Buy Made-in-USA initiative?

[LiveLife]

We all have seen and heard "Buy USA made" push before. Heck, we even have "Buy California Initiative" for our agriculture!

After hearing another announcement for "Buy USA made" initiative announcement on the TV news tonight for requiring local/state government to only buy USA made products, I decided to do something. For my future shooting/reloading equipment/component purchases, whenever I have an equivalent USA made product option, I am planning to buy USA made.

I know, we've done this exercise before with powders and I realize that there are certain powders that some reloaders will not part with (like RL15 made in Sweden) and that's understandable.

What I am suggesting is to buy USA made "when possible/able" especially when there's an equivalent product available to retain my shooting/reloading dollars in USA to support USA companies. I am willing to pay a bit more with the satisfaction that I supported another USA company.

Here's my run down:

Equipment - Most of my equipment are USA made and will continue to buy USA made products.

Primers - I like Winchester/CCI primers so I will continue buying these.

Bullets - I believe all of my rifle and pistol jacketed/plated/lead bullets are made in USA, so no worries there.

Powders:
Alliant Bullseye, Promo, Green Dot, Unique, PowerPistol - made in USA
Winchester WST, W231, WSF, AutoComp - made in USA
Hodgdon Titegroup, HP-38, H335 - made in USA

Hodgdon Clays, Universal, H4895, Varget, - made in Austrailia but packaged in USA

IMR 4895 - made in Canada but packaged in USA

Alliant Reloader 15 - made in Sweden for Alliant

Vihtavuori N320 - made in Finland (I can use comparable burn rate Alliant/Hodgdon/Winchester powders)

Consumables (Brass, media, polish, solvent, cleaner, lube, etc.) - will continue to buy USA made


So, what say you? Anyone else want to join me on this personal initiative?

 

[Woody3]

Been doing it. I try to buy everything U.S.A made. Sometimes it isn't possible but most of the time an alternative is available if you look.

Woody


Keep your head low and your powder dry.

 

[1SOW]

Vihtavuori N320 - made in Finland (I can use comparable burn rate Alliant/Hodgdon/Winchester powders)

I too buy American for everything except the n320. While you can get approx. the same burn rate with other powders, they aren't single-based powders. They burn hotter and leave more residue with light loads in 9mm.

I may try some AA #5, but I don't think the Accurate load data looks promising in 124/125gr 9mm with 130+PF loads.

Vit n320:
Not positional
Not temp sensitive (in TX, 20 to 105+degs.)
Meters excellently
Cool Burning
No flash
Very clean burning even with 130PF loads
Needs just about 1/2 case-load/4.0 grs for 9mm with 125 gr bullet--can't double charge

 

[1stmarine]

I do that with everything, firearms, food, clothes, and electronics,,almost impossible, but at least it doesn't bother me so much if they are from friendly countries. I never buy from socialist, communist or radical Arab countries.
And that is my decision and my freedom. If everyone did the same then there wouldn't be any jobless here, at least for those who want to work.

 

[Snowbandit]

And I will only buy guns made in the USA also. No sense sending my money out of the country to support foreign economies that don't support us.

 

[LiveLife]

I too buy American for everything except the n320.

Like RL15, not willing to part with N320 is understandable. It's like me and W231/HP-38

Well, I did state "buy USA made 'when possible/able'"

 

[Walkalong]

There is certainly no better time than now to keep our money in the USA if possible, and not send it to places like China who look to pass us as a world power.

I would be hard pressed to quit N320 as well.

 

[spclpatrolgroup]

My brother is a cival engineer, he worked on a project funded by the stimulus plan, where a certain % of the materials had to be US in orgin. He said it made the project like 30-40% more expensive, and took an extra 2 weeks for sourcing the materials. Not that I like that, but that is the state of things, having said that, I still buy US over forien if I have the choice.

 

[beatledog7]

I am "engineered by people who also use it" and "made by people who know what they're doing and care about making a great product" and "available when I need it at a 'good value' price" sensitive.

