New Ammo Factory Opens in Historic WWII Aviation Plant: First Breach Ammunition

Recent years have seen unprecedented surges in the price and availability of ammunition. Many of you will remember the peak of the Covid pandemic when ammunition was almost unobtainable, and if you could find it, 9mm was going for .90 cents a round and 12-gauge slugs for at least $3 a round. Even the lowest quality Russian steel-case ammunition was considered a hot commodity and became highly desired. While this was not the first time ammo prices shot up, that particular period was arguable the worst in recent history in terms of ammunition availability and prices. Much of the scarcity was due to panic buying and large-scale hoarding, a phenomenon that was occurring simultaneously with everything from bottled water and batteries to band-aids and toilet paper. However, there was another major factor that led to these shortages, a lack of production caused by scarcity of available materials. Basic ammunition components were going for exorbitant prices, with primers being an especially rare commodity. To make matters worse, several major ammunition manufactures had recently either gone out of business or stopped selling to the public altogether, and those that were still producing were stretched thin and overburdened with demand. In the years since the peak of the pandemic, panic buying has stopped, and ammunition prices have stabilized significantly. This is largely in part due to new manufacturers stepping to fill the void left by companies no longer producing or importing ammunition.  

One of these new companies stepping in to fill the void is First Breach. Founded in 2022 by Jeffrey Low, and his son Jordan, First Breach aims to provide high quality ammo at a fair price to government agencies, the military, and most importantly, civilian shooters. Jeffrey is the CEO, and his son Jordan is the COO and President. Jordan is an IDF veteran of the prestigious Golani Brigade, an infantry unit Israel sends to complete some of its most difficult and dangerous combat assignments. In the summer of 2014, Jordan was wounded in combat in Gaza during Operation “Protective Edge” after a Hamas anti-tank missile scored a direct hit on the building Jordan’s squadron was in, and Jordan suffered severe smoke inhalation, necessitating a long recovery before he could return to combat duty. 

After an honorable discharge from the military, Jordan and his father went into business together, naming their new ammunition company “First Breach” in honor of Jordan’s unit (Golani 51), known in Hebrew as the “First Breachers.” What’s fascinating about this company is that it’s located in the former Fairchild Republic aviation plant in Hagerstown, MD, only minutes from the Pennsylvania and West Virginia state lines and just over an hour’s drive from Washington DC. Opened in the 1930’s, the 75,000 square foot Fairchild plant produced over 5000 PT-19, PT-23 and PT-26 trainers between 1939 and 1944. These training aircraft were essential to the war effort as they were used to train fighter pilots going into combat in both the European and Pacific theaters. 

But the Plant’s days of military aviation production did not end with the capitulation of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The Cold War in fact saw the peak of military aircraft production at the Hagerstown factory. In 1947, production began on the C-119 Flying Box Car. In 1949 Fairchild manufactured the C-123 Provider. In 1966, the Fairchild-Hiller FH-1100 Turbine Helicopter was made at the factory, and 1971 saw the production of the Fairchild AU-23 Peacemaker; a front propeller counter-insurgency aircraft. Most importantly of all, starting in 1972, Fairchild began assembling the A10 Warthog. In total, 716 A10’s were assembled there between 1972 and 1983.  The factory itself is located right next to Hagerstown municipal airport. At that airport, there is a landing strip for Air Force 1, which regularly flies in to bring the president and his entourage to Camp David, which is only 15 minutes away. As this facility was an essential part of the military industrial complex during both WWII and the Cold War, the factory is prepared for nuclear war. Not only does it have its own electrical substation, but there is also an underground bunker which was designed to withstand a nuclear blast on Washington DC. The bunker is now a 30-yard indoor firing range for ballistic testing of the products manufactured in the factory above. And in case you were wondering, no: this range is not open to the public.

Unlike many other ammunition manufacturers, First Breach not only produces their own cups and casings, but they even smelt their own lead on premises for lead cores. The only components they do not currently manufacture on site are primers and gun powder, but they have obtained approval to manufacture primers and are only waiting for the equipment, which hopefully be up and running within six months. Currently, First Breach is manufacturing 55- and 62-grain 5.56mm and .223, and 115- and 124-grain 9mm FMJ, but they plan to expand into .308 and 7.62x39. First Breach ammo is available to the public through several major distributors. Their ammo has gained popularity among competition shooters (who are winning medals with it) and many law enforcement agencies are loving it. 

First Breach has a lot to be proud of. While many manufacturing jobs are being exported overseas, First Breach employs 25 skilled workers, and hopes to hire another 30 by next year.  In terms of their long-term goals, First Breach has managed to obtain Israel Ministry of Defense Import and Export licenses and hopes to eventually have their ammunition adopted by both the Israel Defense Forces and US Military. So far, several unnamed governments have sent military attaches to check out the plant and assess the ammunition for possible adoption by their militaries. Without a doubt, First Breach is a welcome addition to the firearms Industry and shooting community. We wish them lots of success! For more information about First Breach and their products, visit their website at FirstBreach.com.

About the author:

Yonatan Stern, is an IDF veteran and professional firearms instructor. He is the director of Cherev Gidon Israeli Tactical Training Academy in Honesdale, PA. Yonatan can be reached at: mefaked@cherevgidon.com 

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