{"id":1160,"date":"2023-06-12T21:39:30","date_gmt":"2023-06-12T21:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1160"},"modified":"2023-06-12T21:39:30","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T21:39:30","slug":"the-story-of-black-hills-ammunition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunowner-news.com\/?p=1160","title":{"rendered":"The Story of Black Hills Ammunition"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Wayne van Zwoll<\/a><\/p>\n

T<\/span>wenty years after Jeff Hoffman left the Rapid City Police Department to load ammunition for Black Hills Shooters Supply, he and wife Kristi filled a Navy contract for 50 million rounds of 77-grain 5.56mm ammo. Not from BHSS, however. The Hoffmans had bought into that company, but in 1989 split from it to sail their own ship as Black Hills Ammunition.<\/p>\n

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Punching well above its weight class, Black Hills ammunition has earned an enviable reputation for extremely high-quality ammo. Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They launched BHA in what I recall as a metal shed crammed with people, stacks of boxes and a forest of hand-pumped loading presses. A rabbit warren. Aisles between the stations were so tight I had to time my step between press strokes. A shipping container outside held components and finished ammo. The Hoffmans\u2019 first efforts at cartridge manufacture were reloads for the RCPD. Jeff\u2019s crew at the station remained faithful customers, but their orders would hardly carry his and Kristi\u2019s new enterprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI quickly found we couldn\u2019t compete with Winchester, Remington and Federal,\u201d Jeff admitted. \u201cWe\u2019d have to offer something they didn\u2019t. Expenses were eating into our savings while we tried to come up with a plan. A big order from the Illinois State Police saved us that first year.\u201d Law enforcement (LE) and military contracts would continue to fuel the business. One of the most helpful came from the Army\u2019s marksmanship unit \u2014 the AMU, or USAMTU \u2014 the training unit whose members in my competitive days were the shooters to beat at any match. \u201cThat contract gave us credibility, hiking our commercial sales.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The ruggedly beautiful Black Hills area of South Dakota has proven to be fertile ground for the founding of one of the country\u2019s finest ammunition makers. Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Hoffmans\u2019 dreams were much bigger than could mature in their first shop. On my next visit, Jeff drove me across town to a big, empty building that looked like\u2026. \u201cA creamery,\u201d he nodded. \u201cAnd so it is. But not for long.\u201d We traipsed through a sprawling 60,000 square feet of cavernous tank rooms, and a labyrinth of freshly framed annexes. \u201cWe\u2019ll fill \u2019em all, and soon.\u201d<\/p>\n

A couple of years ago, re-tracing my steps through that plant, I was stunned by the changes. From loading rooms to the ballistics lab, BHA\u2019s new digs oozed high-tech. While the annexes evidenced no link to the dairy industry, they were as spotless as if BHA were shipping milk. But the work, Jeff told me, was far from finished. \u201cWe need more space, more tooling. Demand is already outstripping our capacity to meet it. Sometimes component shipments can\u2019t keep up with our production lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"owners\n<\/picture>
Jeff and Kristi Hoffman started BHA in Rapid City in 1982. It has grown fast and steadily in 40 years! Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Following the Army\u2019s lead, the Navy and then the Marine Corps placed orders. Suddenly, BHA had contracts to supply all the 5.56 match ammo for the U.S. armed forces! \u201cWe had our hands full,\u201d said Jeff. \u201cWe were truly blessed.\u201d But then came another windfall: a request for \u201coperational\u201d ammunition. \u201cThat path has led to 35 products we developed for the U.S. government, mainly for the Department of Defense. Our foot stays on the throttle to meet deadlines, but we never compromise on quality.\u201d Jeff is proud of the thanks he, Kristi and BHA\u2019s crew routinely get from U.S. Special Forces. \u201cThose fellows know\u00a0we\u00a0<\/em>know that each shot in combat can be mighty important.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Refined Choice<\/h2>\n

BHA began early to court discriminating markets, holding its products to standards hard for other ammunition companies to match. A 50-gr. .223 load clocking 3,335 fps nips half-minute groups for me. \u201cWe expect that level of accuracy,\u201d Jeff said, \u201cthough it\u2019s well above the industry average.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Top-notch quality control and excellent source materials are key to Black Hills\u2019 performance. Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

High standards have drawn a steady stream of military contracts. Success on the military front has nudged BHA to enlarge its commercial footprint. In 1999, the Navy asked for a \u201cprecision\u201d 5.56 NATO load. BHA\u2019s lab responded with a 77-grain MatchKing at 2,750 fps:<\/p>\n

