#VistaOutdoor

Both Remington and Federal Ammunition introduced new lines of ammunition at the 2024 SHOT Show. Federal expanded its portfolio by building on the Fusion series. The new offerings aim to enhance shooting accuracy and range, equipped with a polymer tip that improves the ballistic coefficient, flattens trajectories, and intensifies energy for sustained effectiveness at greater distances. Remington announced the expansion of their Core-Lokt Tipped and the introduction of the UMC Leadless lines of ammunition. Let’s take a closer look at the new ammunition offerings by Federal and Remington.

In a massive deal Vista Outdoor, the parent company to over 40 well known brands, is to sell off its sporting products business in a $1.91 billion deal with Czechoslovak Group. Czechoslovak Group is a major Czech Republic-based holding company which already controls brands across the arms, aerospace and manufacturing industries – including Fiocchi, Tatra, and Atrak.

Is everyone excited to still be talking about the growth of ammo prices over the last year and a half? Of course, we’re not. Unfortunately, although there has been some recent relief in some areas and for some calibers, for the most part, we’re still nowhere near pre-panic levels. Even more unfortunately, it looks like the journey to get back there may be slow or possibly never fully come. Between 2020-2021’s prolonged period of massively increased demand and logistical/supply chain problems, it’s been a tough time for most shooters’ bullet budgets. TFB has reported on some prior pricing increase announcements, and sadly, we now have to do so again. The quote below comes from a memo that Vista Outdoor recently sent their dealers.

In an effort to support the very places that many of Vista Outdoors’ brands and customers love, the company has announced the launch of the Vista Outdoor Corporate Foundation. The non-profit organization is intended to support conservation and outdoor access efforts in order to preserve these things for future outdoor enthusiasts. Upon opening the foundation, an initial $3 million contribution was made.

Vista Outdoor – the parent company for CCI, Federal, Remington, and Speer has just announced that there will be price increases in response to “unprecedented raw material price increases” that have occurred just over the last couple of months. Customers can expect to start seeing the effects of these price increases around July of 2021 for both ammunition and primers.

Okay, which one of you is buying all the ammo? No seriously. As if 2020 isn’t bad enough – viruses, unrest, elections – the lifeblood of the one thing that keeps me grounded in this crazy world has dried up. Forget trying to buy 5.56x45mm, 300BLK or 9mm, even semi obscure calibers are nowhere to be found. And I don’t hear a lot more shooting/training going more than usual. So where is it all? As evidence of the historic demand, Fox Business is reporting that Vista Outdoor is behind on ammunition orders by a year and over a billion dollars. I’m sure my order is in there somewhere.

Vista Outdoors has published a press release announcing that SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) has approved and issued the 12 Gauge 1-3/4″ cartridge and chamber drawing standards for smoothbore barrels.

Federal Premium Ammunition invites attendees of the 2018 NRA Meetings & Exhibits Show to the Vista Outdoor booth 7530. Those who stop by during the event, which runs May 3-6 in Dallas, Texas, can meet professional shooter Julie Golob, plus popular online personality Hickok45 and Second Amendment rights defender Colion Noir.

Not only do these look like rounds that Early Cuyler would be “prouder ‘n hell” to shoot with, they will leave one’s firearm and range unsullied by lead fouling.  CCI’s 22 Long Rifle Patriot Pack is a 300-round box of coated .22lr’s with red, white and blue coating.  CCI continues to build on their polymer coated .22lr line.  Relatively new,  TFB’s own Hryachya H has previously reported on these rounds’ introduction as a Christmas-themed pack. I have shot many polymer coated bullets, and while there is sometimes a few flakes of polymer here or there left in the firearm, there is a marked decrease in lead fouling.  This author has personally previously only seen these bullets in centerfire rounds.  Being that .22lr’s are often subjected to very high volumes of fire and can incur nasty lead fouling as a result, this author is excited to see these new rounds and will be sure to give them a try.  It will be interesting to see how clean these really do run.

The Board of Directors for Vista Outdoor has formally announced that Christopher T. Metz will become their new Chief Executive Officer. This will take affect on October 9th, 2017. As expected, he will manage the company’s entire portfolio and be charged with handling the day-to-day operations of Vista Outdoor.

Orbital ATK, the defense contractor who manages and operates the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, will soon be bought by defense giant Northrop Grumman, according to an article released on Reuters. The purchase price is expected to be close to $8 billion USD. From Reuters:

When it comes to handgun shooting, there is traditionally a steeper learning curve and more range time involved to be accurate. If you also happen to be a reloader, then it is not your shooting ability that is stopping you from blowing out the center bullseye… its the powder your buddy recommended! It cannot be your fault, right?