The NRA published a pretty neat video a few days ago where they took a look inside the Hornady ammunition factory and showed how all the machinery makes the ammunition that we buy and use, starting with the bullets and ending with testing and packing it up for the end users. I thought it was pretty cool, but then again I’m one of those people who watch “How it’s Made” hour after hour…

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  3. Look in Google Books for “Cartridge Manufacture” by Hamilton. It covers, in detail, the manufacture of .22 rimfire, .30-06 and other cartridges. Even tho it is from 1916, it is very complete in it’s treatment, including discussion of how powder (black and smokeless) is made, how priming compound is located into the rim of .22’s, how the brass is drawn out by die presses, etc.

    BTW, for anyone wishing to try their hand at it: The brass you want is known as “cartridge brass” and is also known by the shorthand “brass 260” or C26000 brass. Much of the brass you buy from metal dealers will be 360 brass, aka “free machining brass”, which is less ductile, but easier for machining.

    http://books.google.com/books?id=GNAqAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

  4. Too many gaps in the explanation, makes the video rather unsatisfying when they show point A and point B in the process, but don’t show how it got there.

    • They can’t show you the magic dust that they use to make it $35 for a box of 20. That is step C.

      If they did….everyone would be sitting on buckets of money like hornady.

      • God I get angry when I hear these comments.
        Sounds like another Democrat complaining about someone making money again?
        Hornady is still considered a SMALL BUSINESS (under 500 employees)
        WE ARE NOT LIVING IN A COMMUNIST COUNTRY!
        FYI those buckets of Money are invested back into the US economy and to organizations who promote the shooting industry including the wounded warrior project, Law Enforcement agencies, and many youth shooting organizations. Did you know that the California Junior team beat the Army elite team two years ago in the Rattle Battle at Camp Perry. They couldn’t have done that without Hornady’s generosity.

        Ammunition of the year for the past 8 years and the most innovative Ammunition Company in the World doesn’t come at $5 for a box of 20. buy an AK-47 and shoot Wolf ammo if you want cheap.

    • Agreed, Monty. We are told what happens, not shown. As you said, that makes it relatively unsatisfying. If I was on the production team, I’d ask this question: “Why are we bothering to make a video about the ammo manufacturing process if we’re not going to show the process?”

      • Part of the problem is that the presses used in the formation of the brass are rather unfriendly if you get too close. You can’t really see what’s happening unless you really get your snout into areas where you shouldn’t be.

      • Ever think that revealing that technology would be something that the Chinese would love to get their hands on?
        Do you think they are stupid? Why would they reveal their trade secrets to the competition?
        You can’t make cartridge cases in the garage anyway.

  5. I love this stuff. There is real genius in the industrial revolution and it’s machines.

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