Les Jones: More on the Winchester Shutdown

January 19, 2006

Guns > More on the Winchester Shutdown

More from The High Road, including a letter from the companies involved:

U.S. Repeating Arms Company, maker of Winchester brand rifles and shotguns will close its New Haven, Connecticut manufacturing facility. Many efforts were made to improve profitability at the manufacturing facility in New Haven, and the decision was made after exhausting all available options.
Effective March 31, 2006 the New Haven manufacturing facility will stop manufacturing the Winchester Model 70, Model 94 and Model 1300.

Winchester Firearms will continue to sell and grow its current line of Select Over &Under shotguns, the new Super X3 autoloading shotgun, the new Super X autoloading rifle and Limited Edition rifles. The company also plans to introduce new models in the future. There will be no change in Customer Service.

FN/Browning will continue warranty and repair service.

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Comments

Hmmm. Looks like I'll be getting a 94 in .357 Magnum for Buy a Gun Day.

Posted by: Jay G at January 19, 2006

I wonder how happy the folks at Marlin are about this?

Posted by: Josh at January 19, 2006

Hate to see it happen. I had my eye on the new coyote outback--racy lokking rifle. Called the winchester customer service and was advised that it is past history--will never be produced.

I recall when the pre 64 model 70 was discontinued. The riflemans rifle was put to rest. The model 700 stepped in. Winchester had finally come around with a formidable substitute, the best of the past and future to be. Poof! It is all history. Perhaps the custom shop will take over and produce limited editions to satisfy the dieharts as Colt has with the S.A.A. revolver.

Lest not forget, open the door and the Italian gun industry may step in and continue the riflemans rifle tradition. They have come a long ways with a quality re-creation of the colt single action army revolver.

Look at the Winchester new super X rifle and at the Benelli R1 rifle.

Posted by: Ruben Leon at February 10, 2006

This is news to me, and it just makes me sick at heart! A large chunk of American history is being flushed down the toilet. I bought a new 1894 in 30-30 last year, and I love it! It is a gun that has been in production non-stop since 1894, and now it's all coming to an ignoble end? Awful!

Posted by: Dave at February 22, 2006

when i was in new haven 2001
they teared down the old plants
that was the soul!!
new they kill the HEART

Posted by: marc v donzel at February 27, 2006