Black Hills MK 262 Mod1-C load, 77-gr. Sierra TMK<\/h3>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Muzzle<\/strong><\/td>\n100 yards<\/strong><\/td>\n200 yards<\/strong><\/td>\n300 yards<\/strong><\/td>\n400 yards<\/strong><\/td>\n500 yards<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Velocity<\/td>\n2,750 fps<\/td>\n2,520 fps<\/td>\n2,295 fps<\/td>\n2,070 fps<\/td>\n1,870 fps<\/td>\n1,685 fps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Arc<\/td>\n-1.5\u2033<\/td>\n+2.0\u2033<\/td>\n0\u2033<\/td>\n-8.5\u2033<\/td>\n-25.0\u2033<\/td>\n-52.0\u2033<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>
External ballistics measurement from a 20\u201d barrel. Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second (fps), and arc in inches. Abbreviations: gr. (grains), TMK (Tipped MatchKing)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since then, MK 262 Mod1-C ammunition has become available to civilian customers buying 420 rounds, 20 to a box, shipped in an ammo can. Each lot is tested to meet tough military specs. Ten, 10-shot groups (yes, 100 bullets!) at 300 yards must hold to a .64-MOA standard \u2014 2\u2033 groups at that distance! Hoo, boy! Not all 5.56\u00a0rifles<\/em>\u00a0can deliver such results. I said so to Jeff. \u201cWe use very accurate test barrels,\u201d smiled Jeff. \u201cAnd we scrap them before we have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Black Hills Ammunition MK 262 Mod1-C load is capable of incredibly precise\u00a0groups.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The manufacturing care evident in BHA military ammunition also distinguishes its hunting loads. \u201cGold\u201d ammo, .22-250 to .338 Lapua, features bullets from Barnes, Hornady, Nosler and Sierra. This line recently added the 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor, for accurate hunting\/match rifles like Springfield Armory\u2019s Waypoint. There are 12 BHA Gold loads for the .308, eight for the .30-06. Over a chronograph and afield, I\u2019ve found Gold as good as or better than its competition.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the New Rifle series of U.S. service cartridges: 23 options in .223 and 5.56 NATO, plus four in .300 Blackout, with match loads in .308, .300 Winchester, .338 Norma and .338 Lapua. The New Pistol family includes eight handgun rounds, six loads each for the 9mm and .45 ACP<\/a>, three in .40. The wide selection of BHA bullet weights and types reflects the Hoffmans\u2019 efforts to cultivate and maintain good working relationships throughout the industry. \u201cWe achieve more when we have friends to help,\u201d he observes. It\u2019s a philosophy Jeff and Kristi seem to bring to\u00a0all<\/em>\u00a0relationships. They don\u2019t reserve courtesy and generosity for business alone.<\/p>\n

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The use of ballistic gelatin is an integral part of the company\u2019s testing process for loads and bullets. Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Still, they and BHA\u2019s quality control staff are ruthless in culling ammo that doesn\u2019t measure up. \u201cWe inspect each cartridge, from component stage to packaging,\u201d Jeff said. \u201cYes, that\u2019s millions a year. And yes, we do. However difficult or time-consuming, it\u2019s part of our job. We spend more on inspection than on loading.\u201d Most of the ammunition comes off straight-line commercial presses. Loading speed is controlled by operators who look for component flaws and can stop their press at any time. I\u2019m told BHA tolerances are tighter than those imposed by SAAMI (the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute) or our armed forces. Finished cartridges run a QC gauntlet. Visual inspection is followed by a \u201cblock gauge\u201d test for uniformity.<\/p>\n

Modern Classics<\/h2>\n

\u201cHands<\/em>\u00a0up, Kid!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0The bandit spun. His Peacemaker barked five times, fast. Sprinting through the smoke, he vaulted into the saddle, yanked at his carbine.\u00a0\u201cYou won\u2019t take me alive!<\/em>\u201d More bullets flew.<\/p>\n

Such mayhem marked the frontier and times of William Bonney and John Wesley Hardin. But the miscreant this day was an accountant with a scripted snarl. He drove a Japanese sedan with a Starbucks cup in the console. On weekends, he \u201cgot Western\u201d as Sixgun Slim. So did his wife, a soccer mom turned Sidewinder Sue.<\/p>\n

Cowboy Action events draw spectators with 1880\u2019s dress and venues. Jeff and Kristi Hoffman saw the appeal early on, and were soon loading lead-bullet ammo for Cowboy shooters. Current offerings are as follows:<\/p>\n

