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June 26th, 2024

Feds Approve Sale of Vista Outdoor Brands to Czechoslovak Group

Vista outdoor ammunition kinetic group sale CSG Czechoslovak group csg cfius treasury department approval

CFIUS Clears Sale of The Kinetic Group to CSG
Vista Outdoor Inc. (NYSE: VSTO) and Czechoslovak Group a.s. (“CSG”) have announced that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) has cleared CSG’s proposed acquisition of Vista Outdoor’s The Kinetic Group business. CFIUS has concluded its investigation of the Transaction and has determined that there are no unresolved national security concerns. CFIUS clearance was the final regulatory approval required under the merger agreement with CSG. CFIUS is a U.S. government committee that reviews foreign investment transactions to determine their effect on U.S. national security.

The Shooting Wire reports: “Vista Outdoor Inc. cleared a major hurdle in its plans to sell off its ammunition segment, known as The Kinetic Group, to Czechoslovak Group, or CSG, after the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) cleared the proposed acquisition of The Kinetic Group business after the Committee determined ‘there are no unresolved national security concerns’. The closing of the transaction remains subject to receipt of the approval of Vista Outdoor’s stockholders[.] The Vista Board recommends stockholder approval based partly on a $2 billion purchase price, representing a $90 million increase from the original $1.91 billion purchase price.”

Michael Callahan, Chairman of the VSTO Board of Directors stated: “The CFIUS process involved a thorough review and investigation of the Transaction by numerous U.S. Government departments and agencies[.] We believe the end result supports our view that CSG — which has deep expertise in supply chain excellence and ammunition manufacturing and strong support for NATO and allied nations — will be an excellent owner of The Kinetic Group. CSG is fully committed to supporting our American workforce, American hunters, and domestic and allied military and law enforcement partners.”

The closing of the transaction remains subject to the approval of Vista Outdoor’s stockholders and other customary closing conditions. The special meeting of Vista Outdoor stockholders to vote on a proposal to adopt the merger agreement with CSG is scheduled to be held virtually on July 2, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time.

About Vista Outdoor Inc.
Vista Outdoor (NYSE: VSTO) is the parent company of more than three dozen renowned brands that design, manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products. Brands include Bushnell, CamelBak, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Camp Chef, Giro, Simms Fishing, QuietKat, Stone Glacier, Federal Ammunition, Remington Ammunition and more. Our reporting segments, Outdoor Products (Revelyst) and Sporting Products (The Kinetic Group), provide consumers with a wide range of performance-driven, high-quality and innovative outdoor and sporting products. For news and information, visit our website at www.vistaoutdoor.com.

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December 9th, 2023

Vista Outdoor Announces Ammo, Powder, Primers Price Hikes

Vista outdoor alliant remington cci federal speer ammo ammunition primers price increase inflation hike

Vista Outdoor has announced that it will be raising prices on ammunition, primers, and powder starting January 1, 2024. Last week, the Minnesota-based company sent a letter to commercial customers revealing across-the-board cost increases for ammunition, primers, and powder starting the first of the year. The price increases will range from one percent to ten percent, with projected 5% price hikes for primers. CCI/Federal/Remington .22 LR rimfire ammo will rise 1-5% while rifle ammo goes up 1-7%.

“Due to world events our suppliers have notified us of unprecedented demand for and an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder, and thus has increased our prices substantially,” Vice President of Sales, Sporting Products Brett Nelson said in the letter. “We must therefore raise our pricing to help offset those increases.”

Vista Outdoor Sporting Group entities that will increase prices include Alliant Powder, CCI, Federal, Remington, Speer, and HEVI-Shot. The projected increases are shown at right.

Projected Price Increases:

Primers: 5%
Alliant Powder: 10%
.22 LR/.22 Short: 1-5%
.22 WMR/HMR: 1-7%
Rifle Ammo: 1-7%
Handgun Ammo: 1-5%
Shotshells: 1-7%

Vista outdoor alliant remington cci federal speer ammo ammunition primers price increase inflation hike

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October 17th, 2023

Czech Group Plans to Acquire Federal, CCI, Remington Ammo, Speer, HEVI-Shot from Vista Outdoor

vista outdoor remington speer federal cci factory ammunition business sale csg Czechoslovak group acquisition

Big news for the shooting world — Vista Outdoor (NYSE:VSTO) is planning on selling its outdoor sporting products business to Czechoslovak Group A.S. (“CSG”) for $1.91 billion. This will involve transfer of some of the biggest names in the shooting/reloading world including: Federal, CCI, Remington Ammo, Speer, and Hevi-Shot. The sale and take-over is expected to be completed in 2024. We believe Alliant Powder will also be sold but that was not mentioned in the news release.

This represents a big change for the United States. Soon America’s largest commercial powder and ammunition manufacturer will be controlled by a European enterprise. CSG had previously acquired Fiocchi in 2022, and soon it will hold a very large segment of the total global ammunition market with the $1.91 billion deal to take over Vista Outdoor’s ammunition enterprises. READ Official Transaction Report.

vista outdoor remington speer federal cci factory ammunition business sale csg Czechoslovak group acquisition

Vista Outdoor’s current Sporting Products CEO Jason Vanderbrink will continue to lead the Sporting Products business and the U.S. headquarters will remain in Anoka, Minnesota. Vanderbrink stated: “We are confident that CSG is a great home for our leading ammunition brands. The company is fully committed to our iconic American brands and expanding our legacy of U.S. manufacturing, support for military and law enforcement customers, and investments in conservation and our hunting and shooting heritage.”

