Advanced Armament Corporation
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defense |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | 1816 Remington Circle Huntsville, Alabama[1] |
| Products | Firearms, weapons, sound suppressors |
| Parent | JJE Capital Holdings, LLC. |
| Website | advanced-armament.com |
Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) is an American company that develops and manufactures firearms, firearm suppressors, muzzle devices and related accessories.
History
[edit]Kevin Brittingham founded Advanced Armament Corporation in 1994 to manufacture sound suppressors, having previously been a distributor for GEMTECH, another suppressor manufacturer.[2] Under his direction, AAC grew to be one of the largest suppressor manufacturers in the U.S., including a number of small military contracts. Of note, one of AAC's chief suppressor designers is Robert Silvers, creator of the PhotoMosaic. In 2009, Brittingham sold the company to Remington Arms. Robert Silvers remained at the company as a leader of research and development.[3] In early 2015 AAC moved locations from Lawrenceville, Georgia to a new, larger, state of the art facility in Huntsville, Alabama.
Parent company Remington Outdoor Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2018.[4] As a result of the bankruptcy auction, the company was sold to JJE Capital Holdings, LLC in September 2020.[5][better source needed]
JJE Capital Holdings, which also owns Palmetto State Armory,[6] integrated AAC into its portfolio. This acquisition marked a new chapter for AAC, with efforts focused on revitalizing the brand and expanding its product lines, including ammunition and suppressors. Under the new ownership, AAC benefits from shared resources and strategic alignment with Palmetto State Armory, allowing for greater innovation and market reach.
Products
[edit]AAC's suppressor lineup includes models suitable for virtually every firearm caliber between .22 Long Rifle and .50 BMG. Rimfire models include the Aviator2, and Element2. Centerfire pistol caliber suppressors include the Ti-Rant series and Illusion9 the only true eccentric designed suppressor to utilize factory sights as well as allowing the use of rail mounted accessories on the host firearm, both of which use an interchangeable piston system in their Nielsen device. Centerfire rifle suppressors include the M4-2000 (used by numerous military units including the Navy SEALs), 762-SDN-6, SR series, and Cyclone (for .30 caliber precision rifles).[7]
The company's Titan-QD Fast-Attach suppressor is used on the US Army's M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle and the Remington MSR (Modular Sniper Rifle).[8][9] The suppressor eliminates 98 percent of muzzle flash, 60 percent of recoil, and reduces sound by 32 decibels.[10]
Rimfire suppressors
[edit]- Element 2: The Element is a premium "thread-on" suppressor for handguns and rifles chambered in .17 HMR, .22 LR, and .22 WMR.[11][better source needed]
- Aviator 2: All aluminum "thread-on" suppressor for handguns and rifles chambered in .22 LR that is user serviceable.[12]
Integrally suppressed rimfire firearms (discontinued)
[edit]- Dragonfly: The Dragonfly is an integrally suppressed Ruger MK II pistol.[13]
- Phoenix: The Phoenix is an integrally suppressed Ruger 10/22 rifle.[14]
Pistol suppressors
[edit]- Illusion9 is an eccentric designed suppressor to utilize factory sights as well as allowing the use of rail mounted accessories on the host firearm[15]
- Ti-Rant Series suppressors designed for use with either 9mm or .45 ACP caliber pistols that is made from Titanium. Short versions were manufactured using an "S" suffix in the model names and a modular 45 caliber suppressor known as the Ti-Rant 45M has replaced the standard and short versions of the 45 silencer.[16][17]
Rifle suppressors
[edit]- M4-2000 designed for use with firearms chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO/.223 Remington.[18]
- 762-SDN-6 Fast attach 7.62 silencer optimized for the 300 AAC Blackout cartridge.[19]
Muzzle devices
[edit]In 2011, AAC was awarded a $14,201,731 contract for the muzzle brakes that they produce known as the "Brakeout". This contract was procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce and Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.[20]
In 2016 the BlastOut gives users the ability to redirect muzzle blast forward when shooting unsuppressed.[21]
.300 AAC Blackout
[edit]The .300 AAC Blackout cartridge was developed by Advanced Armament Corporation in cooperation with Remington Defense, under the direction of Kevin Brittingham. The round is very similar to the .300 Whisper cartridge created years earlier by SSK Industries, but AAC submitted the cartridge for SAAMI standardization and allows any manufacturer to use the specifications. This has led to far wider adoption than the .300 Whisper, which is proprietary to SSK. This round has the same overall length and width as the popular 5.56×45mm NATO round, except it fires a 30 caliber bullet allowing for better barrier penetration and external ballistics from short barrels. These dimensions allow the 300 AAC Blackout to be used in existing magazines designed for M16 or AR-15 rifles. Because the rim of the cartridge is identical, the same bolt and carrier can be used for both cartridges.[22]
Rifles
[edit]- Honey Badger, a suppressed personal defense weapon based on the AR-15 and chambered in .300 AAC Blackout.
