What’s Up With Winchester?
June 5th, 2006 David King - King's Outdoor World
On January 17, 2006, the U.S. Repeating Arms Company, makers of Winchester firearms, announced it would be closing its New Haven, Connecticut facility. Rumors have started circulating that the famous Winchester models 70 and 94 are gone forever and that Winchester is going out of business. We sat down with Scott Grange, the director of PR at Winchester and Browning to get the whole story.
(Originally published in the May/June 2006 issue of Hunting Illustrated)
Can you tell us a little about the beginnings of the Winchester Company?
Oliver Winchester purchased the New Haven Arms Company in 1866 and promptly changed the name to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. At the time, all major firearms production was taking place on the East Coast with the exception of a little unknown shop in Ogden Utah Territory called Browning Brothers. That is a fascinating story in itself, one we can perhaps cover another time. In 1931, Olin Corporation purchased Winchester Repeating Arms Company and merged it with the Western Cartridge Company.
How did the U.S. Repeating Arms Company come about?
In the mid 1960’s, Olin started struggling to make the firearms segment of the business profitable. For the next twenty years, things continued to deteriorate and in 1981 Olin divested of the firearms portion of the business. At that time, the employees of Winchester Repeating Arms Company purchased it lock, stock and barrel and formed U.S. Repeating Arms Company (USRAC). They simply purchased the facility along with the license to use the Winchester name. It was basically business as usual.
How did Browning and Winchester merge?
With limited resources, it was immediately apparent that the well meaning folks of USRAC would not be able to turn things around from a profitability standpoint. The company continued to struggle and in 1985, a French group called GIAT, who owned firearms giant Browning, conducted a study here in the U.S. to determine which firearm names were most popular among the people. The top three names from the study were Winchester, Browning and Remington - showing that anyone that knew anything about firearms at least knew these three names. At that time, the U.S. Repeating Arms Co. (makers of Winchester firearms) was struggling and was up for sale. The owners of Browning thought it would be a good move to own two of the three most popular companies and purchased U.S. Repeating Arms Co. in 1991.
Why was the decision made to close down the New Haven Plant?
Following the purchase of the U.S. Repeating Arms Co., Browning brought back some of the classic Winchester designs and did a lot of neat things to boost the revenue of the company, but we just could not make it profitable. The owners of Browning tried and tried to save the U.S. Repeating Arms Co., knowing that we had such a good and powerful name to work with. Our owners were gracious and allowed the losses to continue longer than most owners of businesses would; but, in the end, the company would not cash flow. So, after a long struggle, our owners decided to close the doors on the plant. The closing of the New Haven plant took place March 31, 2006. It was a business decision to realign resources and to help make the U.S. Repeating Arms Co. profitable again in the future.
What does this mean for the general public?
It means that three firearms are going away. The model 94 lever action rifle, the model 70 bolt action rifle, and the model 1300 pump shotgun have all been discontinued completely. There are some legal issues that completely prohibit us from even making those guns right now. In the meantime, we are moving forward with new ideas that will give Winchester a bright future. We are a worldwide company and are taking advantage of all of our resources.
The Browning/Winchester company has introduced a couple of new models to the Winchester line-up this year with the Super-X rifle, a semi-auto rifle like our Browning BAR, the Super-X3 shotgun, the select over/under shotgun which is also a Belgium-made product, and a beautiful little .22 rifle that we have coming from Russia. We have great plans for the future and we are preceding the best we can. We are alive and well in every aspect of our company. There has been absolutely no change in customer or product service. We have an obligation to our customers to continue servicing all products including those that have been discontinued.
For those people who own one of those firearms that have been discontinued, they should be very happy. The value of those guns probably just went up significantly because there will never be another Winchester rifle made that has “made in New Haven, Connecticut” stamped on the barrel - and, to collectors, that means something.
Are you seeing an increase in sales due to this announcement?
Absolutely! In fact, our complete inventory was gone in a three-hour period the day we made the announcement. It was unbelievable how fast that stuff went out of here.
What has been the public response from this?
