Carson City’s Battle Born Ammo and Firearms open for business

Catering to Carson City and area residents who think defensively, Battle Born Ammunition and Firearms’ retail outlet is open and plans a big weekend.

The store at 1891 E. William St., Suite A, scheduled a grand opening event Saturday and Sunday and said it came about two weeks after opening doors as an offshoot of the two-year old ammunition manufacturing concern under the same name in Mound House. Features at the shop include honoring veterans with discount pricing and a signature wall, offering locally-made and custom-tailored ammunition, and a ladies section with concealed carry purses and other items.

But another feature of the 700 square foot shop just west of Pollo Loco on William Street is touted by the former Carson City deputy sheriffs who run it.

“We make sure that our prices are competitive,” said David Dunbar, a partner.

Dunbar and Rudy Hindelang, the colleague who began the ammunition-making side of the business in a Moundhouse industrial park and brought Dunbar in as the firm expanded to include retail, cited another feature as they stressed the custom aspect of the ammunition they can provide. The other feature is instruction by Trinity Tactical, LLC, regarding firearms use, safety and concealed carry. Gary Underhill of Trinity Tactical was on hand to tout that aspect.

“We have a tremendous amount of teaching experience and a true passion for reaching out to our students,” said Underhill, another former Carson City deputy and a combat veteran. Underhill, a certified firearms instructor, said he and a Trinity Tactical associate have a combined 50 years of experience, teach at the Battle Born shop and a firing range, and even include training in low light and no light weaponry tactics.

Hindelang, meanwhile, emphasized his work on the ammunition. He said he customizes it for individual shooters and weapons. He enjoys doing so, but said an amusing aside to his precision work on ammo is he often focuses on an alternative form of weaponry. “What’s funny is I’m more of an archer,” he said. But when it comes to business, he zeroes in on firearms ammunition.

“I’m one of the very few companies in the country that will load nine major,” he said, explaining nine major refers to shooting competition ammunition. He said his firm also sponsors two 16-year-old competitors.

Hindelang and Dunbar said the shop’s focus is defensive weaponry rather than hunting firearms, though they can order anything and have it in for customers after a couple of days or so. Dunbar said larger sporting retail outlets cater to hunters, and much of the weaponry in the store reinforces that message. Most of the firearms on display are handguns, but the shop also carries AK 47 and AR 15 long guns.

The new retail business didn’t open on the spur of the moment.

“We’ve been friends for 21 years,” said Dunbar. “We had talked about going into business many years ago.” Now they’re partners in the Battle Born shop, with Dunbar talking up the specific features at the store. He said there’s a wall for veterans to sign and provide their military background information, and the firm offers 10 percent or 15 percent discounts to such customers.

“If they’re veteran ladies, it’s a double,” he said, pointing out the concealed carry purses and other female items available.

Hindelang also stressed the veterans’ connection. He talked of additional aspects.

“We are preseting returning vets with commemorative rifles free of charge as a thank you,” he declared. “We plan on hosting a Christmas for deployed families.”

The new shop is open weekdays from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. It currently carries 30 weapons but it’s going to swell that to 45 or so when full stock is in place after delays at the port of Los Angeles smooth out. The store also carries a host of items related to weaponry, including the locally made ammunition.