system for keeping everyone informed or estimate delivery dates but I do hope it shows you that you are on my list and you are not forgotten.

There have been a few attempts in the time I have been here of others offering swage dies. There where challenges and disappointments to say the least as well as some success, I will not go into details. I'm sure there will be many more attempts in the future with others too. When one attempt fails it has the potential to reflect poorly on the swage die industry all together. Customers that got burned do not wish to make the same mistake twice with a second attempt of purchasing swage dies, they will just buy commercial bullets instead, and those customers that have been waiting a long time with orders paid in full start to fear getting screwed too. Well I am here to do my best to reassure all of you that have orders that I will complete every order I have in the books and you all will receive a perfect set of dies that will make a life time supply of perfect bullets. I have already perfected the techniques to make your dies, I have already perfect the designs and tooling need to make your dies. I have already posted the success that myself or other shooters have had with these dies and the bullets they make. The one thing I feel I have failed on is not being able to complete these orders as quickly as I thought I could. Rest assured I will not fail on the quality. Simply ask any customer that had to wait a long time, some as much as a year, how they felt about their purchase after they received their dies! That is my goal! If I got to make you wait I will make dang sure you are going to be happy with your purchase.

It is with my most humble request that I ask for the continued patience and support of all my customers in allowing me the time I need to complete your dies to my level of perfection. To all of you quietly and patiently awaiting your dies I offer a very hart felt "Thank You." I could not do it without all of your support. If you can continue to allow me the time I need I will not disappoint you in the tools I provide.

In my attempt to give you all a better guesstimate of time frames I will post my inventory list of all dies I have in stock, back from heat treat and nitride, ready to be assembled to fill my list of back orders. I will post this inventory list in my vendor sponsor page, probably in the same thread as my "work order list."

I am forever going to be hesitant to offer any direct estimate of time frame. It is simply to difficult and does nothing but anger or disappoint the customer and add stress on myself, I will simply do my best, that is all I can do. I feel I am getting a lot better at increasing my production rates while maintaining or improving quality. I am actually working towards having dies "in stock" and ready to ship. Imagine that! Swage dies ready when you are! I even have two additional very skilled machinist helping me out with some of the easier tasks in completing these dies and tools.

If you are at the end of your rope, if you have run out of patience or can no long wait for me to follow threw as I have promised, simply contact me and I'll discuss your options. For those of you still patiently awaiting I again thank you and wish for more customers like you as well as your return business. Please realize making quality swage dies to such a high degree of accuracy takes a lot of time. I am getting better and faster and I will do my best to be more careful with time frame estimates in the future. I can not make excuses for my delays but with the help and understanding of my customers I am making it my goal to provide an even more positive buying experience on everyone's part in future.

Thank you all for your support.

Good shooting and swage on!

Brian Thurner

BTSNIPER llc.
541-436-4095

[kd185]

:awesome:
keep up the good work
if things go well next week ill be putting my name on that list for some dies

[customcutter]

Brian,

I've never bought from you and hope to make my own dies. I've been here almost a year now, and I would like to applaud you for your contributions to the community. But most importantly I wish you great success. Your level of business ethics and professionalism is hard to come by in the world we live in today. I know you love the sport and hope that your hobby never becomes "work" for you, in the sense that you always enjoy what you are doing.

may God continue to keep and bless you.
CC

[contender1]

I have just recently started researching the idea of swaging my own bullets. From what I've read, you seem to be a "stand up guy!"
Drive on!!!!!!!
(And I plan on a PM to you as well.)

[R.Ph. 380]

I have Brian's 22lr to .224. They are fantastic. I am awaiting my shipment of the 40S&W to 45 ACP. They'll get here when Brian's satisfied with their perfection. Thanks for all you do Brian. I'll be ordering some 308 dies later this spring.

Bill

[BT Sniper]

Thanks guys!

