RE: Winchester Closing Down Plant
SS this news was actually released last month. The parent company of Browning (Herstal of Belgium which also is Miroku of ***an) also held the rights to produce Winchester Repeating Arms. They (Herstal) bought those rights from Winchester Olin (who is the ammo making company)in 1963 (that date ring a bell with Winchester fans?) and throughout the years they (Herstal) has re-signed that agreement. The latestagreement expires in2007 and obviously Herstal feels that the plantis no longer a profitable venture. The plant closed was the manufacturinglocation for1894lever actions (the famed30/30s), model 70 bolt action rifles and the model 1300 pump shotguns.
Now from a traditionalist/sentimentalist point of view I hate the idea of losing the '94s and 70s. But having been in the sporting goods business for 20 years I can see where the decision made was probably the best from a economics point of view. Neither of those rifles have been hot sellers for the last 10-15 years as tastes have changed as far as bolt guns go. Remington has the lions share of the low-cost/mid range bolt guns and Savage has probably taken the greatest amount of business from Winchester in the remaining low/mid end bolt gun market. As for the lever guns, fewer and fewer are being sold annually. Marlin has really dominated that market with their 336s for quite some time. In fact they actually have built MORE lever guns than Winchester has built 94s and it's been that way for several years.
The 1300 never really was much of a threat too the 870 Rem or cheap pumps from companies like Mossberg and Charles Daly. I have a 1300 Featherweight (mid 80s vintage) that I cherish but in all honesty I rarely use it. As far as Herstal is concerned they are MUCH busier (and profitable) with their Browning line of sporting goods. Look at how much ground the A-bolts and Gold series shotguns have gained in the last 15 years. I would think that SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE would pick up the rights from Olin after the Herstal agreement expires next year but who knows. Gun making in general is a very risky proposition in todays environment. Winchester isn't the only "BIG name" feeling the pinch in todays tough business environment.
The remaining stocks of Win guns are flying off the shelves as a result,
RA
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. I dont know why but I heard they are closing down their plant. A few years after they close down the plant next year they might build one in some other country. That is all I know.
