Minnesota-based Vista Outdoor Sales this week grabbed a hefty nine-figure contract from the U.S. Army to supply the service with frangible training ammunition. 

Based in Anoka, Minnesota, Vista is the little-known name behind a series of household ammo brands including CCI, Estate, Federal Premium, Hevi, Remington, and Speer. Its recent award, announced Wednesday by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Newark, New Jersey, is a $114,813,500 firm-fixed-price contract for the 5.56mm Semi-Jacketed Frangible Cartridge, MK311 MOD 3 (AA40) ammunition. 

MK311, in a previous $12.9 million award detailed by Federal Premium in 2019, "is loaded with a 50-grain frangible bullet comprised of a non-toxic, copper and tungsten powder matrix in a gilding metal jacket. The frangible ammunition is designed to disintegrate into small fragments on impact, minimizing over-penetration and ricochet hazards. The polymer compound round produces limited splash back, which vastly decreases ricochets, making it ideal for training applications."

As far as the most recent award, Vista beat out at least one other bidder for the win. The contract has an estimated completion date of Aug. 17, 2027. 

Banner image: MK311 ammunition rests on a table at the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance range, July 25, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. (Photo: U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Erick Requadt)