Few companies survive to celebrate a 100th anniversary; Federal Ammunition has not only achieved that milestone, but by all accounts the ammo manufacturer is doing better today than ever before.
The 4.5-minute video below provides a behind-the-scenes tour of the 175-acre manufacturing plant in Anoka, Minnesota. I’ve been lucky enough to take a private tour of the facility on two occasions — I live about 30 miles away — and each time was interesting, informative and impressive.
More than 1,400 employees keep the factory running 24/7. During my visits, I was especially impressed by the dedication and friendliness of the workers. (FYI: They didn’t have a clue I was a writer/editor working on a possible story.) The factory is busy — no doubt about that! — but the feeling I had from my brief conversations with ammo builders is they took great pride in their work.
As you’ll see in the video, the factory is a blend of old-school manufacturing machinery and modern technology. I’d be lying if I said I understood what every machine was doing. Even so, it was impressive to see lead, brass and other materials transformed into finished ammunition.
Watch to the end of the video and you’ll catch a glimpse of my favorite area in the plant — the 200-yard underground shooting range. And yes, I had the chance to shoot a full-auto firearm during one of my tours; this took place in a nearby shooting bay. The 200-yard range is used for centerfire ammo accuracy testing.
Congratulations to Federal Ammunition on its 100-year anniversary! (Click here for much more info specific to the company’s history and anniversary.)
