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Expert Advice on Hearing Protection for Shooters: Interview with AXIL Hearing Performance

I recently had a chance to interview Wes Harris, Founder and CEO of AXIL Hearing Performance who’s been in the business for 26 years. I asked him for his expert advice on hearing protection for shooters.

GJS—What are the major advantages of a shooter using electronic hearing protection?

WH—Maintain situational awareness, 360-degree hearing and that competitive edge in all your shooting activities, while protecting the hearing you have at the same time! 

 GJS—Without diving too deep into the technology, how does electronic hearing protection let conversations and range commands pass through while blocking the dangerously loud report of a firearm

WH—Modern electronic and digital technology allows the simultaneous advantage of enhancing your hearing to hear the desired sounds around you, i.e. range commands, general conversation and the detailed sounds you need to maintain the edge in your sport, while automatically compressing the loud sounds that bombard your ears/hearing.

GJS—Is there clipping or filtering involved, and if so it the blocked noise determined by frequency or loudness?

WH—Electronic hearing protection works on ‘clipping’ the top of the loud sounds to make them less damaging. Digital technology ‘filters’ or ‘compresses’ loud sounds, by actually converting physical sound waves entering your ears into digital code, which can then be changed to be an entirely different sound via the program that has been programmed into the digital circuitry—this is the absolute best hearing protection you can buy.

GJS—Does that filtering begin with the microphone and is there an advantage to more than one mike?

WH—Additional ‘filtering’ is available through directional microphones on various ear pro devices to help filter the oncoming sounds through the use of two microphones. This is helpful for larger ear devices, i.e. ear muffs, etc. but is not needed for small in-the-ear hearing and protection devices.

GJS—Should shooters be concerned about battery life?

WH—There are several great options on various ear pro for satisfactory battery life, i.e. hearing aid batteries for small in ear devices, AA or AAA batteries for ear muffs, rechargeable lithium batteries in the lanyard for new electronic earbuds are the main options that work well.

GJS—Getting a good cheek weld with some electronic hearing protection when shouldering a rifle is a real challenge. Does your company have models that address the problem?

WH—AXIL Custom Edge Series (Custom 360 is most popular and absolute top of the line in the field)

GS EXTREME Earbud is the most cutting-edge earbud available and for a great price. GS Digital gives all the advantage of digital and small in the ear for a very affordable price. All above 3 models and styles have 0 interference with cheekweld as all ear muffs do. These options are also far more comfortable to wear daily without the bulk of the earmuffs.

GJS—Is the decibel reduction about the same in all electronic hearing protection and how much of it is determined by the seal/construction of the ear muffs?

WH—Good hearing protection ranges between 20-30 dB Noise Reduction Rating- the higher the number the better the protection. There are a few options that go as high as 31-32 but 20-30 is the general range.

Many ear muffs do not seal the ear adequately and leave space for unnecessary exposure to sound. Getting a proper seal on ear muffs or in ear products is everything to getting great hearing protection. Well fit, great sealed in ear protection gives you the best seal available and therefore the best hearing protection. Sealing the ear canal off is the first and most important level of hearing protection you should always focus on.

GJS—Do you recommend doubled up with foamies when using hearing protection, say for example when shooting a .50 BMG at a firing line with a metal roof?

WH—If you are shooting indoors with concrete or metal surroundings make sure to seal the ear canal off properly and then doubling up with ear muffs on top of that is always a good idea to have the highest protection possible.

GJS—When selecting a set of electronic hearing protection, what are the most critical ratings they should look for?

WH—There are two types of hearing protection:

1. The physical blocking of your ear canal to minimize oncoming sounds. This is rated as the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) which means the amount of dBs the physical plug minimizes the oncoming sounds by. Make sure your ear pro has 20-30 dB NRR- the higher the better.

2. If it’s electronic or digital hearing protection, then when sounds come out of the hearing device, you want them to be limited to a max of 85 dB to protect your hearing. This essentially is the technology shut off level. So just look and make sure you can see at what sound level by dBs the technology will shut off at- there is not a rating for this- just a number to watch for. 

GJS—Is there anything you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?

WH—There is a long floating misconception that the bigger the ear pro and earmuff, the better the protection and that ear muffs give the best protection. We constantly see ‘The Top Ten’ Ear Pro of the Year and it’s all ear muffs that are listed.

The path of least resistance is where the greatest exposure to the inner ear happens and thereby damage to the cochlea/inner ear occurs. The absolute best and most critical hearing protection is to seal the ear canal off. Properly fit in ear protection is the best there is, then if you have extreme situations, i.e. large calibers, indoor shooting ranges, etc. and you have sensitive hearing, then doubling up with ear muffs gives added, excellent protection.