We are told that the approximately 4,000 Vista Outdoor employees now employed at four American factories will continue to work at those facilities to produce CCI, Federal, HEVI-Shot, Remington, and Speer products. According to SGB Media: “To effect the transaction, Vista Outdoor will separate its Outdoor Products business from its Sporting Products business, and CSG will merge one of its subsidiaries with Vista Outdoor (holding only the Sporting Products business), with current public stockholders of Vista Outdoor receiving shares of Outdoor Products … and approximately $750 million in cash in the aggregate. The transaction will be treated as a taxable sale of a stockholder’s Vista Outdoor shares for the Outdoor Products shares and cash consideration they receive in the merger, allowing stockholders to recover tax basis and recognize built-in gain and loss in their Vista Outdoor shares.”

David Štěpán, Member of the CSG Board and Investment Director for CSG International Projects, stated: “Vista Outdoor’s Sporting Products business is vertically integrated, has excellent financial results and is well invested. Thanks to this acquisition, CSG will become one of the most important ammunition manufacturers in the world with a comprehensive portfolio across all calibers.”

According to the Business Wire: “The proposed transaction would be CSG’s largest acquisition to date after a long series of smaller acquisitions focused on the European market, including the acquisition of Fiocchi Munizioni in 2022. It also represents the largest acquisition in the history of the Czech defense industry. The transaction is expected to close in calendar year 2024, subject to shareholder approval, receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Upon closing, Sporting Products will become a wholly owned subsidiary of CSG, operating as a private company. Jason Vanderbrink will remain CEO of the Sporting Products business and the U.S. headquarters will remain in Anoka, Minnesota.”

About Czechoslovak Group
Czechoslovak Group (CSG) is an international industrial technology holding company building on the tradition of the Czech and Slovak industry, owned by Michal Strnad. CSG supports the development of Czech and Slovak companies engaged in defense and civil industrial production and trade. More than 10,000 people are employed by CSG companies and affiliates. In 2022, the holding’s consolidated revenues reached 25 billion CZK. CSG operates across five strategic business segments covering aerospace, ammunition, defense, mobility and business projects.

About Vista Outdoor Inc.
Vista Outdoor (NYSE: VSTO) is the parent company of more than three dozen renowned brands that design, manufacture and market sporting and outdoor products. Brands include Bushnell, CamelBak, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Camp Chef, Giro, Simms Fishing, QuietKat, Stone Glacier, Federal Ammunition, Remington Ammunition and more. Our reporting segments, Outdoor Products and Sporting Products, provide consumers with a wide range of performance-driven, high-quality and innovative outdoor and sporting products. For more information, visit www.VistaOutdoor.com.

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March 4th, 2023

Saturday Movies: Inside Look at Modern Ammunition Factories

Lapua norma sellier bellot ammunition ammo factory germany finland sweden usa

While many AccurateShooter.com readers load their own competition centerfire rifle ammunition, we all still need factory ammo for our rimfire rifles in .17 and .22 calibers. And most of the 60+ million American handgun owners rely on factory-made ammunition for their pistols and revolvers.

Today’s video collection showcases state-of-the-art ammunition factories in Europe and the United States. You can see the extremely accurate Lapua .22 LR ammo being produced, as well as excellent centerfire ammunition being made by Norma, Remington, Sellier & Bellot and other makers.

From the creation of lead bullet cores to the final packing of ammunition, you can see it all in these videos. Watch primers being made, brass being annealed, bullets being jacketed, tips being inserted, and every phase of production. Weighing and testing procedures are also revealed.

Modern Ammo Production in Multiple Facilities

This 11.5-minute video shows highly automated bullet and ammunition production in multiple facilities in Europe and the USA. You can see bullets produced from start to finish beginning with lead smelting. Then watch pistol and rifle cartridges being made on modern, computer-controlled assembly lines. Watch from start to finish. Here are some notable highlights:

00:10 — Lead Melting Pots and Billet Caster
01:20 — Lead made into strings and then formed into bullets
01:50 — Brass alloy sheets fed into machine and then punched (2:10-2:35).
03:35 — Lead pistol cores being produced
04:15 — Pistol ammo being packaged
06:15 — Ammo loaded into belts
07:15 — Completed primers being shuttled then loaded into brass (Second factory)
07:20 — Bullets being seating into rifle ammunition
07:32 — Cartridge case-neck treatment
07:42 — Robot arm loads finishes cartridges into boxes
08:04 — Cups being pressed (Third Factory S&B)
08:45 — Cartridge case draw
09:06 — Priming pistol cases
09:20 — Bullet production and weight control (10:02)
10:08 — Cartridge assembly and cartridge sealing (10:38)
11:00 — Pistol ammo packaging

Lapua Rimfire Ammunition Production in Germany

This video shows Lapua rimfire ammo production in Schönebeck, Germany. The video shows quantities of the excellent X-ACT .22 LR ammunition being produced and packaged. Starting at the one-minute mark, you can see the ammo being inspected with advanced scanning machines. Then at 1:16 time-mark you can see the ammo accuracy-tested in a tunnel, with results displayed on a computer screen (1:27).

Norma Ammunition Production in Sweden

In this video, the RecoilTV team lead by EIC Iain Harrison ventures to Sweden to visit the Norma ammunition production plant in Huvudentré, Sweden. Demand for Norma ammo has risen dramatically. A Norma marketing manager notes that production has doubled in the last three years.

This second Norma ammunition video shows close-ups of the production process and the machinery used for centerfire ammo. This was filmed at the Norma factory in Åmotfors, Sweden, which has operated continuously for over 120 years. Among the many interesting highlight is a sequence showing how polymer bullet tips are inserted. See 6:50 time-mark.

