Hornady Manufacturing Co.
Box 1848
Grand Island, NE 68802
1-800-338-3220
Fax: 308-382-5761
E-mail: webmaster@hornady.com
Hornady Website
From Website:
“Ten bullets through one hole” was the philosophy of Joyce Hornady, the company's founder. This great idea of accuracy and perfection has continued from the first bullet made more than half a century ago, right through today.
Like so many successful companies, Hornady Manufacturing was born out of one man’s vision of a better product for his own use. Joyce Hornady was an ardent shooter and needed a constant supply of good, accurate bullets. While commercially available bullets were usable, Joyce felt that better bullets could be made.
During World War II, Joyce had taken a job in a guard training unit at the Grand Island Arsenal. He and his family of three moved to Grand Island from Lincoln . In the first years following the war, shooters and hunters used some of the vast surplus of military ammunition for their sport shooting. This surplus ammunition, however, did not offer the accuracy or performance needed for target shooting, big game or varmint hunting. Joyce realized the need for better bullets and he responded to it. In 1949, using his training as an engineer, he and his original partner Vernon Speer built a machine that converted spent .22 rimfire cases into bullet jackets, and then into bullets. Advertised in the “American Rifleman” Magazine, these bullets sold well all over the country. Using a surplus bullet assembly press, he also began to produce a 30 caliber bullet. From the initial production in 1949, this bullet still remains one of our most popular.
The early years
The first year yielded total sales of only $10,000 - a figure that increased three-fold over the first decade. The Korean War slowed growth for a time, as raw materials were allocated for war production. During this time, Hornady Manufacturing produced a variety of products not associated with bullets - aluminum hearts for bracelets, and condenser cans for the government. After the war, the can material was used to make ultra thin copper jackets for varmint bullets.
By 1958, the company had moved from the rented garage that was its first home, to our present location on the west edge of Grand Island. The new facility included a 200 yard underground tunnel for test firing new designs and for quality control of bullets in production. A new rifle bullet shape was developed at this time and continues to be used to this day. Also, the number of full-time employees increased to 40.
Since not all hunters and shooters are reloaders, in 1964, Hornady introduced its line of Frontier ammunition, which was manufactured using surplus military brass. The initial offering was five different cartridges. However the Viet Nam war caused a shortage of military brass, so the ammunition began to be loaded with new brass cases.
Steve Hornady
By this time, Steve Hornady had joined the company fulltime. Hornady Manufacturing had become the world's largest independent manufacturer of bullets, and the Frontier ammunition division also continued to prosper. In 1972, Hornady opened a new chapter with the accquisition of the Pacific Tool Company -- a California maker of home reloading presses. Hornady brought Pacific’s manufacturing operation into the Grand Island fold, and brought exciting improvements to the product line.
Through the 1970's the Hornady divisions continued to grow. New bullet designs and ammunition were added to the line as well as different styles of reloading equipment. In the late '70's Hornady acquired the West Coast Shot Company in Reno Nevada , and renamed it Hornady Magnum Shot. It became in independent company in the early 1990's reverting back to its original name, and produces premium grade lead shot.
In January, 1981, Joyce, along with engineer Ed Heers, and customer service manager Jim Garber were killed in a private plane crash en route to New Orleans for a major trade show. Steve Hornady became president, and his sister Margaret Hornady David and her husband Don David moved to Grand Island to become vice-president and chief engineer respectively.
In 1983, Frontier Ammunition and Pacific reloading Tools were renamed Hornady Custom Ammunition and Hornady Reloading Tools to reflect the merger of the divisions into one corporation.
In 1990, the Hornady XTP (which stands for Extreme Terminal Performance) won the industry's Product Award of Merit 1990 from the National Association of Federal Licensed Dealers.
Today
Hornady Manufacturing has over 150 employees, and occupies over 70,000 square feet of a plant that in a single day produces more bullets than the entire first year's production. Our market includes not only the United States , but much of Canada ,Europe ,Australia ,Iceland ,New Zealand , and parts of Africa
We continue to be the largest independent producer of bullets which we sell as separate reloading components, loaded on our Custom Ammunition, and also sell to other ammunition companies to be loaded on their premium grade ammo. Marval Hornady is still active in the company as chairman of the board, and as you're aware, does a huge amount of volunteer work in Grand Island promoting the arts, the Stuhr Museum, and College Park, to name a few.
Our employees exhibit our products at trade shows and shooting matches across the country, and our product lines are represented to dealers and distributors by over 60 independent reps. In spite of the sluggish economy in parts of the country, we've been able to keep two work shifts in both the bullet and tool division and a single shift making ammo.
"Ten bullets through one hole" is still what it takes to make a good product. And thanks to continued advancements in Hornady's engineering designs and production tolerances, that hole keeps getting tighter and tighter.