Most recently, McMillan made cuts to their available types of stocks and the actions they inlet for. They are getting rid of less-used molds or storing them away and saying they got rid of them. Also insisting on larger and more constant production runs for the smaller custom stocks they make for rifle builders, etc, refusing to do inlets that they used to do on certain stocks, etc.
Probably making more runs of stocks they can sell in large quantities to Altus, Redhawk, etc...while cutting the one-off stuff that folks on this forum tend to appreciate.
I agree with TX35W..
McMillan was the only synthetic stock maker of different molds for "unusual" rifle actions..
Which I had no problem with waiting 7-8 months for mine, because nobody else made one for my action.
Now its basically Rem 700 and clones, Tikka T3, some Win 70, Something Savage, Howa 1500.
They removed ALOT of different stock models, some molds they removed from website years ago, but still able to buy flattop, but dont list on website, you have to ask, etc etc..
Now they make almost exclusively for Rem 700.. and bought a company that makes Rem 700 clones..
So, I guess we will see rifles made one their actions, in their stocks was well.... Synergy
So basically they made sound business decisions for themselves.
Knowing a little bit about operations, marginal costs, contribution margins etc. there is absolutely no way that McMillan was turning a profit on their lower volume, more obscure work.
So they had a choice when looking at unprofitable parts of their business - either shelve the molds and stop offering those unprofitable combinations, or raise prices to the point of making them profitable. I can only imagine the meltdown on the campfire if they raised prices on their lower volume, more obscure work to try to turn a profit.
Some of you will undoubtedly say the McMillan family did it - but capitalism is part of what makes america great and when you buy a business for a certain price, it is yours to manage as you please, including running it in a way to turn the profit necessary to justify what you paid for it.
Last i checked businesses don't exist to make your life easier by making an obscure stock at a loss. They exist to make a profit for their shareholders. If Beck has concluded that focusing on larger volume patterns, inlets and dealers is the best way to maximize value of the business, more power to him from my point of view.
If there is a void left behind that is worth filling, capitalism suggests someone will fill it.
PS - so what barrel maker do we expect Beck to buy?
