USRAC/Winchester is quitting

[Halffast]

I sat down with the owner of a big gun shop here and he looked through all of his distributers and could not find a single Winchester lever action available. He had a 94 in .38-55 and a Trapper in .44 in stock. I bought the .44. He told me that he hardly sold any Winchesters any more. I asked about the model 70 as I figured he would have sold a lot of them. He told me that he sold less than 10 last year.

David

 

[Logan5]

Depressing news about Winchester

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/17/winchester.ap/index.html

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (AP) -- 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."

 

[AZ Jeff]

Thanks NAFTA. Thanks Republicans.

That's one of the sillier (or more ignorant) statements I have seen in some time.

While there are PLENTY of things the Republicans have done wrong, and thus to which we can attach blame, the closure of USRAC is NOT one of them. Your comment smacks of pure partisanship and is counterproductive.

When a topic arises where you have REALLY VALID comments, they will be dismissed as coming from a guy who blames "the other team" no matter how valid, and hence your credibility will be zilch.

Save the sniping for places where it's valid.

 

[JesseJames]

Wow, I just bought a used Winchester model 1300 shotgun not too long ago.
I guess now it'll be worth something in the distant future.
Fine shotgun. Real workhorse.
So sad to see the death of an American institution like Winchester. Kind of like Ford or Chevy closing shop and calling it quits.

 

[Malone LaVeigh]

So should I go out and buy a 94 or not?

Thanks NAFTA. Thanks Republicans.

Thank Bill Clinton for NAFTA. Come to think of it, Clinton was the most effective prez the Repubs ever had.

 

[Father Knows Best]

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

Read the posts above. There's nothing to save. 1981-2006 "Winchesters" were really made by a subsidiary of Fabrique Nationale Herstal (FNH), a Belgian-based international arms conglomerate. They just licensed the right to the Winchester brand name from Olin Corporation.

It's unclear to me from the announcements whether FNH will continue to manufacture some models under the Winchester firearms brand, or is ceasing use of that brand completely. If the latter is the case, then Olin will certainly re-license the rights to the brand to some other company. If the latter, then perhaps FNH will resume production of the affected models elsewhere, or Olin will license the rights to those models to some other company. In any case, the Winchester brand certainly won't die. It's worth far too much.

The "real" Winchester died in the 1930s when Olin Corporation bought out Oliver Winchester's old company (New Haven Repeating Arms). The period until 1964 still saw some decent "Winchester" brand firearms, but pretty much everything since then has been forgettable. People were just paying for the brand name.

 

[Ironbarr]

Just checked my 02 and it is stamped "Winchester Repeating Arms Co."

Father, any idea when this 1903 produced .22 with that stamp changed to "New Haven Repeating Arms"??

Sounds like there have been several iterations over the past 100-plus years.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

That's one of the sillier (or more ignorant) statements I have seen in some time.

While there are PLENTY of things the Republicans have done wrong, and thus to which we can attach blame, the closure of USRAC is NOT one of them. Your comment smacks of pure partisanship and is counterproductive.

When a topic arises where you have REALLY VALID comments, they will be dismissed as coming from a guy who blames "the other team" no matter how valid, and hence your credibility will be zilch.

Save the sniping for places where it's valid.

I already responded to this criticism a few posts above, but you appear to have misidentified my position on the political spectrum. I am a right wing registered Republican. Naturally, if the Dems had their way we'd be in a worse mess than we are. Regardless, I expected the Republicans to defend our industries, as they had in our nation's past, but they have not done so, and show no interest even today in doing so. One by one we will lose them all, and the Republicans will just go on quoting Adam Smith as we become a nation of consumers, devoid of manufacturers.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

No, 94's suck. Thats why US Repeating Arms is going out of business.

I think we are just as well without Winchester. The last interesting product they made was produced 1895. Since then they have been steadily in decline, with brief exceptions being of course during WW 1 and WW 2.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

No, 94's suck. Thats why US Repeating Arms is going out of business.

I think we are just as well without Winchester. The last interesting product they made was produced 1895. Since then they have been steadily in decline, with brief exceptions being of course during WW 1 and WW 2.

You've got to be kidding! The guns they made in the 1950s were the best manufactured and most inovative sporting arms in the world, with lots of models and variations to please just about anyone. Do some research before you malign a great name like Winchester.

 

[Rupestris]

I'm sure production will resume in the future. Bad part is, it'll probably be in a third world country and quality will drop even further.

We'll just have to ask "Is that a Pre '06 model?" when buying used.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

A proper tribute:

Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven, Connecticut, is the greatest sporting arms factory in the world, an institution with an enormous plant in which are manufactured double-barreled shotguns, repeating shotguns, .22 bolt-action and slide-action rifles, bolt-action and lever-action big-game rifles, single-barrel shotguns, shotgun ammunition, center-fire metallic cartridges and rim-fire metallic cartridges. Winchester is unique. No other firm that I know of in the history of arms manufacture has turned out as many different kinds of sporting weapons in as great a quantity. -Jack O'Connor 1952, The Big-Game Rifle

 

[AZ Jeff]

I think we are just as well without Winchester. The last interesting product they made was produced 1895.