Lapua norma sellier bellot ammunition ammo factory germany finland sweden usa

Sellier & Bellot Ammunition Factory in Czech Republic

In this video, Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical tours a Sellier & Bellot ammunition plant in the Czech Republic. This video shows details of primer production as well as bullet-making, brass-making, and production-line cartridge manufacturing.

Remington Ammunition Plant Re-Opened by Vista Outdoors

This video shows ammo production at the re-opened Remington ammunition plant in Lonoke, Arkansas. “This is one of the largest ammunition manufacturing plants in the world” said Mark Keefe, NRA Publications editorial director. “It was set up in 1969 by DuPont, who owned Remington at the time. They do it all here. Cases, bullets, centerfire rifle, centerfire pistol, rimfire and shotshell.” It’s great to see this plant back in production after Remington Ammunition filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and the assets of the Remington conglomerate were auctioned off. Ultimately, Vista Outdoor, owner of Federal, CCI and Speer, purchased the assets of Remington Ammunition and got the Lonoke plant running again, better than ever.
This article is Copyright 2023 AccurateShooter.com. Republication on any other site gives rise to statutory penalties and compensatory damages.

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September 10th, 2022

Super Slow Motion Video Reveals Hunting Bullet Performance

Hunting season is coming soon in many parts of the nation. If you’re thinking about what bullets to use for your annual game hunt, you’ll find some VERY valuable information here. Federal has created an award-winning Bullet Breakdown Video (below) that demonstrates how various hunting bullets perform in ballistic gelatin. This and other videos are found on Federal Premium Ammunition’s YouTube Channel. The Bullet Breakdown Video features four bullet types used in Federal Ammo: Nosler Ballistic Tip; Sierra GameKing; Trophy Bonded Tip; and Barnes Triple-Shock X-Bullet.


NOTE: You may want to lower the video sound level before playback.

Federal’s high-resolution, slow-motion video-graphy helps demonstrate which loads are the best for specific uses. The ultra-slo-mo footage provides a detailed view of each bullet penetrating ballistic gelatin blocks. These blocks closely mimic animal tissue and clearly display performance characteristics.

“The Bullet Breakdown Video is a great tool for hunters trying to decide on ammunition type,” said Federal’s Jason Nash. “Properly preparing for the hunt is crucial-and not all bullets are made the same. The bullet is the one link between hunter and game and can be the difference between success and failure. This video helps show hunters how different bullet construction affects terminal performance[.]” For more info, visit www.FederalPremium.com.

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February 20th, 2022

Sunday GunDay: .22 PPC for 300m Prone Competition

.22 PPC Rifle 300m prone

The 300 Meter .22 PPC — Smaller Caliber for Less Recoil

By GS Arizona
[This article originally appeared in Precision Shooting Magazine many years ago, but we are reprising it because the .22 PPC remains a notable cartridge for many disciplines, from benchrest to silhouette.]

I’ve spent the past few years pursuing the largely solitary pastime of 300 Meter shooting in the US. While it is a hugely popular sport in Europe, with thousands of competitors in each of various countries and overflowing national championships, in the U.S., 300 Meter shooting is simply a forgotten discipline. As an example, consider that the entry at the USA Shooting 300 Meter National Championships held at Fort Benning did not reach 20 competitors in [years past]. For those not familiar with the discipline, the 300 Meter ISSF target has a 100 mm ten ring, 200 mm 9 ring and so forth. That’s a 3.9″ ten ring at 328 yards for those of you who may object to the metric system, electricity and other intrusions upon a well settled universe (which ends at the dragons). [Editor’s Note: GS Arizona was a championship-class prone shooter, in both rimfire and centerfire disciplines, who had a popular online Blog, which has been closed.]

300 Meter Basics
300 Meter matches can be either three-position (prone, standing, kneeling) or all prone. Being of that age at which limbs aren’t limber and the mid-section obscures one’s view of the toes, I shoot prone matches only and leave the 3P to those for whom the term “shooting athlete” doesn’t produce an automatic smirk from the better half.

.22 PPC Rifle 300m prone

Like most 300 Meter shooters, I shoot a 6BR as my main rifle. As used in 300 Meter shooting, the 6BR is loaded with a 105-108gr bullet, with a velocity in the 2850 fps range. There is simply no cartridge out there at this time that delivers the accuracy, low recoil and ease of loading that can be had from the 6BR. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t embark on a quixotic adventure now and then to find something better. This article is about one such search. So, if you don’t mind spending some time learning about an uphill struggle in a forgotten corner of the shooting world, pour a hot cup of coffee, get a plate of chocolate chip cookies and read on.

Getting Started–The Concept Behind the Project
The premise for building a .22 PPC was simple — less is more. Less recoil, that is, while retaining good ballistics and accuracy, should allow for higher scores. The hard part is meeting the ballistic and accuracy standards set by the 6BR. If pressed I might also admit to a desire to do something different. I made a decision early on in the project to stick to 80-grain bullets. I believe the 80 is pushing the envelope for safe and sane pressure in a case the size of the PPC; additionally, there are a number of manufacturers of 80-grain .224″ bullets so selection and testing can be more meaningful. Barrels are another consideration and all of the better barrel makers offer a 1:8″ twist .224 barrel (unlike the limited selection of 1:6.5″ twist required for 90 grain .224″ bullets).

