Remington To Close H&R Plant

[Marshal Halloway]

Remington To Close H&R Plant - Apr 8, 2008 - 1:19:36 AM
By Jim Shepherd
It’s billed as a “manufacturing consolidation” but to the 200-plus workers at what used to be the H&R 1971 –now- Remington Arms’ Gardner, Massachusetts plant, it’s a closure. For most of them, it means outplacement assistance. That’s a corporate pseudonym for unemployment.
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[gunman1911]

This is a  sad day for the firearms industry and the workers of the plant . Just how many models does this effect? I fear that this is going to spill down to the other manufactures as we see cost saving measures and the eventual quality drop more and more manufactures drop out if sight.And the way Ruger has changed their long time standing favorite 10/22 in favor of plastic trigger housings. You just don't change a classic and expect the consumers to be happy and stand by bad decisions.

[leatherman92]

I own a h&r 12ga.sad indeed

[Harmony Hermit]

Good! Remington/ceberus should pack up all the New England based companies and move to a gun friendly state...like Pennsylvania!  Massachewsits, Connectigut and Noo Yawk aren't in the US anymore anyway so move where you are wanted.

Seriously, why stay in states that want to sue you into bankruptcy and tax you untill they own everything. Most manufacturing in those states is done by green cards or will be in the next few years. Few if any locals work in the plants. Hard to find folks who can operate machinery in the North East these days without going to importing folks from Eastern Europe. Try to find someone out of High School who can operate a Lathe, they are all going to college to become Lawyers.

Yeah I know...I'm a Racist bigoted whatever.

[MikeBjerum]

I don't want to say that plant closings and consolidations is the beginning of the end, but it is a change that is not for the good of the industry.  Firearm manufacturing has been one of the hold outs of niche marketing.  Even though there is a lot of overlap and a wide variety in most companies, every company has its one strong item.  S&W handguns, Ruger revolvers and the 10/22, Savage affordable accuracy in rifles, Winchester rifles, Baretta sporting arms, Ithica shotguns, etc.  As companies merge, expand and consolidate it waters down the diversity of the industry.  Everytime a company pulls out of a community it weakens the strength of the industry in the Nation.  You pull out of Conn. and the anti's learn the economy can live with out you, you leave Calif. and they state that they are so much better without you, and you pull out of Mass. and it is just that much more booze available for Teddy.

We need to morn the lose of every firearm plant world wide, and we need to let the makers know we like what they are doing.  William Ruger said he did not need a "focus group" because as shooters if they did not know what the shooting public wanted they were in the wrong business.  Does the new Ruger management team know we like the strong reliable 10/22, or do they think we want cheap utility and leave the strength and precission to Volquartsen?

I love the thread on Rugers on here.  It is great to read about other's experiences and to share my own.  As gun owners and shooters we need to do more of this amongst ourselves and with the gun makers.  We don't live in a vacuum, they don't manufacture in a vacuum, and gun dealers don't sell in a vacuum. 

Ooooops ... caught myself reaching for the soapbox.  Time to leave and have a drink.

[Sponsor]

[Neon Knight Anubis]

My opinion, I think either Smith&Wesson or Colt need to talk to Cerberus. Smith is not doing well, Thompson Center had to lay people off and they probably didn't have that many to begin with. Smith and Thompson firearms, while good overall, are too expensive when compared to some of these other companies that market weapons at lower prices and are just as usefull.

Example, the M&P average street price is $500 which usually equal to the GLOCK, the SR9 from what I hear is substantially lower than that (I moved to the island before it came out). If I'm the average Joe and I want a pistol for whatever reason but I don't hang around gun sites on the internet, so I go to Academy Sports/local pawn shop/usual small town gunstore etc. and look around. I see four 9mm pistols:

Ruger SR9: $425 (I don't know exactly)
Smith&Wesson M&P $500
Glock 17/19: $500
CZ 75B: $410

Bear with me here I have a point. Joe thinks "I grew up with Rugers (Rifles/Mark II what have you) so I know their reputation. Smith? I know about their revolvers but autos? Still it looks alright but its the same price as the Glock and everybody knows Glocks are good. CZ? Never heard of them but its cheap."