Inventory list of dies in stock ready to be assembled added below my work order list.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?204492-My-Work-Order-List&p=2276451#post2276451

Brian

[Guardian]

Thanks, Brian.

[scarry scarney]

From a Happy Customer, who has bought dies from BT, and is currently waiting (and is happy to wait, for the Quality that BT delivers), Thanks.

[plus1hdcp]

I will also vouch for the quality of dies everyone is waiting for from Brian. I learned a lot about the swaging process while waiting (sometimes not too patiently as I emailed Brian every month). I am confident those waiting will be more than satisfied when their shipment arrives. The best endorsement I can give is when my finances allow, I will be purchasing another set from BT.

[supe47]

Another happy customer. A complete .224 die set with punches for reloading press and Walnut hill. I also have a .224 9s ogive point form die on order. Good things come to those who wait. If these dies were easy to make, everybody would be making them. Another Thanks.

[DukeInFlorida]

I have an extensive set of Brian's dies, including:

22LR > .224
9mm > .40
.40 > 44
.40 > 45
.45 > .500

I also have on order, for ages now... a set for 5.7X28 > .308

I didn't want to be the first Thank You Brian post, for fear that I'd be again marked as a "shill" for Brian. My early enthusiasm for Brian's work has stood on it's own, and his ever growing list of customers is testament to that. My dealings with cancer, and then moving, have allowed me to be more patient with the 30 caliber set than I might have been otherwise.

Making good tools takes time. And, Brian has bent over backwards to keep every single customer happy. That sometimes eats into production time for the others. But he's doing the right things for each customer, and exploring new technologies at the same time. He also manages to be a stay at home dad, of high quality. And, allows himself a chance to go hunting with his dad, also a noble cause. He's ACES in my book! Thanks Brian!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

You will always have the people that whine. Keep up the good work. I am nothing but happy with my dies.

[sargenv]

I too have dies made by Brian.. I was in on the first upgrade of the CH tool dies and then later when was making his own 9 -> 40 dies.. If I had a bit of cash to put aside, I'd have some other caliber swage dies.. Brian is a good guy and unfortunately for the industry, only one of a handful that is dealing with unprecedented demand.. If I could get myself on that list I would.. but other things have cropped up for now..

[newcastter]

You will always have the people that whine.
And havn't seen any of that on this thread fella....

[BT Sniper]

I wrote a rather lengthy reply to a customer's inquire about his potential order. I covered some important topics that seems like it would benefit being posted on the open forum here.

Though this reply is rather lengthy all my replies to potential customers mention a lot of the same material mentioned below.

Things like.....

- $94 Lee Classic Cast recommendation vs. RCBS for making 22 cal bullets (save the RCBS for reloading)

- benefit of threaded base punches vs. shell holder style

- possible 6-12 month wait times with my need and appreciation for customer's patience in allowing me the time I need to complete their order

- what sort of deposit is needed to secure a spot on my work order list

- starting with 2014 orders, new implication of 20% fee on deposits or payments made for canceled orders when refund of funds is required (100% refund policy still applies for all unused items within 30 days after your order is complete should you be unhappy with your purchase)


As I complete more and more of these replies I will be able to refine and improve my business process. It as taken me a while to get to this point and I will continue to strive to improve but thank you to all of you for baring with me in my continued business growth efforts.

Here is the lengthy reply I sent to the potential customer. I will add and refine these topics in my business plan and update them on my vendor page in hopes to make communications easier and shorter. Soon my own web page will be in order to make things even easier. I'm getting there :)

Potential Customer,

Thank you for your interest in my products. I'll be happy to set you up with anything you need.

Your order represents a substantial investment, you will be very please with the dies and tools I have to provide you. If there is one suggestion I can make. Consider using a Lee Classic Cast press, even if you don't currently have one. The additional cost on your part is only $125, that is $94 for press plus shipping from any of the online providers and an additional $25 from me for the included new swage ram included with my auto ejection system to go with the press.

