Owen
Moderator Emeritus
I am a supplier to FN.
This is confirmed: It's posted all over FN Manufacturing. (FN owns USRAC)
This is confirmed: It's posted all over FN Manufacturing. (FN owns USRAC)
USRAC/Winchester is quitting
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Owen
Moderator Emeritus
USRAC has been in the red for 20 years. FN Herstal just stopped the bleeding.
jeff-10
Member
If they stop selling 94s and 70s, they pretty much are headed out of business. Not to mention what happens to all those WSM and WSSM cartridges they developed if there aren't 70s chambered for them?
walmart has nice price's on winchesters. i think im going to buy the ones ive been wanting and maybe a couple more to make some money. i would rather see them stay in business though 
sad to see such great firearm company go out of business.
i would think those 3 models would make up the bulk of there sales thats just me though.
sad to see such great firearm company go out of business.i would think those 3 models would make up the bulk of there sales thats just me though.
alamo
Member
They're closing the whole factory:
End of an era as Winchester rifle plant prepares to close
By MATT APUZZO
Associated Press Writer
January 17, 2006, 4:52 PM EST
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- U.S. Repeating Arms Co. Inc. said Tuesday it will close its Winchester firearm factory, threatening the future of a rifle that was once called "The Gun that Won the West."
"It's part of who we are as a nation just like it's part of who we are as a city," Mayor John DeStefano said.
The announcement touched off a lobbying effort by city officials and union leaders who hoped to find a buyer for the plant before it closes March 31. If no buyer comes forward, it could spell the end for nearly all commercially produced Winchesters, said Everett Corey, a representative of the International Association of Machinists District 26.
"Winchester would be pretty much defunct," he said. "They're not going to produce them, other than a couple custom-type models."
The company has been plagued by slumping firearm sales. More than 19,000 people worked there during World War II, but the plant employs fewer than 200 now. All will lose their jobs when the plant closes.
The Winchester model 1873 lever action rifle was popular among American frontiersmen at the end of the 19th century for its reliability. John Wayne made the Winchester rifle a signature of his movies and Chuck Connors posed menacingly with his Winchester on the poster for the television series "The Rifleman."
"Marlin made lever-action rifles but nobody ever had a Marlin in films or TV series. They were always Winchesters," said Ned Schwing, a firearms historian.
Perhaps the company's greatest unofficial spokesman was President Teddy Roosevelt, who used the 1895 model on his famous 1909 African safari, which historians credited with boosting the sale of Winchester sporting rifles.
Since the plant opened in 1866, tens of millions of Winchester rifles have been produced, the bulk of which came between the late 1800s and the end of World War II, said firearms historian R.L. Wilson, who has written books about Winchester. More than six million copies of the Winchester Model 94, the company's most popular rifle, have been produced.
"Several generations have worked at this place, a lot of fathers and brothers, sons, uncles and daughters," said Paul DeMennato, facility director at U.S. Repeating Arms.
U.S. Repeating Arms, which is owned by the Herstal Group, a Belgium company, has said for years that it was on the brink of closing the plant.
DeMennato said the company is negotiating the plant's sale. Missouri-based Olin Corp. owns the Winchester brand name. In the late 1970s, after a massive strike by its machinists, Olin sold the plant to U.S. Repeating Arms along with the right to use the Winchester name until next year.
Olin had no immediate word on its plans for the Winchester name. DeMennato said he hopes the name will be sold along with the plant. Nobody at Herstal's headquarters in Belgium could be reached Tuesday afternoon. ___
On the Web:
U.S. Repeating Arms: http://www.usracmfg.com
Winchester firearms: http://www.winchesterguns.com
End of an era as Winchester rifle plant prepares to close
By MATT APUZZO
Associated Press Writer
January 17, 2006, 4:52 PM EST
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- U.S. Repeating Arms Co. Inc. said Tuesday it will close its Winchester firearm factory, threatening the future of a rifle that was once called "The Gun that Won the West."
"It's part of who we are as a nation just like it's part of who we are as a city," Mayor John DeStefano said.
The announcement touched off a lobbying effort by city officials and union leaders who hoped to find a buyer for the plant before it closes March 31. If no buyer comes forward, it could spell the end for nearly all commercially produced Winchesters, said Everett Corey, a representative of the International Association of Machinists District 26.
"Winchester would be pretty much defunct," he said. "They're not going to produce them, other than a couple custom-type models."
The company has been plagued by slumping firearm sales. More than 19,000 people worked there during World War II, but the plant employs fewer than 200 now. All will lose their jobs when the plant closes.
The Winchester model 1873 lever action rifle was popular among American frontiersmen at the end of the 19th century for its reliability. John Wayne made the Winchester rifle a signature of his movies and Chuck Connors posed menacingly with his Winchester on the poster for the television series "The Rifleman."