With the basic parameters of a full-length .22 PPC case (reformed Lapua .220 Russian to be exact) and an 80-grain bullet established, a few other details needed attention. The first of these was specifying certain dimensions for the reamer maker. I chose not to change any of the essential dimensions of the .22 PPC such as headspace, shoulder angle or body taper, but there were a couple of areas that I felt needed to be different from the typical Benchrest PPC. These were neck diameter and throat length. With the outstanding quality of the Lapua brass, I elected to go with a 0.255″ neck diameter which would allow the use of unturned brass and still leave 0.002″ clearance around the neck of a loaded cartridge. The throat was specified longer than a standard PPC to allow for the length of the 80-grain bullets and avoid having the bullet go past the neck/shoulder junction.

300 Meter .22 PPC — Equipment List
Hardware
Action: RPA Quadlite, RPADefense.com.
Stock: Master Class Highpower Prone MasterClassStocks.com
Barrel: Broughton .224″ bore, 1:8″ twist, 30″ Palma contour
Rear Sight: Warner #1, Anschutz Iris, Warner-Tool.com
Front Sight: Gehmann Iris from Scott Riles
Trigger: Jewell 4 oz. one-stage
Bolt Knob: Keychain from 7-11 ($2.00)

Gunsmithing
Barrel fitting, sight, scope bases: Warner Tool Company.
Stock inletting, pillar bedding, and hardware: Alex Sitman,
Master Class Stocks.

Detours Along the Way
Like Quixote stumbling his way to his dreams, I’ve made a few mistakes. That 0.255″ neck diameter turned out to be the first. Turning brass isn’t a problem, but I was so captivated by the quality of the .220 Russian brass that I planned to skip turning or just take a light (0.001″) clean-up cut. Well, that’s fine, but as it turns out, PPC die makers assume you have turned necks and using unturned brass causes problems. The Redding Competition Seater, for instance, wanted to crimp the entire length of the neck onto the bullet. Turns out it was 0.250″ in the neck diameter of the sliding sleeve. This required reaming the sleeve which wasn’t too hard as the sleeve is made of relatively soft steel. Hand turning the chambering reamer with lots of care and oil took care of that problem. This opened up the neck to 0.255″ which might be 0.001″ more than ideal but I’ll live with it.

.22 PPC Rifle 300m proneSizing dies were another problem altogether. Forget using a non-bushing die with unturned brass–you’ll just overwork the neck to death. The Redding bushing dies worked well, though. Fired brass ends up at 0.254″ and is sized to 0.250″ in two steps (0.252″ and 0.250″) to maintain better concentricity.

I also got the throat length wrong as the base of the bullet (above the boat tail) is halfway up the neck and I want it just above the shoulder. I don’t know how I missed on that spec, but that’s what happened. As it turns out, the extra throat length hasn’t caused any problems with the Nosler 80, but it might with shorter or pointier bullets. Powder and primer choices became additional areas for demonstrating my inability to make good choices. You might think that adding a heavier bullet to an existing cartridge would be simple but it really turned into a full scale adventure.

Choice of Components and Smiths — Only the Best
Based on my previous favorable experience and that of a few friends, I ordered a Broughton barrel for the PPC, a .224″ bore 1:8″ twist, long enough to finish at 30 inches in what is generally referred to as a medium Palma taper. I haven’t been disappointed by the barrel: like all of those made by Tim North of Broughton Barrels, it is top notch. With the barrel and reamer in hand, they and the RPA Quadlite action were sent to Al Warner for barreling and then on to Alex Sitman for the stock. I can’t say enough good things about Alan’s metal work and Alex’s stock work. They have barreled and stocked many rifles for me over the years, all flawless. Alex’s Highpower Prone stock fits me like a comfortable moccasin. The trigger is a Jewell set at 4 oz., the rear sight is a Warner #1 and the front sight is a Scott Riles with a Centra aperture.

Eventually, the UPS man — purveyor of all things worth having — arrived with a long package and the real work began. Load testing and shooting can be a lot more frustrating than planning and talking to gunsmiths, but hopefully the eventual results make it worthwhile. I had a good supply of Nosler 80-grain bullets and some preconceived notions about powder and primers. Off to the loading bench.

Load Development + Accuracy Testing
Fire-forming the .220 Russian cases to the PPC chamber was a breeze: run an expander into the neck to get them to .224″, bump the shoulder 0.002″, load a caseful of IMR 4895 (about 23 grains) and insert a Nosler 77 (leftover from another project) and fire. I shot these at 100 yards while zeroing the rifle and was very impressed with the accuracy. Fouling was minimal, off to a promising start.

Once formed, I loaded the brass with Varget and the 80-grain bullets. Since Varget has given such good results in the 6BR, it was a natural starting point for this project. However, it quickly became evident that it might be too slow. While accuracy was excellent, powder fouling in the barrel was very heavy even at the highest charge tried (28.5 grains) and there was soot all the way down the shoulders of the cases. Cleaning the bore felt like patching a rusty water pipe after just 20 shots. I knew I’d never make it through a 60-shot match (about 70 shots with sighters) without cleaning[.]

Putting the .22 PPC to the Test in Competition
At this point, I took the PPC to a 300 Meter match with the Varget load. While it might not look perfect, I needed to try it. The first string was a 198 and I was able to clean the rifle immediately after firing. The second string was also a 198 but I had to fire the third string without cleaning. The effects of the fouling were evident in the last score, a 194.

While a 590 total isn’t bad for 300M, it was a bit below my average with the 6BR at this range – my home range that I knew well. More importantly, the score dropped as the group opened up in the third string when I wasn’t able to clean. At the Nationals all 60 shots are fired without a break for cleaning or additional sighters; therefore, Varget, while promising, wouldn’t work in the long run.

