Hitting the Mark – Point of Vue September 2023

Some businesses start with a great idea, others with a great team. For A & H Ammunition however, these were two automatic components that launched them into a successful start in their business. Adam Olivier and Harrison Reeves have been friends since they could remember. Starting a business together felt like it was simply in the cards for them. 

“We’ve known each other since we were in diapers, before I even had a conscience honestly. I’ve known him for as long as I can remember. Our parents were friends and that’s how we were first introduced as babies and we’ve been best friends ever since really,” said Adam. 

Harrison added, “This has been a long time coming.” 

Adam and Harrison started working together nearly two years ago in fire safety on marine vessels. After deciding to go into business with each other, they started to brainstorm ideas about what they could possibly do. Harrison came up with the idea of ammunition and Adam already had a background in manufacturing due to working at his grandfather’s machine shop for about 6 years. 

“I was just doing manufacturing processes: sand blasting, pipe cutting, and a little machine work and some quality control work. That’s where I gained skills in supply chain management and sales,” said Adam. 

Once Adam was able to conduct some market research and figure out it was something they really could pursue, they went for it.  Adam explained, “We both love to hunt and fish. Growing up down here, it’s kind of what we’ve done and we  always do. It kind of fell hand in hand with our backgrounds.”

From going shooting and hunting with their fathers as boys to manufacturing their own ammunition as adults, Adam and Harrison aim to prioritize quality over quantity and hope to meet the needs of each of their customers, present and future. However, beginning a business from scratch does not come so easily. 

According to Adam, the biggest challenge with getting started was making contacts and not having known anyone in the industry beforehand. He preferred the typical steps such as procuring the correct licensing, but as for building and establishing themselves as a viable business, he found that was less “cut and dry”.

Harrison similarly said, “Our biggest challenge so far is having people trust our brand. It’s a word of mouth thing. It’s hard to get the recognition. Basically every person and any store we’ve sold to has had nothing but good comments and praises over it, but to get to that point, to take the jump of faith with us, is the challenge.” 

For a fairly new ammunition company –beginning just their fourth month of manufacturing– A & H has had their share of success thus far. Because it is just the beginning, they are hoping to grow and to continue producing quality ammunition for their fellow Louisianians. 

In Adam’s words, “Me and Harrison got into this business in order to provide reliable and safe ammunition to everyone who shoots our product and we thank everyone for their business.” 

As of now, A & H produces small arms ammunition, their current capabilities being 9mm and 40 caliber. They are planning to add plenty of variety to their product line, introducing different sizes and calibers as soon as possible. 

Harrison shared, “We are releasing 147 grain subsonic rounds and 124 grain defense hollow point rounds. We just launched 115 grain target rounds for target shooting reloads.” 

The first product they released was 124 full metal gadget match grade ammunition. 

All in all, the founders of A & H are optimistically looking toward the future of their manufacturing. “I think we’re doing pretty good. It’s a great start for us and we’re making good sales. It’s just a climb, especially with the market that we’re in at the moment where everyone, especially in our area, has had a rough couple of years. So far, we’re doing well in the situation we find ourselves in,” said Harrison. 

Although times are proving to be tough for the average person, especially when it comes to finance, A & H are dedicating themselves to producing reliable products. 

Speaking to the economic turmoil, Adam said, “With everybody not having the extra change in their pocket, it kind of hurts. Of course, everybody likes to shoot but also save money and getting a product that’s cheap enough to be competitive with and that’s very reliable is probably the biggest challenge with the economic crisis. To get your price to a certain point where it makes sense for everybody.” 

Adam and Harrison realize that in the ammunition industry, quality can easily be overlooked in search of quantity, but that is not what they claim. Harrison said, “We take time to consider the details where big box stores don’t. At the moment, I think we’re doing a good job at providing that service whereas the bigger box stores may have more faulty equipment or products than we will because they’re just mass producing. We’re also buying higher quality materials for products to push through our shop. We’re trying to get our cost as low as we can, but at the same time, quality is our first priority.”

The manufacturing process for just one product at A & H is a detailed and rigorous ritual. First and foremost, Adam takes on the responsibility of domestically sourcing the material needed for each round. A round consists of four components: primer, powder, casings, and projectile. Once those components have been shipped in, they receive an inspection on the material and then proceed to fill their machine with the components. They then take to tuning the machine to ensure that all is running smoothly and adjust the main component that must be adjusted in order to make sure all of their ammunition is within the specifications. A & H follows Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) specifications to make sure their bullets are safe to shoot. Finally, once the product is made, they send it off to get tested at a third-party lab to ensure their inspection results are accurate and good. 

As for A & H’s mission, Harrison said, “I guess you could say, if I had to pick one, it’s to make quality, affordable products built here in Louisiana.” 

Adam also shared that their goal is to provide all local law enforcement with their training rounds. “That’s really our goal. We’d like to sell to anybody, everyday shooters too. We’d just like to eventually, down the road, have a product line that can suit everybody’s needs.”

Interested buyers can find A & H ammunition in local stores such as Brute Force Firearms, Songy’s Sporting Goods, and Desselle’s Firearms. Adam and Harrison also make an appearance at almost every local gun show and are open to customers directly contacting them for help. As of August 2023, their website, www.ahammunition.com,  is currently under construction as it is being redesigned as a full commerce site where customers will be able to buy their products directly online and get them shipped to their house. 

A & H hopes to grow with the community and provide any type of ammunition whether it’s a pistol, rifle, shotgun, or anything that anybody needs. “We are gearing up to tailor to what specific people need, not just mass marketing one specific item or what’s most popular. We’re trying to fit everyone’s needs,” said Harrison. “Thank you for the support of our community and we hope to keep providing y’all with quality made products right here from Houma, Louisiana.”