price of brass vs steel? cast? pipe fittings = weird

I needed a 1/4 x 3/8 NPT bushing this morning, and could not justify the gas clear out to Lowes or HD, so I stopped by the overpriced local Ace

Turns out a brass bushing was about 3.60 AND THE CAST/ STEEL ONE WAS NEARLY A BUCK HIGHER!!!

Go figure LOL