The next faster powder on my shelf was IMR 4895. I’d used it in the fire forming loads and if I had a lick of sense I would have tried it right away since the fire forming loads shot so well. However, stubbornly clinging to the preconceived notion that Varget was going to be a great powder for this combo cost me a month or so fooling with it. I then worked up loads with 4895 from 26.8 to 28.6 and saw that while 4895 was better suited to the case than Varget, it was still slow. The powder fouling was still occurring, though to a lesser degree. The shoulders still showed some soot, but less. I settled on 27.8 grains as a useful load and loaded 70 cases.

New Load for a New Home
At this point, I moved from Florida to Arizona causing a delay of several months in testing. The move also had an effect on the load as the hotter and drier climate in Arizona turned out to be much more suitable for 4895. Of course, I still had those 70 rounds loaded with 27.8 so I shot them in practice. Everything seemed OK but one primer (Federal 205M) pierced at the edge. I didn’t pay much attention to that as there were no other pressure signs and it was the first primer failure of any sort so far in this project. Extraction was fine, primer edges were nicely radiused and base growth was under two tenths. There was an opportunity to shoot a 500-yard prone match the following day so I reloaded the cases with the same load. At the match I pierced two more primers, this time right at the edge of the firing pin, causing two craters running into the firing pin hole. As you might imagine, all subsequent shots cratered into that area, although no more pierced.

I was contemplating a switch to Hodgdon Benchmark (slightly faster than H4895) until this point. Now, repairing the bolt face and switching to a tougher primer took priority. I loaded 25 rounds with CCI BR4 primers and 25 with Remington 7.5 primers. Both of these are well known for their tougher cups which I hoped would eliminate the piercing. I like the mild flash from the Federal 205 and believe it contributes to good accuracy, but I needed a primer that holds together more than I need to cut another tenth MOA. Bearing in mind that the powder charge itself might need reworking, I took those 50 rounds to the range to test them with the 27.8 gr. IMR 4895 load as it remains best to only change one thing at a time. Temperatures were in the 100 to 110 degree range during testing as they are for a good portion of the year here in Phoenix. If the load won’t work in hot temperatures, it just won’t work at all for me.

The primer testing at 200 yards showed the CCI BR4 primers to be better suited to this load than the Remington 7.5 primers. While no primer failed out of the 50 fired, the CCI BR4 primers gave distinctly better accuracy. I fired two ten-shot groups prone (scoped) with each, the Remington-primed groups averaged just over 1 MOA and the CCI-primed groups averaged 1/2 MOA. The difference between the two was principally in the amount of elevation in the groups. Given that result, as well as previous good experience with the CCI primers in the 6BR, I settled on the CCI BR4 primers for the PPC.

Final Testing at 500 Yards–It all Comes Together
While the purpose of the 80-grain PPC is 300 Meter shooting, those matches are somewhat hard to find so I’ve done most of my testing at 200 yards on the local public range (Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix) and at 500 yards in some of the local prone matches. With the primer issue potentially resolved, I went back to the 500-yard range to make sure the load held good elevation at that distance.

Final testing at 500 yards was a complete success. I fired one group of 24 shots from the prone position. Elevation for the bulk of the group was right at 3″ (0.6 MOA), the horizontal spread was somewhat larger as the group was fired in gusty, fast-switching conditions. The CCI BR4 primers functioned flawlessly, with no sign of pressure despite ambient temperatures over 100° F. None of this should be taken as a general statement of inadequacy of Federal primers. I have used (and continue to use) the very same lot of Federal 205M primers in my 6BR and have not experienced any problems at all. Simply stated, the 80-grain .22 PPC is an odd duck and has special requirements when fired under the conditions that prevail in my area.

At this point, I’ve determined that the basic premise of a .22 PPC for 300 Meter matches is perfectly viable, even if it is quite a bit more complex an undertaking than the 6BR. Recoil reduction over the 6BR was minimal, bordering on unnoticeable, but accuracy is on a par with the 6BR, perhaps slightly better. As a nice bonus, the PPC has proven to be quite useful for the 500-yard prone matches that are a regular part of the Phoenix shooting scene and it never fails to spark a good conversation with a new friend when I’m practicing or testing at the range. Future plans include testing Berger and Hornady 75 and 80-grain bullets and Hodgdon Benchmark powder. And, after conferring with your moderator, who ran some simulations in QuickLOAD, I’ll be trying Reloder 15 soon (QuickLOAD predicts RL15 allows 100% load density with good velocity). At some point I’ll also have the reamer reground for a shorter throat and tighter neck, but probably not until time comes to rebarrel.

6mmBR Norma versus .22 PPC

For the shooter who wants a superbly accurate, easy to load cartridge for 300 Meters to 600 yards, you simply can’t beat the 6BR. Everything you need, including brass, dies, reamers and knowledge are just a phone call away. The .22 PPC, by contrast, is an uphill struggle. The chambering reamer was custom ground to my specifications to allow unturned brass, as well as a longer freebore for the 75- and 80-grain bullets that are the heart of the project. The no-turn necks also meant that the Redding Competition Seater (an excellent unit) had to be reworked to allow for the thicker neck diameter. Once those hurdles were overcome I struggled to find the best powder for this combination–and I’m still searching. Unlike the 6BR where any of a half dozen or more powders will do the job (Varget, Reloder 15, N140, N540, IMR 4895, Norma 203B, etc.) the .22 PPC with heavy bullets has proven finicky with even the most accurate powders leaving fairly heavy carbon fouling.

Despite the problems, the .22 PPC offers a bit more pure accuracy than the 6BR and also a tiny bit less recoil. Both of these things can contribute to slightly higher scores in prone matches. However, to get the most out of the PPC, one must find the time to clean between 20 shot strings–a not inconsiderable effort sometimes in the mad rush of pit changes, scoring, shooting and just plain being tired.