Then pay attention to the two types of hearing protection-see above-Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)- preferably between 20-30 dB NRR and then the Technology Shut Off-, preferably around 85-90 dB. Then add the features that you want, i.e. volume controls, push buttons, Bluetooth audio, type of battery, type of fit, lanyard, etc. to your ear pro and you will have ear pro that will last you a long time and you will be happy with and get the advantage of great hearing and hearing protection in all your shooting activities. 

Plus, if you need hearing aids for hearing loss and daily hearing aid wear, you can now get them with hearing protection built in, so you have the best hearing aids and hearing protection money can buy and have the best hearing system on the planet through custom fit in ear and behind ear hearing aids with protection.

I interviewed more experts on today’s hearing protection for shooters. Here’s what they told me.

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Expert Advice on Hearing Protection for Shooters: Interview with Champion Range & Targets

I recently interviewed Will Hemeyer, senior product manager for Champion Range & Targets. I asked him specifically about hearing protection for shooters. Here’s what he had to say.

GJS—What are the major advantages of a shooter using electronic hearing protection?

WH—One of the key advantages of electronic hearing protection over passive hearing protection is surrounding sound can be amplified while harmful impact noises are not.  So, when using electronic hearing protection you are able to hear what is going on around you.  Most electronic hearing protection also has settings where it will amplify sounds so if you are using them in the field you can usually hear more than if you didn’t have hearing protection on at all. 

GJS—Without diving too deep into the technology, how does electronic hearing protection let conversations and range commands pass through, while blocking the dangerously loud report of a firearm? 

WH—The actual circuitry of the electronics is designed to keep loud noises over 85dB from processing through to the speakers while any sound under 85dB is amplified.   

GJS—Is there clipping or filtering involved, and if so it the blocked noise determined by frequency or loudness? 

WH—There are really two main types of technology that are being used. You have clipping that will cut off all electronic sound, which are typically found on the lower end electronic hearing protection. Then you have compression technology that will compress any sound over a certain level so the lower dB sounds still come through. Compression technology is typically found on the higher quality products.

GJS—Does that filtering begin with the microphone and is there an advantage to more than one mike?

WH—Clipping and compression is done in the circuitry. The big advantage to more than one microphone is the units are able to give you a more 360-degree sound if two or more multi-directional microphone are being used.

GJS—Should shooters be concerned about battery life?

WH—Battery life is one thing that you should always care about. It is more of a hassle if you are in a range session and your batteries die. Typically most units on the market anymore have really good battery life and they also have a program in the circuitry that turns them off after a set amount of time. This is a very useful feature, as many users forget to turn them off and throw them in their range bag. If they didn’t have the auto-shutoff the next time they went to the range they would have to replace the batteries.

GJS—Getting a good cheek weld with some electronic hearing protection when shouldering a rifle is a real challenge. Does your company have models that address the problem? 

WH—The Vanquish line was specifically designed to maintain optimal cheek weld without the units interfering with the stock.  The Vanquish line was designed from the ground up for the shooting sports knowing that we needed to find the perfect combination for shooters that provided unparalleled comfort, minimum interreference with cheek weld, top-notch sound quality and really good NRR ratings. 

GJS—Is the decibel reduction about the same in all electronic hearing protection and how much of it is determined by the seal/construction of the ear muffs?

WH—This is really dependent on the shape and construction of the hearing protection. You will typically get a higher NRR in bigger bulkier hearing protection. The slimmer the hearing protection typically the lower the NRR rating.

GJS—Do you recommend doubled up with foamies when using hearing protection, say for example when shooting a .50 BMG at a firing line with a metal roof?

WH—For maximum protection I would double up with foamies with any over-ear hearing protection. This is especially true when shooting at in-door ranges, if I am going to be around a lot of rifles with muzzle breaks and loud pistols and this is where electronics really come into play because you can amplify the other sounds at the range.     

GJS—When selecting a set of electronic hearing protection, what are the most critical ratings they should look for? 

WH—There are a number of things that I look for and it really comes down to personal preference as people weight their requirements different. First and foremost to me, is if they are not comfortable, do not fit right you are not going to use them like you should. So making sure they are comfortable for an extended period of time and fit without the seal breaking in you intended position is very important. NRR is very important also. Always look for hearing protection that has the highest NRR value and meets your needs. Other important things to look for are the type of microphones and speakers. An omnidirectional microphone will pick up more sound around you versus a directional mic that pics up in the direction it is pointed. The speakers are important to give good clean natural sound so you will use them more than at just the range. I use my Vanquish Pro Elites on airplane flights because they have Active Noise Cancelation so I can connect to my phone or iPad and cancel out all surrounding noise. 

