| How many square feet of space do I need in my building to fit a machine to make ammunition? |
| Ammunition manufacture only encompassing case, bullet, and loading for one caliber will require at least 5,000 sq ft for most machinery. There is not any one machine that puts in components at one end and produces a loaded cartridge case at the other end. Most conventional productions lines that produce a case, bullet and load them (buying powder and primers) has around 15 - 20 different machines. The more modern equipment still requires 6-8, not including wash and anneal applications (with procured primers and propellant). |
| Do I need any support equipment for an ammunition line? |
A. Yes, you will need a machine shop to help support the equipment and the tooling. At a minimum we suggest that you have a mill, lathe, and surface grinder. Additional equipment might include O.D. and I.D. grinders, sinker EDM, and wire EDM.
B. Yes, you will require metallurgical and other equipment including hardness tester, grain size measurement equipment, and optical comparator.
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| How many cartridges can this equipment produce per year? |
| A basic conventional line can produce around 7-12 million rounds per year on a single shift (2080 hours per year) of one caliber. If your requirement is for more we can add machines to eliminate bottlenecks, or add a second line. The modern lines can produce around twice as much. |
| How many operators would I need to produce 7 - 12 million rounds per year? |
| We estimate 10 - 12, with most people running two machines at once. As the crew becomes more efficient, you could probably reduce that figure a little. |
| Where is this equipment from and how did you get it? |
| Most of the equipment we sell is rebuilt from government surplus or from closing of ammunition facilities around the world. We do make some new machines for special applications or we subcontract the new machines when the price is advantageous to the customer. |
| Who currently uses these government surplus machines? |
| These machines or copies of these machines are used all over the world. All of the major ammunition manufacturers in the U.S. use these machines. Why? The cost of new equipment is very expensive. |
| My government (or company) is considering buying an ammunition line, what advantages do the rebuilt/used machines have over new machines? |
| In some cases none, in which case we would help you select the best new machine for your production line. However, in most cases the rebuilt machines will be a significant cost savings and easier to maintain. The new machines are designed for less labor costs, which are simply not a concern in some parts of the world.
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| Can I buy one line and make both 9mm Parabellum and 7.62 NATO on it? |
| Yes, this is possible. However, we do not suggest it because the tooling change-over would be extensive and expensive. You would need to change the feed systems along with the tooling. You will end up spending the difference in down time, change over time, and retrofit time. |
| Can I buy one line and make both 9mm Parabellum and 38 Special on it? |
| Yes, this is possible. The tooling change is still quite expensive, but most of the feed systems will work. The time for change-over is still a problem; however, this can be overcome by limiting your change-over to once or twice a year. |
| Can I see some of these machines running? |
| This is possible in some situations to see certain aspects of production, however not in all situations. Key factors include citizenship and relationship within industry. Prior to 2004 we ran a small cartridge case line, which we gladly toured customers. That line is now sold. |
| What do these machines or a complete line cost? |
| We prefer to quote each customer's production line on an individual basis. Location plays a big part of the quote, because we usually quote the machines installed. Individual machines costs very, but the range for a single rebuilt machine is going to be from US$35,000-US$200,000. |
| That seems like a lot of money, is there any cheaper way for me to get machine XYZ? |
| Yes, we do sell machines 'as-is, where-is.' You can save costs by eliminating things that you don't feel are necessary like new electrical, paint job, guarding, etc. Typically 1/3 the rebuilt price is the price of the 'as-is' machine. |
| I don't really know that much about ammunition manufacture, but I want to get into it, where can I learn more? |
| We suggest that you spend a few days with us to educate you about the process. We charge $700 per day plus expenses. This is strictly a classroom situation, however on occasion we can include a familiarization with some types of production equipment. The session will cover history, manufacture, and theory. |
| What is the best equipment available? |
| That is a difficult question to answer. We suggest that you allow us to do a consultation about your business or project. We will make suggestions of what would be the best equipment to use within your application. There are many factors to consider labor knowledge, availability of spare parts, location, etc. See question #12 for pricing information. |
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