If that means it was made in the USA, fine. If that means it was made in Germany or Japan or Belgium or Canada or the UK or any other country that isn't bent on destroying America, or if was made on Mars, also fine.

If that means it was made in a country that's lending money to our out-of-control Federal government and using the interest to build weapons so they can eventually conquer us, or made in a country that's harboring or supporting terrorists, then I'll find an alternative if possible.

If that means it was made by workers whose leadership supports big-government ideals and finances politicians who want to rob us of our freedoms and enslave us, I'll find an alternative if possible.

 

[1stmarine]

My family is well educated in this matter. And the same way they know I go and search to buy products from our local farmers here in the state, US made firearms, food, etc... then when they come back from shopping I feel very proud when they say. "Look daddy I got some shoes and they are made in Maine" and I am so proud they get it!.
When people bashed on any Keltec's quality issues I told them, don't worry they will work them out. As far as the firearms they make maybe they are not the ultimate weapon but they are a pretty good value for many, they are fun and they are made here so they will always get my dollars for whatever purpose.
Same thing with the other shooting supplies. Sadly sometimes we cannot find something here and that would be the last resource for me. I don't mind spending more in whatever supplies.
One dollar saved at walmart might be one dollar gone to a comunist country and invested towards the future missery of our children.
So that is why I say buy USA fireams and everything. If not possible at least from democratic allied countries.
Nothing wrong with a nice Beretta or a Glock that is fully assembled here in the USA.

 

[kelbro]

Very noble effort. I only wish that we could buy everything 'Made in America'. Unfortunately, that will never be the case again.

 

[ErikO]

My once-shot brass were fire-made in the US. Initial point of origin not that important to me when I'm picking it up off the range floor and plan on using it until it's lost or scrap.

HIPoint, Ruger & KelTec are both made in the US so no worries there. I still plan on getting a Rock Island 1911.

Now to get the 'Buy American Act' to have tighter restrictions on government purchases...

 

[OldMac]

I buy USA made first and Mexico/canada made 2nd. Unfortunately, the c&r ffl makes imports too tempting to resist.

 

[T Bran]

I buy USA made whenever the option is there and dont mind the extra cost.
Wish the USA only gas station experiment was available for my area cause funding the killing of our own people just rubs me the wrong way for some odd reason.
T

 

[1stmarine]

I hear folks all the time the government is sending the jobs overseas. I tell them really? how? This is each and everyone citizen's responsibility. Make a choice. I like keltec, Remington made here, Leupold, Redfield, Lake city, Federal and Hornady ammo plants here,
same thing with the great food from local farmers and markets. It doesn't take that much effort to find out asking a little or reading labels but we are too lazy (not everyone).
I never ever buy anything I find with the made in "those enemy places" brands. I like some olive oil from Italy and Spain, some cheese from Europe, Canada, some beer from Germany but is as far as I go occasionally. Everything else must come from here. If everyone demanded this from corporations above anything corporations would be forced to follow demand and eventually would be enough competition to drive local prices down. Don't be affraid to bring something to the counter ask for the store manager and ask where is the US made product showing the "made in XXX" tag. Never will be the prices some can make on those regimes as we do not allow slavery and torture of the workforce and the people.
...or do we?
Glocks, H&K and S&B scopes i have to put in the list of exceptions. Some have plants here and get assemble here, no much more.
Even if you see some of the Japanese they have nice scopes and they open car manufacturing plants here. Very different approach than other folks in that same region.
Each of us has the power to change things. Never underestimate that.

 

[wingman]

I buy American whenever possible,without manufacturing the American middle
class will be gone soon and along with that freedom.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Almost all my equipment is old and it's all American-made using American steel and iron. My only aluminum press is the Dillon, and it is old enough to have been made from American aluminum.

And I buy only American components, no Tupa, Wolf, or whatever primers or bullets.

 

[1SOW]

If you're old enough, President Reagan foretold all of this many years ago.
He predicted the decentralization of US production as well as the balancing of world production.

I won't balance anything with enemies to our way of life and liberty.

Hopefully our leadership will come from Americans who feel the same way.

This thread has grown somber.

