Hornady Shell Holders are precision machined from solid steel then heat treated to perform flawlessly for the life of the press. Hornady steel shell holders also fit most other brands of reloading presses.

About Hornady Manufacturing

Like so many successful companies, Hornady Manufacturing was born out of one man’s vision of a better product for his own use. Joyce Hornady was an avid shooter and needed a steady supply of good, accurate bullets. While commercially available bullets were usable, Joyce felt that better bullets could be made.

During World War II, Joyce had taken a job as a marksmanship instructor in a guard training unit at the Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant. He and his family moved to Grand Island from Lincoln, Nebraska. Following the War, Joyce and his family stayed in Grand Island, and opened a small sporting goods retail store that sold everything from basketballs to hunting and shooting products. There was no doubt however, that his true love was shooting and hunting.

In the first years following the war, shooters and hunters used some of the vast surplus of military ammunition for their sport shooting. This surplus ammunition however, did not offer the accuracy or performance needed for target shooting, big game or varmint hunting.

The first year of business, Hornady Bullets total sales were $10,000 – a figure that increased three-fold the next year, the staff grew to four, and business indicators were positive.

In 1958, growth led the company to move to their present location on the west edge of Grand Island, Nebraska. The facility featured an 8,000 square foot plant, and in 1960, added a 200 yard underground testing facility that allowed bullets to be tested in an environment unaffected by weather.

In 1971, Hornady acquired Pacific Tool Company and diversified into the reloading tool market. The Pacific operations were moved from Lincoln, Nebraska to the newly built reloading tool facility of the Hornady manufacturing plant in 1972. Under the company’s leadership, the Pacific product line was reinvigorated, and introduced the Model 105 shotshell press. The addition of Pacific Tool Company and its existing products, as well as new product development fueled the company’s growth.

In January 1981, along with engineer Edward Heers and customer service manager Jim Garber, Joyce Hornady was killed when the company plane they were flying crashed en route to the SHOT Show in New Orleans. The linchpin of the company was suddenly gone. The company’s founder, visionary, spokesman, leader, and strategist was tragically killed.

The family needed to regroup, and so it did. 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.

It was in the late 1990’s that the Hornady reputation for industry leading ammunition development and innovation really emerged.

Today the company has over 300 employees, occupies over 108,000 square feet of production space, and in one day– on one press– is capable of producing more bullets than the company’s entire first year production.