Ammo | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for the ‘Ammo’ Category

Further Call-off from Rheinmetall Framework Agreement: Ukraine Receives Artillery Ammunition – Order Value in the Triple-Digit Million Euro Range

Tuesday, December 19th, 2023

The German Bundeswehr has again called off 155 mm artillery ammunition from Rheinmetall under the framework agreement. Rheinmetall has been commissioned to supply a total of several tens of thousands shells of various types for the Ukrainian armed forces. The order is worth a three-digit million euro amount. Delivery is scheduled for the course of 2025.

The new call-off continues the series of artillery ammunition orders previously placed by the Bundeswehr for the Ukrainian and German armed forces. In July 2023, Rheinmetall concluded a new framework agreement with the Bundeswehr in the artillery sector. It covers the delivery of several hundred thousand shells, fuses and propelling charges. The new framework agreement runs until 2029 and has a potential gross order volume of around €1.2 billion (including VAT).

The need to replenish stores of ammunition caused by the war in Ukraine is resulting in major artillery ammunition contracts for Rheinmetall.

Rheinmetall’s family of artillery ammunition includes, among other ordnance, the high explosive DM121, the DM125 smoke/obscurant shell, the DM121 SMArt search-fused round (jointly developed with Diehl Defence), as well as the RH68 practice version and the range-optimized RH1901 and RH1902 smoke/obscurant shells. The Group’s product portfolio also encompasses the versatile Assegai family of 155mm artillery ammunition made by Rheinmetall Denel of South Africa. It includes insensitive munitions (IM), conventional high explosive (HE) rounds, as well as smoke/obscurant, illumination, infrared illumination, and other shells. With its boat tail (BT) and base bleed (BB) configurations, the Assegai family displays a ballistic equilibrium, ensuring that the entire ammunition spectrum can be used at its maximum effective range of approximately 40 kilometres. Under the framework contract, the Bundeswehr will be introducing the tried-and-tested Assegai ammunition family. Rheinmetall also offers the artillery family from Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, including the 155mm M107 and 155mm Extended Range.

Posted in Ammo, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Further Call-off from Rheinmetall Framework Agreement: Ukraine Receives Artillery Ammunition – Order Value in the Triple-Digit Million Euro Range

Colt CZ Group SE Acquires Traditional Czech Manufacturer of Small Caliber Ammunition Sellier & Bellott

Monday, December 18th, 2023

Prague (December 18, 2023) ? Colt CZ Group SE (“Colt CZ”, the “Group” or the “Company”) hereby announces that on December 18, 2023, it executed an agreement with CBC Europe S.à r.l. (“CBC”) to purchase 100% interest in Sellier & Bellot a.s. (“Sellier & Bellot”).

Colt CZ shall acquire 100% of shares of Sellier & Bellot for the combination of the cash consideration in the amount of $350 million and a new issue of Colt CZ common stock leading to a 27–28% CBC’s stake in the share capital of Colt CZ Group post transaction. The final number of CBC shareholding in Colt CZ Group will be determined depending on the audited financial results of both companies for the year 2023. The acquisition will be financed through a combination of the Company’s existing cash resources and debt financing. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval in various countries and is expected to close in the first half of 2024.

“We are proud to welcome one of the oldest and most important producers of small caliber ammunition, Sellier & Bellot, to Colt CZ Group. This acquisition fits into our long-term strategy to expand not only in our core segment of small arms, but also in related areas, with ammunition being a natural complement to our products. We look forward to working with the management of Sellier & Bellot, its employees, partners, and customers, as well as the new opportunities that the connection with Sellier & Bellot will undoubtedly bring to our entire Group,” said Jan Drahota, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Colt CZ Group. “We are pleased that CBC believes in our story and our strategy and is to become the second largest shareholder of Colt CZ Group,” added Jan Drahota.

“The successful contribution of one of CBC Global Ammunition Group’s flagship companies to Colt CZ Group in exchange for a significant shareholding marks the starting point of an impactful strategic collaboration. We are convinced of Colt CZ management’s long-term vision and believe the transaction will lead to remarkable value creation between the ammunition and firearms segments. Our subsidiary Magtech Ammunition will continue to serve as the dedicated sales entity for Sellier & Bellot products in the United States. This ensures exceptional customer service and reliable distribution to further preserve Sellier & Bellot’s trajectory of growth in the most relevant ammunition market,” comments Fabio Mazzaro, CFO of CBC Global Ammunition LLC.

“I am delighted that Sellier & Bellot, after many successful years in the CBC Group, will become part of Colt CZ Group, which has Czech roots and, at the same time, an international presence. We are convinced that the connection with Colt CZ Group will bring a great future for Sellier & Bellot. We will continue to build our traditional brand and work closely with the Colt CZ Group team in developing our products to deliver the best solutions to our customers,” said Radek Musil, CEO of Sellier & Bellot.