Am I making sense here? Joe will, more than likely, go with the Ruger or a Glock because he knows those names. Smith charges too much to challenge some companies while others charge much lower and undermine their efforts. Granted, you can find M&Ps cheaper than $500 on a few internet sources but most people don't want to fool with firearm purchases on the internet, or don't even know you can, and I've been to all the stores I can find but I've never seen an M&P for less than $500. Same goes for all the other weapons they produce. Colt's in far worse shape, they either need a serious kick in the ass and go all in or just quit and stay in the defense industry (which seems to be going to FNH lately).

But the other side of the argument is, as m58 said, when you consolidate you dilute the industry and only the mainstream ideas survive while originality dies. We need the Cheytacs the Magpulls etc just as much as the bigger firms and so this consolidation is both a boon and a bane for the industry. If Cerberus bought Smith they might be able to make alterations that they may not be able to do now and lower their prices but then again it might not. I hope I made some sense, its almost 1am here.


Oh, and I'm thinking in terms of civilian sales and not law enforcement, thought I should put that down.

[tombogan03884]

Good! Remington/ceberus should pack up all the New England based companies and move to a gun friendly state...like Pennsylvania!  Massachewsits, Connectigut and Noo Yawk aren't in the US anymore anyway so move where you are wanted.

Seriously, why stay in states that want to sue you into bankruptcy and tax you untill they own everything. Most manufacturing in those states is done by green cards or will be in the next few years. Few if any locals work in the plants. Hard to find folks who can operate machinery in the North East these days without going to importing folks from Eastern Europe. Try to find someone out of High School who can operate a Lathe, they are all going to college to become Lawyers.

Yeah I know...I'm a Racist bigoted whatever.

There are still some of us around up here.

I have to agree with NKA, Smith, and Colt are cutting their own throats by charging a premium for putting their name on the barrel. But I need to inform M58 that the T/Carms lay offs were due to internal problems, Smith bought them all new machinery and no one can run it yet. They are however overpriced when compaired to other single shot firearms.

[jaybet]

Smith and Thompson firearms, while good overall, are too expensive when compared to some of these other companies that market weapons at lower prices and are just as usefull.

 If Cerberus bought Smith they might be able to make alterations that they may not be able to do now and lower their prices but then again it might not. I hope I made some sense, its almost 1am here.


Oh, and I'm thinking in terms of civilian sales and not law enforcement, thought I should put that down.

I understand Neon Knights points, but I have to say that we own a stainless S&W 686, and I have not handled any revolver yet that can compare in feel, action, and fit and finish. They're just that much better, and so they cost more. There's always a market for quality. The cheaper guns serve a purpose, and I buy cheaper guns (just got the SR9 for $450) but they ARE cheaper guns and in one way or another you eventually notice that.

[Neon Knight Anubis]

^And you would be exactly right, but we're all members of this forum which happens to be a firearms site and therefore we have a certain level of enthusiasm for firearms and we notice things like that. Most firearms are sold for either hunting or defensive purposes, utility weapons, and they usually aren't hard use guns and thats where the high cost weapons usually come in.

[twyacht]

My local gun store owner who is fair, reasonable, and have known for a long time, mentioned Colt cutting its own throat for not giving him the inventory he has demand for, the response to his inquiry from Colt was;" none available until July or August ", for someone like me who will pay for what I want, its disheartening to be told 4 to 6 months, I'll go elsewhere. Or to another manufacturer. Thanks to this forum alone, I can get honest opinions and feedback about almost any firearm.

Granted some will be willing to wait for that special something, but this is a finicky market. Some (like Me), don't want to purchase a firearm online yet. Although I'm sure many have had much success.

I couldn't get the Sig pistol I wanted (told 4 to 8 weeks),  so I got the M+P that day, I'm glad I did, its a great pistol. I'll still get the Sig one day, UNLESS I find something else,, Kimber, Glock, Springfield,.etc,...

It seems the dealers and consumers are hungry for the merchandise, but they are getting a level of red tape from SOME not all manufacturers that is giving an impression to the buyer. That says alot about a brand of firearm.

I can't send my Winchester back to the factory anymore, I have to trust a gunsmith, which is usually OK, but its nice to have an issue resolved by the company who made the product. For Example, Zippo lighters, it breaks, send it back, they fix it. Period.

Maybe the ones that are left will "get it", hopefully soon.