 

[BBDartCA]

I've been to ADI facilities in Australia and know 1st hand how much work it takes to get the product over to the USA. I've seen the math and sincerely beleive there is more US labor content in bringing in powder from Australia versus making the powder in a modern US plant.

 

[1stmarine]

I think nobody here has been irrational. We want to consume here to produce jobs for our children everywhere here including the firearms industry and beyond, of course. Very simple.
What is happening nobody should be mad at anyone but our own apathy for not demanding this at the counter in the stores and to the representatives, wherever patriots might be found.
The firearms alone is a small problem considering everything else.
trading firearms and other products in a global economy with civilized allies? YEs,
Doing this with communist, fascist and extremist regimes that want to destroy the civilized world? no thanks!

 

[gun addict]

Nope, i buy whatever gets me the most with my cash. I the foreign market is such a competition it forces the US industry to adapt and overcome. Take for example how Glock and Springfield dominated the market not too long ago, and only then does US gun companies begun to develop quality polymer firearms such as the S&W MP to compete. Ford automotive is also a good example as they came out with the Ford Focus/Fusion to compete with the Japanese car market, namely the Camry series

competition is a good thing in capitalism, resorting to buying inferior US made products only makes things worst

and last thing, do you guys honestly think if you buy a, say, used Polytech M14 from a pawnshop that money somehow ends up in the pocket of the Chinese government? I mean.........really?

 

[Cosmoline]

I don't see a lot of point to it with reloading components. My bullets may be from Australia, my brass from Finland and my primers and powder from the US, but I don't view any of the vendors as foreign. All hand loaders are part of an international brotherhood. Besides, these are NOT big multinational evil companies here. They're usually pretty small outfits. Sometimes little more than family businesses. I'm confident I could visit any of these companies and find a welcome. These people are friends, often part of a real endangered species in their home countries. I'm going to keep supporting them.

 

[amlevin]

Buy USA makes a good bumper sticker but unfortunately there are some things no longer made here.

Ever try to buy a US made TV?

AND--

Not all "Foreign Names" are made in foreign countries. I drive a truck with a "Foreign Brand Name". It was designed here (lots of engineering jobs), parts made here by US Companies (more jobs for factory workers), Assembled here (more jobs in a factory), and transported to my Dealer by US trainmen and truck drivers.

Only thing that went "overseas" was a small percentage of the profit that was retained by the company. Remember, US shareholders in the company benefited too.

As BBDartCA said, there is more US labor involved, translated as US Dollars going into the US economy than most realize even if the basic product is imported. From the port Longshoremen, Train Crews, Truck Drivers, Warehouse men, Distributors, Sales Force, Advertising Companies, and Store Owners, there is a lot more money being spent here than people realize.

What's killing jobs in this country is over regulation and runaway government spending. The over regulation is obvious. The Debt is more insidious. The more the Government spends, that it doesn't have, puts pressure on the money supply, makes loans hard to get, reduces confidence in investors, and puts upward pressure on taxes.

 

[longdayjake]

The good thing about the shooting world is that most all the best stuff is made in the good old USA. That said, I will buy American made when I can but I won't buy something substandard simply because an American company is making it. The good news is that most of the high quality stuff is made in America. Electronics excluded. At least most of the software in electronics is American made. I personally believe that innovation and quality should be encouraged and rewarded no matter where it comes from. Hopefully, American companies can continue to meet those standards and exceed them. So far they have done pretty good for me.

 

[tuj]

If you buy a gun made in the USA, where was the steel made? Where was the iron ore and coking coal for the steel mined? Who made the machines to mine those resources? Its a giant rabbit hole you head down when you try to get around the fact that the world is a globalized economy. When you buy a Mercedes, I could argue you are buying American because the Germans use some US coal to power their factories. When you buy a computer, are you buying American because the chip design and software programming was done in the US while the fabrication of the parts was done in Taiwan or China?

Unless you know of a manufacturer who directly makes all their resource inputs and their own electricity, chances are there is a foreign country involved somewhere along the way. And the converse is true as well.