“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking” – Henry Ford


At a recent Handgun Course Fortress Staff Instructor Matt Ellison brought it to my attention that a brand-new round of ammunition had been packaged and shipped without a primer or powder.

The offending round was discovered on break while magazines were being charged and was included a 1000-round bulk package of “Certified Select” Super Vel.

The round was separated out, passed around, and class went on.

The Super Vel round in question. These things happen and we still have utmost confidence in the product they produce. We’ll continue to use and recommend their ammunition.

Lesson:

Over our 20-years of presenting classes, we’ve seen factory defects from every common and reputable brand of ammunition. No manufacturer is beyond error. Dented cases, crushed primers, backwards bullets – if it can happen, it has happened!

However, what has evolved as a pattern is rise in the amount of defects that occur during ammunition shortages like we are presently experiencing. Large manufacturers are working two to three shifts a day trying to keep up with demand. The smaller manufacturers are producing ammunition when they can get components, but, due to demand and back-orders, they still must churn it out as quickly as possible when they can run their machines. As happens when humans rush, there is a deterioration of quality control.

As I type this, Remington has been experiencing a major spike in product defects, and word of it has been making its way through the industry.

What that means for us is heightened awareness before we glibly stuff rounds into magazines! We need to inspect each round we shoot, regardless of brand or reputation.

And that goes double for defensive ammunition! After all, your life will depend on it.

 

“Quality takes time and reduces quantity, so it makes you, in a sense, less efficient. The efficiency-optimized organization recognizes quality as its enemy. That’s why many corporate Quality Programs are really Quality Reduction Programs in disguise.” – Tom DeMarco