A Hard Kick From John Wayne's Gun

New York Times ^ | January 21, 2006 | STACEY STOWE

[Pharmboy]

Douglas Healey for The New York Times

Unless a rescue plan is worked out or a new buyer comes forward, the gun-manufacturing plant in New Haven, with about
200 employees, will close on March 31.

Come spring, the Winchester rifle, immortalized as the gun that won the West and rode into the sunset with John Wayne, will be made in Portugal and Japan.

The U.S. Repeating Arms Company, which has manufactured rifles and shotguns in New Haven since 1866, is set to shut its doors on March 31. About 200 people will lose their jobs, many having worked for decades on the plant's assembly line.

snip

Paul DeMennato, a company spokesman, did not provide production and sales numbers, but the New Haven mayor's office released a statement saying that only 80,000 guns had been produced at the plant last year. The factory is capable of producing 300,000 a year.

snip

"I still have my dad's guns. These products don't have a built-in obsolescence."

The Winchester repeating rifle became the gun of choice for Western settlers after it was introduced in 1866, Mr. DeMennato said. The lever-action breech mechanism allowed the user to fire a number of shots before having to reload.snip

"Instead of saying, 'Get me my gun,' he'd say, 'Get me my Winchester,' " Mr. DeMennato said.

A 10-foot-high bronze statute of Wayne, eyes narrowed in concentration and left hand clutching a Winchester, stands in the lobby of the New Haven plant. On the wall behind it are the mounted heads of a stag and wild boar and a turkey in its entirety.

snip

Connecticut has a history of firearm production with companies like Colt's Manufacturing in Hartford; Sturm, Ruger in Fairfield; and Marlin Firearms in North Haven.

[Pharmboy]

Sad...

[RadioAstronomer]

I have my share of Winchesters. I am sorry to see this plant close.

[MinuteGal]

The NYT must be salivating over this.

I bet there isn't one John Wayne type on its entire staff.

Leni

[Lurker]

The problem with them is they're built so darn well they almost never need replacing.

That being said, I may have to go buy one of these lever guns. Maybe something in .44 mag to match the Mrs. pistola.

L

[Dustbunny]

Sad, very sad.

[Admin Moderator]

Your post in response #2 had to be removed because it contained a Corbis photo. Please do not post any photos from Corbis or Getty. Thanks.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1111944/posts

[willyd]

I wonder if this is another Union victory.

[DustyMoment]

This is the result of anti-gun nutjobs who have repeatedly assaulted the firearms industry. With the legislation allowing victims to sue gun manufacturers for the acts committed by gun-wielding murderers. When we allow the courts to impose draconian punishments on innocent businesses, People lose their jobs and factories go elsewhere.

[Dustbunny]

I wonder if this is another Union victory.

It certainly is a Liberal/Marxist antigun victory.

[meadsjn]

The Charge at Feather River

Pvt. Connors: Say, is this really a repeater?

Quartermaster Sergeant: A repeater? Son, you can load this on Sunday and shoot it all week.

---

IIRC, that rifle was a Henry.

[tdscpa]

I never bought a gun to replace one. All my purchases were to own another one.

Sounds like it is too late to keep them in the US by buying another one. I have three Winchesters, don't know what I would want in addition to the ones I own. Would buy duplicates of what I own, but that would not preserve the Winchester.

[beyond the sea]

Unless a rescue plan is worked out or a new buyer comes forward, the gun-manufacturing plant in New Haven, with about 200 employees, will close on March 31.

Shoot!

[Pharmboy]

Sorry...did not know that. Will not use Getty or Corbis in the future. Thanks for letting me know the reason for the pulled post.

[Pharmboy]

John Wayne and a Winchester rifle, from "Stagecoach" in 1939. The Duke was a Winchester brand spokesman.

Douglas Healey for The New York Times
Workers ended their shift this week at the U.S. Repeating Arms Company.

[Admin Moderator]

You're welcome. Thank you for the kind response.

[endthematrix]

You know where Winchester is Headquartered? Anti-gun Illinois!

Funny you never hear Daley or Blago talk about any loss of jobs when it comes to those evil gun manufacturers. Heck, behind closed doors, they beg and bribe gun makers to stay in Illinois!

[RadioAstronomer]

The problem with them is they're built so darn well they almost never need replacing.

Indeed. My best hunting rifle is a pre 1964 model 70 .300 Winchester Magnum with a low profile 3x9 widefield Redfield scope.