- MPW (Multi-Purpose Weapon), a rifle chambered in .300 AAC Blackout, made with 16" and 12.5" barrels.[23][24]
American Silencer Association
[edit]AAC was a founding member of the American Silencer Association (ASA), a nonprofit trade association "to further the pursuit of education, public relations, legislation, hunting applications and military applications for the silencer industry".[25][26] AAC also partners with the National Rifle Association of America in grassroots lobbying efforts to educate voters about firearms legislation.[27]
References
[edit]- ^ Corp., Advanced Armament. "Contact Us". Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
- ^ "SIG SAUER Announces New Positions". Shooting Industry. May 1, 2014. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "Freedom Group, Inc. Forms Office of the Chief Executive Officer". Defense & Aerospace Week. October 6, 2010. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Sagi, Guy J. (May 24, 2018). "Remington Emerges from Bankruptcy Protection". Shooting Illustrated. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
- ^ "Bankruptcy statement" (PDF). thetruthaboutguns.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
- ^ "Portfolio Companies". JJE Capital Holdings. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
- ^ Brandon Webb; Glen Doherty (2010). The 21st-Century Sniper: A Complete Practical Guide. Skyhorse Publishing Inc. p. 69. ISBN 978-1616080013.
- ^ "Hanna Announces Remington Receives $80 Million Contract". States News Service. March 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Gourley, Scott R. (March 1, 2011). "XM2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle". Army Times. Retrieved July 2, 2014.[dead link]
- ^ Army's XM2010 sniper rifle gets full fielding - Armytimes.com, April 25, 2011
- ^ Leghorn, Nick (2011). "Silencer Review: AAC Element". The Truth About Guns. Archived from the original on July 25, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ^ Corp., Advanced Armament. "AVIATOR2™". AAC. Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ Paulson, Al (2003). "The AAC Dragonfly .22LR Pistol". Las Vegas: Small Arms Review.
- ^ Paulson, Al (2002). "AAC Phoenix Silenced .22 Rifles". Las Vegas: Small Arms Review.
- ^ Corp., Advanced Armament. "ILLUSION 9". AAC. Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ Markel, Paul (July 20, 2012). "The Quiet Continues: Suppressed Pistols". Archived from the original on July 22, 2012.
- ^ "Pistol". Advanced Armament Corp. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012.
- ^ "M4-2000". Advanced Armament Corp. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012.
- ^ "762-SDN-6". Advanced Armament Corp. Archived from the original on August 17, 2012.
- ^ "Advanced Armament Corp Awarded Contract for Family of Muzzle Brakes". Info-Prod Research (Middle East). September 16, 2011. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Corp., Advanced Armament. "BlastOut 51T". Archived from the original on June 26, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ "300 AAC Blackout, New Caliber, New Mission". Military Times.
- ^ Corp., Advanced Armament. "MPW". Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
- ^ "Advanced Armament Corp. - 2013 Catalog". Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
- ^ "American Silencer Association". Silencer Shop. January 23, 2012. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Association Represents Silencers". Shooting Industry. August 1, 2012. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ Girardot, Frank (November 5, 2012). "Frank Girardot: It's Time to Get One of Those "I Voted" Stickers". Whittier Daily News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.