Strippers and the fire arm idustry

[Varminterror]

I think Marlin/Remington has much more to do with corporate bean counters, creative banking deals, and predatory acquisition than with honest lack of business or lack of profitability.

It’s relatively naive to think fiscally strong companies fall victim to the traps you described above. Marlin had weakened with increasing production costs and reduced market volume for years - including a few flops which were meant to modernize their model lineup (their bolt guns, Marlin Express cartridges, etc) - and in their weakened state, distressed capital, they had their hands out to be rescued by Freedom/Remington.

Alternatively, Savage is an example of a company which hit hard times, was acquired by a capital management group, and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps to eventually buy themselves back in prosperity.

 

[Poper]

Alternatively, Savage is an example of a company which hit hard times, was acquired by a capital management group, and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps to eventually buy themselves back in prosperity.

This requires vision, integrity and discipline of the company BOD and management coupled with determination. Qualities rarely seen in American businesses these days where greed and maximizing profit over quality is mission essential.
JMHO, of course.

 

[Varminterror]

It also helps when you produce products which fit the majority customer. Marlin and H&R/NEF didn’t, so they were susceptible to predation moreso than companies like Ruger - who ultimately bought them - or Savage, who rescued themselves from distressed capital management.

 

[.308 Norma]

They went under and now we may never see that Brand again

Yeah, and good riddance IMHO.
You see, we don't all like the same gun companies, and I'm not about to buy another gun (I DID buy a TC "Contender" once upon a time) from a company that I had a dismal experience with just to help them stay in business.
I don't mean to offend - your experiences with a gun company might be entirely different than mine with the same company. You might have had excellent experiences with say, TC and Remington. But I've had bad experiences with both of them, and I won't shed a tear over their demise, much less would I have spent a nickel to keep them in business.

 

[CapnMac]

. I'd hate to see our firearm industry's fail due to us never getting New rifles.

The evidence that the Firearms Industry is on its last legs and near to eclipse is not exactly concrete.

There have been some, to pick a single term, interesting, changes in the industry in the last few years. The only one of real note was the Remington bankruptcy--which was close to a decade in going from start to finish.
Some of that was the way the company running Remington kept buying up older companies that were behind the curve for labor/machine costs and the like (see Marlin).

CZ, an enterprising and vital company breathed some real life into moribund Colt (if mostly keen on Dimarco; Colt Canada, for its military contracts).
Ruger is bringing out some of the Marlin line it purchased out of the Remington bankruptcy.
There are any number of smaller companies that come and go--that's the nature of small companies right on the edge of financial stability.

So, yes, we should support our LGSs as much as we can (within reason, obviously). The "biz" is generally ok.

 

[Mosin77]

It’s relatively naive to think fiscally strong companies fall victim to the traps you described above. Marlin had weakened with increasing production costs and reduced market volume for years - including a few flops which were meant to modernize their model lineup (their bolt guns, Marlin Express cartridges, etc) - and in their weakened state, distressed capital, they had their hands out to be rescued by Freedom/Remington.

Alternatively, Savage is an example of a company which hit hard times, was acquired by a capital management group, and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps to eventually buy themselves back in prosperity.

It’s more naive to suggest that companies go out of business just because their customers forget about them and never buy any new products since they like the old ones so well.

A Marlin 336 made in 1951 may still shoot as well as the day it was made if it has been well maintained. And it might well have been Grandpa’s only rifle. But the odds that his grandchildren will be satisfied with it alone are slim. The debt fiasco that Remington found itself in was truly ruinous… but it had a lot more to do with “financial engineering” than it did with not enough hunters buying their rifles and shotguns.

 

[Rodfac]

I think Marlin/Remington has much more to do with corporate bean counters, creative banking deals, and predatory acquisition than with honest lack of business or lack of profitability.

Ain't that the truth...with demand at sky high levels, they managed to go out of business....Rod

 

[Varminterror]

It’s more naive to suggest that companies go out of business just because their customers forget about them and never buy any new products since they like the old ones so well.

This is exactly what happened to Marlin.

Marlin made a lot of firearm models at various times, but refined down to their niche - the levergun. As levergun market waned, so did their sales, so then brought forward new bolt action rifles and even their own proprietary cartridges… which nobody bought… lots of expense on a Hail Mary which never realized its projected returns, and the company effectively was on life support until Rem finally pulled the plug on the whole thing…

 

[Mosin77]

This is exactly what happened to Marlin.

Marlin made a lot of firearm models at various times, but refined down to their niche - the levergun. As levergun market waned, so did their sales, so then brought forward new bolt action rifles and even their own proprietary cartridges… which nobody bought… lots of expense on a Hail Mary which never realized its projected returns, and the company effectively was on life support until Rem finally pulled the plug on the whole thing…

Yet levergun sales are booming right now.
“New Coke” phenomenon? Everyone realizes that Winchester and Marlin are no longer making their tried-and-true and affordable rifles and the market blows up?

 

[rust collector]

If a company builds an appealing firearm and stands behind it, it will prosper. If the company does not do a good job of building, marketing, and listening to consumers, I can't afford to support it. Manufacturers have to adjust to changes in markets and demand by product improvement if they want to stay healthy.