Sellier & Bellot is a traditional Czech ammunition manufacturer which ranks among the oldest engineering companies in the Czech Republic and worldwide. The company’s products have been manufactured under its trademark since 1825. The company’s product portfolio includes a wide range of hunting and sporting ammunition and components for pistols and revolvers, rifles, shotguns and rimfire cartridges. Sellier & Bellot is also a major supplier of small caliber ammunition to military and law enforcement customers worldwide. The company has approximately 1,600 employees and operates its main production facility in Vlašim, Czech Republic.

CBC Global Ammunition LLC and CBC Europe S.à r.l. are the holding entities for a group of companies internationally active in the ammunition sector: CBC Brazil, Magtech Ammunition, MEN, SinterFire, New Lachaussée and Fritz Werner. Together, this strategic alliance forms one of the largest ammunition corporations in the world, with a combined experience of more than 300 years in the manufacturing of small and medium calibers.

Posted in Ammo, Industry, International, Press Release | 7 Comments »

Rheinmetall Wins Major Artillery Ammunition Order for Ukraine Worth Over €140 Million

Tuesday, December 5th, 2023

Rheinmetall has won a large-volume order for supporting Ukraine with artillery ammunition. The Düsseldorf-based tech enterprise has been tasked with supplying Kyiv with artillery rounds worth around €142 million. The order encompasses tens of thousands of complete 155mm artillery shells, including the projectile, fuse (for the explosive charge), propellant and primer (for igniting the propellant). The customer is a NATO partner nation whose declared intention is to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle with effective long-term military aid.

The shells will be produced by Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, the Group’s newly acquired Spanish subsidiary. The current contract highlights Rheinmetall’s role as the world’s largest producer of ammunition, especially in the large calibre domain. The ammunition will be delivered in 2025. Production and delivery of around 40,000 rounds for Ukraine from an earlier order is already due to take place in 2024.

As recently as mid-October 2023, the German government placed an order with Rheinmetall for over 100,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition earmarked for Ukraine – once again from Rheinmetall Expal Munitions – as well as additional DM 121 high explosive shells. The order is worth a figure in the mid-three-digit million-euro range.

Demand for artillery ammunition is currently very high, due not just to Ukraine’s requirements but also the need to replenish the largely empty ammunition depots of Germany and other NATO and EU countries. Rheinmetall plans a massive increase in ammunition production capacity in 2024 at its plants in Germany, Spain, South Africa and Australia, bringing annual output capacity to around 700,000 artillery rounds.

Rheinmetall currently has multiyear framework contracts for supplying the German Bundeswehr with several hundred rounds of artillery ammunition worth over €1 billion.

Posted in Ammo, Contracts, International, Press Release | Comments Off on Rheinmetall Wins Major Artillery Ammunition Order for Ukraine Worth Over €140 Million

Introducing Magtech Steel Case 9mm Pistol Ammunition

Monday, November 27th, 2023

Minneapolis, MN – November 27, 2023 – Magtech Ammunition, a leading global manufacturer of high-quality ammunition, is pleased to announce the launch of its Steel Case 9mm pistol ammunition. Engineered over the last two years, they have developed a new production process that significantly elevates the quality and performance standards traditionally associated with steel case ammunition.

The new Magtech Steel Case 9mm ammunition is produced completely in-house, on proprietary machinery using the same Boxer primers, powder and projectiles they load in their standard brass case 9mm. These steel cases are zinc-plated and polished to an extremely high standard which eliminates the need for problematic lacquers, polymer coatings, and other case treatments that often result in reduced performance.

“We are excited to introduce Magtech Steel Case 9mm to the market,” said Troy Duerr, President of Magtech Ammunition. “This new product is manufactured to the same high standards as our brass ammunition with a more economical price point. We are confident that it will be a popular choice for target shooting and range use.”

Magtech Steel Case 9mm is currently available with 115GR FMJ projectiles at select retailers nationwide. For more information, please visit the Magtech Ammunition website at magtechammunition.com.

Posted in Ammo, Press Release | 4 Comments »

Strengthened Army Industrial Base Doubles Artillery Production

Friday, November 24th, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Army’s artillery production doubled in the last year with the service currently producing 28,000 155-millimeter howitzer rounds a month.

The dramatic uptick comes as the Army expanded its capacity at current facilities while looking to bring new ones into the mix next year.

“We will have taken, over a couple years, what was a very fragile, admittedly, industrial base and dramatically improved its strength,” said Doug Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology.

