The name Hornady is well known throughout the industry. Hornady is a diversified company involved in ammunition production, manufacturing bullets for the reloading community; manufacturing reloading supplies (presses, scales, etc…) and so on. The ammunition business provides advanced projectiles for commercial hunters, target shooters and law enforcement.
The philosophy of the founder of Hornady, Mr. Joyce Hornady was “Ten bullets through one hole”. Hornady was born out of one man’s vision to provide a better product for his own use, being an avid bench shooter wanting projectiles that would have the pin sized precision capabilities he was looking for.
During World War II, Joyce took a job as a marksmanship instructor in a National Guard unit at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant. Following the war he and his family opened a sporting goods store in Grand Island, Nebraska. Following the war, vast amounts of surplus ammunition entered the commercial market. This ammunition just did not have the accuracy or performance needed by the precision shooters and hunters. Joyce and his original partner, Vernon Speer built a machine that converted fired 22 Long Rifle cartridge cases into bullet jackets, and then into bullets. This partnership would fail and Vernon Speer went on to open his own bullet manufacturing company which is still in business today.
Joyce began in 1949 to produce his own .30 caliber bullets in a rented garage - the .30 caliber, 150 grain Spire Point is still one of Hornady’s top selling bullets. In 1958, growth led the company to move to its present location on the west edge of Grand Island, Nebraska. To start diversification of his company in 1964, Joyce started Frontier Ammunition which remanufactured ammunition from used military cartridge cases. Due to the war in Vietnam, cartridge cases were very hard to come by. Joyce then made another significant decision that Hornady would begin manufacturing their own cartridge cases. The ammunition business continued to grow to today with the full line of Hornady ammunition. In 1971, Joyce bought Pacific Tool Company and began the development, manufacturing and sale of reloading equipment, such as: presses, dies, case trimmers and scales. Following in the late 1970’s, Joyce bought the West Coast Shot Company of Reno Nevada and renamed it Hornady Magnum Shot. It became an independent company in the early 1990’s when it was sold back to its original management.
In a tragic plane crash in January of 1981, Joyce Hornady, along with engineer Edward Heers, and customer service manager, Jim Garber, were killed on their way to the SHOT Show in New Orleans. The family got through the grief and pushed on. Steve Hornady became President and sister, Margaret Hornady – David and her husband, Don, became Vice President and Chief Engineer respectively. Don retired in the early 2000’s and Margaret in 2009.
During World War II, Joyce took a job as a marksmanship instructor in a National Guard unit at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant. Following the war he and his family opened a sporting goods store in Grand Island, Nebraska. Following the war, vast amounts of surplus ammunition entered the commercial market. This ammunition just did not have the accuracy or performance needed by the precision shooters and hunters. Joyce and his original partner, Vernon Speer built a machine that converted fired 22 Long Rifle cartridge cases into bullet jackets, and then into bullets. This partnership would fail and Vernon Speer went on to open his own bullet manufacturing company which is still in business today.
Joyce began in 1949 to produce his own .30 caliber bullets in a rented garage - the .30 caliber, 150 grain Spire Point is still one of Hornady’s top selling bullets. In 1958, growth led the company to move to its present location on the west edge of Grand Island, Nebraska. To start diversification of his company in 1964, Joyce started Frontier Ammunition which remanufactured ammunition from used military cartridge cases. Due to the war in Vietnam, cartridge cases were very hard to come by. Joyce then made another significant decision that Hornady would begin manufacturing their own cartridge cases. The ammunition business continued to grow to today with the full line of Hornady ammunition. In 1971, Joyce bought Pacific Tool Company and began the development, manufacturing and sale of reloading equipment, such as: presses, dies, case trimmers and scales. Following in the late 1970’s, Joyce bought the West Coast Shot Company of Reno Nevada and renamed it Hornady Magnum Shot. It became an independent company in the early 1990’s when it was sold back to its original management.
In a tragic plane crash in January of 1981, Joyce Hornady, along with engineer Edward Heers, and customer service manager, Jim Garber, were killed on their way to the SHOT Show in New Orleans. The family got through the grief and pushed on. Steve Hornady became President and sister, Margaret Hornady – David and her husband, Don, became Vice President and Chief Engineer respectively. Don retired in the early 2000’s and Margaret in 2009.
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