<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-03-027875
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20011207
<FILING-DATE>20031029
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AMERICAN PACIFIC CORP
<CIK>0000350832
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2810
<IRS-NUMBER>596490478
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3770 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY STE 300
<CITY>LAS VEGAS
<STATE>NV
<ZIP>89109
<PHONE>7027352200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3770 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY STE 300
<STREET2>3770 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY STE 300
<CITY>LAS VEGAS
<STATE>NV
<ZIP>89109
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GIBSON JOHN R
<CIK>0001267778
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08137
<FILM-NUMBER>03963001
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3770 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY STE 300
<CITY>LAS VEGAS
<STATE>NV
<ZIP>89109
<PHONE>7027352200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3770 HOWARD HUGHES PKWY STE 300
<CITY>LAS VEGAS
<STATE>NV
<ZIP>89109
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd21006.xml
<DESCRIPTION>DECEMBER 2001 AMENDMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
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    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2001-12-07</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2002-01-08</dateOfOriginalSubmission><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000350832</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN PACIFIC CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>apfc</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001267778</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GIBSON JOHN R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3770 HOWARD HUGHES PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAS VEGAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NV</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>89109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CEO Chairman &amp; President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2001-12-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.375</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>54882</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2998</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>See footnote.</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-12-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1996-12-30</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2001-12-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-12-30</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2002-12-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>20000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-07-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2002-07-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-07-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-07-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-07-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-07-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-07-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-07-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.781</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-09-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-09-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>22500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>7.781</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-09-14</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2005-09-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>22500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>22500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.87</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-04-24</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-04-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options to Purchase</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>4.87</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-04-24</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-04-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">For the benefit of the Reporting Person.  Shares are held by an Institutional Fiduciary in the American Pacific Corporation Qualified Section 401(k) Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">This Form 4 is being amended to correct Table II, Columns 5, 8, 9 and 10 for Line 1, primarily to change Acquired (A) to Disposed (D).   An additional amendment was made to Item 1, Page 1 to reflect the address for Reporting Person as of the date of the filing of this amendment.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Omitted in accordance with General Instructions for Form 4, Rule 4(c)(iii).</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>David N. Keys, attorney-in-fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



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</SUBMISSION>