The need for the increased artillery comes in response to supporting the war in Ukraine, the recent conflict in Israel and replenishing U.S. stockpiles. The service has sent more than two million rounds to Ukraine thus far.

Currently, the Army ships steel from Ohio to two facilities in Pennsylvania, the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, and a sister facility in Wilkes-Barre. These two plants turn 2,000-pound steel rods into two-foot-tall artillery shells.

The shells are then transported to the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, where they are filled with explosives and sealed. The propellent and charges for the rounds are mostly produced at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia and the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Tennessee.

Throughout this year, the Army expanded production at these facilities by constructing new buildings, installing new equipment and improving automation. These upgrades helped double the Army’s artillery production rate, Bush said.

With the expanded capacity at current facilities, the Army is shifting its focus in fiscal year 2024 toward bringing brand-new production facilities into the manufacturing process. This will give the service multiple sources for each production step.

“Which is what you want in the ammunition production world,” Bush said. “You don’t want one building being the single point of failure.”

The service is building a new factory in Mesquite, Texas, and it awarded a contract last year to a Canadian company to build the artillery shells. It is also funding two new facilities to load the shells with explosives. One will be in Arkansas, and the other will be in Kansas.

The improved production process is part of the Army’s modernization plan to bring the industrial base into the 21st century. Current and future Army readiness requires modernization on a sustainable path that develops, implements, and deploys new technologies to deter current and emerging threats.

Bush said the Army aims to increase 155-millimeter production to 60,000 by next summer and to 100,000 by the end of 2025. The 100,000-round goal is largely contingent on the approval of President Joe Biden’s request to Congress for fiscal year 2024 emergency supplemental funding, which has $3.1 billion for 155-millimeter artillery production and facility modernization.

“This important legislation is needed to make sure the Army is ready to meet the growing challenges we face today, and in the future,” Bush said. “It will strengthen our industrial base to ensure we can supply our defense needs while we serve as the arsenal of democracy for our allies.”

Story by Christopher Hurd, Army News Service

Posted in Ammo, Army, Guest Post | 5 Comments »

OSCF, Remington Ammunition and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Join Forces to Thank HATS

Sunday, November 19th, 2023

Charleston, SC – November 16, 2023 – The Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation (OSCF), Remington Ammunition and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are informing and thanking America’s 60+ million active HATS (Hunters, Anglers, Trappers and Shooters) for being primary funders of land, fish and wildlife conservation in the U.S. This collaboration also highlights the significant contributions made by the firearms and ammunition industry to wildlife conservation efforts in the country.

OSCF has developed a video series entitled ‘Connecting with Conservation,’ where they collaborate with industry manufacturers and state agencies. The latest video showcases a visit to the Remington Ammunition factory in Lonoke, Ark., giving viewers an inside look at ammunition manufacturing, sharing how ammunition companies like Remington have helped pave the way for to contribute to the Pittman-Robertson Act to support the work of wildlife agencies, and thanking outdoors men and women for their role in conservation.

“It is past time that HATS understand, and get credit for funding conservation in America,” said Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation’s Executive Director Jim Curcuruto. “By contributing $3.6 billion each year, there is no doubt that HATS are leading the way supporting conservation and we appreciate Remington Ammunition and Arkansas Game and Fish for helping to give credit where credit is due.”

In the early 1900s, as numerous wildlife species faced the threat of extinction or decline, the firearms and ammunition industry recognized the need for action. They approached Congress, urging the imposition of an excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition to support wildlife conservation. This initiative led to the passing of the Pittman-Robertson (P-R) Act in 1937, now known as Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration. The P-R Act ensures that revenues generated from these excise taxes are allocated to state wildlife agencies, enabling them to fund conservation projects, hunter education programs and the operation of archery and shooting ranges.

“AGFC wants to thank partners like Remington and other firearm and ammunition manufacturers for their continued support of conservation through Pittman-Robertson funds,” said AGFC Director Austin Booth. “These funds directly support new ranges, recreational shooting sports programs, hunter education and represent a significant source of our funds for public land access in Arkansas. It also contributes to habitat management that benefits wild places and wild things in The Natural State.”

Over the past 76 years, this partnership between hunters, sport shooters and the firearms and ammunition industry has become the largest contributor to wildlife conservation and public access to natural resources in America. To date, more than $7 billion has been collected from manufacturers and made available to states for their conservation efforts.

“Remington has been giving back to conservation through hunting and shooting since the 1960s,” said Remington Ammunition’s Director of Marketing Joel Hodgdon. “As one of the first payees of the Pittman-Robertson Act, Remington is proud to continue supporting wildlife conservation and the preservation of our natural heritage.”

