Winchester Moving to Utah??

[Gary A]

I was leafing through the latest issue of Shooting Times and noticed a "shooter's update" blurb for a Winchester Model 94 Timber Scout Takedown model with references to the shot show, etc. I know there are still things in the pipeline, both products and articles etc., but what caught my eye was the advise to contact Winchester Firearms on Winchester Avenue in Morgan Utah, not New Haven CT. The website address was also listed as www.winchesterguns.com. I tried it and it goes to the old USRAC website. I used to type in www.usrac.com so I don't know if the other address is new or just new to me. Is there any significance to these address changes?

 

[ID_shooting]

Winchester has had connections to Utah for years. This is nothing new. USRAC has been in Utah for as long as I can remember. IIRC Winchester parts warehouse is there.

 

[kentucky_smith]

That would be the Browning connection.

 

[Gary A]

I understand the Utah connection to Winchester, but was just hoping that listing Winchester with that "new" address and changing the website address might indicate the line would survive, wherever made. Hope springs eternal and it ain't over 'til it's over.

 

[Car Knocker]

There are no manufacturing facilities at that address.

 

[Father Knows Best]

Fret not. The Winchester brand name will survive. Someone other than Frabrique Nationale Herstal (the current license holder for Winchester brand firearms) will be making them soon enough. Olin Corp. owns the brand, and has for a long time. It is worth too much to let it die. Olin licensed the name to FNH back in 1981, and will license it to someone else soon.

 

[dakotasin]

and to further that, has gone on record as expressing dissatisfaction w/ fn's decision-making regarding the name.

for my own money, look for a new 'winchester' to spring up shortly after the lease to fn expires.

 

[Car Knocker]

And that "new" Winchester will be based in China.

 

[gogetumnow]

China? Doubt it. Bush banned all Chinese firearm imports by executive order. If they made them in China they would be unimportable.

 

[Car Knocker]

Bush banned all Chinese firearm imports by executive order.

I believe that is incorrect - only Norinco semi-auto imports were banned. It is possible to buy new Winchester 1897 clones and Ithaca Model 37 clones as well as coach guns. Davidson's has a couple of hundred in current stock: http://www.galleryofguns.com/gunloc...ange=None&num_rec=20&submit1.x=33&submit1.y=8

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Someone other than Frabrique Nationale Herstal (the current license holder for Winchester brand firearms) will be making them soon enough. Olin Corp. owns the brand, and has for a long time. It is worth too much to let it die.

Apparenty, FN Herstal did not think the Winchester brand was worth too much. If they were making very much money off the Winchester name, they would have re-licensed it.

 

[Shotgun12]

With production costs as high as they are in the US, and most elsewhere, I really don't see how anyone, other than China, or some third-world country would be able to produce them - and still make a profit that would be worth their effort.
Springfields have been manufactured in Brazil, for a while now .... maybe they'll end up manufacturing them down there.