This rifle was initially a .223 and when that cartridge proved unsatisfactory for my purposes, I had it rebuilt as the .22 PPC you see here. I like it and I enjoy the challenge, but I would not recommend this combination as someone’s primary rifle; it can get a bit frustrating. To put it into another context, the 6BR is like a 350 Chevy, it’ll just keep on doing the job forever, no matter what. The .22 PPC is like a Ferrari, it’ll scream when you do everything right, but it takes more attention to detail and a lot more maintenance. You wouldn’t want a Ferrari as your only car and likewise, you would be better off making the .22 PPC a second rifle.

Parting Shots — The .22 PPC vs. 6mm BR
If you’re looking for a simple, accurate and reliable cartridge for 200 to 600 yards, you probably can’t improve on the 6BR. However, if you’re someone who finds the journey as rewarding as reaching the destination, then you may very well enjoy a .22 PPC for prone shooting. While I received a great deal of help in this project from friends, gunsmiths, suppliers and parts makers far and wide, I really must acknowledge the huge debt we all owe to Ferris Pindell and Dr. Lou Palmisano. Without them there would be no PPC. We truly stand on the shoulders of giants.

Copyright © Precision Shooting Magazine and GS Arizona. Reprinted by permission.
Permalink - Articles, Bullets, Brass, Ammo, Competition, Reloading 2 Comments »
January 3rd, 2022

Federal Marks its 100th Year in Business in 2022

Federal Cartridge company vista outdoor 100th anniversary

Less than one percent of all companies make it to their 100th year of operation. Federal Ammunition joins this notable group in 2022 — celebrating a full century in business. The official date of incorporation was April 27, 1922, but the festivities will start now.

Federal Cartridge company vista outdoor 100th anniversaryFederal kicked off the year by lighting up a 100th Anniversary sign in Anoka, Minnesota. Federal will celebrate its accomplishment with “throwback” (vintage-style) packaging, special merchandise on its website, commemorative publications, and an exhibit at the Anoka County Historical Society Museum.

Today, the Federal Ammunition factory in Anoka, MN is a modern 700,000 square-foot facility where 1500+ employees work. The plant runs around the clock, 7 days a week, producing millions of rounds of centerfire, rimfire, and shotshell ammunition.

The original Federal Cartridge company was started in 1916, closed in 1920, but then was purchased and re-opened in 1922. Shooting Illustrated reports: “In 1922, the new Federal Cartridge Corporation formed and was soon producing shotshells. What began as a small company grew to a staff of 500 by 1930. The United States entered World War II in 1941 and Federal secured an $87 million contract to build and operate the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant (TCOP) in New Brighton, Minnesota. [P]roducing … ammunition for the military proved to be a valuable asset as the company entered commercial cartridge production.”

Federal’s President Jason Vanderbrink notes: “The entire staff of 1,500 hard-working Americans in Anoka, Minnesota is extremely proud to celebrate a full century of continuous and successful operation. We appreciate those who came before us… and look forward to taking Federal into its next century.”

Federal Cartridge company vista outdoor 100th anniversary

A special edition Federal 100th Anniversary magazine, available at newstands, and a coffee table book are also planned. Also accounts of Federal’s history will be posted on social media websites.

Federal Ammunition is now part of Vista Outdoor, a large sports/recreation corporation that also owns Remington Ammunition, Hevi-Shot, CCI, Speer, RCBS, Alliant Powder and more. All of the ammo brands are run by Ammunition operations President Jason Vanderbrink who noted: “We don’t just buy parts and put them together, or have other companies load stuff for us. We do it all on site.” Federal ammunition can be purchased online direct from Federal, as well as third party vendors. For more information on Federal’s products and online services visit FederalPremium.com.

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April 18th, 2021

Are You a Gun Wizard? Take the Shoot 101 Ballistics Quiz

Shoot 101 Ballistics Question Quiz BC trajectory

Shoot 101 Quiz
How much of an expert are you when it comes to firearms and ballistics? Test your knowledge with this interactive test. Vista Outdoor, parent of CCI, Federal, Bushnell, RCBS and other brands, has a media campaign called Shoot 101, which provides “how to” information about shooting, optics, and outdoor gear. There were a variety of interactive offerings that let you test your knowledge.

On the Shoot 101 website, you’ll find a Ballistics Quiz. The questions are pretty basic, but it’s still fun to see if you get all the answers correct.

You don’t need a lot of technical knowledge. Roughly a third of the questions are about projectile types and bullet construction. Note, on some platforms the layout doesn’t show all FOUR possible answers. So, for each question, be sure to scroll down to see all FOUR choices. REPEAT: Scroll down to see ALL answers!

CLICK HERE to Go to SHOOT 101 Ballistics QUIZ Page »

Sample Ballistics Question 1:

Shoot 101 Ballistics Question Quiz BC trajectory

Sample Ballistics Question 2:

Shoot 101 Ballistics Question Quiz BC trajectory

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February 22nd, 2021

What Caused the Ammo Shortage? When Will Things Get Better?

Federal ammunition vista outdoors cause ammo shortage primer production Remington CCI Jason Vanderbrink

In a recent Federal Season Podcast, Federal Ammunition’s President Jason Vanderbrink discusses the shortages of loaded ammunition we have experienced for many months now. And it’s not just loaded ammo — powder and primers are very hard to find and prices are crazy, with 1000 primers selling for $300 or more in recent Gunbroker auctions.

This Federal Podcast episode attempts to answer key questions about the unprecedented demand for ammunition. Ammo buyers want to know what caused the shortage, when supplies will become normal again, and what Federal and its sister brands are doing to meet consumer needs.