That's the first time I have heard someone suggest the M70 was not a notable rifle, and that arm was introduced WELL after 1895. I think you are being a bit shy with your praise for Winchester's product line in later years.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

A proper tribute:

Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven, Connecticut, is the greatest sporting arms factory in the world, an institution with an enormous plant in which are manufactured double-barreled shotguns, repeating shotguns, .22 bolt-action and slide-action rifles, bolt-action and lever-action big-game rifles, single-barrel shotguns, shotgun ammunition, center-fire metallic cartridges and rim-fire metallic cartridges. Winchester is unique. No other firm that I know of in the history of arms manufacture has turned out as many different kinds of sporting weapons in as great a quantity. -Jack O'Connor 1952, The Big-Game Rifle

 

[AZ Jeff]

I already responded to this criticism a few posts above, but you appear to have misidentified my position on the political spectrum. I am a right wing registered Republican. Naturally, if the Dems had their way we'd be in a worse mess than we are. Regardless, I expected the Republicans to defend our industries, as they had in our nation's past, but they have not done so, and show no interest even today in doing so. One by one we will lose them all, and the Republicans will just go on quoting Adam Smith as we become a nation of consumers, devoid of manufacturers.

My apologies if I misinterpreted your comments. Yes, the loss of manufacturing prowess in the US is a disturbing trend. Winchester's demise has it's roots in several complex issues including the following:
1. Winchester's inability/unwillingness to make capital eqpt. investments due to political climate for arms maker's in the US
2. US DOD desires to place R&D for small arms in the hands of the private sector, aggravating investment risks for outfits such as Winchester.
3. General US labor relations issues over the past 30+ years, versus other world labor markets

 

[kentucky_smith]

I love my Model 70 Classic Featherweight. Fit and finish is far superior to anything I've seen from Ruger or Remington.

 

[MCgunner]

The '94 had a 112 year run...

 

[ATAShooter]

Winchester has been bankrupt and bought out a couple of times. Like somebody already said, some company will lease the name and start production. I just hope it's a U.S. company. USRAC relied on it's sister company Browning too much to cater to the specialty groups ( Trap, Skeet, ect. ). USRAC wasn't crap to begin with,... they never listened to what the public wanted, and obviously bankruptcy is going to be the result when you don't do that. They ignored the groups of shooters, ( Trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle, ect. ) and went with " Oh well, one gun, and if they don't like it ,...oh well" attitude. I feel no mercy for them. When you have big shoots, such as ATA state shoots, you should have reps there pushing those guns, listening to the shooters and their feedback. They didn't care, and NOW they whine like EEyore, " Oh bother, Christopher Robin, come pin my nuts back on ". They won't find any sympathy from me... if they want sympathy, they can find it in the dictionary between Sh*t and syphyllis. If Oliver Winchester could have seen what USRAC did to his name, he would roll over in his grave. I am a Model 12 shooter so I DO like Winchesters....REAL Winchesters.

 

[alan]

I couldn't find anything about this via Google News search. I'll keep looking.

a sad note from local paper, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, National Briefs, page A-6, 18 Jan edition.

By-lined New Haven, Conn. U.S. Repeating Arms Winchester factory scheduled to close 31 March, unless a buyer can be found. Closing attributed to "slumping firearms sales".

It was a small item in the paper.

 

[f4t9r]

If we keep going like This (USA) all guns and ammo are going to come from other countries. Just look around its happening.
Can you imagine calling One of these Countries in a time of War. Can you send guns and ammo so we can defend ourselfs against your Country.

Thank about it

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

I love my Model 70 Classic Featherweight. Fit and finish is far superior to anything I've seen from Ruger or Remington.

Ditto. Love my Classic Featherweight in .270 too. Much better fit and finish than anything I've seen from Ruger or Remington.

 

[SSTHitman]

I dont know if I could shoot anything other than a Mod. 70. I was hoping to add the .325 WSM to the collection this summer.

 

[f4t9r]

Maybe we could get a group buy here at THR and save the company.
Before it goes overseas like everything else.

 

[Lonestar.45]

Looks like those WSM's and WSSM's really helped out with sales, eh?

Don't get me wrong. I love Winchester, but their WSM/WSSM campaign left me wondering if drunken monkeys had taken over the company.

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Looks like those WSM's and WSSM's really helped out with sales, eh?

Don't get me wrong. I love Winchester, but their WSM/WSSM campaign left me wondering if drunken monkeys had taken over the company.

I agree. Nobody needed those new rounds. Like we didn't already have great rounds for every conceivable purpose.