Black Hills Ammo: A Family Business

by
posted on August 16, 2016
wiley-clapp.jpg

During a recent trip to the range for gun evaluations, I fired several guns and among them was a 1911-style .45 automatic. Happily enough, this is not unusual for me. I fired the typical NRA protocol of five consecutive five-shot groups at 25 yards, using three different commercial loads. Black Hills 230-gr. JHP produced the best overall accuracy and that is not unusual for me, either. For decades, I have used Black Hills ammunition in virtually every handgun caliber they make and that includes such unusual ones as .38-40 and .45 Auto Rim. It is always high-quality ammunition and frequently the most accurate of the day. Part of the reason is simply that Black Hills ammo is a family business. 

Jeff Hoffman was a working cop in Rapid City, S.D., when he married his high school sweetheart, Kristi. They soon embarked on a new business—manufacturing handgun ammo. I well recall their first loads I ever fired. They came in small boxes with the description in felt tip pen on the end. From that humble beginning, Black Hills has grown to a million-dollar business. Throughout the 30-plus years of the company history they have had the same president (Jeff) and vice president (Kristi). The product line expanded wildly, as did the business volume, but this little ammo business proudly sells match ammo to our Armed Forces. Many of their employees have been with them for many years and the work ethic in that plant is one for the books.

These are great people—devotedly patriotic—who are worth the support of our entire industry. And their ammo shoots as good as anything made.

Usually a little better.

Latest

Tikka T3x RoughTech Superlite bolt-action hunting rifle right-side view shown with accessories riflescope buttstock pack
Tikka T3x RoughTech Superlite bolt-action hunting rifle right-side view shown with accessories riflescope buttstock pack

Review: Tikka T3x RoughTech Superlite

Tikka released the RoughTech Superlite model at nearly a pound lighter at 5.88 lbs versus the 6.6 lbs. of the standard T3x Lite model.

New For 2025: KRISS Vector Gen 3

New for 2025, KRISS USA has updated its unique pistol-caliber Vector design with a few Gen 3 enhancements.

Gun Of The Week: Ruger LC Carbine In .45 ACP

Join American Rifleman staff here on the range in this week's video to learn about Ruger's pistol-caliber carbine chambered for America's cartridge, .45 ACP.

The Armed Citizen® Dec. 20, 2024

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: Hi-Point Firearms YC380 YEET Cannon

Hi-Point Firearms has been offering its budget-priced .380 ACP pistol options for quite some time. But this year, the company decided it was time to bring this cartridge into its Yeet Cannon fold with the release of the new striker-fired YC380.

Silencer Central Breaks Ground On New Facility, Adds Customer Portal

Moving the warehouse and distribution operations to a new building will free up roughly 20,000 square feet of space in the Silencer Central headquarters, paving the way for additional staffing to keep up with the growth of Silencer Central and its business extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.