In Dickens County and vicinity, if you happen to see a metallic green Jeep Wrangler tricked out in offroad gear with a lanky man at the wheel, you’ve likely spotted Jerry Schmidt. He’s well known around these parts, having stopped more than a few motorists in another attention-getting vehicle he drove for a dozen years.
Schmidt was a Texas Highway Patrol trooper from 2009 to 2021, distinguishing himself as a strict yet fair lawman. Among his duties, Schmidt was on a mission to make the roads safer for all who passed through his four-county territory.
That mission was cut short in June 2021 with a procedure to fuse two vertebrae in his neck. It was the first of three surgeries to try to repair a body broken through service to his community and country (he is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force as well as the Texas Air National Guard), and he had every intention of returning to the road.
The other two surgeries— rotator cuff repairs to both shoulders—put him closer to his goal, but longterm, debilitating pain in his lower back proved to be the decider of his fate. The decision to medically retire at 55 years old was clear, and he left the agency in May 2021.
While recuperating, the longtime Spur resident began researching his next step and he had a revelation: he needn’t leave behind everything he’s learned to pursue an income. He could, and would, lean on a lifetime of practical knowledge to enter the world of ammunition manufacturing.
Schmidt spent his childhood and youth in British Columbia, Canada, rural Colorado and the mountains of Arizona. Hunting and wilderness survival were necessities, as were knowledge of firearms and ammunition. It is second nature to him at this point and that knowledge informs his decisions today as an ammo manufacturer.
To make this midlife career switch successful, Schmidt spent hundreds of hours researching the industry, the machinery and the manufacture of commercial and custom ammunition.
With the support of his family, including wife, Doreen, and sons Cody and Tate, and numerous friends near and far, Schmidt purchased the equipment and began operations in a tidy shop on a hill overlooking his home.
He developed his company credo and its ethics, and a new mission was born. As the boss, Schmidt optedtoseekoutAmericanmade components, with an emphasis on veteranowned businesses and Texas-based operations.
His business, Triple S Ammunition, is itself an example of that credo, and it says so on every box that comes off the line: “Texas made. U.S. Veteran owned.”
Schmidt makes clear the nature of Triple S Ammo. It isn’t a hobby or backyard operation. It is a custom shop that uses computerguided machinery to produce high-quality rounds for customers ranging from individuals needing a box or two, to gun shops and other businesses seeking regular delivery of inventory.
M ost weekdays, Schmidt can be found in the shop, where two Mark 7 Revolution commercial loading presses rhythmically turn out rounds for hunting, defense or range practice.
He described the Mark 7 as a microprocessor monitored and controlled press that produces up to 3,500 rounds per hour. Schmidt said it is a hands-off system that ensures consistently high-quality rounds in a multitude of calibers.
Two short and busy years later, the business is moving nimbly and nearing a point of expansion. The demand for ammunition is only growing and Schmidt plans to grow with it.
There isn’t a day that goes by that Schmidt doesn’t miss working for the Texas Department of Public Safety. But he is grateful for the success of his company and for being able to help fellow veterans and Texans pursue their dreams.
Triple S Ammunition can be found on social media, or at (806) 271-4545.
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