Anytime you start ripping icons out of people’s lives, there is going to be emotion. And, what two greater icons are there in the firearms world than the model 94 and model 70? The human element and emotion has been enormous - everything from outrage from those people who simply do not know the whole story, to those who are very aware of the situation and who have said thanks for trying to make the company successful these past few years. It has been an emotional roller coaster. Are we happy to have made these guns go away? Absolutely not! It makes us sick! Eighty-percent of our Winchester production just went away. It has been rough, our internet site and our consumer department have been overloaded. The rumor mill has just gone crazy because people simply aren’t getting the real story. Winchester is not going out of business; we are alive and well and have a bright future!
Can you speculate on what the future holds for Winchester?
The biggest hurdle we have to overcome at this point is securing the license from Olin to continue to use the Winchester name. Negotiations are going on right now and everything should turn out just fine. I can’t speculate at this point on our new product ideas, but we are excited about the future and we are going to do some great things to show people that Winchester is still alive and well.
Entry Filed under: News and Stuff
14 Comments Add your own
1. laura | June 6th, 2006 at 9:57 am
i think that they should still be alowd to sell. many people would be unhappy if they went out.
laura
2. kayla | June 10th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
hey were is the picture ?
3. Lenard Barney | July 31st, 2006 at 5:44 pm
Dear Sirs.
In reading the blog about Winchester, one thing is missing. The “Rick Jameson” lawsuit. This in of of itself has caused a great amount of speculation. Visit the web site for Short-Mags.org and read the research that has been done concerning this. Also, you may have noticed that Rick is not featured as the reloading comlumnist for Shooting Times anymore. I personally give him most of the credit for the Winchester plant closing.
Sincerely,
Lenard
4. clayton | August 13th, 2006 at 11:56 pm
I bought a Browning .243 rifle as my birthday presant. The Winchester name is formidable, but Browning is an excellent decision for reliability. thanks
5. Alberta-wes | September 7th, 2006 at 10:25 am
Really too bad. End of an era. Really going to miss the model 70.
6. Travis | September 8th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
When you steal somebody elses design you should have to pay the price. That is what Rick is doing with his lawsuit.
7. Ernie Mutschler | December 4th, 2006 at 9:14 pm
America!!!!!
Our Steel Mills soon will be gone
Our manufacturing jobs will soon be gone
Our clothing industries are gone
Our air lines will soon be gone
Our borders are wide open
Our constitution is being attack
WINCHESTER - Symbol of America is gone
Can we protect our Bill of Rights???
Where is our true American Leader??
8. Joe Smythe | December 27th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
FN Herstal, who currently owns the rights to the Winchester name on firearms (along with the Browning franchise), is thinking about making 70’s & 94’s in “Russia” of all places. There is a piece on the blogged story over at www.2nd amendmentstore.com about this.
9. C. Baca | February 6th, 2007 at 6:08 am
A Model 94 was my first rifle as a kid. I can’t believe that a rifle as popular as the Model 94 couldn’t make a profit. There must be more to the story than what is being told. This licesing business sounds fishy to me.
By the way, some low-life SOB broke into my house in in 1998 and stole my precious Model 94. In 1970 I paid $75.00 for it at a hardware store.
10. George | February 18th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Some VERY fine guns come from Belgium, Austria, Russia, Japan, Chekoslavakia, and other countries. Winchesters, however, come from New Haven in The United States of America.
Those foreign guys are probably going to build some decent guns and have someone stamp “Winchester” on them.
It’s like building Harley Davidsons in Nagasaki, Japan with the seats made in China and the electrics made in Korea.
11. Garth | February 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 am
I wish that I could’ve found a 94 for $75 (C. Baca). I just bought a 9422 XTR Laminate (mint cond.) for my son this last summer (2006), and paid $450 + 15 % taxes, for it in Canada. The serial number says that it was made in 1993. I’m currently looking for a 94 in 30/30 cal for myself. All the ones to find although are only as good as the previous owner has kept it. Looking for a good pre-64 becomes trying. Prices vary but are all around $450 up here, and thats plenty to pay for something used.
I guess that the Wini name continues on in the way of used guns. It would seem though that if the factory stock cleared out as fast as they say, it should’ve been an indication that there is still a demand for these guns. As they say, its good for collectors because the price goes up on the guns they already own, but for us guys that actually want to use them instead of just hanging them on the wall, we don’t want the price to go up. We can only hope that the 94 will come back into production at some point in time from somewhere in North America. We would love to have a factory of such up here in Canada, as we are sending all of our manufacturing production of every kind to Mexico. We need jobs up here too.
