Oct 1, 2024
Ammo Makers: Randy Stoltman, Shares Operations Behind Gold Winning Shot
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The world witnessed a stunning display of American dominance in skeet shooting when Team Federal secured four medals this summer in Paris. The team’s captivating performance gained the attention of spectators from around the world.
But with all the fanfare and excitement, one element uniting the U.S. medalists likely went unnoticed. Across the board, these decorated athletes shot the same brand shell in competition – all manufactured by a team at Federal Ammunition in Anoka, Minn.
We recently featured a Quality Coordinator who shared the ins and outs of manufacturing Federal’s Gold Medal Paper Shotshell. Now we turn the page to Randy Stoltman, Operations Specialist, to uncover more of the grit and grime behind the rounds of shiny brass and waxed paper that helped foster podium success.
Randy Stoltman, Operations Specialist
When he’s not at work, you can probably find Randy under the hood of his ‘58 Chevy Delray.
He took the wheel of the blue beauty for years but was eventually plagued with engine troubles. Formerly a diesel mechanic, Randy pulled out the engine to begin the restoration. Soon after, he decided it was an ideal time to add a little charm.
Randy Stoltman, Operations Specialist, Federal Ammunition
“Since it was torn apart, I figured I might as well make it look pretty,” he said. He has been making headway bit by bit for the past 10 years, and although that may sound like a lifetime for some, Randy is unbothered. It’s the second car he has restored and he’s eager to work on a truck next.
While he enjoys working on cars on the side, his desire for a career change led him to Federal Ammunition. After spending three years at a diesel engine shop, Randy shifted from assembling cylinder heads to manufacturing ammo at Federal Ammunition 12 years ago.
As an Operations Specialist, Randy runs the loader, performs machine cleanups and inspections, and works with the maintenance and engineering departments to keep loaders in operation.
When asked if he enjoys this work, Randy smirked in response.
“It’s pretty cool telling my buddies that I make bullets,” he said. “We all hunt and shoot. And I make the ammo we shoot, so I know it’s going to be good! I like what I do.”
Randy also likes his team’s strong culture, which is built on working well together and critical to their overall success.
“I won’t say we joke on the way in because we start at 6 a.m., so everyone is focused on drinking coffee. But we have good relationships. After working here this long, I’ve collaborated with everybody in the plant. We get along, and a few of us hang out outside of work,” he said. “I like the environment – it’s not as stressful as you might think for what we do.”
Tight Tolerances
Randy talked about his job fondly, even the four-week stretch earlier this year where requirements were more stiff than usual. He was part of the three-shift team that didn’t flinch when it came to weighing, loading, cutting, crimping, measuring, testing and packaging the Federal Gold Medal Paper Shotshell, ensuring it was ready for skeet and trap competitors at the 2024 Games. Together, the team manufactured 7.5 and 9 shot, both which were subject to frequent checks by everyone on the line before getting packagedfor the world competition.
During this time, Randy was responsible for performing a weigh-up of the shot every two hours, a stark contrast from the two per day he usually performs.
According to a 106-page manual from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), which outlines specifics on manufacturing ammunition for the world competition, the shot charge cannot exceed a weight of 24.0 grams – giving only a .5-gram tolerance per shell. The goal for this portion of the cartridge inspection is to confirm that the average weight of the selected cartridges does not exceed the maximum shot charge plus the .5-gram leeway (24.5 grams).
“The range for this shot is much tighter, so we frequently test to be sure the shot weight maintains consistency,” Randy said. “We also have inspectors on the line watching 100 percent of the time to be sure the shot doesn’t even have a nick in the shells when they come rolling down.”
Randy explained the crew runs the loader slower while making the Federal Gold Medal Paper Shotshell. And because the shot is a paper load, the start of the shell is manufactured in a humidity room.
“All I did was make it. The competitors did all the work. But our team provided the ammo, so that’s extremely special!”
-Randy Stoltman, Operations Specialist
FAST FACTS FROM RANDY
What activities do you enjoy outside
of work?
Mostly camping, hunting and fishing. Also, restoring my ‘58 Chevy Delray.
Your best adventure?
About 20 years ago, we drove across country on vacation. It was me and my girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife. After a week in the car together we knew we were meant to be together. We went from
Minnesota to Vegas, stopping in Colorado, Idaho, to explore a lot of sightseeing towns.
Favorite Reads:
True life crime.
Accomplishment in your life you’re
most proud of?
The best part of my life is my wife and kids. I have been married for 18 years. We have five kids aged 28, 26, 18, 16, and 14.
Bucket list item that’s brewing?
The only bucket list Item I have it to finish restoring the car. Then, I have a truck I’d like to work on.
“We must keep the temperature right so the paper will fold nicely,” he said. “Everything is tightened up a bit so we can get the best quality for rounds that go to the Games.”
But you’ll never hear Randy – or any of his coworkers – complain about the humidity room. Despite how hot the room is, he says everyone enjoys the room’s aroma.
“Several people have stated the humidity room is the best smelling room in the factory,” he said. “The paper is waxy, so when it gets warm, it smells like crayons.”
But Randy is always on the move in the factory. He is quick to help other areas, filling in where his operational expertise is needed. While making the shot for the world competition, there was a little extra focus on keeping operations running smoothly.
In the time the company was manufacturing shotshells for the Games, Randy kept an especially close eye on the EMG loaders – a combined operation that includes multiple functions. In this unit, the capped off paper shell (a hull) runs through a trimmer and chamfer before it gets loaded and rolls through the printer, where the Federal seal of approval is stamped on the side of the cartridge. From
there, the cartridge rolls down the conveyor before it’s neatly stacked into a carton packer and then packed into a case before getting stacked by robot on to a pallet.
At this point in the game, the shot was ready for prime time. Randy and his team couldn’t have been prouder to know that the best shooters in the world left for Paris equipped with the best ammo in the world.
Staying Behind the Scenes
The Federal team’s hard work was rewarded. Months after working to produce hundreds of cases of 7.5 shot for trap and 9 shot for skeet, Randy heard the results of the competition. “It felt good to hear Team Federal won some medals,” he said.
When asked how this made him feel, Randy answered with his signature modesty.
“All I did was make it,” he said. “The competitors did all the work. But our team provided the ammo, so that’s extremely special!”
Vincent Hancock, the undisputed king of skeet, secured his fourth gold medal in Men’s Individual Skeet.
All the glory to the medalists, but today we recognize the three-shift team that didn’t flinch when it came to loading, cutting, crimping, measuring, testing and packaging Federal’s Gold Medal Paper Shotshell for the 2024 Games.