[endthematrix]

Also, Olin is the Winchester ammo maker and I don't know how they are tied corporately, I do reckon that ammo manufacturing is doing well with a war on...

[GadareneDemoniac]

I don't know about that. I bet most of the male NYT staffers swoon over big, strong cowboys ( or sheepherders, as the case may be ).

[P8riot]

Unless a rescue plan is worked out or a new buyer comes forward, the gun-manufacturing plant in New Haven, with about 200 employees, will close on March 31.

I wonder if CZUSA would be interested in yet another American Firearms company? They bought Dan Wesson last year.

[opinionator]

This is the result of anti-gun nutjobs who have repeatedly assaulted the firearms industry. With the legislation allowing victims to sue gun manufacturers for the acts committed by gun-wielding murderers. When we allow the courts to impose draconian punishments on innocent businesses, People lose their jobs and factories go elsewhere.

Moving your manufacturing site to a different country does not preclude you from lawsuits involving the use of your product.

[MinuteGal]

LOL

Leni

[Leisler]

The leftist tick sucks another host dead.

[DustyMoment]

Moving your manufacturing site to a different country does not preclude you from lawsuits involving the use of your product.

Perhaps not, but it precludes the dimwits in the Congress from being able to do anything but ban the product from foreign imports. In essence, it renders any trial activity relatively pointless.

[230FMJ]

I've got an 1892 Winchester down in my shop for repair due to a broken spring. Darned thing is only 106 years old and and it already needs work!

[Pharmboy]

If you write them, they might replace the spring...free.

[Sensei Ern]

It was a cool gun. It is outclassed by modern firearms, though. This like being upset that a flintlock will no longer be made.

What saddens me is that they are closing the plant. If I had the money, I would buy the plant and re-tool it to make the best modern firearms possible.

[Thermalseeker]

I wonder if this is another Union victory.

Either that, or liability or both....

[raybbr]

The move to close the factory comes almost a year after the International Association of Machinists signed a three-year contract with USRAC in which they agreed to several concessions in an attempt to keep the company in New Haven. Many of those workers, meeting at the Italian American Independent Club in Hamden Tuesday, said they are disappointed and frustrated by the decision.

[Beagle8U]

" If I had the money, I would buy the plant and re-tool it to make the best modern firearms possible."

Thats what Marlin did when they built the MR-7 bolt action rifle, they put so much into the quality of the rifles that they couldn't sell them at even a break-even price.

They only made those for a few years.

Damn fine rifles if you can find a used one.

[MaDeuce]

"What saddens me is that they are closing the plant. If I had the money, I would buy the plant and re-tool it to make the best modern firearms possible."

That would be nice. Maybe reopen to make M1 Garands for the people of the US to help rebuild the old militias of the past.

[willyd]

I thought the ability to sue gun manufacturers for crime in your area was struck down recently. I think it was the unions....isn't it obvious that unions have cost more Americans jobs than anyone else? It seems like every company that has a union these days recieves some sort of handout from the Federal government in order to continue to exist. The airlines were bailed out and are still facing bankrupcy in some cases because of this union or that. Don't the wokers understand that businesses exist to make a profit? If you erode that opportunity enough, companies will fold or seek the next best idea (usually somewhere with a less oppressive tax system). Outsourcing isn't the issue, it's a fact of life with a global economy. Unions are the issue if you ask me.

[03A3]

While the article never states it, it does say repeating rifle so I assume they are Model 94's. Miroku has been building the 1885's for decades and I thought I was the only one that complained. Just wait until the new 94's roll off the line with pencil thin barrels and pimp shined stocks.

[chadwimc]

IMHO, its a result of the management and bean counters running amok. The latest fad, short magnums, was an answer to a question nobody asked.There are gun makers who are doing just fine in America...

[VOA]

bump

[PzLdr]

Hornady just came out with a polymer tipped spitzer in .30-30, .45-70, 450 Marlin, .444 Marlin that will keep the lever actions going another 150 years. Makes [according to the reviews] a .30-30 a 250 yd. rifle. Takes a .45-70 zeroed at 100 yds., and reduces the bullet drop at 300 yds. from 9' to 25".

Lever guns are the best brush guns in the business. More deer have probably been dropped with .30-30s than any other caliber.

[PzLdr]

Winchester will continue to build shotguns. They are also discontinuing their model 70 bolt actions. This is probably because Winchester is owned by the same company that owns Browning. Browning will be the company that makes the bolt actions.Looks more like bean counting than anything else.

