RIO AMMO History
125 years manufacturing cartridges for hunting and sports shooting
HISTORY
Ever since Alfred Nobel began manufacturing cartridges with Maxam in 1872, the entire RIO team has worked unceasingly to reach our current position.
Having committed to innovation and continuous improvement, we work towards satisfying the expectations of millions of Americans who trust in us when practicing their pastime.
Thanks to this commitment, we have achieved global leadership in the manufacture of hunting and sports shooting cartridges of the highest quality and reliability.

The key to success
Patented technological advances, a completely integrated production line and the in-house production of all our components have made us the current worldwide leaders in the manufacture and sales of cartridges.
Our aim is for RIO AMMO to be a part of your hunting and shooting days, sharing the experience with all those who are with you.
featured dates

1872
Alfred Nobel founds the Sociedad Española de la Dinamita (SED) in Bilbao, Spain

1896
The major Spanish munitions and explosives manufacturers merge in order to establish Union de Explosivos de España (UEE) and the RIO cartridge is born LSports shooting becomes one of the new events in the first Olympiad of the modern era, in Athens, Greece

1900
Trap mode becomes an Olympic event at the Olympic Games in Paris, France

1968
Skeet mode makes its debut at the Olympic Games in Mexico D.F.

1994
UEE expands its business and commences sales of the RIO brand on the international marketplaces RIO exhibits for the first time at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, USA

1996
RIO celebrates its 100 years of age!

2002
RIO commences the sales of its hunting and shooting cartridges, together with MAXAM components, through its own sales office in the U.S.A.
RIO opens its first sales office in Italy

2003
RIO opens its own factory in McEwen, in the State of Tennessee, for the assembly of various ranges of cartridges for the U.S. market
RIO opens its first sales office in France

2004
RIO launches its top range of cartridges: Vinci and Venatum

2007
Alberto Fernández Muñoz begins shooting with RIO , going on to win numerous national and international championships and to represent Spain at the Olympic Games in 2008, 2012 and 2016

2009
RIO launches its BlueSteel, lead-free range of hunting and shooting cartridges

2012
RIO widens its range of lead-free cartridges with the launching of its Bismuth cartridges for hunting

2015
RIO Ammunition opens a new 9,800-square-foot factory in Marshall, Texas that will manufacture one million cartridges per day for the 20 million hunters and recreational shooters in the United States.

2016
RIO widens its range of Venatum cartridges with the introduction of the VIP Ojeo 28.

2018
RIO launches four new ranges of cartridges: Royal Turkey, Royal Pheasant, Vintage 1896, with paper hulls and Spreader dispersant lines
Alberto Fernández is asserted as world Trap champion in a very exciting final at Changwon, South Korea and becomes the first Spanish sportsperson to obtain a place in Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020

2019
RIO launches the Vintage 1896 Helices cartridge with a paper hull in order to satisfy the increasing trend in this discipline.
RIO Cartridges adds the Target Load Low Recoil option to its popular line of shooting cartridges

2020
2020 RIO launches its new line of Eco Wad cartridges with 100% water-soluble and compostable plug

2021
RIO celebrates its 125th Anniversary