Click Green Arrow to Start Podcast Audio:


Fast forward to 00:45 to skip intro.

We applaud Federal for addressing the issue. Many shooters think there is some kind of conspiracy — suggesting that the Federal Government is buying all the ammunition, or that companies such as Federal or Hornady have halted production. That’s nonsense. In fact Federal, Hornady, and Olin (Winchester) are all running at full capacity.

However, consumer demand has increased dramatically. This is because of political developments, with tens of millions of gun owners fearful that the new Democratic administration will impose new taxes or restrictions on ammo. In addition, demand has been driven by new gun owners. The NSSF tells us that over 7,000,000 Americans purchased their first firearm in 2020. If each new gun buyer purchased just two, 50-round boxes of ammo, that equates to 700,000,000 rounds of ammo. Think about that… the gun industry would have to produce an additional 1.91 million rounds of ammo EVERY DAY just to fill the demands from new gun owners.

ammunition ammo federal shortage supply podcast Vanderbrink

In the podcast Federal’s President Vanderbrink emphasized that Federal is running at full capacity. Vanderbrink also discusses the shortages of components, particularly primers, which are produced by both Federal and sister company CCI.

Vanderbrink pointed out that Federal had been at less than full capacity in 2017-2019, but Federal had also invested in new capacity over the last five years and that investment is now paying off: “We are investing where we need to invest… we have hired hundreds of new workers.”

Primers Are in Short Supply Because They Are Being Used in Loaded Ammunition
Vanderbrink explains why primers are not getting to retail outlets. The answer is that Federal is using a larger percentage of its own primer production for loaded ammunition. “We are making a lot more ammunition today. Our internal primer needs have gone up exponentially as we are shipping more ammunition. [Previously] we’d sell excess [primer] capacity to the reloading market. As the ammunition business picked up in March 2020, it came at the expense of the reloading primers. We are taking a bigger share just to make our ammunition” (Podcast 08:30 – 09:50)

Remington Bankruptcy DID Affect Ammo and Primer Supplies
Remington’s business problems HAVE reduced ammo supply said Vanderbrink: “When we acquired Remington, that factory wasn’t making hardly any ammunition, so that just starved that market already that was constrained. As we’re getting Remington up and going right now, we’re going to make more ammunition, so the market WILL have more ammunition[.] Along with the social unrest, along with the Pandemic fears that people had… you had Remington not making much ammunition, so that just added to the backlog.” Vanderbrink noted that Federal acquired the Remington factory in October and it plans to increase Remington ammo production significantly over previous levels.
(Podcast 10:20 -11:20)

Ammunition Shortage is NOT Caused by Federal Government Buying Everything
Vanderbrink also said flat out that the shortage has NOT been caused by huge new government ammo buys or Federal redirecting production to the government. The allocation to the commercial sector is actually higher than in recent years.

Federal Ammunition shortage

Vanderbrink asked for patience. While conceding that the pandemic has created challenges, Vanderbrink declares that the ammo plants are running at full capacity: “We know, ammo seems hard to come by right now. But rest assured, we are building and shipping more and more every day[.]”

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December 21st, 2020

America’s Big Ammunition Plants Are Running at Full Capacity

CCI Federal Speer Remington Ammunition production ammo factory video

Why is factory ammunition so hard to find? That’s the question on many gun owners’ minds. There are some crazy rumors — that production has been slowed on purpose — or that there is a secret warehouse somewhere, full of ammo. In fact, those rumors are nonsense — the major ammo production facilities of Vista Outdoor are running around the clock to meet demand.

CCI Federal Speer Remington Ammunition production ammo factory video

That message was recently delivered in a video featuring Jason Vanderbrink, President of Vista Outdoor’s ammunition manufacturing division, which includes brands Federal, CCI, Speer, and Remington.


Millions of new gun owners have created an unprecedented demand for ammo in 2020.

Huge Demand from Millions of New Gun Owners
Vanserbrink points out some basic economics: “Seven million new shooters since March, times 2 boxes (a conservative estimate) is 700 MILLION new rounds of ammunition [that] our three factories have to produce. That is impossible to do in nine months.”

In this video, Vanderbrink asks for patience and seeks to quash rumors. While conceding that the pandemic has created challenges, Vanderbrink declares that the ammo plants are running at full capacity:

“We know, ammo seems hard to come by right now. But rest assured, we are building and shipping more and more every day[.] We are making ammunition every minute of every day … We are making more hunting ammo than we ever have. We are doing our damndest to meet the demand!”

CCI Federal Speer Remington Ammunition production ammo factory video

CCI Federal Speer Remington Ammunition production ammo factory video

CCI Federal Speer Remington Ammunition production ammo factory video

CCI Federal Speer Remington Ammunition production ammo factory video

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January 24th, 2020

Ammo Automation — How .223 Rem Ammunition is Made

Fog Ammunition .223 Remington Rem Ammo loading machine Sierra BlitzKing

Here’s an entertaining video from Fog Ammunition. Starting with boxes of bullets and bags of cartridge brass, this video shows how components are bulk-sorted, then .223 Rem ammunition is produced on a modern, linear multi-stage loading machine. In assembly-line fashion, cases are primed, powder is added, bullets are placed, final seating depth is set, and then the case is crimped.

If you’ve never seen an automated loader in action you should definitely watch this video. With this kind of machine, a new round is produced every second or so (see video 1:15 to 1:55). The .223 Remington ammunition featured in this video is loaded with Sierra BlitzKing bullets. Fog offers both rifle and pistol ammo loaded with quality components.

