Uncle Buck
New member
Yesterday, We went down to Sedalia MO to purchase "Seconds" from the Sierra factory outlet store. We arrived early and asked if we could have a tour of the factory. The smiling lady said "Certainly, just sign in and someone will be with you very shortly."
Phillip came out and greeted us, then asked us to follow him. We started in the back of the factory and watched a gentleman put 80 pounds of lead in to the extruding machine. In about three minutes, that lead is extruded in to lead wire, which is used for the core of their bullets. They use, I believe, six types of lead in their cores.
The wire is then sent to an annealing machine, were it is unrolled, annealed and then put back on the large rolls.
They have these long, flat rolls of copper plate. The copper is sent through a stamping mill and a cup is punched out. (I messed up and picked up a cup to ask a question. The cup could no longer be used, because it had my finger prints on it! Quality Control [QC] Step #1)
The cups, if they pass QC, are then sent to another machine to be drawn out in to copper tubes. The machines are louder than standing next to a freight train. The dies, which are all made in house, draw out the cups to tubes four at a time. QC again, then sent on to an assembly machine.
The assembly machine is a fascinating piece of equipment! It takes each cup, sends it through a lathe and cuts it to the required length. Then the cup is sent to another part of the machine, where it is placed open side up and the lead wire is installed. The next step flips the bullet over and through three more consecutive dies the tip is closed to form a hollow point hunting bullet. (QC checks again!)
Then the bullets are washed, dried and tumbled. They then go to a few ladies who check EACH bullet for quality. They were rejecting bullets which had slightly marred surfaces (They had to use a magnifying glass to see any mar in the finish!), finger prints, and a myriad of other reasons. Tedious work, but the company depends on them as their last line of defense against their reputation. But before packaging, a sample of every lot is sent "Down-Stairs."
They have their own firing range. Each lot is tested before it can be sent to the customers. There were two steel drums full of worn out rifle barrels.
If the bullets are going to be used in specialty rounds, they are each laser checked. Every one of the bullets going to the military are checked this way.
A lot of the machines that Sierra uses were designed and built by them. They are working three shift, six days a week, trying to stay up with orders for their bullets.
If you are ever in Sedalia Missouri and have about an hour, stop by their factory and ask for a tour. When you leave, you'll have a brand new appreciation for their bullets and the effort so many people put in to making them.
Phillip came out and greeted us, then asked us to follow him. We started in the back of the factory and watched a gentleman put 80 pounds of lead in to the extruding machine. In about three minutes, that lead is extruded in to lead wire, which is used for the core of their bullets. They use, I believe, six types of lead in their cores.
The wire is then sent to an annealing machine, were it is unrolled, annealed and then put back on the large rolls.
They have these long, flat rolls of copper plate. The copper is sent through a stamping mill and a cup is punched out. (I messed up and picked up a cup to ask a question. The cup could no longer be used, because it had my finger prints on it! Quality Control [QC] Step #1)
The cups, if they pass QC, are then sent to another machine to be drawn out in to copper tubes. The machines are louder than standing next to a freight train. The dies, which are all made in house, draw out the cups to tubes four at a time. QC again, then sent on to an assembly machine.
The assembly machine is a fascinating piece of equipment! It takes each cup, sends it through a lathe and cuts it to the required length. Then the cup is sent to another part of the machine, where it is placed open side up and the lead wire is installed. The next step flips the bullet over and through three more consecutive dies the tip is closed to form a hollow point hunting bullet. (QC checks again!)
Then the bullets are washed, dried and tumbled. They then go to a few ladies who check EACH bullet for quality. They were rejecting bullets which had slightly marred surfaces (They had to use a magnifying glass to see any mar in the finish!), finger prints, and a myriad of other reasons. Tedious work, but the company depends on them as their last line of defense against their reputation. But before packaging, a sample of every lot is sent "Down-Stairs."
They have their own firing range. Each lot is tested before it can be sent to the customers. There were two steel drums full of worn out rifle barrels.
If the bullets are going to be used in specialty rounds, they are each laser checked. Every one of the bullets going to the military are checked this way.
A lot of the machines that Sierra uses were designed and built by them. They are working three shift, six days a week, trying to stay up with orders for their bullets.
If you are ever in Sedalia Missouri and have about an hour, stop by their factory and ask for a tour. When you leave, you'll have a brand new appreciation for their bullets and the effort so many people put in to making them.
