Vista Outdoors ammo contract

[Slater]

From today's (18 Aug 22) DoD contract announcements:

"Vista Outdoor Sales LLC, Anoka, Minnesota, was awarded a $114,813,500 firm-fixed-price contract for the 5.56 mm Semi-Jacketed Frangible Cartridge, MK311 MOD 3 (AA40) ammunition. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 17, 2027. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-22-D-0026)."

Vista apparently includes CCI, Federal, Remington, Speer, and Estate Cartridge. Wonder which division gets the government contracts?

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contrac...ticle/3132888/

[mpom]

That must be a massive order, which is probably good, as this is training, not fighting ammo. More close quarter training is good, I think.

[hotbiggun42]

Gotta train those accountants.

[ggammell]

Gotta train those accountants.

Hopefully those accountants read better than you. US Army contract…..

[SteyrAUG]

Hopefully those accountants read better than you. US Army contract…..

You aren't "conspiracy" hard enough. Obviously the US Army is going to secretly train those accountants, probably going to SF at Bragg.

[Straight Shooter]

I can & do understand the need for training ammo. Like in shoot houses, or up close on steel, just many different scenarios that that type of ammo is best used.
I cant understand, the training ammo that uses the same bullet at the same velocity as normal ammo.
Case in point- I got a couple boxes of the purple cased Winchester 62gr OT ammo & chrono'ed it last year.
Looking at my notes...5 rounds average velocity was 2845. What type of training would this particular round be for? Ive seen other rounds labeled as training that appeared to be full power with regular projectiles. Just curious about this.

[SteyrAUG]

I can & do understand the need for training ammo. Like in shoot houses, or up close on steel, just many different scenarios that that type of ammo is best used.
I cant understand, the training ammo that uses the same bullet at the same velocity as normal ammo.
Case in point- I got a couple boxes of the purple cased Winchester 62gr OT ammo & chrono'ed it last year.
Looking at my notes...5 rounds average velocity was 2845. What type of training would this particular round be for? Ive seen other rounds labeled as training that appeared to be full power with regular projectiles. Just curious about this.

Very useful for "immediate action first aid." Learn how to use those tourniquets and quick clot when somebody is running full power ammo on steel at CQB ranges.

Seriously, I think in your case it is being called "training" ammo vs. performance ammo so expectations of accuracy and consistency are adjusted.

[Straight Shooter]

Very useful for "immediate action first aid." Learn how to use those tourniquets and quick clot when somebody is running full power ammo on steel at CQB ranges.

Seriously, I think in your case it is being called "training" ammo vs. performance ammo so expectations of accuracy and consistency are adjusted.

I dont know Steyr...I shot a couple five shot 100yard group with the purple stuff..all I had was I think 40 rounds?..that were very nice.
And the Extreme Spread was only 45fps.
Its the purple box that even has a large sticker on the box that says "FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY". I just wonder what training scenarios it was designed for. Blindfolded, you couldnt tell it apart from 193 or 855.

[SteyrAUG]

I dont know Steyr...I shot a couple five shot 100yard group with the purple stuff..all I had was I think 40 rounds?..that were very nice.
And the Extreme Spread was only 45fps.
Its the purple box that even has a large sticker on the box that says "FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY". I just wonder what training scenarios it was designed for. Blindfolded, you couldnt tell it apart from 193 or 855.

I still think it's a matter of "doesn't meet performance standards for duty use." Even that plastic German .308 ammo was remarkably accurate inside certain distances.

[mack7.62]

I believe the full power training ammo is ballistic similar, same point of aim, recoil etc. with a cheaper bullet. Why waste a bonded soft point on shooting paper or steel. My feeling has always been that even loaded with a cheaper HP it likely would be better than FMJ for serious use so when it was as cheap or cheaper than FMJ why not get some. To clarify I am talking about the Federal 62 grain HP's that was developed to mimic the XM556FBIT3 FBI load.