This ‘Connecting with Conservation’ video was produced with the support of The Murray Road Agency. Funding for this project is provided by the Multistate Conservation Grant Program (F23AP003940), a program supported with funds from the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program and jointly managed by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Posted in Ammo, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on OSCF, Remington Ammunition and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Join Forces to Thank HATS

New FN 5.7x28mm Ammunition Available Now FN DFNS Personal Protection and FN GUNR Training Rounds Offer New Options to 5.7 Enthusiasts

Thursday, November 16th, 2023

(McLean, VA – November 16, 2023) FN America, LLC, the creator of the 5.7x28mm cartridge, is pleased to announce the release of two new options to customers who own 5.7-chambered firearms – FN DFNS™ for personal protection and FN GUNR™ for training and range use.

FN now offers a total of four 5.7 loads available to the U.S. consumer market with offerings ranging from training, sport shooting, small game hunting and personal defense.

“Since the NATO standardization of 5.7x28mm, there has been tremendous growth in the category and we recognized the need for reliable defensive ammunition and affordable ball ammunition for training, which is why we’re pleased to introduce the FN DFNS personal protection and FN GUNR training loads,” said Chris Cole, Vice President of Sales for FN America, LLC. “FN has spent many years perfecting the design and manufacturing process for 5.7x28mm ammunition to ensure that no matter which FN 5.7 cartridge you load, it will function reliably and deliver the superior accuracy that 5.7 is known for. Our customers and 5.7 enthusiasts alike can depend on FN DFNS and GUNR to deliver equally against that promise.”

FN DFNS™ (SS200)

FN DFNS (SS200) is the first 5.7x28mm ammunition perfected for personal protection and delivers safe, reliable performance. FN DFNS is capable of achieving an average of approximately 2,067 feet-per-second while delivering approximately 286 foot-pounds of energy from the muzzle. The unique 30-grain jacketed hollow point bullet contains a copper-tin powdered core designed to expend energy quickly and efficiently while cycling reliably. DFNS has been certified by independent testing to meet the FBI’s ammunition testing protocol to ensure that this high-performance round delivers accuracy and consistent expansion.

FN GUNR (SS201)

The all-new FN GUNR (SS201) 5.7x28mm training round puts new training targets in reach for 5.7 owners. The 40-grain full metal jacketed cartridge features a high-quality brass construction with boxer primer and is designed to achieve an average of 1870 feet-per-second. The FN GUNR delivers extremely low felt recoil, improved accuracy at extended ranges and reliable feeding across all 5.7-chambered firearms and is considered comparable in performance to FN’s other sporting loads.

FN 5.7x28mm ammunition is now available in 50-round individual boxes or 500-round bulk pack cases and new retail packaging for FN’s legacy rounds will be introduced in the coming year.

More than 30 Years of FN 5.7x28mm

For the last three decades, FN has perfected the design and manufacturing of 5.7x28mm ammunition. Only the highest quality brass, projectiles and primers are used along with proprietary coating techniques applied during the loading process. Adherence to these requirements ensures that each cartridge performs reliably and safely under the extreme pressures generated by the round.

The development of the 5.7x28mm cartridge and FN P90® began in the late 1980s in anticipation of a potential NATO PDW contract that would eventually be called Project 90. By the 1990s, FN was well underway with sales of its P90, already in service internationally. The FN Five-seveN® was developed in the mid to late 1990s and would see service worldwide later that decade with the original FN Five-seveN DAO along with its CIP-standardized ammunition. It, along with its PS90 carbine counterpart, were introduced to the U.S. commercial market in the mid-2000s. NATO standardized the caliber in 2021 and since, the category has continued to flourish with the introduction of the FN Five-seveN MRD optics-ready model in 2022.

To learn more about FN 5.7x28mm ammunition and the firearms designed around the caliber, please visit www.fnamerica.com.

Posted in Ammo, Press Release | 5 Comments »

Black Sheep Ammo Launches Website

Thursday, November 2nd, 2023

Union, Missouri – November 2nd, 2023 – Black Sheep Ammunition has announced their e-commerce website is live and now taking orders. Initial offering includes 9MM 115 GR FMJ with .223 and .308 options coming soon. Black Sheep Ammo will primarily focus on small arms manufacturing built around requirements for training, competition, and self defense for civilian, law enforcement, and government agencies. Veteran owned and operated, Black Sheep Ammo is dedicated to building quality ammunition that is clean, consistent and reliable.

For more information check out blacksheepammo.com or follow them @blacksheepammo

Wholesale orders email sales@blacksheepammo.com.

Posted in Ammo, Press Release | Comments Off on Black Sheep Ammo Launches Website