"Marlin made lever-action rifles but nobody ever had a Marlin in films or TV series. They were always Winchesters," said Ned Schwing, a firearms historian.
Perhaps the company's greatest unofficial spokesman was President Teddy Roosevelt, who used the 1895 model on his famous 1909 African safari, which historians credited with boosting the sale of Winchester sporting rifles.
Since the plant opened in 1866, tens of millions of Winchester rifles have been produced, the bulk of which came between the late 1800s and the end of World War II, said firearms historian R.L. Wilson, who has written books about Winchester. More than six million copies of the Winchester Model 94, the company's most popular rifle, have been produced.
"Several generations have worked at this place, a lot of fathers and brothers, sons, uncles and daughters," said Paul DeMennato, facility director at U.S. Repeating Arms.
U.S. Repeating Arms, which is owned by the Herstal Group, a Belgium company, has said for years that it was on the brink of closing the plant.
DeMennato said the company is negotiating the plant's sale. Missouri-based Olin Corp. owns the Winchester brand name. In the late 1970s, after a massive strike by its machinists, Olin sold the plant to U.S. Repeating Arms along with the right to use the Winchester name until next year.
Olin had no immediate word on its plans for the Winchester name. DeMennato said he hopes the name will be sold along with the plant. Nobody at Herstal's headquarters in Belgium could be reached Tuesday afternoon. ___
On the Web:
U.S. Repeating Arms: http://www.usracmfg.com
Winchester firearms: http://www.winchesterguns.com
atek3
Member
owen said:
lbmii said:
Did anyone one else notice the irony that these two posts were back to back?
I'm suprised no one has brought this up but the first thing I think of when looking at a failing industry is heavy union membership (domestic autos, airlines, domestic steel).
atek3
stevelyn
Member
I mentioned unions screwing themselves out of jobs on a similar thread on another forum and was immediately accused of union bashing.
atek3
Member
stevelyn said:I mentioned unions screwing themselves out of jobs on a similar thread on another forum and was immediately accused of union bashing.
I'm just going to say it... Unions are NOT the source of good jobs, the weekends, and apple pie. Unions sap businesses of their competitiveness and if I was a business owner and my employees decided to unionize I'd close the company down. However, this is total thread jacking, back to the subject at hand, the USRAC closures.
Omaha-BeenGlockin
Member
Olin still owns the name---its up to them whether Winchester continues or not. FN got tired of paying for the name rights.
Browning and Winchester were becoming so similar---the parent company said why bother anymore-----was there much crying when GM shut down Oldsmobile??? Didn't think so.
The statements about the unions are more than likely true also.
Now to the core---there was a complete lack of innovation in the product line----same as Colt----just variations on the old tired theme. No new manufacturing methods---no completely new models---nothing.
Where's the Winchester bolt action .22 or new Winchester pistol??? You got it---there ain't none.
Do I own a Winchester?--ya---but got it on the cheap ---cheap cheap. Otherwise---why bother.
Marlin makes a better lever action--own a Marlin---won't even consider a 94.
Just about everybody and their brother makes a better bolt action than the model 70----even the lowly Savage is more accurate---and I'm betting the Tikka T3 has really shook things in the bolt action arena for the last few years. The one who really needs to be listening to this is Remington---cause they're next. Own a few Rugers--Sako's--Browning-----and yes a model 70 cause I got it cheap---cheap cheap. Won't own a Remington 700 either---cause there are much better choices out there.
The 1300??---just look closely at this forum---lots of talk about 870's---500/590's and Nova's----a few squeaks about the 1300. Own 4 870's--a Nova and a BPS ----no 1300's.
This is just one guy---and I'm telling you where my dollars do the talking.
Most of my NIB purchases in the last few years have been mostly Rugers--a couple T/C's---Bushmaster/Rock River parts for building--a couple Brownings---one Winchester---cause I got it cheap----cheap cheap.
Seems a lot of others have been buying the same kinds of stuff I've been buying too huh.
Not saying good riddence---but I'm saying this is a shake up that had to happen---it was bound to happen---sooner or later. There are losers in every competition.
Browning and Winchester were becoming so similar---the parent company said why bother anymore-----was there much crying when GM shut down Oldsmobile??? Didn't think so.
The statements about the unions are more than likely true also.
Now to the core---there was a complete lack of innovation in the product line----same as Colt----just variations on the old tired theme. No new manufacturing methods---no completely new models---nothing.
Where's the Winchester bolt action .22 or new Winchester pistol??? You got it---there ain't none.
Do I own a Winchester?--ya---but got it on the cheap ---cheap cheap. Otherwise---why bother.
Marlin makes a better lever action--own a Marlin---won't even consider a 94.
