Crow Busters Forum

Hi again Boys,

If our PD hunting trip with Skip and then visit with Bob A. were not enough, Texas Matt and I made another venue last Thursday.  We visited the Hornady factory in Grand Island, NE.

If you are ever in that area, you should consider taking this free one hour tour.  As a Pro Staffer representing Hornady at Cabela's, I was very proud to see this great American company running at full tilt in these high demand times for guns, ammo and related shooting/reloading accessories.

We were surprised to see so many employees working throughout the factory floor in all of the buildings we toured.  Most factories have limited staffing with high amounts of automation.  That is not true with Hornady - they have both high automation and high levels of staffing.  Every piece of ammunition they produce is hand inspected and boxed before it ships!

We were shown the bullet making process from the casting of 165 pound lead (3 different "color coded" lead alloys) cylinders, to their extrusion into lead wire, then the punching out of the jackets from a spool of gliding metal with the final jacket forming/lead core insertion as completed jacketed bullets were produced from a fleet of high speed presses.  The power of that punch press could be easily felt through the concrete floor.  Interestingly, these bullet making presses date from the 1940's and have been continually enhanced and rebuilt by the Hornady team of tool and die men.  They don't buy replacement parts they make all of them in-house on CNC and other metal working equipment!  American "know how" and innovation at its finest.

Another highlight for Texas Matt and I was seeing their 200 yard underground test range with accuracy barrels, pressure barrels and hundreds of test firearms from Jim Clark customized .38 Super 1911's to Springfield Arsenal Garand's.  All of that test equipment ensures the accuracy, safety and function of the Hornady product line.  We were also granted an audience with the 3 ammo testing ballisticians on duty to ask any reloading questions we desired.  Note each of the dozens of bullet making presses mentioned above have a routinely updated test target from this range posted on them, showing they are producing quality bullets or that they need to be taken offline for adjustment or repair. 

While walking around in the plant with our delightful tour guide - Dannielle - we bumped into Dave Emary - the primary developer of the .17HMR cartridge as well as the Ruger .204 and 6.5mm Creedmoor.  He is the chief ballistic scientist for Hornady and it was great to chat with him for a few minutes.

Don't miss the opportunity to visit this fine American factory, if you ever get a chance.

Regards,

Hi Mark,

Great photo and work!!!  I got in the V.H.A. 500 yard club back in 2006 with my Remington 700 in .22-250 with a 55 grain VMAX in 604 yards.  Lone Star Phil was my spotter and his precise directions were critical to my shot.

Take care,

Hi Neil,

It is amazing to see things being mass produced.  Likewise I have taken that Budwieser tour in St. Louis as well as the Coors tour in Golden, Colorado.  Not being a drinker, all of the loose ammo/bullets Texas Matt and I saw at Hornady was much more appealing to me. 

Both of those breweries were good example of the minimal staffing needed to run many of the modern factories.  Hornady was crawling with personnel in every plant and office area.  Business was clearly strong.

Regards,