Began Making Bullets As A Hobby

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30941, 23 December 1965, Page 10

Began Making Bullets As A Hobby

"The Press’’ Special Service AUCKLAND, Dec. 22.

A man whose business began with a bang and has remained that way ever since, visited Auckland recently on a business tour of New Zealand.

He is Mr V. D. Speer, the owner and managing-director of one of the biggest firms in the world making highprecision bullets.

His firm makes about 30 million bullets each year and uses about 20,0001 b of lead a week in the process. The firm also prints a book which tells the amateur how to make a bullet and gives the figures necessary for the different types of gun and ammunition.

Mr Speer started his business in a small way, making precision bullets first for himself and then for his friends.

He was originally an engineer and diemaker and has designed and developed most

of the machinery used in his factory. The firm supplies bullets to countries all over the world. Some orders can be very large, like the one from the Santa Rica police department in the Caribbean, which ordered and got 2,100.0001 b of bullets. Besides being interested in guns and ammunition. Mr Speer is a very keen flier who has held a pilot’s licence since 1927.

He owns and flies two planes, using them for business and pleasure.