In recent years shotgunners in the USA have seen a flood of new makes and new models coming in from other countries. Japan has been a big factor in the US market for years (Weatherby, Browning, SKB, some Winchesters, etc) and now we are seeing many guns from Europe and western Asia - Fausti, B. Rizzini, Verona (FAIR) and C. Guerini from Italy, Huglu and others from Turkey, Baikal from Russia, etc. Now it seems there is a race on between the US gun makers to introduce new low-cost models made in those countries. Remington has introduced a line called Spartan, which is made in Russia by Baikal. Marlin has a line of SxS and O/U guns using the venerable LC Smith brand name, but made by Fausti of Italy. Browning and Winchester are both owned by a Belgian conglomerate, and who knows where their guns are being made today. I think I read somewhere that Mossburg is getting into that parade as well.

Some people have commented about the cheaper labor in other countries, but I wonder if it is the labor cost that makes the difference. Labor is probably a factor, but I'm not sure it is the major factor. Many of these guns are made in Italy, and Italy is not known for its cheap labor - although it may be a little cheaper there than in the USA. If the truth be known those guns probably don't have much hand work in them anyway, so labor is not a major factor.

I think it is a matter of entrepreneurship. Some gun makers in Italy, Turkey, and Russia have invested in high-tech computer-controlled machine tools that can crank out large quantities of parts machined to high tolerances. I expect that even the wood finishing is mechanized to some extent. People are needed only for final assembly, and of course a few people who can oversee the computer-controlled tools.

In contrast, the old US gun makers are so conservative and set in their ways that they are afraid to make risky investments in modernization. Plus the fact that they don't have much money, since they have had such a hard time competing with foreign makers in recent decades. Many American gun makers have already gone through bankruptcies and buy-outs.

I think the US firearms industry is going through the same thing that US automakers did a few years ago (maybe it was a few decades ago - when you get as old as I am time flies). The US automakers were so old-fashioned, so lacking in innovation, and so complacent about quality and design that they were unable to compete with the Japanese car makers, so they started expanding their product lines by adding models made in Japan. Eventually the US car makers were able to improve enough to begin to compete again.

US gun makers are simply not able to compete with the newer, smaller, more innovative foreign gun makers, so they have finally realized that "if you can't lick 'em, join 'em". Now they are expanding their product lines with models made by the competition. Will they be able to survive the way that the car makers did? Only time will tell. If they are going to have a chance to survive, it can only be through modernization of their designs, their manufacturing facilities, and most of all their management culture.

By the way, Remington seriously needs to come up with a new 870. It's a rust bucket with that matte black finish and it looks crappy compared to a Benelli. Benelli rules in the shotgun world. Also Remington's new 710 is a joke. You can't even take the barrel off.