This came in at work today.  Interesting...

David 
Montezuma, IA


U.S. Repeating Arms Company to Close

New Haven, Connecticut Facility

 

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 see 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.

 

This action is a realignment of resources to make Winchester Firearms a stronger, more viable organization.  Winchester Firearms plans to continue the great Winchester legacy and is very excited about the future.

 

 

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Sigh.

"The old order changeth, yielding place to new, and God fulfils Himself in many ways, lest one good custom should corrupt the world." [Tennyson, "The Passing of Arthur"]

Boy.  Doesn't take a genius to read between THOSE lines...wonder why they didn't just say "it's cheaper and more profitable to build guns offshore and stamp them "Winchester", than run our own facility and be burdened with employees, overhead, and pension plans..."

Chalk up another one to bean-counters and corporate raiders.

Greg

   For as long as USRA/Winchester has been under common ownership with Browning, they have been owned by the FRENCH! They are listed as owned by FN which had a long, long relationship with Browning but who is in turn is owned by a FFrench corporation which as I understand it the armsmaker for the French government. There is no allegiance to customers in the USA nor workers of New Haven to be found in that arrangement.
    Actually I'm not sure Winchester has ever been totally out of financial problems. At thd time the vaunted pre-64 line was phased out, some of the guns weere being built on machines installed in the factory in the 1860s and so worn out and partds tolerances so high each gun was virtually hand fitted. Maybe good for the purchaser but not for business..

any idea which guns ARE still made in USA by companies owned by US citizens?  Ruger comes to mind but the only other ones I know if are all small specialized and high priced semi-custom----but I'd LOVE to be corrected.

    So far s I know, Smith and Wesson has been back in US ownership for a number of years. I believe Savage is as well as Marlin (which encompasses NEI and Mossberg also) however one never knows how many layers of ownership separate us from reality. Smaller companies like Kimber, Springfield Armoury are of course American owned. Thankfully the current makers of most repro single shot rifles are homegrown.

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DonH, Marlin owns NEF, but I don't believe they have anything to do with Mossberg. Like Marlin, Mossberg is still family owned, although their Maverick line is Mexican made.
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Right on, Ray! For comparison, please note that the Marlin Co is still making a superior product from walnut and steel, and seems to be still selling a fair number of lever rifles even after over 100 years (VBG). Quality counts. Yeah I know they aren't quite as finely finished as they were 100 years ago, but they're still the best available IMO.

I just wish they still made that fine-lookin' single shot.
Regards, Joe