GJS—Is there anything you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?

WH—We noticed that there really had not been a lot advancement in electronic hearing protection over the years. A lot of the product on the market has been an industrial hearing protection that has been adapted to work with the shooting sports and marketed to shooters. With the Vanquish line we started from zero to design a line of hearing protection for shooters by shooters. We knew that there were limitations with the overall shape and design of the ear cup and many shooters have issues when shouldering with their stock hitting their hearing protection, so we made the unique Vanquish design that minimizes this contact. We used many competitive products and were not thrilled with the sound quality, so we partnered with a factory that had produced high-end consumer electronics to be able to get the best sound quality possible. We also knew comfort was very important, so we are using premium materials to maximize comfort for shooters. 

I interviewed more experts on today’s hearing protection for shooters. Here’s what they told me.

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Expert Advice on Hearing Protection for Shooters: Interview with Howard Leight Shooting Sports

Not long ago I interviewed Josh Lantz, from Traditions Media, which works with Howard Leight Shooting Sports. I asked him about hearing protection for shooters and dispel some confusion about the technology involved, and provide a great explanation as to why enthusiasts should consider an electronic pair.

GJS—What are the major advantages of a shooter using electronic hearing protection?

JL—As opposed to passive means of hearing protection like foam earplugs or standard muffs, electronic hearing protection includes an amplification feature that allows wearers to hear and even amplify ambient sounds. The primary advantages of this feature are the ability to conduct conversation, hear range commands, or hear approaching game.

GJS—Without diving too deep into the technology, how does electronic hearing protection let conversations and range commands pass through, while blocking the dangerously loud report of a firearm? 

JL—Electronic hearing protection combines passive sound attenuation—either and over-the-ear muff or an in-ear plug—with analog or digital circuitry to compress or “shave the peaks” off dangerous sounds above a certain level. These models employ external microphones, internal speakers and a gain adjustment, allowing the user to hear surrounding sounds at normal or even louder-than-normal levels. When a dangerously loud sound (over 82dB for Howard Leight electronic earmuffs) is detected, the circuitry cuts off the amplification to the speakers inside the earcups until the noise returns to a safe level. During this period where amplification to the internal speakers is cut, the passive design of the muffs or plugs is what delivers the noise reduction, just as standard (passive) earmuffs or foam plugs do.

GJS—Is there clipping or filtering involved, and if so it the blocked noise determined by frequency or loudness?

JL—Different manufacturers employ different technologies in their electronic hearing protection devices. These may include low-pass and high-pass filters that filter certain frequencies, along with various forms of compression which automatically adjust gain.

GJS—Does that filtering begin with the microphone and is there an advantage to more than one mike?

JL—Yes and yes. Many mistakenly refer to the amplification control on their electronic hearing protection as “volume,” but the adjustment settings really control “gain.” The difference is where the sound coming through the internal speakers is being regulated…not at the internal speakers themselves, but through the external microphones. Think of gain as controlling or regulating the sound entering into the microphones. Having a microphone for each ear allows for stereo sound, which gives the wearer better situational or directional awareness.

GJS—Should shooters be concerned about battery life?

JL—Battery life in electronic hearing protection varies widely. Analog circuitry provides longer battery life (up to 350 hours in Howard Leight analog models—Impact Sport and Impact Pro) than digital circuitry (up to 150 hours in Howard Leight digital models—Impact Sport BOLT). Models with Bluetooth connectivity greatly reduce battery life. People commonly forget to turn their muffs off, so Howard Leight electronic hearing protection models come with a 4-hour auto shutoff feature to preserve battery life. All Howard Leight models also include batteries.

GJS—Getting a good cheek weld with some electronic hearing protection when shouldering a rifle is a real challenge. Does your company have models that address the problem?

JL—Howard Leight’s popular 22 NRR Impact Sport and Impact Sport BOLT electronic earmuffs employ a slim ear cup design plus recessed cutouts that provide even more stock clearance when shouldering a firearm. Shooters should always select a hearing protection product with an NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) that matches their specific firearm and shooting conditions. They should realize that Noise Reduction Rating in over-the-ear muffs is largely determined by the size/volume of the ear cups. Slim and sexy is great, but the greater the volume/size of the ear cup, generally, the greater the attenuation. Howard Leight uses patented Airflow Control technology to maximize sound attenuation while minimizing ear cup size.

