Tim Sheehy

U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy is suing an Idaho ammunition company in federal court for injuries he said he sustained while using Freedom Munition’s .308 rifle round, and he said the company has refused to recall the products, even though it acknowledged problems on its website.

The lawsuit said Sheehy, a Republican from Montana, has been injured twice from using the ammunition, and federal court documents claim he tried to reach a settlement with the company, but his attorneys couldn’t get a response from the Lewiston, Idaho manufacturer.

In court documents filed this month, Freedom Munitions acknowledges that it experienced problems with some of its .308 ammunition, and let consumers know via its website. It has denied all other allegations made by Sheehy.

The lawsuit was first filed in state district court, but was transferred to federal court because it involves residents of two states. The suit was transferred to the Helena division of the U.S. District Court and Judge Dana L. Christensen is overseeing it.

According to court documents, Sheehy had purchased 1,000 rounds of ammunition for his .308 Springfield Armory rifle for target practice. He said that when he was using the ammunition in the fall of 2024 in Meagher County, a round exploded in the chamber of the gun, sending shrapnel flying, and leaving him with cuts to his hands and face.

Sheehy then had another similar experience around Sept. 25, 2025 while using the same ammunition, according to court documents. He was using the same gun at his ranch with the same ammunition, and the round exploded in the chamber, sending shrapnel flying again. This time, the documents said that Sheehy’s injuries required medical assistance and stitches. He was also forced to cancel appointments.

The court records reference Sheehy’s training as a Navy SEAL and his background in firearms.

Both Freedom Munitions and Sheehy agree the company had put a notice about defective ammunition on its website, but Sheehy said the company made no efforts to let customers know, accusing it of burying the notice without taking more action.

“Despite the extreme danger caused by its defective merchandise, Freedom Munitions has placed profits over safety,” Sheehy said in court documents. “The Freedom Munitions .308 rifle ammunition was in a defective condition because it was improperly designed and prone to catastrophic failure.”

It’s not the first time Sheehy experienced problems with firearms. As he was running for the U.S. Senate, a 2015 incident surfaced showing he had been cited for carrying a firearm into Glacier National Park. He received a $525 ticket, which he paid. According to park records, Sheehy said he was hiking with his family, when he fell and his .45 Colt discharged, lodging a bullet into his arm. He was treated and released from an area hospital.

During the campaign, though, Sheehy denied he had accidentally shot himself, instead saying that he had been injured during his Navy SEAL service in Afghanistan. No military records could corroborate Sheehy’s version of events, though.

Sheehy is represented by Jeffrey Oven and Davis Connelley of Crowley Fleck in Billings. Freedom Munitions has retained Elizabeth Lund and Matthew Hayhurst of Boone Karlberg in Missoula.

Sheehy said that before filing the lawsuit, his attorneys asked for “nominal compensation” for his medical expenses and “a donation to a Montana healthcare charity on behalf of Freedom Munitions.”