Just about everybody and their brother makes a better bolt action than the model 70----even the lowly Savage is more accurate---and I'm betting the Tikka T3 has really shook things in the bolt action arena for the last few years. The one who really needs to be listening to this is Remington---cause they're next. Own a few Rugers--Sako's--Browning-----and yes a model 70 cause I got it cheap---cheap cheap. Won't own a Remington 700 either---cause there are much better choices out there.
The 1300??---just look closely at this forum---lots of talk about 870's---500/590's and Nova's----a few squeaks about the 1300. Own 4 870's--a Nova and a BPS ----no 1300's.
This is just one guy---and I'm telling you where my dollars do the talking.
Most of my NIB purchases in the last few years have been mostly Rugers--a couple T/C's---Bushmaster/Rock River parts for building--a couple Brownings---one Winchester---cause I got it cheap----cheap cheap.
Seems a lot of others have been buying the same kinds of stuff I've been buying too huh.
Not saying good riddence---but I'm saying this is a shake up that had to happen---it was bound to happen---sooner or later. There are losers in every competition.
Matthew748
Member
Boy, that's terrible news. I hate to see any of the big names go down.
On a personal note, the next 2 rifles I planned to purchase were Winchesters. The Safari Express in .375H&H, and one of their lever actions in .44 Mag were on my radar screen. I do not have time to shop around for them now, so it looks like its back to the drawing board.
On a personal note, the next 2 rifles I planned to purchase were Winchesters. The Safari Express in .375H&H, and one of their lever actions in .44 Mag were on my radar screen. I do not have time to shop around for them now, so it looks like its back to the drawing board.
[insert sarcasm here]USSR
Member
Not to worry.
Olin owns the Winchester name, and since it is a well established and respected one, I would expect someone to pick up the rights to the Winchester brand name and start production once again, although more than likely in a smaller and more modern facility than the New Haven, CT factory.
Don
Olin owns the Winchester name, and since it is a well established and respected one, I would expect someone to pick up the rights to the Winchester brand name and start production once again, although more than likely in a smaller and more modern facility than the New Haven, CT factory.
Don
longhorngunman
Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2005
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- 852
Winchester hasn't been Winchester in many years. What do you expect, trying to run a firearms plant in the socialist utopia of New England.
db_tanker
Member
I hate this crap.
I can only hope that someone steps in and save this...can't really call it a company. Icon doesn't cover it either. Its Winchester. Hell, its part of America.
D
I can only hope that someone steps in and save this...can't really call it a company. Icon doesn't cover it either. Its Winchester. Hell, its part of America.
D
The Real Hawkeye
member
Couple of comments. First about the reactions to my NAFTA comment, and then about unions.
NAFTA was predictably bad for American industry, and the Republicans supported it. That which is generally bad for our industry is generally bad for our economy. Bad economies result in a general suppression of industry, not just those that move to Mexico.
Now for unions: Nothing wrong with unions if all they constitute are organizations of workers who collectively bargain. If you are at liberty under the law to bargain with your employer as an individual, you ought to be at liberty under the law to bargain with your employer as a group. That's part of living under liberty. The problem comes in when government and law starts to butt into the picture. Laws come down on one side or the other, and throw the system out of its natural equilibrium. Left to its natural equilibrium, there will be stability and justice between workers and employers. Workers will not demand too much, because the employer may well decide that he's better off just hiring replacements, even considering the cost of training. Employers will not ignore legitimate demands of workers because if he does they may go on strike, and this will badly effect his bottom line. There is a balance there. It is only when government enters the scene that the balance is thrown off and we get the problems we have today relating to unions.
NAFTA was predictably bad for American industry, and the Republicans supported it. That which is generally bad for our industry is generally bad for our economy. Bad economies result in a general suppression of industry, not just those that move to Mexico.
Now for unions: Nothing wrong with unions if all they constitute are organizations of workers who collectively bargain. If you are at liberty under the law to bargain with your employer as an individual, you ought to be at liberty under the law to bargain with your employer as a group. That's part of living under liberty. The problem comes in when government and law starts to butt into the picture. Laws come down on one side or the other, and throw the system out of its natural equilibrium. Left to its natural equilibrium, there will be stability and justice between workers and employers. Workers will not demand too much, because the employer may well decide that he's better off just hiring replacements, even considering the cost of training. Employers will not ignore legitimate demands of workers because if he does they may go on strike, and this will badly effect his bottom line. There is a balance there. It is only when government enters the scene that the balance is thrown off and we get the problems we have today relating to unions.
TABING
Member
Just spoke to a friend who runs a BIG gun shop in Northern Arizona. He said he knew about the closing for a while, there are still lots of guns with the distributors, (he's got $9000.00 worth coming in next week, he plans to hold them for 6 months and let me pick the ones I want when I'm on leave from the big sandbox, and sell the rest at double price calling them "pre 06" LOL), and production will be moving to the far east AND/OR South America.
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