GJS—Is the decibel reduction about the same in all electronic hearing protection and how much of it is determined by the seal/construction of the ear muffs?

JL—As previously mentioned, ear cup volume largely determines NRR. That said, materials, technologies and additional design factors can be employed to maximize NRR in a given ear cup size. I can’t speak for any other manufacturer, but at Howard Leight, the replaceable ear cushions that snap into their electronic muffs are integral to the earmuffs’ performance. This is something shooters should be aware of. If they replace or modify their cushions with aftermarket products, they are altering the design of the product, which may have negative impacts on performance with respect to NRR.

GJS—Do you recommend doubled up with foamies when using hearing protection, say for example when shooting a .50 BMG at a firing line with a metal roof?

JL—You’ve just described one of the loudest shooting situations possible. Shooters in this situation should employ hearing protection offering the maximum available NRR. That may mean Howard Leight Super Leight Foam earplugs which when used properly offer a 33 NRR, or Howard Leight Impact Pro electronic muffs, which deliver 30 NRR. Doubling up is also advisable in this situation, but shooters should be aware that “doubling up” with foamies under muffs does not result in a total NRR of both products. For example, wearing 33 NRR plugs under 30 NRR muffs does not result in a total NRR of 63. Realistically, one can expect to gain an additional 1-5dB of NRR, which still amounts to a significant increase in protection. Because sound intensity doubles every 3dB, if “doubling up” results in 3 more dB of protection, that still means twice the protection!

GJS—When selecting a set of electronic hearing protection, what are the most critical ratings they should look for?

JL—Definitely NRR. It’s the performance rating system used in North America (and many other parts of the world) that appears on the packaging of every hearing device sold. Price, comfort and convenience regularly impact shooters’ hearing-protection buying decisions. Too often, however, performance—the variable that matters most—is not given adequate consideration. The best thing you can do—certainly with any new shooter—is give them the highest NRR available, so they are comfortable and enjoy the sport more. The higher the number, the better the product protects. There is a huge difference between a NRR of 23 and a NRR of 29. Remember that sound doubles every 3 dB, so a product with a 29 NRR is actually 200 percent better than a product with a NRR of 23. There are also considerations to be made based on what and where someone is shooting. For example, certain firearms produce more sound than others. A high-powered rifle that produces a peak of 158 dB is going to be 600 percent louder than a .22 cal. rifle that produces 140 dB. Shooters should make hearing-protection decisions accordingly. The shooting environment matters, too. Indoor shooting produces a lot of reverberation and covered outdoor shooting can be just as bad. Sound has nowhere to go in these environments. For louder firearms or indoor or covered shooting situations, Howard Leight’s Impact PRO electronic earmuff (NRR 30) or foam earplugs (up to NRR 33) are the smart choices.

GJS—And, is there anything you’d like to add that I didn’t ask?

JL—This is the golden age for shooting sports. We have great products that employ wonderful technologies and designs to improve our experiences. But this is also the age of counterfeit and deception. Every day, products flood into the USA that are cheap imitations that often do not perform as advertised. My advice when it comes to buying electronic hearing protection is to always buy a reputable brand, whether that is Howard Leight or another top, trusted brand. My second message is to hunters. We don’t usually lose our hearing while shooting at the range, we lose it in the waterfowl blind and other hunting scenarios, because for some reason we still don’t wear hearing protection when we take to the field. There are no more excuses. Today’s electronic hearing protection choices allow us to protect our hearing while maintaining the social aspects of hunting as well as our ability to hear approaching game. 

I interviewed more experts on today’s hearing protection for shooters. Here’s what they told me.

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Electronic Hearing Protection for Shooters

The technology built into electronic hearing protection ensures firing-line safety and comfort, yet somehow manages to squeeze casual conversation and range commands through at audible and even enhanced levels. I asked the experts what kind of wizardry is at work in today’s electronic hearing protection for shooters.

“Electronic hearing protection works on ‘clipping’ the top of the loud sounds to make them less damaging,” explained Wes Harris, founder and CEO of AXIL Hearing Performance, who speaks with unusual authority on the subject [Complete interview is here.]. His company has produced cutting-edge models for the past 26 years and, along the way, he’s launched his own chain of hearing clinics fully staffed by audiologists, established others for pharmaceutical companies and developed more than 50 hearing aid systems.