Round- and flat-nose lead bullets at traditional speeds make these oldies a pleasure to shoot. My six-shooter in .45 Colt hops gently with BHA Cowboy loads, but the 250-gr. slugs flatten steel! My .38-55 Lyman \u201cbaby Sharps\u201d has grouse-gun heft, but it\u2019s civil in recoil, while its lumbering lead punches snug groups. \u201cWe hew to 1880\u2019s pressures so they\u2019re safe in vintage rifles and revolvers,\u201d explained Mike Wright, whose ballistics savvy has blessed BHA. He added that even mild smokeless loads can test steel. \u201cTheir pressure curves differ from those of black powder.\u201d A useful caveat for shooters dusting off 19th<\/sup>-century firearms!<\/p>\n

More recent at BHA is the HoneyBadger line. It\u2019s named after the African mustelid that earned title honors in a Ruark novel \u2014 a tenacious, relentless burrower and predator unfazed by obstacles. \u201cHoneyBadger bullets exhibit those qualities,\u201d said Jeff, who, with Dave Fricke of Lehigh Defense, developed the all-copper missiles.<\/p>\n

HoneyBadgers were designed to be \u201cbarrier-blind.\u201d Even bonded lead-core bullets deform when fired through glass and other hard, abrasive materials. Cloth and wood, among soft barriers, can plug hollow points, preventing upset. Hoffman and Fricke sought a bullet that resisted deformation and thus flew straight through obstacles, and also one that didn\u2019t depend on upset for lethal effect.<\/p>\n

They may have had in mind the fluted, sintered copper bullets developed by Charlie Kelsey in the early \u201990s. But the\u00a0HoneyBadger is\u00a0solid<\/em>\u00a0copper<\/a>. Its nose flutes \u2014 three or four \u2014 are deep. A cannelure permits a roll crimp. Some HoneyBadgers have an additional cannelure to reduce chamber pressure. Some feature a recessed base \u2014 a useful detail, notes former Hornady engineer Dave Emary. \u201cIt lengthens bearing surface to better seal gas and improve accuracy. Moving the bullet\u2019s center of gravity toward the nose can also enhance in-flight and post-impact stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"loading\n<\/picture>
Black Hills has earned a reputation for attention to detail and extremely high quality. Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While their lead-free shanks limit their weight, HoneyBadgers can be driven faster than lead-core bullets. They fly flatter and bring plenty of moxy to the target. I find HoneyBadgers a bit less punishing in recoil than jacketed hollow-point (JHP) loads stoked to similar pressures. Accuracy is on par with the JHP\u2019s.<\/p>\n

HoneyBadgers don\u2019t expand on impact, but ballistic gelatin shows impressive temporary cavities. The bullets continue in straight paths to cut deep channels. Introduced six years ago in .380 Auto (60 grains) and 9mm and .38 Spl. (100 grains), HoneyBadger bullets now come in seven other cartridges: .357 Mag., .40, 10mm Auto, .44 Spl., .44 Mag., .45 ACP and, for rifle enthusiasts, a 325-gr. load in .45-70.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Compared to payrolls of other ammunition firms, BHA\u2019s is small \u2014 around three dozen full-time employees. But according to the Hoffmans, they\u2019re talented, hard-working and keen to deliver top-quality ammo. It\u2019s a close-knit clan. When Covid panic threatened to ground workers even in South Dakota, Jeff arranged for pallets of food to be delivered to the plant at no cost to the crew.<\/p>\n

\"rifle\n<\/picture>
Black Hills\u2019 ammo has earned a reputation for performance and precision. Image: Black Hills\u00a0Ammunition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ever taking the industry\u2019s pulse, Jeff has seen ballistic efficiency in rifle loads steal the attention once given to high velocity. A wave of first-time gun owners is gobbling ammo for small pistols. BHA\u2019s catalog reflects brisk demand for long-range and self-defense loads. Ideally, shifts in production and sales follow \u2014 or anticipate and even fuel \u2014 market trends. Still, some change is forced. Ammunition manufacture and sales are affected not just by product design and advertising, but also on timely access to components! Supply chains can determine what\u2019s available, cataloged and not.<\/p>\n

Now 40 years in business, Jeff and Kristi Hoffman and Black Hills Ammunition have met many challenges, endured just about every industry cycle. And if the past is prologue, they are clearly more than ready for the future.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Please be sure to check out The Armory Life Forum, where you can comment about our daily articles, as well as just talk guns and gear. Click the \u201cGo To Forum Thread\u201d link below to jump in!<\/em><\/p>\n

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