Prvi Partizan ammo factory explosions!

[carguychris]

Howdy all,

Sad news... 6 workers were killed in a series of large explosions at the Prvi Partizan ammunition factory in Uzice, Serbia on Thursday, September 3. More here:

Explosions in Serb ammunition factory kill six - Yahoo! News

Keep the families of the dead workers in your prayers.

This could also be bad news for some ammo consumers in the USA; Prvi Partizan makes inexpensive but high-quality ammo in older European calibers popular with milsurp shooters, some of which is sold under the "Wolf Gold" brand name. They also manufacture the inexpensive "Monarch"-brand handgun ammo sold at Academy sporting goods stores. Hopefully this won't interrupt supply any more than it's already been interrupted.

 

[Spotteddog]

Your right, BAD news for low cost ammo!
There was a facility (back in the day, one of the few that was a class III in the Chicago area in Ottawa Illinois) that supported itself with an outdoor range and an automated reloading operation. That joint used to blow it's machinery into a low earth orbit about once every four or five years. Probably the combination of detonations, inability to get insurance and governmental pressure sealed their fate. It was replaced with a range and outdoor activity center. It's still there I see.

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[Amici]

PP makes some excellent Western caliber ammo also. I have found its 55 grain .223 excellent and the cases reload well.

 

[Peter J.]

Your right, BAD news for low cost ammo!
There was a facility (back in the day, one of the few that was a class III in the Chicago area in Ottawa Illinois) that supported itself with an outdoor range and an automated reloading operation. That joint used to blow it's machinery into a low earth orbit about once every four or five years. Probably the combination of detonations, inability to get insurance and governmental pressure sealed their fate. It was replaced with a range and outdoor activity center. It's still there I see.

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I used to shoot there several times a year before it completely blew up in 1989 or '90. The owner. Sparky Fulmer was killed along with his daughter Patty and two ladies who were starting their first day at work there. The shop and attached ammo loading facility blew at about 8 or 8:30 in the morning. Lucky nobody except employees were in the shop when it exploded. It wasn't unusual for a shooters to be there when they opened the doors to pay the range fee and buy ammo or targets. Sparky had a very nice collection of classic Class 3's there were completely destroyed. I heard the ATF was frantic in trying to account for the exploded inventory that went flying all over the place.

 

[Spotteddog]

Sort of an "unfortunate" nickname for the owner to collect, eh Pete?
I was aware at the time of several folks having assumed red mist status in the incident. It had happened before, thank God with a far less dramatic body count. It was the last nail in the coffin so to speak of any "public" full auto in N/E Illinois.
I was fortunate enough to have been able to watch my Son ruin his underwear there, on his 16th birthday. The "Lady" he hooked up with for that afternoon was a 27' Thompson. Half way through the second of three 30 round sticks, he became a Man. And a far better and smarter one one than his Father!

 

[oldfella]

That is unfortunate - not only to loose a good source of inexpensive ammo, but the loss of life... I bet I bought the last 200 rounds of .38 - haven't tried it yet.

Pete

 

[Texas Star]

Sort of an "unfortunate" nickname for the owner to collect, eh Pete?
I was aware at the time of several folks having assumed red mist status in the incident. It had happened before, thank God with a far less dramatic body count. It was the last nail in the coffin so to speak of any "public" full auto in N/E Illinois.
I was fortunate enough to have been able to watch my Son ruin his underwear there, on his 16th birthday. The "Lady" he hooked up with for that afternoon was a 27' Thompson. Half way through the second of three 30 round sticks, he became a Man. And a far better and smarter one one than his Father!

How does firing two magazines of ammo in a Thompson make him a man or ruin his underwear? I've fired Thompsons. It was fun, although I think the gun has an awkward balance. Can't say that they terrified me or that I felt more heroic after.

Just baffled... My son has fired numerous SMG's, sometimes in battle, but that wasn't what made him a man. Maybe the coolness that he showed under fire, even when wounded, proved that, but not the specific weapon he was using. He was equally as heroic when using the M-4 carbine or a couple of 9mm pistols. He also employed a HK-91 on occasion. It kicks more than a SMG.

Just curious. Not trying to razz you. Did the Thompson have a round blow up, or something? I guess that you mean that the Thomson had a 27", not ', barrel? That should be a semi-auto version?

T-Star

 

[Amici]

"I guess that you mean that the Thomson had a 27", not ', barrel?"

My guess is that he meant to post " '27"; i.e., a Model 1927 Thompson. I've fired one, and I don't recall any increase in testosterone. Endorphins, maybe, but no testosterone.