The whole "Buy American" argument is a bit pointless today with a global economy so much in play. What's "American" anyway? A Honda Accord made in Marysville, Ohio, or a Ford F-150 assembled in Mexico? Yes, you can argue the profits go to the home corporation. Honda in Japan, and Ford in Michigan. But that argument doesn't really hold water because of the diversification of employees each company has working for them. The American Honda worker in Marysville supports his family here, and buys goods and services in this country, not Japan. The opposite can be said of the Mexican worker Ford employs.
It's the same with guns. Is my Springfield Armory 1911 that is made by Imbrel in Brazil anymore American than my Glock made in Austria, but assembled in Smyrna, Georgia? With Ruger everything is made here, either in New England or else in Prescott, Arizona. Perhaps some parts they use such as springs, pins, etc. are imported, I don't know. The same with Remington and several others like Marlin.
But I think we've reached a point with guns that you really don't know where the money ultimately winds up, let alone who it really supports. Rock Island Armory 1911's are a good example. Is Rock Island Armory an American company producing their weapons in a factory in the Philippines? If so are they any different than Nike producing their line of tennis shoes in Viet Nam? This stuff gets more complicated every day. The old saying used to always be, "Follow the money". Now you have to be an Investment Banker to do that! Bill T.
I agree with the auto industry and many other industries that this is the case but there are still some pretty clearly identifiable American companies in the firearms industry. With 1911's you can buy a Kimber, Colt, STI, S&W and now Ruger and get an all American pistol. Remington is made here but is owned by a foreign investment group. Even with the Remington even with the money leaving the country at some point at least it was done with American workers. I personally wouldn't buy a Springfield 1911 even though the higher end models may have American frames because of their practice of doing so much business in Brazil. If I want an item and there's no American option, like a Glock (even though they're doing a lot more assembly in Georgia now so at least US workers benefit) I'll buy what I want. If there's an obvious American choice when I buy something then I will buy that, even at a slight premium.
The auto industry has been clouded for quite a while, not just Honda but Nissan, Toyota, Mazda (partially owned by Ford) and others have been assembling cars in the US for decades. There have been some research that shows that many "Japanese" cars have more American parts and labor hours than many "American" cars so this line is blurred. Thankfully the firearms industry is much clearer. It also uses a lot of skilled labor and higher paying jobs that we as consumers need to support and keep in the US.
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