[Beagle8U]

Winchester should come out with a shotgun built on the Browning patent for the old Auto-5 if both company's are owned by the same parent company.

Both Remington and Savage have purchased the rights to do so in the past and sold a bunch of them.

It would give Browning the ability to build a slightly cheaper model of the same gun, without cheapening the Browning name.

[Osage Orange]

I have my share of Winchesters. I am sorry to see this plant close.

Same, same.

[Beagle8U]

"I have my share of Winchesters. I am sorry to see this plant close."

I now own only one Winchester, but it has a great story behind it.

About 7 years ago I planned a Canadian fishing trip.

I knew and old guy that had always said he would love to go back to Canada fishing. I also knew he didn't have the money for the trip because he lived off only a small SS check, so I offered to pay all his expenses because I needed someone to go with me. ( I lied, kinda)

He had a ball and I picked up the tab for everything.

The following Christmas morning he showed up at the door and said he had a present for me.

When I opened it...It was a 1897 12 ga. Winchester pump that looks brand new off the shelf!

I'm not sure what its worth, but I'm quite sure that trip was worth alot to that old man!

[Rummyfan]

I bet there isn't one John Wayne type on its entire staff.

They are more into the 'modern' cowboy, as personified by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall.....

[El Gato]

You know where Winchester is Headquartered? Anti-gun Illinois!

That would be Olin, which makes the Winchester brand of ammunition, and owns the trademark, which is only licensed to US Repeating Arms, when it was spun off from Olin.

[Osage Orange]

Nice story......

Very, very nice of you to extend some great kindness......As you said, it must have meant a lot to that gentleman.

His gesture to you reminds me..of the old saw..."Ain't never yet seen a Hearst pulling a U-Haul trailer"

A friend of mine has a Marlin pump ( the model escapes me at the moment..) that's very similar to the 1897. Although his is a 16 gauge...They are unique shotgun's. I hope you enjoy yours....

FRegards,

[nutmeg]

Connecticut ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.

[Sensei Ern]

I don't know about that model, but my first rifle was a Marlin 18 shot 22. It cost $60 and came with a scope. I never learned how to use a scope, but I was dead on iron sights.

My brother and I would go plinking cans every weekend. When 100 22 shells cost $1, it was easy to go through a whole box and go home to clean it.

After 10 years, the firing pin wore out and it began to jam. Never figured out what started to make it jam, but it still made a decent squirrel gun.

[El Gato]

That would be Olin, which makes the Winchester brand of ammunition, and owns the trademark, which is only licensed to US Repeating Arms, when it was spun off from Olin.

Actually Olin is Headquartered in Clayton, MO. The Winchester Ammunition division is indeed headquartered in East Alton, IL. But that has no longer has anything to do with Winchester brand firearms, which have been built by US Repeating Arms since 1981. USRA is currently owned by Herstal, the parent company of FN and Browning.

Actually the three companies have a long history of cooperation. FN made John Browning designs in europe for many decades, Winchester made many other Browning designs in the US. The Winchester-Browning relationship goes back to the time of John Moses Browning himself.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

..Winchester Model 94

[Thermalseeker]

Unions are the issue if you ask me.

Unions and frivilous liability law suits are killing many businesses. Outsourcing is just a smoke and mirrors argument. Although we outsource something like 600,000 jobs here in the US, we insource something on the order of 8,000,000 jobs here.

If you erode that opportunity enough, companies will fold or seek the next best idea (usually somewhere with a less oppressive tax system).

The best arguement yet for the Fair Tax. Scrap the IRS, eliminate all taxes and replace them with a National Consumption tax. It will create a tax haven unlike anywhere else in the world. Companies will be falling all over each other to come here to produce their goods and do business.

[Beagle8U]

"After 10 years, the firing pin wore out and it began to jam. Never figured out what started to make it jam, but it still made a decent squirrel gun."

That is the reason the MR-7 didn't sell very well, people were too used to Marlin building low end 22 cal rifles to pay $700 for the MR-7.

The MR-7 is a high powered rifle built to compete with the Remington 700, the Browning etc.

I think the calibers offered were 25-06, 270, 280 rem.,and 30/06 but there may have been a few others.

The quality and features are there to stack up to any top of the line bolt action on the market, they just wouldn't sell with the Marlin name attached.

( this is the cool part) Most of the rifles that were sold were deeply discounted when Marlin was dumping the line, so if you find a used one you may get a $600-$700 rifle for $200! I bought one new ( in 280 rem.) when they were closing them out for just under $300.

They were built in the mid/late 90's.