Posted on 01/29/2022 10:42:07 AM PST by Texas Fossil
While lots of calibers of ammunition are slowly returning to many store shelves, primers haven’t really reappeared in any meaningful numbers since The Time Before. The two major players in the market, Olin (Winchester) and Vista Outdoor (Remington, CCI and Federal) have maxxed out their production with most of the output going to loaded ammunition.
This seems like a very good time to add a third producer and more capacity. Good news: investors are doing just that, starting up a new company in the great state of Texas dedicated to making primers by the truckload.
This new company doesn’t appear to be vaporware. It’s very real and they have money behind them. Expansion Industries, with a hundred million in capital, has secured a location and is advertising for staff to run the production lines it has planned to open later this year. In fact, they’re holding a job fair to staff the facility at the end of this month.
Expansion purchased the old Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant located 12 miles west of Texarkana, Texas that made all sorts of things that go boom for the military from World War II through the Vietnam War.
snip
The Texarkana Gazette wrote about the new employer . . .
Expansion Industries, an ammunition manufacturing company whose corporate offices are based out of Carrollton, Texas, is preparing to open a manufacturing facility here.
They have begun preparation work on the East Campus of TexAmericas Center, purchasing the main G Line of the former Lone Star Army Ammunition plant, and have begun preparing the site for operations.
Recently, they also have begun a recruiting drive, advertising an on-site job fair they have coming up Jan. 29. They plan on employing more than 400 by 2023 and have plans beyond that.
The facility will specialize in the production of primers, a key component in ammunition manufacturing, for the small arms industry.
“We have invested $100 million into the site so far,” said Richard A. Smissen, owner, Expansion Industries. “This is all about supply and demand. There is serious demand in the industry for this product and right now, for various reasons, the supply chain is falling woefully short. So we are getting ready to do our part to help out with that issue.”
Smissen describes the new facility as state-of-the-art, featuring a high level of automation. He said the site at the former Lone Star Army Ammunition plant is uniquely situated for what they will be doing.
There you have it. Four hundred jobs expected by next year when they ramp up to full-scale production. Can we get a hallelujah?
Powder is short, but nothing like primers.
I have enough powder, and am scraping by on primers for now.
I reload over a dozen rifle calibers. And a couple of pistol calibers.
The days of being selective on specific powders and primers is gone. It requires thought about how to use what is available.
Yes please, I need some primers.
How ya doing on HorsePaste?
This sounds like it will be a while before it is on line with production.
A large part of the residents of this part of Texas will feel a lot more comfortable when they can feel comfortable about having enough ammo. (not enough for hunting)
You are forgetting that the lead to replace what they use has to come from somewhere. Lead is a consumable good. Ore has to be smelted somewhere for the new car batteries.
And casings and bullets.
a: Opinion on what this level is varies greatly.
Exactly - what looks like "hoarding" to one man is just a few months supply to somebody else. I knew a guy years ago who shot competetively, and loaded 500 rounds a week. To save you doing the math, thats something on the order of 25,000+ primers per year. And I talked to a local gunsmith just last year, who was used to loading a similar quantity (both he and his wife shoot), but had to cut way back for obvious reasons. Bottom line, 20 bricks of primers wouldn't last some folks a full year - even without 'TEOTWAWKI'...
A guy who shot competitively. I get it. I used to shoot matches, as well.
And there’s really no way to stop it. Toss in the supply chain issues and the fact that the components are harder to come by.
I was working at a Traxtor Supply and the manager was a big gun guy. He was telling me that there are guys that have computer programs that are making automatic purchases when these items are popping up and then reselling on the various gun sites.
I’m guessing that can be done. If so, that is insane.
Until the supply of recycled lead dwindles…..
The amount of bullet lead that gets recycled is probably quite low. None used by the military gets recycled. Very little hunting ammo is recycled. Very few outdoor ranges tear down and rebuild their berms so they can reclaim the lead. That leaves indoor ranges which account for what, 25% of all ammo fired? Eventually the amount of recycled lead won’t be able to support new projectile requirements, especially with lead-acid batteries still being used in cars.
Now if they would pick up the slack for powder, business would really start booming.
= = =
Booming?????
I think that the nearest lead smelter is in Canada or Mexico. All the lead ore mined in the US has to be exported out of the country and re-imported as lead.
Looks like good news
Agree. But it will be a while before we see results. That is the way things happen.
I’m making the best with what I have for now.
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