Operating Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended																		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012 flare	Sep. 30, 2012	Jul. 01, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012	Oct. 02, 2011	Jul. 03, 2011	Mar. 31, 2013 flare segment	Mar. 31, 2012 flare	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2013 Sales Contract Concentration Risk	Mar. 31, 2012 Sales Contract Concentration Risk	Mar. 31, 2011 Sales Contract Concentration Risk	Mar. 31, 2013 Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2012 Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2011 Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2013 Segment Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2012 Segment Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2011 Segment Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2013 U.S. Government Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2012 U.S. Government Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2011 U.S. Government Sales Customer concentration	Mar. 31, 2013 Foreign customers Sales Geographic Concentration	Mar. 31, 2012 Foreign customers Sales Geographic Concentration	Mar. 31, 2011 Foreign customers Sales Geographic Concentration	Jan. 03, 2011 Aerospace Group	Mar. 31, 2013 Aerospace Group	Mar. 31, 2012 Aerospace Group	Mar. 31, 2011 Aerospace Group	Mar. 31, 2013 Aerospace Group Foreign customers Sales Geographic Concentration	Sep. 30, 2012 Defense Group	Mar. 31, 2013 Defense Group	Mar. 31, 2012 Defense Group	Mar. 31, 2011 Defense Group	Mar. 31, 2013 Defense Group Military small caliber ammunition contract Sales Contract Concentration Risk	Mar. 31, 2012 Defense Group Military small caliber ammunition contract Sales Contract Concentration Risk	Mar. 31, 2011 Defense Group Military small caliber ammunition contract Sales Contract Concentration Risk	Mar. 31, 2013 Defense Group Foreign customers Sales Geographic Concentration	Mar. 31, 2013 Sporting Group	Mar. 31, 2012 Sporting Group	Mar. 31, 2011 Sporting Group	Mar. 31, 2013 Sporting Group Foreign customers Sales Geographic Concentration	Mar. 31, 2013 Corporate	Mar. 31, 2012 Corporate	Mar. 31, 2011 Corporate	Mar. 31, 2013 Intersegment transactions	Mar. 31, 2012 Intersegment transactions	Mar. 31, 2011 Intersegment transactions
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of operating segments									3
Results by operating segment
Sales to external customers (as a percent)																												29.00%					45.00%							26.00%
Percentage of sales to major customer															100.00%	100.00%	100.00%				67.00%	65.00%	68.00%
External sales generated from military small-caliber ammunition contract (as a percent)																																				14.00%	15.00%	15.00%
Threshold percentage of sales accounted for by single contract or single commercial customer												10.00%	10.00%	10.00%				10.00%	10.00%	10.00%				4.00%
Sales to external customers (as a percent)																															29.00%								46.00%				25.00%
Sales to external customers									$ 4,362,145	$ 4,613,399	$ 4,842,264													$ 437,681	$ 702,981	$ 694,537		$ 1,248,446	$ 1,347,802	$ 1,432,678			$ 1,957,650	$ 2,262,777	$ 2,480,033					$ 1,156,049	$ 1,002,820	$ 929,553
Intercompany sales																												19,273	16,432	12,987			152,021	131,454	96,507					27,207	21,029	10,914		(198,501)	(168,915)	(120,408)
Total	1,153,875	1,056,182	1,069,787	1,082,301	1,311,242	1,117,484	1,109,418	1,075,255	4,362,145	4,613,399	4,842,264										2,931,893	2,922,202	3,281,035					1,267,719	1,364,234	1,445,665			2,109,671	2,394,231	2,576,540					1,183,256	1,023,849	940,467		(198,501)	(168,915)	(120,408)
Capital expenditures									96,889	122,292	130,201																	42,758	74,194	64,916			25,518	18,911	37,375					23,395	21,742	25,896		5,218	7,445	2,014
Depreciation									94,903	98,037	100,041																	41,375	46,061	38,507			30,055	31,741	41,165					17,298	16,741	13,642		6,175	3,494	6,727
Amortization of intangible assets									11,159	10,848	11,145																	1,466	1,142	2,454			1,864	1,864	862					7,829	7,842	7,829
Income before interest, loss on extinguishment of debt, income taxes and noncontrolling interest									469,643	495,586	525,726																	144,392	143,817	131,011			270,498	319,428	269,232					118,325	91,234	128,437		(63,572)	(58,893)	(2,954)	20,229	18,437	12,095
Total assets	4,383,010				4,541,746				4,383,010	4,541,746	4,443,845																	1,580,775	1,539,899	1,400,833			1,122,416	1,193,503	1,092,088					803,493	750,622	742,359		876,326	1,057,722	1,208,565
Benefit from a favorable contract resolution recognized																																18,000
Accrual related to LUU Flares litigation settlement	0				25,500				0	25,500
Additional warranty accrual		7,800								10,700
Maximum number of flares		76,000							76,000	76,000
Reduction in sales and profit on a commercial aerospace structures program																											$ 25,000