“Digital technology ‘filters’ or ‘compresses’ loud sounds by actually converting physical sound waves entering your ears into digital code, which can then be changed to an entirely different sound via the program that has been programmed into the digital circuitry,” he explained when pressed on the subject. “This is the absolute best hearing protection you can buy.”

Circuitry employed by the battery-operated units isn’t necessarily created equal, either, according Will Hemeyer, Sr. Product Manager for Champion Range & Targets [Full interview is here.]. “There are two main types of technology that are being used,” he explained. “You have clipping that will cut off all electronic sound, which is typically found on the lower-end electronic hearing protection. Then you have compression technology that will compress any sound over a certain level, so the lower dB [decibel] sound still comes through. Compression technology is typically found on the higher-quality products.”

Josh Lanz is a team member at Traditions Media—marketing agency for Howard Leight Shooting Sports—whose passion for educating enthusiasts about hearing protection shows [Full interview is here.]. “Electronic hearing protection combines passive sound attenuation—either over-the-ear muff or an in-ear plug—with analog or digital circuitry to compress or ‘shave the peaks’ off dangerous sounds above a certain level,” he explained. “These models employ external microphones, internal speakers and a gain adjustment, allowing the user to hear surrounding sounds at normal or even louder-than-normal levels. When a dangerously loud sound (over 82 dB for Howard Leight electronic earmuffs) is detected, the circuitry cuts off the amplification to the speakers inside the earcups until the noise returns to a safe level.” During that lull in electronically manipulated sound, noise (range commands) still pass through the passive protection at reduced levels.  

The electronic wizardry seems straightforward, but the fact sound varies in frequency can muddy transmission in cheap units. Dr. Bill Dickinson, Doctor of Audiology, CEO and co-founder of TETRA Hearing said, “The more channels or bands of sound processing, the better a circuit can target desirable sounds and separate them from undesirable sounds. It is best to think of this in music. You can have a single singer with no instruments and you turn the words up or down in volume since it is just the words. Add in a guitar and now you have to balance between the guitar and the singer, or one will drown out the other. Now add in drums and bass guitar, and backup vocals….The more input requires more balancing of each input, so that everything is balanced. If the drums are turned up too loud, it will drown out or distort all the other inputs. All of this balancing is done with multiple channels or bands to manage the different sounds.” [Complete interview is here.]

Modern advances in electronic hearing protection for shooters  makes it obvious quality units are a healthy and wise investment, but what about rifle shooters frustrated with cheekwelds compromised by earmuffs? Today there two solutions.

“Howard Leight’s popular 22 NRR Impact Sport and Impact Sport BOLT electronic earmuffs employ a slim earcup design, plus recessed cutouts that provide even more stock clearance when shouldering a firearm,” Lanz responded.

“There is a long floating misconception that the bigger the ear pro and earmuff, the better the protection and that earmuffs give the best protection,” cautioned Harris. “The path of least resistance is where the greatest exposure to the inner ear happens and thereby damage to the cochlea/inner ear occurs. The absolute best and most critical hearing protection is to seal the ear canal off. Properly fit in-ear protection is the best there is, then if you have extreme situations, i.e. large calibers, indoor shooting ranges, etc., and you have sensitive hearing, then doubling up with earmuffs gives added, excellent protection.”  

The protection continues to improve every year. Here’s my earlier look at the subject, which includes more info on standard ear muffs and a short history on how hearing protection was first developed.

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SIG Sauer answers the question: Where did all the ammo go?

I recently caught up with Tom Taylor, SIG Sauer’s chief marketing officer and executive vice president of commercial sales and asked him the question everyone wants answered: Where did all the ammo go?

He said the company’s plant in Arkansas is working overtime to fill orders, putting added emphasis on producing the cartridges in highest demand, 9 mm and .223 Rem./5.56 NATO.

GJS—How much has demand for ammunition increased this year?

TT—Demand has far exceeded our manufacturing capability, but we’ve still been able to double our shipments in all categories.

GJS—Have you hired more employees or increased shifts to address the demand? 

TT—We have greatly expanded our work force and are running three shifts in our factory.

GJS—Have you invested in machinery to increase production? 

TT—We continue to add manufacturing equipment as fast as we can and as much as possible to meet demand.

GJS—Have you shifted workers/machinery to increase production of the most in-demand cartridges?  

TT—While we continue to build all calibers, we have definitely shifted our focus to the most highly demanded areas.

GJS—Any plans in the near future to expand the size of your factory/plant? 