Video Shows Automated Loading Process Start to Finish (Worth Watching):

Fog Ammunition .223 Remington Rem Ammo loading machine Sierra BlitzKing

Fog Ammunition .223 Remington Rem Ammo loading machine Sierra BlitzKing

Fog Ammunition .223 Remington Rem Ammo loading machine Sierra BlitzKing

Fog Ammunition .223 Remington Rem Ammo loading machine Sierra BlitzKing

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July 9th, 2019

Big News — Savage Arms Sold Off by Vista Outdoor

Savage Arms Management Sale Vista Outdoor divestiture sell-off buy-out

Big news for the shooting community! Just six years after it acquired Savage Arms, outdoor industry mega-corp Vista Outdoor is selling off Savage Arms. The firearms-maker will be acquired by a private investment group led by Savage’s current management. When the sale is complete, Vista Outdoor, parent company of dozens of outdoor brands such as Bushnell, Bell Helmets, CCI, Camelback, Federal, RCBS, and Weaver, will no longer produce firearms of any kind. The sell-back to the Savage management group will include Stevens Arms*, which primarily produces shotguns.

There were multiple reasons given for the sale, which include:
1. Cutting costs, reducing corporate debt, and consolidating operations at Vista Outdoor.
2. Focusing more on the ammunition brands Alliant, CCI, Speer, and Federal.
3. Giving Vista Outdoor’s “ammunition brands flexibility to work with any industry partner”.

In addition, we suspect that, given the current political climate and media antagonism towards gun-makers, Vista Outdoor’s leadership deemed that owning Savage was bad for the company’s overall image. The potential profits from Savage were simply not worth the negative press as well as the potential liabilities from gun-related lawsuits.

By the Numbers: Vista Outdoor acquired Savage Arms (and Stevens) in July 2013 for $315 million. The July 2019 sell-off of Savage Arms (and Stevens) for $170 million represents a $145 million loss for Vista Outdoor. That’s not a good business model.

Savage Arms Management Sale Vista Outdoor divestiture sell-off buy-out

Founded in 1894, Massachusetts-based Savage Arms is one of America’s oldest gun-makers. While it has produced a wide variety of firearms over the past 125 years, Savage is now best known for its affordable bolt-action hunting rifles that feature barrels attached by a barrel-nut. In recent years, Savage has also moved aggressively into the “black rifle” market producing its MSR series of AR-platform rifles in a variety of chamberings. Savage also produces a popular semi-auto Rimfire rifle, the Savage A17/A22 series.

Savage Arms Management Sale Vista Outdoor divestiture sell-off buy-out

Here is the official Press Release covering Vista Outdoor’s sale of Savage Arms to a group of investors headed by Al Kasper, Savage’s President and CEO (emphasis added):

Vista Outdoor Announces Sale of Savage Brand
Vista Outdoor Inc. (“Vista Outdoor”) (NYSE: VSTO) announced today that it has completed the sale of the legal entity operating its Savage Arms and Stevens firearms brands to a financial buyer for a total purchase price of $170 million, comprised of $158 million paid at closing and $12 million to be paid upon maturity of a five-year seller note issued by the buyer to Vista Outdoor in connection with the transaction.

The sale is part of Vista Outdoor’s previously announced transformation plan, which outlined the intent to reshape the company’s portfolio by cutting costs, consolidating leadership, paying down debt, and divesting certain brands, including both its eyewear brands and firearms brands, in order to pursue growth in product categories where the company believes it can be market leaders. As the company now looks forward, the focus is on ammunition, hunting and shooting accessories, hydration bottles and packs, outdoor cooking products, and cycling/ski helmets and accessories.

“Divesting our Savage brand was a key aspect of our transformation plan,” said Chris Metz, CEO of Vista Outdoor. “While it was a difficult decision to sell such an iconic brand, I remain confident that this was the correct choice to help Vista Outdoor grow in those categories where we can have leadership positions. Savage is a fantastic business, and it deserves to continue to evolve into other firearms categories. At this time, however, we simply do not have the resources to transform Savage into the full-service firearms company that it deserves to be and, therefore, we determined the brand would be better off with a different owner. We’re excited to see Savage reach its full potential under new ownership.”

Savage was acquired by Vista Outdoor’s predecessor, ATK, in 2013. ATK’s sporting business – which included Savage, Bushnell, Federal and CCI Ammunition, and dozens of other hunt/shoot accessories brands, spun off in 2015 to become Vista Outdoor.

“The Savage acquisition helped create Vista Outdoor, and we’re grateful for all the success the brand brought to our company over the past six years,” said Metz. “However, this divestiture now gives our ammunition brands flexibility to work with any industry partner to create the best products and meet our consumers’ needs.”

At closing, Vista Outdoor received gross proceeds from the divestiture of $158 million. Vista Outdoor will use the net after-tax proceeds of the sale to repay outstanding indebtedness.

“Reducing our debt is a key part of turning around our business,” said Metz. “Selling Savage and further reducing our overall leverage will improve our financial flexibility and better position the company for long-term growth. We’ve now rebuilt the company’s foundation to provide a more stable base upon which to grow. We have a portfolio of brands that all have the potential to be strong, market leaders in their respective categories and I’m proud of my team’s efforts in reshaping the portfolio over the course of the past year.”


*American firearms manufacturer J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company, now part of Savage Arms, introduced the .22 Long Rifle cartridge in 1887. Savage Arms was founded in 1894 by Arthur Savage in Utica, New York. Within 20 years Savage was producing rifles, handguns, and ammunition. Savage introduced the first hammerless lever-action rifle, the Model 1895, derived from Arthur Savage’s Model 1892 rifle that he had designed for Colt.

Story tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.

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