by John Dowd
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte visited the Bitterroot last week to welcome the expansion of Alpha Loading Systems. The company has actually been using its new facility expansion since April. However, after meeting with the Governor during Shot Show 2023 in January, they felt it would be a great way to showcase small scale manufacturing, industry and support for the Second Amendment in the state of Montana.
“Congratulations to you and your whole Alpha team!” said Gianforte during his speech at the ribbon cutting for the newly expanded Alpha Loading Systems facility. “We thank you for supporting our Second Amendment heritage.”
“We are creating a sanctuary for freedom and free enterprise,” stated the governor about the repercussions of businesses like Alpha Loading Systems in Montana. On several occasions, Gianforte mentioned that Montana is home to the highest number of firearms and ammunition manufacturers per capita in the nation. Company CEO, Rick Ruebusch, also expressed that “Montana is one of the last bastions of the Second Amendment.”
However, one of the biggest elements of excitement all around was the prospect of local jobs for the area. Company CFO Greg Wahowiak said that the business has “the best benefits in the valley.” According to Wahowiak, the employees see “tremendous health care, wages and the environment is safe.” He added that not only are the perks good, but the employees love what they are doing. “They’re building something that they know and might use one day. It’s like working in a candy store!”
This feeling of teamwork and pride in their product seemed mutual among the employees. According to Production Manager Celena Bamberger, “it’s like a big family.” Both the CFO and the CEO are proud of their people, too. According to Ruebusch, “I’m blessed, this is one of the most talented teams I’ve had the pleasure of working with.” The facility currently has around 45 local employees, and is potentially looking to hire more.
Wahowiak said that the business gives huge payback to the valley. It creates good paying jobs, and the business financially trickles back into the community. The business also brings big growth potential to the little area. “Upside for this business is huge!” said Wahowiak. He explained that he has worked with 200 companies in numerous countries, and this one has the most potential he has seen. According to him, this is because they are in a great position. This is partly because “the product is technically superior,” and it has applications to the private, commercial, industrial, military and even international sectors.
Alpha Loading Systems manufactures ammunition loading machines that automate the entire process. Previously, according to company employees, machines that could do what these new ones do took up nearly ten times the space. A single machine of theirs can easily fit in the back of a pick-up truck, yet works as fast or faster. Their machines yield around five pieces of ammunition every second when priming, and a second machine can do nearly the same rate, charging cases with powder and seating the bullets. This is all done while the machine constantly and accurately measures every aspect of the ammunition during loading. Their machines are capable of loading everything from 17 HMR and 22 Long Rifle, both in center fire, up to 50 BMG and 30 mm artillery shells, both of which are center fire.
The facility has two banks of over a dozen state-of-the-art CNC machines that can be programmed to produce a huge host of the parts that go into the reloading equipment. After that, parts are sent to be polished, ground to specifications smaller than within 1/100 of a human hair, inspected several times along the way and then assembled on site.
The machines can effortlessly be changed over to work different traditional centerfire calibers, and are claimed to be very user friendly. Alpha Loading Systems also say they will send one of their people out to train technicians to load ammo with the machines. Ruebusch said they even recently sent an employee overseas to help train technicians in Ukraine. Their machines are there, according to him, to help aid freedom fighters in the conflict to create their own ammunition. According to Alpha Loading Systems, the wait for one of their products can be three to four weeks.
The facility also has a class 10 FFL (Federal Firearm License) permit, allowing them to “manufacture just about anything,” said Wahowiak. The facility has a live firing range on site, and allows both employees and prospective customers access to it to test their product’s loaded ammunition for quality and consistency.
This is all a stark change from the humble origins of the company. The designs were created by a husband and wife team who could no longer carry the machines and the company any further. Bitterroot Tool and Machine bought the company in February, and their original designs are still alive in the machines, according to Wahowiak. Since then, many modern technological improvements have gone into the equipment to create the products they sell today.
The company’s facility expansion is a celebrated victory for them. According to Design Engineer Samantha Scott, her favorite aspect of the expansion is simply the space. According to her, it has given them all a little breathing room and makes everything far more efficient.
With many millions of rounds being consumed every year by American citizens, and untold numbers by military and law enforcement agencies, along with the quick rise in the popularity of shooting and precision sports, the need for ammunition is huge. According to Ruebusch, “We’re very excited about the future.”
According to Gianforte, businesses like Alpha Loading Systems are able to be successful and bring industry into the Montana economy, “in part because we’ve created a pro-business environment and we are pro-Second Amendment.” The governor also stated, “Anytime businesses are succeeding in the state, I want to come out and celebrate.”