$125 represents a very small price considering the amount of investment you will have in your dies. I have no stake in Lee products and I get no kick back from recommending their press but the benefit of this press, especially when used for making 22 cal bullets, is that good and is worth your consideration. The week spot in using the RCBS is the shell holder slot in the ram, over time it will compress making it difficult to use the base punches I provide and standard base punches for reloading. You are better off keeping the RCBS for reloading and using the Lee for your swaging needs. The Lee press will do everything the RCBS will do yet with the new ram I provide you will be able to use threaded base punches that is a much stronger set up for swaging then typical shell holder style base punches.

So consider my recommendation if you will. I will happily set you up for either press but I am confident you would be much happier with the results and longer life potential of the Lee vs. the RCBS press when it comes to swaging.

Lets get you set up with some dies then. I am very please with the dies I have to offer you. Matter of fact I am machining a new batch of dies right now. Your timing couldn't be better, you wait will be shorter now that I am catching up and you will still be able to take advantage of 2013 pricing (yes prices will be going up a little shortly).

Even though I am machining all the dies right now that are necessary to complete your order my back log is still substantial enough that your wait could be 6-12 months. Could be sooner but I make sure all my customers realize that quality will always come first should I experience any delays. If you can give me the time I need I will provide you with a perfect set of dies. How long can you wait for a perfect set of dies? I do have quite a few of the 22 cal tools and dies available now that will be able to send ahead of time to get you started on the process but your complete set of dies will have to wait in line with the rest of my orders on my work order list. I am catching up and expect to have all orders shipped as soon as possible.

The only discount I am offering at the moment is 10% for current or retired members of our armed forces.

Lead time will be 6 months on the sort side and up to 12 months on the long side to complete your order. This is just estimates on my part, a good deal of patience is typically require on the customer's part and I am very grateful for those that allow me the time I need to fulfill their order. I have and will fulfill all my orders but quality does take me a little time. I expect to be shipping derim dies, core molds and auto ejection systems within the next 6-12 weeks to all customers that currently have 22 cal orders in the books. This will get you started in the process of turning 22lr brass into 22 cal bullets. I ship out any and all dies that will benefit the customer that I have ready as soon as possible rather then make them wait for the complete set of dies before I ship.

I only require a deposit up front to hold your order. Minimum of $400 (or credit card #), or as much as you wish to put down towards your purchase, will hold a spot on my work order list. Credit card purchases will not be billed anything till I have something ready to ship. Cash payment in full, though much appreciated, does NOT affect the completion schedule of your order. Typically when payment is made in cash (or check) half the purchase price up front is appreciated and reaming balance can be paid at anytime up to the day your final shipment is ready. Canceled orders, when refund of funds is required, will be charged a 20% fee of any deposits or payments made to cover the financial investments I have made to your order. My standard return policy still applies though of course, after your entire order is completed you have 30 days to return unused items for 100% full refund should you unhappy with your purchase.

That's as far as I have gotten in the customer's reply for now. He probably didn't expect a "book" :)

Thanks

Brian

[Just Call Me...G]

Hi Brian,

Am just perusing the whole Swaging section of Cast Boolits and have read pretty much all of your posts.

This will be the first time that I post in this section and I just wanted to say thanks for your professionalism and diligence in contacting me via PM.

The 21st anniversary of me being married to the most awesome woman ever is approaching and soon she will be writing out a check for the whole amount for the 9mm-to-.308 kit that we have discussed.

I am pretty excited and realize that the waiting will be the hardest part...but once that kit arrives I will be a swaging fool and finally a member of the BTSniper tribe!
:grin:

Will be looking forward to keeping my 300 BlackOuts, .308s, .30-06s & .300 Win. Mag. fed and happy.

Anyway, just wanted to drop you a message...keep up the great work.
Hope all is well in your corner of paradise.


Keep The High Ground,


G