Oh, by the way, I bought my 39a Marlin 22 for $150 back in 1978
12. Billy | July 17th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Howdy Folks,
My first visit to this site.. Just surfing the net for information about my beloved Winchester rifles my in USA! I read all the e/mails and felt completed to respond to a good group of folks.
I see we all have something in common here beyond our beloved Winchester Rifle made in the USA! We also share a love for our Country and actual care about one another too. I told myself you found what you where looking for Billy. Don’t see it yet, here are a few remarks I read that make me feel sad about the Winchester cluster bomb and good about the fact I am not alone in my thinking….we need jobs too…make them in North America and the real tear jerker for me was from Mr. Ernie Mutschler- 10/4 Ernie it’s is all true and that’s the short line around the barn… we need rifles we can afford to use as well as hang on the wall.. 10/4 copy that! Funny, I understand everyone’s meaning with no effort at all.
As for me, I have a few Winchester rifles. I use them and hang on the wall too. I have given many to family for gifts. I always hunt and shoot with American Made firearms and to do so is challenging these days. I am an American country boy from Wisconsin by way of Southern Illinois. My Daddy was a Army Sergeant. He saw combat for 2 years during the Korean War wherein he shot communists and they shot and wounded him. Communist shot my Uncle Earl too. Basically, I hate communist leaders and will never believe/buy into anything they have to say/sell. It’s is simply not the truth & a copy. What does this have to do with Winchester, well guess who help produce the ammo for the war(s), the addition contracts for weapons and other needed supplies. Right Winchester made in USA. Along with Colt, Remington, Springfield Armory, Savage/Stevens, Ruger during the 1970’s. And a few I do remember… Hey, have you every looked up how many American “non-firearms” company’s made the Colt 1911 during WII. Exactly. So, where is the American Leadership that should so be fighting jealously for our fellow Countrymen’s rights, liberties, justice, products made in the USA and pursuit of happiness? I don’t know. But, I believe it’s amongst us here as it has always been.
Anyways, I will never but anything from the foreign business folks that whom currently own the Winchester name. Because to me that name means something entirely different then it does to them-you all know what I mean. To those business folks(communist) it’s all about the money and zero about the American & the American worker. They only care about getting your hard earned dollars.
I know this problem of is bigger then me, but I can offer my dream solution. . Don’t buy any Winchester guns- none of them are made in the USA. That .22 bolt is a pile. Support the USA made firearms/ammo companies. Ruger, Marlin, Remington, Colt?, Horandy, Federal, Olin..etc.. These folks offer everything you need to Get-R-Done and it was made here at home 95% of the time. The same goes for American made knives. Most hunters buy knives so you know what I mean. Old Timer/Schrade/Uncle Henry are now made in China. Camillus 1867 went out of business this year. Watch out for the name brand trick’em thing, because it is usually the Communist Wolf in Granny’s dress try to sell you the American dream.
If we all make an effort to buy only American products and it is measurable difference. Well that is the same as telling China get off my land varmint. We do not need your stuff. And it we only make our Country stronger in the long run. Think about it and do what you can American folk. God bless the American Armed Forces and the U.S.A. Remember the good folks that died for our freedom. . Thanks for your time, Billy.
13. Benny | December 27th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
I would just have to say it was a sad day when they stopped making the Winchester 70 & 94. I really feel bad for the people that lost there jobs in New Haven Conn. But they can always say they are a part of history. I don’t think there is a day that goes by that I do not feel sad about the Winchester plant shutting down. I will not buy any guns made out of the US. I hope that somehow the New Haven Plant opens up again. I know I will do my part as to buy there product and support the Winchester legend. I guess in a way we all took advantage by thinking the new Haven plant would be around forever. God Bless America and our troops.
14. Dave Stevens | August 20th, 2008 at 6:15 am
Would anyone be able to tell me what ever happened to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company Business Records? I’m conducting research for an up-coming book, and it seems that the primary Confederate Arms Purchaser following the armed comflict, was an arms dealer for Winchester in Turkey, of all places, since they anticipated a war with Russia . . .
Rather odd, now, that Russia is being considered as a manufacturing location for Winchester knock-off’s.
If you have ANY information, please contact me ASAP.
Thanks.
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