TT—We do have expansion plans in the near future. SIG Sauer has added capacity, equipment, people, shifts and every resource we can to find ways to expand production to meet as much market demand as we can.

GJS—Is there anything you’d like to tell enthusiasts during this frustrating when most are asking where did all the ammo go?

TT—This the most demanding market anyone has seen in history, and it’s not close.  Retailers and consumers are frustrated, but trust that SIG, and every other manufacturer, has added as much capacity as possible to meet this demand.

Other experts off insights on where all the ammo went in this story.

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Jason Hornady on Where Did All the Ammo Go?

I caught up to Jason Hornady, vice president of Hornady Manufacturing, recently and asked him directly. Where did all the ammo go? Here are a few of his responses.

GJS—What cartridges are you seeing the most demand for right now?

JH—Certainly the world is gravitating toward 9 mm and .223 Rem./5.56 NATO but that said, there is a demand that’s bigger than our ability to produce in everything but dangerous game cartridges.

GJS—Are you having trouble getting enough raw materials/outsourced components to build cartridges?

JH—So far we have been lucky. We have great relationships with all our vendors. We are aware that some people have had issues, that’s not to say that we are not going to have more. We did have the foresight to bring in about six months’ worth of inventory when COVID really hit, which made a huge difference and that’s why we were able to keep running. Had we not done that we probably would be having a hard time.

GJS—What type of increase in demand are you currently experiencing?

JH—We have orders that would be the equivalent to two and a half years of production.

GJS—Have you hired more employees or increased shifts to fill those orders?

JH—We have. The thing is, you can’t build your capacity based around these events. This is the fifth or sixth super event. First one was the Brady Bill and everything sold, then there was a hangover after the Brady Bill. Then there was Y2K, then there was the hangover from Y2K. Then there was Obama one and the hangover from Obama one and then there was Sandy Hook, which is incredibly unfortunate but that sent everything through the roof. Then, unfortunately there were some other events in there. Then you had Obama No. 2.

We have planned for growth regardless of these super demand surges and that’s what we call this, a super demand, not a shortage. It’s very similar to the toilet paper shortage—nobody used more or less toilet paper than they did a year ago, it’s very different because now we have added 7 million new shooters that weren’t there before. But everything we do is for growth that we were planning on, regardless. We are certainly making hay while the sun shines and people are working expanded shifts, but finding people before the virus was a problem and it’s still a problem.

GJS—Any plans in the near future to expand the size of your plant?

JH—Of course. We are always planning for growth. The second you don’t plan for growth you’re not going to grow. We are planning for growth, but we aren’t letting one single year dictate what our plan is.

There is not a supply problem, it’s a demand problem….on March 14th our inventory was completely sucked out of the building [due to pandemic concerns]. Then riots, which scared a lot of people. Then, an election, which got people lathered up and then the party that the gun base didn’t want to win, won. So you have five things all occurring in one compacted year whereas, normally it would be any one of those things that would send people into a little bit of a frenzy.

GJS—Is there anything you’d like to add?

JH—We’re having a great year! We must remind ourselves that this is way better than it was 18 months ago when business was really ho-hum. It’s just, selling this much more should be a lot more fun. Nobody believes that we are doing everything we can and we promise we are doing EVERYTHING we possibly can. We’ve all worked in shipping and now, I’m just trying to stay out of everybody’s way!

Here are more details from the experts who answered the question: Where did all the ammo go?

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Where did all the ammo go?

When ammo supplies evaporated late last year it spawned a variety of conspiracy theories from the same award-winning websites that brought us other classic hits, like “Which shovel buries your AR-15 fastest when the police are on the way to confiscate it.” I was a reporter before clickbait was a thing, so I asked the experts. Where did all the ammo go?

“There are a lot of rumors right now about ammunition and components not making their way to retail that are just not true,” Jason Vanderbrink, Vista Outdoor president cautioned. “We are running our CCI/Speer and Federal factories 24/7 and shipping products for commercial distribution every day.”

Jason Hornady, vice president at Hornady Manufacturing, concurred, adding perspective to the current demand. “We have orders that would be the equivalent of two and a half years of production,” he said. [Complete interview is here.]

SIG Sauer Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Commercial Sales Tom Taylor agrees sales are simply outpacing production capacity. “Demand has far exceeded our manufacturing capability, but we’ve still be able to double our shipments in all categories.” He added, “We have greatly expanded our work force and are running three shifts in our factory.” [Complete interview is here.]

