Picture of Primer tech at Remington In American Rifleman

[Master Blaster]

Just curious how many folks saw the picture of the Priming technician for .22lr rimfire at the Remington Ammunition plant that was in this months American Rifleman?

Interesting picture I think it explains the issues with thunderbolt and golden bullet ammo.

What do you think about these pictures?

 

[Aftershock51]

If these are being packed by hand, that probably partly explains the shortages lately. I would have assumed this process would be fully automated by now.

Millions of .22LR being handmade seems crazy.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I don't think they are being packaged by hand. It looks like he is sifting primer compound, which you would want to do by hand. I would suspect he will load the sifted compound into a machine that forms the rimmed case.

 

[Rule3]

In the afternoon shift, they move him over to make the "MATCH GRADE" primers!

 

[mjsdwash]

CCI did a documentary showing the same process. They had two people doing it

 

[Jim Watson]

That looks to me like a plate of primer mix for centerfire primers.
Too bad they don't show it stepwise into cases, if it is really rimfire.

 

[Master Blaster]

The pile of dirt on the tray is priming compound. Its kept wet with water so it doesn't explode. That plate is for making primer pellets which are then pushed by a punch into the bottom of each rimfire case. So he uses the spatula to fill the holes in the perforated plate. The other machine shown not sure what it does, but note the cases laying on either side that fell out...

 

[LiveLife]

Just curious how many folks saw the picture of the Priming technician for .22lr rimfire at the Remington Ammunition plant

CCI did a documentary showing the same process. They had two people doing it

Jump to 4:35 minute of video for priming process at the Federal plant.



Jump to 3:30 minute of video for priming process at the CCI/Speer plant.

 

[sarduy]

Do they have a hamster wheel powering the plant as well?

how old are those pics?

 

[LiveLife]

Do they have a hamster wheel powering the plant as well?

how old are those pics?

Since Federal/CCI/Speer (Vista Outdoor/ATK) bought Remington recently, I have a feeling Remington will be using the Federal/CCI priming process and hopefully no more Thunderduds ...

I am expecting good things from Federal/CCI/Speer buying Remington from more consistent 22LR priming of Thunderduds to perhaps new firearms under Remington brand.

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't see Remington making any great changes any time soon, they are in full production and would not give that up for a changeover. Now if their crystal ball showed them an opportunity to expand, surely they would use the latest methods.

I bought a bucket of Golden Bullets as they got going again and they have been fine.
My only experience with Thunderbolts was years ago. I don't recall misfires but they leaded my barrel to the point of key holing.

 

[FROGO207]

I remember reading somewhere that after the last shortage Remington reworked the design of the rimfire priming process to make the ammo more dependable. I am thinking it was using an old worn out machine to make plinking quality ammo and it finally wore out. The latest batches of REM .22 have been better so there was a change somehow but I still am waiting with my breath held for a while longer before I buy any. What makes me scratch my head is I NEVER had a .22WMR fail to fire in any brand and have shot thousands over the years. You would think they used the same process for both!!

 

[bearman49709]

Since Federal/CCI/Speer (Vista Outdoor/ATK) bought Remington recently, I have a feeling Remington will be using the Federal/CCI priming process and hopefully no more Thunderduds ...

I am expecting good things from Federal/CCI/Speer buying Remington from more consistent 22LR priming of Thunderduds to perhaps new firearms under Remington brand.

Don't hold your breath waiting for Federal/CCI/Speer to bring out any new Remington firearms since they only bought the ammo side of Remington, not to mention they make NO firearms so why would they buy a firearm company?

 

[LiveLife]

Don't hold your breath waiting for Federal/CCI/Speer to bring out any new Remington firearms since they only bought the ammo side of Remington, not to mention they make NO firearms so why would they buy a firearm company?

I thought Vista Outdoor bought the entire Remington ammunition production including the brandname and trademark and firearms but I stand corrected - https://www.bizjournals.com/twincit...door-acquires-remington-ammo-accessories.html

"Huntsville, Ala.-based Remington's firearms business will be purchased by other bidders and operated independently from Vista Outdoor."
​

And the rest of Remington were bought by other companies - https://marketrealist.com/p/who-owns-remington-firearms-now/

• Roundhill Group bought Remington plant in Ilion, its museum, and steam power facility. The company also purchased the Remington barrel-making plant in Lenore City, Tenn. The new "RemArms" will be allowed to continue putting "Remington" on receivers - https://www.fieldandstream.com/guns/remington-reveals-plans-for-new-guns/

"Our name is RemArms LLC, but we own the rights to call the guns 'Remingtons.' Your new 870 will say “Remington” on the receiver."​

• Sturm, Ruger & Co., purchased Marlin Firearms.
  
  
• Sierra Bullets, bought Barnes Bullets.
  
  
• Franklin Armory, bought the Bushmaster brand and related assets.
  
  
• Sportsman’s Warehouse, purchased TAPCO brands.
  
  
• JJE Capital Holdings, bought the DPMS Panther Arms, Stormlake, AAC, H&R, and Parker brands.

 

[Jim Watson]

Huntsville had repossessed the building there because Remington had not met claims of job generation they made to get subsidized.

I wonder if anybody is picking up the Remington/Para Ordnance business.

 

[DustyGmt]

Jump to 4:35 minute of video for priming process at the Federal plant.



Jump to 3:30 minute of video for priming process at the CCI/Speer plant.

I always love watching the manufacturing processes. Especially ammo. I worked in a manufacturing facility making pasta products for 10 years before becoming an electrician, if you can step back and forget about the monotony of it, it really is interesting work. Especially if you don't work there, lol.

I always wish they would show more in these videos, like seating, plating, charging, etc... but what they do show is cool.

It's kind of cool to think, one of us on THR here has possibly shot one of those .22lr bullets shown in the video, has a box sitting in their ammo box or at least has some of the finished product from those billets of lead shown in the video...

 

[bassjam]

If there's one thing I've learned working in manufacturing and visiting somewhere in the range of 40-50 different manufacturing facilities it's that you can't always judge the quality of the product being shipped out the door by how modern things look. Yeah, old equipment can wear out and new equipment can normally do something better, faster, and more reliable. But sometimes that old equipment was so well made and serviceable and just plain simple that newer equipment that's shiny and cleaner looking with big flat touchscreens will end up being less reliable and/or less precise.

 

[JTHunter]

The other machine shown not sure what it does, but note the cases laying on either side that fell out...

That other machine makes me think of a flywheel. It may be using centrifugal force to force the priming compound into the rims.

 

[BigAlShooter]

I've been involved in manufacturing for 20+ years and, just like any business, it's only as good as its people. I've seen state of the art factories that had high employee turn around with very poor quality and I've seen very old factories with the average worker been there for 15+ years producing the best quality. It's all about taking pride in your job and understanding the importance of your work. If the employees like there job, their management, and the pay is decent, they will make it a long term career.

Manufacturing is a lost cause in America now. But, there are still some great manufacturing factories still here and we should do everything we can to keep them here.

Sure, you could make primers in some poor country for 25% of the labor cost, but labor is only a small amount of the price and we really should be keeping jobs like this here in America.

I bet the worker in the Remington factory has perfect attendance and he loves his job. That is a why you want to keep the jobs here. It's a win-win all around.