Getting Started in Commercial Ammo Manufacturing*
*This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney for all laws and regulations

If you are thinking about starting your own business manufacturing ammunition, you’ve come to the right place. Mark 7 Loading Systems are built to handle professional level loading and processing, and we have a long list of successful companies using our machines to produce their products.

To get started, there are several factors you will want to take into consideration, and a few important steps you will need to take in order to embark on this journey successfully. We have helped many of our customers through this process, so here are our suggestions to help you get started.

1. Determine the type of ammunition you want to produce and for what audience.
There's a large variety of different ammunition types and audiences, so narrowing your focus early on is important. Do you want to produce handgun, rifle, or specialty ammunition? Who is your target audience? Civilians, law enforcement, military, or sport shooting enthusiasts? 

2. Determine the quantities of ammunition you will need to produce.
This will mainly be for mapping out your sales and marketing plan. Each specific caliber may have a different requirement of how many per week/per month/per year will be needed for your forecast, so it's crucial to plan this well ahead of time to avoid any sudden shortages.

3. Consult with Mark 7® Reloading associates about what equipment best suits the business plan.
Once you know which calibers and quantities you’ll need, our sales associates can recommend the required equipment to achieve those results. Visit other pages on our site, such as the Revolution, to better understand what our machines do. You can also visit our Commercial Line page to compare details of the Revolution with our other commercial options. 

4. Research and comply with all local, state, and federal regulations related to ammunition manufacturing.
This includes those set by both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and The Environmental Protection Agency  (EPA). Additionally, ensure compliance with local zoning and business regulations. Check with your local City/County Codes for how to properly (and legally) store Hazardous Materials.

5. Obtain a Federal Firearms License (FFL) for manufacturing ammunition and any state and local permits required.
This step can take some time to process, so get started with it as soon as you can. The ATF can provide guidance on obtaining the necessary licenses and permits. Their website is WWW.ATF.GOV and below is a list of FFL Types.

A chart showing the different FFL's needed for a commercial customer who wants to start selling ammunition
Ammunition manufacturers will need FFL license types 06, 07, or 10

6. Research and create partnerships with component manufacturers and distributors.

These distributors include those selling and producing Brass, Projectiles, Powder and Primers. Some may require you to have your FFL before selling to you. Establish these relationships early as they will be a factor in your margins. A Mark 7 associate may have client recommendations for you that both load and sell components.

7. Participate in the available training offered by Mark 7® Reloading and Lyman Products Corporation.

In-House Machine Instruction as well as On-Site Setup & Training may be available and recommended for successful startup. This will give you and your employees knowledge on the equipment to operate at a more efficient level of production and needed adjustments for the calibers you manufacture. If you are new to Loading Ammunition, Lyman Products offers a Metallic Cartridge Reloading class that is strongly recommended to start.

8. Keep your business organized!

A big help for this is to create SOP’s for all departments to ensure seamless operations and reporting in sourcing, inventory, manufacturing logs and employees.

Experiences Our Customers Have Had

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