8/15/2006
East Alton, IL, August 15, 2006 --Winchester announced today that it has entered into a long-term license agreement with Browning for the manufacture and distribution of Winchester brand rifles and shotguns.


“With this new agreement, Winchester is confident that Browning will produce innovative firearms worthy of the Winchester name, continuing a tradition that people around the world associate with the Winchester brand,†stated Richard Hammett, President Winchester Ammunition. “We are proud of our heritage as The Gun That Won the West and consider this arrangement as entering a new era for the legendary Winchester firearms brand.â€

Charles Guevremont, President of Browning is equally optimistic and excited about the opportunity to continue the production and distribution of Winchester firearms. “We are more committed today than ever before to the development of exciting new Winchester firearms designs,†said Guevremont. “We will continually strive to build the quality products that generations of loyal Winchester customers have come to expect and will be proud to own and use for decades to come.â€


Winchester is a division of Olin Corporation. Olin Corporation is a manufacturer concentrated in three business segments: Metals, Chlor Alkali Products and Winchester. Winchester products include sporting ammunition, reloading components, small caliber military ammunition and industrial cartridges.

That's interesting, I was thinking Howa.

That's really regfreshing but only time will tell. Bear in Fairbanks

Does this mean the next M70 will say "Made in Japan?"

Besides saying "Made in USA," I hope it has Winchester stamped on it and not Browning.

quote:

Does this mean the next M70 will say "Made in Japan?"

Yes, I am afraid so.

So what is new?

FN (or more accurately, the holding company that owns FN) currently owns both Browning and Winchester, or at least the Winchester plant, and is the culprit that announced the closing of the New Haven plant. Olin owns the rights to the trade name "Winchester". It appears from the press release that nothing is happening. FN will continue to lease the rights to the name "Winchester" and will produce "Winchesters", but not in New Haven.

Nothing has changed.

quote:

Nothing has changed.

The big difference is that FN will be able to say goodbye to the union contract. Howa will probably be producing them in Japan and Browning will handle the distribution.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
So what is new?

FN (or more accurately, the holding company that owns FN) currently owns both Browning and Winchester, or at least the Winchester plant, and is the culprit that announced the closing of the New Haven plant. Olin owns the rights to the trade name "Winchester". It appears from the press release that nothing is happening. FN will continue to lease the rights to the name "Winchester" and will produce "Winchesters", but not in New Haven.

Nothing has changed.

well, nothing except that little stamp that says "Made in the USA"

Nothing new here, except Olin has renewed it's Winchester licensing agreement with FN. Based on the quality over the last 20 years of New Haven made Winchesters, Made in Japan could be an improvement.

In the opinion of many, Winchester was fatally wounded in 1964, and it just took 42 years to finally bleed out.