Measured Expansion

Without dissent, every company I contacted indicated their respective workforces have been increased, shifts added and expansion plans are in the works. The latter requires meticulous planning, however, as well as painful months or years waiting for permit approved and often time-consuming rezoning before construction begins. Powder, cartridge and primer manufacturing, after all, are not everyone’s concept of an ideal neighbor. Even well-established factories encounter regulatory hurdles when expanding operations. 

There’s also the fact that ammunition demand tends to be cyclic, which means there’s fiscal risk in making unplanned and rushed investment in new machinery and facilities. Hornady explained, “We have planned for growth regardless of these super demand surges and that’s what we call this, a super demand, not a shortage. It’s very similar to the toilet paper shortage—nobody used more or less toilet paper than they did a year ago…” He noted, though, sales today are, “… very different because we have added 7 million new shooters that weren’t there before, but everything we do is for growth that we were planning on regardless…the thing is, you can’t build your capacity based around these events.” He cited the Brady Bill, Y2K, 9/11and Obama’s election and re-election as other times ammunition demand soared, each followed quickly by stalling sales and staling inventory.

Taylor said his company also has plans to grow in the works, but in the meantime, “SIG Sauer has added capacity, equipment, people, shifts and every resource we can find to expand production to meet as much market demand as we can.”

Raw Material

Availability of raw material during the pandemic was also a concern. “We did have the foresight to bring in about six months’ worth of inventory when COVID really hit, which made a huge difference and that’s why we were able to keep running,” according to Hornady. “Had we not done that we probably would be having a hard time.”

Taylor did not note any struggle with cartridge component supply, but did admit, “Primers are our most constrained material.” He noted that 9 mm and .223 Rem./5.56 NATO are the cartridges currently being produced in highest volume at the factory. Over at Hornady it’s the same.

End of the Tunnel Light

Expansion of factories and purchasing the specialized machinery may seem painfully slow to ammo-starved enthusiasts, but there is a light at the end of this shortage tunnel. One of the nation’s largest cartridge producers ground slowly to a halt during Remington Outdoors’ bankruptcy proceedings last year, and some of its workers are already back at work. “We’re also proud to now own and operate the Remington ammunition factory in Lonoke, Arkansas and are excited to get that great facility back up to full capacity in the coming months,” Vanderbrink said.

Taylor says gun owners should keep in mind that, “This is the most demanding market anyone has seen in history, and it’s not close. Retailers and consumers are frustrated, but trust that SIG and every other manufacturer has added as much capacity as possible to meet this demand.”

Ammo Inc., which made an offer to purchase Gunbroker.com in February for $240 million, has also expanded operations. Despite spending millions on new machinery and adding staff, the company continues to struggle to meet demand.

As a result, the odds are good through most of this year retailers will continue to be asked, “Where did all the ammo go?”

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Financing a Nighthawk Custom Gun

I recently caught up with Mark Stone, CEO and owner of Nighthawk Custom, a company that—in its 17 years of business—has built an enviable reputation for crafting some of the finest guns made today. “Our passion is creating the ultimate firearm experience,” he explained.

The firm does exactly that, but what about all the new enthusiasts ready to upgrade? We asked him about his company’s financing program, which began in 2018 through Cornerstone Bank.

GJS—What are the advantages of financing a gun?

MS—People want quality in a firearm just like they do in a vehicle, boat, watch or house. Oftentimes they have some expandable monthly funds, but are reluctant to spend a lump sum. You never know, the hot water heater could go out and I just spent my money on a gun. This option also provides a way for a younger person to buy something that will hold its value and it works well for retirees as well. The demographic typically does not want to bother their nest eggs and they can spread it out and avoid digging into savings.

GJS—How popular is your financing plan?

MS—It is very popular. Our account managers love it, and it helps our dealers to broaden out their market. 

GJS—Why did you decide to offer financing?

MS—The main objective was to enable anyone who is looking for a firearm to be able to get it now, rather than later. 

GJS—Is there anything you’d like to mention about financing that I didn’t ask?

MS—We sell heirloom quality pistols. We think that every American should not only own a fine firearm, but that they should also be able to pass it on the their heirs. Some of the greatest stories told are about dad or grandads favorite gun. Knowing that people like fine things (no one buys a Rolex watch because they want to tell time) our goal was to make a Nighthawk’Custom pistol available to anyone that wants one. There is no 1911 like a Nighthawk Custom 1911 and this program will make it affordable to them today.  

