Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders S&W to close Thompson/Center Arms Rochester plant ....

i dont know Doc . a whole lot of companies were having problems before the recession.
It costs a lot of money to come out with a new product . Especially if that product is completely new
A whole lot of these companies were just barely breaking even as it was

So in many cases the recession was just the straw that broke the camels back .

Personally the only thing that surprises me about this closer , is that it took so long .
Right after S&W bought out TC they had that news release that said they would discontinue much of the muzzle loading production , once inventory was sold off .
Then those statements were pulled .
But a whole lot of folks figured from day one that all S&W was after was the , name and the barrel making facilities .
Myself , I believe that once S&W fully assimilates TC into S&W production , you will see TC get closed down .. We might see some of the more popular center fire production be kept up . But past that S&W will run whats left of TC down the drain

I also think that the modern muzzle loading industry is fast going the same direction as the Traditional muzzle loading industry .
IE they semi custom and custom market will start up . while at the same time the mass production industry will become more importers, like Investment arms and CVA .
Possibly we may even see some Folks trying to market very cheep imports from India in the years to come .

that�s the only way your going to see lower prices . Which inevitably will also bring lower quality .
Simply put companies cannot produce at lower prices under our current system of regulations that�s been implemented over the last 30 or so years .

I sure would be nice if the market would grow considerably . Which would then allow mass production to drive the cost down . But I don�t believe that will happen as we have for the most part accepted higher costs . The public pays those costs without even thinking .
Look at the modern muzzle loading projectile industry . As long as people are willing to pay outlandish prices , then the next evolution of products will only cost more..
But then its really a catch 22 because if people stop paying those prices then either production dries up OR the producers move to where they can manufacture cheaper . then they either turn around and sell it back here at the same cost or less . Thus forcing those companies still here in the US to compete ,move or shut down .

Now enter the evil head of inflation .
I can remember making custom muzzleloaders for around 500.00 . Today I can hardly even buy the parts for most rifles at that cost . Never mined making much of those parts myself only raises the price in my labor. Which for the most part a fella is lucky to get � of minimum wage making a semi custom gun .
It sure seems like it�s a never ending spiral upwards .

I think we as consumers have to change out mindset if we are going to see US companies servive.
Only time will tell I guess .