I'm not sure of the best way to answer you so I'll try two ways.

Simple answer: Ludwig outsources the shells to a different company in the USA.

Longer answer: I believe there was a misinterpretation of this sentence of mine:

and Vintagemore2000 read "they" as "Ludwig". But if you look at the previous sentence:

and what followed:

The "they" was intended to mean the other metal working factory to which the shells were outsourced. I usually try and avoid "detached" pronouns and the like so that this sort of thing is less likely to happen. But I didn't avoid that construction in this case. I am sorry, because I didn't avoid the ambiguous construction.

I'm starting to feel I'm flogging a dead horse here. Have I answered your question well enough? If not I can always try again.

I understand what your saying thanks. I'm fairly certain the shells aren't out of North Carolina. Do you think the photos of the shells are on the DFO?

I vaguely remember reading an article specifically regarding L..... metal shells. A visitor at a certain plant looked in a large pallet-size cardboard container. In it were neatly stacked chrome and brass snare shells. The visitor asked the person he was with "where did those come from". And the answer was not "here in the U.S". I can't remember any more than that, but I do remember being very disappointed and feeling manipulated. Marketing people need to come clean and realize we are all adults and hiding the truth is close to lying.

Ludwig has been outsourcing their metal shells for a very long time. Since the 60's anyway, So nothing new.

Apparently, no American drum company makes their own metal hardware like lugs, hoops, t-rods, etc. If not true, please let me know who they are. I've asked a similar question and got no answers.

It was my understanding that Ludwig's high-end metal shells were made in the US by others. Ludwig finishes and assembles the drums in Monroe.

For what it's worth, being assembled in the US is a selling point for me. For many reasons (political, environmental and personal), I try not to buy anything Chinese made when possible.

Is it Worldmax?

http://www.worldmaxusa.com/cart_product.cfm/cat/12732

"Make no mistake; it’s no coincidence or industry rumour that WorldMax supply their shells to other drum companies to badge up as ‘their own’ drums!" - http://adcdrums.co.uk/world-max-brass-black-snare-drums__p-339.aspx

Plenty of metal spinners in the good ole' USofA, like these guys...

http://www.lgspin.com/

Ludwig did say that back at the Chicago plant they were using a Chicago shell supplier. During the late 60's thru the 80's.

From both my research&understanding,

More then 95% of ALL American &even here in Australia source&use Keller shells.

The exceptions are of course:Brady,Deejay, Metro, Moody, &Mastro(who make ONLY snare drums of brass bronze&copper).Gretsch &Rogers used both Jasper&Keller as did Pearl in the 70s-80s when they were making there own in thre USA.Sonor, Tama, Yamaha either make or outsource there own shells but NOT Keller.Same goes for 95% of "boutique/custom" drum manufactuers such as Eames, Vauhncraft, etc use Keller shells.I read or was told somewere by someone on another forum that Gibraltar make both DW's&Ludwigs 3000, 6000, 7000& Atlas line of hardware.Most if not all of the custom drum makers use either American, Euro, ***, or uk metal parts.If not then they're made/outsourced from Korea or Taiwan i.e. Ludwigs Accent&Centennial line(even though both used American sourced&made shells) dunno about Slingerland.In the 50s&60s Dandy&Drouyn used both Ludwig&Premier parts (hoops, tension rods, shells, lugs, spurs etc).Look what happened to Rogers Swivomatic Yamaha copied them! CB made the shells for Pearls free floaters Dunnett made(or continue to make) both snare shells&stainless drums (complete kits) for Ludwig.

Well I can tell you (I guess most of us know) that DW make their own shells in the oxnard factory. Although I'm not sure about the metal snares.

The hardware however is fully R+D'd in the Oxnard workshops, they make all the prototypes there. They also specially plate custom ordered finishes. But the real leg work is of course done in China, that's where the mass producing is. To me it doesn't matter that much for hardware, especially as I know each component was actually designed in the U.S. factory before being tendered out.

Only issue is jobs I guess, but then the pollution caused by such foundries churning out metal parts would be stifling to any environment. NIMBY as we Brits say!