Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Winchester moving operations out of the country?

Is this true? I heard at the gun store. What are the specifics?

It must be true!

i believe they are moving some "assembly" operations to portugal. however, it would not surprise me if they moved everything to a foreign country. after all, the owner (fn) is foreign, and the labor is cheaper offshore. fn is in the business to make a profit for their shareholders, so i can't fault them if profits will increase. our regs are making it increasingly more difficult to produce products in america. ymmv.

Well I just like the idea of buying American guns. Not that I would not buy guns from another country. I just would like the American icon Winchester to stay in America. That way I know Americans are getting paid to produce the rifles I buy.

Theyre just moving "some" operations to Portugal. But mark my words. In 10 years the whole [bleep] gun will be made there.

That's not as bad. I do stress buying American wherever I can. Seems to me that's a dying idea for the less informed

I heard (here at the 'Fire, so take that for what it's worth) that Winny is moving all Model 70 "assembly" operations to Portugal. Parts manufactured in the US, shipped to Portugal, and returned to the US as assembled rifles.

Makes my decision easy, Remington it is.

That is rather sad, if true.

Same here.....

I will reserve judgement until I see some results. The crap that Remington and Marlin have put out lately might as well have been "assembled" in Croatia. I have had several Browning handguns that were assembled in Portugal and the fit and finish was everything that one could want in a factory product.

Not surprising.
Winchester is made by Browning and they have been assembled in Portugal for years.
Doesn't seem to have affected quality at all.
It is all about the cost to put the product out the door.

+1 ... Like it or not, we are now part of a global economy. Frequently it boils down to finding the cheapest labor source, or going out of business. Why are Dodge trucks made in Mexico ? Why are Chevy Aveos made in South Korea ? Why doesn't a Ford Mustang qualify as "Made in America" ? I do not like it either. But it is becoming the way of the world. Companies either adapt, or fold up shop...

The M70 is a Browning product, and Browning doesn't make anything, it's been jobbed out to FN-SC. Not sure how much is made at the FN plant anyway. The trigger is a Browning unit and that I think is jobbed out elsewhere. The stocks are not made by FN and the wood stocks I believe come from one of the Italian gun makers. The bottom metal is not made by FN but is jobbed out elsewhere. So already, they have parts made and assembled elswhere that are then shipped to FN-SC to assemble with the parts they make. Only thing changed now is that it is more cost effective for Browning to have everyone, including FN-SC send their parts to the Portugal operation for assembly. I wouldn't expect much to change with the end product when it comes out the box.

Best

Couldn't agree with you more :-) Or Cooper or Shaw or Kimber or Defiance

I wonder if the prices on the Winchester M70 will drop, remain the same, or rise!

SD

FN moved all of the Browning line to Portugal a long time ago though Browing has a HQ in Utah.
It makes sense to me as they have all this located in a central spot.
Belguim browings are assembled in Portugal.
I would by a wnn assembled there.
Blessings

I'll bet that the prices of Pre-64's goes up.
B.I.F.

I think a foreign made M70 would be about as satisfying to own as any other foreign made replica of the older classics.

"Belgium Brownings" have been greatly coveted for the biggest part of a century. Though I have several of those I too would like to see the whole FN/Winchester/Browning product made literally lock, stock & barrel here in the U.S. but it doesn't look likely. There are some great areas here in the Southeast I'm sure could provide the minimal labor required for new production methods. Nashville, Huntsville, Columbia, Knoxville, Charlotte, on & on.