In 2026, CCI Ammunition—formally Cascade Cartridge, Inc.—marks its 75th anniversary with a fitting tribute to innovation and American ingenuity. Founded in 1951—or, actually, a few years before when Dick Speer and his brother Vernon moved to Idaho to start companies to manufacture components for the ammunition reloading market—this Lewiston, Idaho-based manufacturer evolved from a small primer operation in a converted chicken coop into a global leader in rimfire ammunition and reloading components.
In this The Armed Citizen Podcast interview, CCI’s Product Manager Dan Compton, explains the product introductions and more CCI is bringing in celebration of this anniversary.
“Let’s start with what’s new with CCI. From the personal defense standpoint, about four years ago we launched the .22 Long Rifle Uppercut,” said Compton before explaining that they thought there was a big place for a .22 Long Rifle self-defense round, but they did not know if gun owners would accept it. I remember talking to like our dealers and I’m like, if we come out with this, are we going to get ripped or we going to be lauded? Most people said there’s a place for it. I was a carry instructor myself and, you know, you’re almost always taught to carry the largest caliber you can reliably put hits on target with. That could be a .44 Magnum, but that could be a .22 Long Rifle.”
CCI then developed the Uppercut as a .22 Long Rifle as a hollow point that will expand reliably. “It’s not easy to do to get a little .22 Long Rifle bullet to expand at those velocities, especially out of short barrel guns, so we recommend people use four-inch barrels or bigger” with the Uppercut, said Compton.
Compton also explained that CCI’s 75th anniversary celebrations include new product launches, special-edition collaborations, and commemorative merchandise, underscoring CCI’s role as a cornerstone of shooting sports, hunting, and reloading culture.
Indeed, over seven-and-a-half decades, CCI has not only survived industry shifts and ownership changes but has repeatedly redefined what rimfire cartridges can achieve, making high-performance ammunition accessible to millions of shooters while supporting military needs and handloaders alike.
Its story began with Richard “Dick” Speer (1915-1994), a talented machinist at Boeing’s Seattle plant and brother of Vernon Speer, founder of Speer Bullets. Just after World War II, Dick recognized an opportunity in the reloading market. He left Seattle to join his brother in Lewiston and began producing specialized cases using an impact-extrusion process in a small room at the Speer plant. After two name changes and partnering with Arvid Nelson, the company settled on Cascade Cartridges, Inc. (CCI).
Early challenges nearly derailed the venture. Post-war brass shortages made quality cartridge cases impractical. Speer pivoted to component primers, which were in desperately short supply. War-surplus primers offered limited options, so CCI stepped in. CCI’s very first shipment fulfilled a military contract using the older chlorate FA-70 formula. Quickly, the company shifted to safer, non-corrosive, non-mercuric primers for sporting use. For the first time, hobby reloaders enjoyed a reliable, steady supply of rifle and pistol primers—an unheard-of convenience that helped fuel America’s postwar shooting boom.
To scale production, they purchased a small former chicken ranch next to the Lewiston Gun Club. The farmhouse served as office and warehouse. Manufacturing began in a renovated chicken coop. As demand grew, modern labs and factories rose on the site. When the gun club relocated, CCI acquired the adjacent land, creating the footprint the plant still occupies today. This humble beginning in rural Idaho symbolizes the grassroots American entrepreneurship that defines CCI’s legacy.
In 2015 it became part of Vista Outdoor. In 2024, Vista Outdoor’s sporting products segment rebranded as The Kinetic Group and was acquired by Czechoslovakia’s CSG industrial group. Today, CCI sits alongside Federal, Remington, Speer, and many more under The Kinetic Group’s Ammo+ division. The Lewiston plant remains the heart of production, employing hundreds and upholding “Made in America” standards.
