Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP)
established in 1941
3,935-acre
Independence, Missouri
- 1941 established by Remington Arms
- first of 12 small arms plants run by the Army
- WWII 21,000 full-time workers produced 50 million rounds per year
- 1985 operations taken over by Olin Corporation
- April 2001 operated by Alliant Techsystems (ATK)
- 2018 acquired by Northrop Grumman
- 1.6 billion round per year production capacity
- 5.56 mm
- 7.62 mm
- 50 caliber
- 20 mm
- Foundation for Exceptional Warriors
– annual turkey hunt for veterans
– 4,000 private acres
About the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant
The Lake City Army Ammunition Plant is a government-owned, contractor-operated U.S. Army facility on 3,935 acres in northeastern Independence, Missouri. Established as the Lake City Arsenal in December 1940 and brought into production in 1941 by Remington Arms with assistance from DuPont, it was the first of 12 small arms ammunition plants the Army built for World War II. Lake City has operated continuously since the war apart from one five-year period, and it produced more than 17 billion rounds for the U.S. military between 2000 and 2018. Its lines produce 5.56mm, 7.62mm, .50 BMG and 20mm cartridges.
Lake City matters to American shooters well beyond the military. Ammunition and brass bearing the “LC” headstamp are familiar on civilian ranges, and the plant has sold large volumes of commercial ammunition. Its operating contractor has changed several times: Olin took over from Remington in 1985, Alliant Techsystems (ATK) began operating it in 2000, and the plant passed to Orbital ATK and then Northrop Grumman through corporate mergers. In October 2020, Winchester, a unit of Olin Corporation, assumed full management and operational control, with a workforce of about 2,000 and annual output approaching 2 billion cartridges. The site has also been on the EPA’s Superfund National Priorities List since 1987, with ongoing environmental cleanup.
Key Facts
- December 1940: Established as the Lake City Arsenal; production begins in 1941 under Remington Arms.
- 1985: Olin Corporation takes over operations from Remington.
- 1987: Added to the EPA’s National Priorities List (Superfund).
- 2000: Alliant Techsystems begins operating the plant.
- 2018: Northrop Grumman acquires Orbital ATK, the plant’s operator.
- October 2020: Olin’s Winchester division assumes full management and operational control.
Learn More
Sources
- Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (Wikipedia)
- Winchester Assumes Operational Control of Lake City Ammo Plant (Shooting Illustrated)
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