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Primos Named Best Shooting Stick by Shooting Sports Retailer& Tactical Retailer

From Primos

Primos® Hunting, a pioneer in game calls and hunting accessories, has been awarded two Readers’ Choice 2021 Gold Awards by the readers of Shooting Sports Retailer® and Tactical Retailer® magazines. These awards highlighted Primos in the Shooting Stick category, showing just how disruptive the Primos Trigger Stick line has become throughout the industry.

With nearly 40 years of history, Shooting Sports Retailer (SSR) is considered “The Voice of the Independent Retailer” in the shooting sports market. SSR is trusted by hundreds of shooting sports retailers to stay on top of the latest market trends, including what top products to stock. Likewise, Tactical Retailer serves the growing tactical retail market. The readers of both publications have used these awards to voice what brands they believe belong on the top shelf.

“Shooting Sports Retailer launched its Readers’ Choice Awards for the first time in nearly 40 years of being the B2B shooting sports market leader,” said Derrick Nawrocki, president of Grand View Outdoors, the publisher of Shooting Sports Retailer. “Taking the inaugural Gold Award in the shooting sticks category proves that this product line from Primos, long known as a market leader in calls, has climbed to the top of the hill once again in a completely different product category.”

Voting for this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards was conducted via an online submission system. Thousands of ballots were submitted by readers for various product categories and brands. The votes were then tallied to determine the 2021 Readers’ Choice winners. These awards are used by countless sportsmen and women to get an inside look into the best brands to consider when gearing up for upcoming hunting seasons.

With multiple configurations available, including a model specifically for crossbows, Primos Trigger Sticks have taken the shooting stick market by storm. For more information on Primos shooting sticks, visit www.primos.com/shooting-sticks/.

About Primos Hunting

Primos Hunting, a Vista Outdoor brand, manufactures calls for elk, deer, turkey, predator and waterfowl as well as blinds, shooting accessories, game cameras, attractants and supplements, clothes, and other hunting accessories. Primos also produces the ever-popular video series “The TRUTH” and the television show “Primos’ TRUTH About Hunting.” For news and information, visit www.primos.com or follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/primos_hunting/ and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/primoshunting/. Stream the Language on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/PrimosHuntingVideo.

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The Voodoo Behind EOTECH Vudu Rifle Scopes

From EOTECH

While Vudu® is relatively new compared to its parent company, EOTECH®, it has built a rock-solid reputation in the optics world. It has very quickly become the go-to-optic among precision shooters, hunters and operators with good reason!

There’s a kind of magic at work in a Vudu rifle scope. A long list of drool-inducing features and tough-as-nails construction somehow come together to create a precision amalgamation that is surprisingly affordable for a top-notch rifle optic. The recipe behind EOTECH’s line of Vudu rifle scopes creates a heady brew of durability, precision and versatility. Every scope is engineered and built to withstand the most rugged use and toughest conditions while also meeting the precision and performance demands of today’s serious precision shooters.

The body of every Vudu scope is cut from a solid piece of aircraft-grade aluminum and has a hard-anodized, durable finish. This combination provides clear advantages in the field, protecting the internal glass from water, fog dust and grime. All Vudu scopes are shock-resistant and can take a serious beating.

Vudu riflescopes offer both first-focal-plane and second-focal-plane models to suit all shooting applications. From low power variable optics (LPVO’s) designed for quick and accurate target acquisition, to medium and high powered rifle scopes that include bullet drop and wind hold solutions, the Vudu scope line has it covered.

Vudu lenses set the standard in scope design with superior optical clarity and shooter-friendly features. All scopes feature the highest-quality multi-coated, super-clear XC High-Density glass that provides incredible light transmission and color reproduction. This allows for exceptional edge-to-edge clarity and resolution.

With Vudu’s illuminated scope reticles that include either glass-etched or fiber-optic illumination solutions, shooters will find target acquisition in any lighting condition fast and absolute. With simple push-button operation and ten brightness levels, it can adapt to any situation, and a 2-hour auto-shutoff feature ensures the batteries won’t be drained when stored. Plus, etched reticles mean the scope can be used during daylight hours, without the illumination feature.

Vudu’s one-piece eyepiece makes transitioning from low to high magnification easy and fluid. The included, removable throw lever is easy to locate and allows shooters quick magnification changes. Vudu’s surgically precise turret systems allow shooters to re-index to zero after sighting in their optic, allowing for confident windage and elevation adjustments in the field to ensure critical shots hit their mark when it matters most.

With the variety of models currently available with a host of reticles to choose from, there’s a special brew that’s perfect for every shooter. For more information, visit www.eotechinc.com.

And if you’ve ever wondered which reticle is best, wire or etched, here’s what the experts had to say.

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