The fact of the matter is simple. We’re well into the second pandemic year, and there’s still not enough of any brand, caliber, or type of ammunition on store shelves. Are manufacturers indeed still producing? If so, where has all the ammo gone? What better place to get real-world answers than from America’s powerhouse ammunition holdings company – Vista Outdoor.

The publicly-traded company not only owns Federal, CCI, and Speer but has recently also added both Hevi-Shot and Remington to the portfolio. The American-owned and domestically-loaded brands were on full display at SHOT Show 2022, showing off not only existing lines but more new rounds than expected as well. Guns.com got the lowdown.

ARE THEY STILL PRODUCING AMMO?

While it’s hard to believe amidst the great shortage that manufacturers would have shut down presses, the question must be posed. The truth, however, is that ammunition manufacturers, including Vista’s brands, were deemed essential services throughout the majority of the pandemic lockdowns and, as such, remained in production.

Per Jason Vanderbrink, president of Vista Ammunition, “It’s important to point out since the surge started, we’ve made 40 percent more at Federal, CCI, and Speer. When you add Remington into that, it’s substantially more ammunition.” Though that may not seem like enough, ramping up production to any significant degree, especially in a short term, is no small feat. That’s especially true when considering difficulties with hiring, training, and retaining workers amidst shutdowns. “We’ve added 1,500 new employees in 18 months. It’s safe to say we’re certainly helping the economy out in the manufacturing sector in America,” Vanderbrink says.

MORE AMMO, PLEASE

With the company running at more than full speed in 2022, we were curious to learn about the increase in production. Since the surge started, Vanderbrink points out some startling numbers:

• 40 percent more pistol ammo production at Federal, CCI, and Speer
• 15 percent more shotgun shells loaded across the board
• Hundreds of millions more primers added to the commercial market, plus more primers to keep four factories producing ammunition.
• The addition of both Remington and Hevi-Shot brands, which come with fully operational production facilities

Supply chain shortages in components like brass, powder, and resin make life difficult for all ammunition manufacturers. Yet, Vista’s plants, Remington included, are running 24/7. While these brands certainly feel the pinch, they’re better equipped to deal with some aspects. For instance, Federal produces multiple lines of their own primers in-house, meaning they’re not waiting on outside primer shipments to load rounds.

Company reps tell us the machines are running day and night, and pallets of ammunition go out the door as quickly as they’re loaded. In the past, enough ammunition inventory at resellers allowed companies to stockpile rounds in their warehouses, sending them out as ordered. The difference today, however, is the immediate shipment from packaging right out the door to dealers, distributors, and end-users.