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A Hard Kick From John Wayne's Gun
New York Times ^ | January 21, 2006 | STACEY STOWE

Posted on 01/21/2006 3:25:46 AM PST by Pharmboy


Douglas Healey for The New York Times

Unless a rescue plan is worked out or a new buyer comes forward, the gun-manufacturing plant in New Haven, with about
200 employees, will close on March 31.

Come spring, the Winchester rifle, immortalized as the gun that won the West and rode into the sunset with John Wayne, will be made in Portugal and Japan.

The U.S. Repeating Arms Company, which has manufactured rifles and shotguns in New Haven since 1866, is set to shut its doors on March 31. About 200 people will lose their jobs, many having worked for decades on the plant's assembly line.

snip

Paul DeMennato, a company spokesman, did not provide production and sales numbers, but the New Haven mayor's office released a statement saying that only 80,000 guns had been produced at the plant last year. The factory is capable of producing 300,000 a year.

snip

"I still have my dad's guns. These products don't have a built-in obsolescence."

The Winchester repeating rifle became the gun of choice for Western settlers after it was introduced in 1866, Mr. DeMennato said. The lever-action breech mechanism allowed the user to fire a number of shots before having to reload.snip

"Instead of saying, 'Get me my gun,' he'd say, 'Get me my Winchester,' " Mr. DeMennato said.

A 10-foot-high bronze statute of Wayne, eyes narrowed in concentration and left hand clutching a Winchester, stands in the lobby of the New Haven plant. On the wall behind it are the mounted heads of a stag and wild boar and a turkey in its entirety.

snip

Connecticut has a history of firearm production with companies like Colt's Manufacturing in Hartford; Sturm, Ruger in Fairfield; and Marlin Firearms in North Haven.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Japan; News/Current Events; US: Connecticut
KEYWORDS: bang; banglist; guns; johnwayne; manufcturing; rifles; shotguns; winchester
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Sad...
1 posted on 01/21/2006 3:25:47 AM PST by Pharmboy
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: Pharmboy

I have my share of Winchesters. I am sorry to see this plant close.


3 posted on 01/21/2006 3:30:45 AM PST by RadioAstronomer (Senior member of Darwin Central)
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To: Pharmboy
The NYT must be salivating over this.

I bet there isn't one John Wayne type on its entire staff.

Leni

4 posted on 01/21/2006 3:30:54 AM PST by MinuteGal (Ahoy there! - "FReeps Ahoy 4" will embark for the Caribbean. The cruise thread is up and running!)
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To: RadioAstronomer
The problem with them is they're built so darn well they almost never need replacing.

That being said, I may have to go buy one of these lever guns. Maybe something in .44 mag to match the Mrs. pistola.

L

5 posted on 01/21/2006 3:33:03 AM PST by Lurker (You don't let a pack of wolves into the house just because they're related to the family dog.)
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To: Pharmboy

Sad, very sad.


6 posted on 01/21/2006 3:33:30 AM PST by Dustbunny (As happy as a toad in the Lord's pocket.)
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To: Pharmboy

Your post in response #2 had to be removed because it contained a Corbis photo. Please do not post any photos from Corbis or Getty. Thanks.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1111944/posts


7 posted on 01/21/2006 3:38:52 AM PST by Admin Moderator
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To: Dustbunny

I wonder if this is another Union victory.


8 posted on 01/21/2006 3:40:37 AM PST by willyd (No nation has ever taxed its citizens into prosperity)
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To: Pharmboy

This is the result of anti-gun nutjobs who have repeatedly assaulted the firearms industry. With the legislation allowing victims to sue gun manufacturers for the acts committed by gun-wielding murderers. When we allow the courts to impose draconian punishments on innocent businesses, People lose their jobs and factories go elsewhere.


9 posted on 01/21/2006 3:41:13 AM PST by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
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To: willyd
I wonder if this is another Union victory.

It certainly is a Liberal/Marxist antigun victory.

10 posted on 01/21/2006 3:42:52 AM PST by Dustbunny (As happy as a toad in the Lord's pocket.)
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To: Pharmboy
The Charge at Feather River

Pvt. Connors: Say, is this really a repeater?

Quartermaster Sergeant: A repeater? Son, you can load this on Sunday and shoot it all week.


IIRC, that rifle was a Henry.
11 posted on 01/21/2006 3:43:21 AM PST by meadsjn
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To: Lurker

I never bought a gun to replace one. All my purchases were to own another one.

Sounds like it is too late to keep them in the US by buying another one. I have three Winchesters, don't know what I would want in addition to the ones I own. Would buy duplicates of what I own, but that would not preserve the Winchester.


12 posted on 01/21/2006 3:46:05 AM PST by tdscpa
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To: MinuteGal
Unless a rescue plan is worked out or a new buyer comes forward, the gun-manufacturing plant in New Haven, with about 200 employees, will close on March 31.

Shoot!

13 posted on 01/21/2006 3:48:33 AM PST by beyond the sea (Cal Thomas: If only Robert Bork had cried ...................)
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To: Admin Moderator

Sorry...did not know that. Will not use Getty or Corbis in the future. Thanks for letting me know the reason for the pulled post.


14 posted on 01/21/2006 3:49:25 AM PST by Pharmboy (The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones.)
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To: All

John Wayne and a Winchester rifle, from "Stagecoach" in 1939. The Duke was a Winchester brand spokesman.


Douglas Healey for The New York Times
Workers ended their shift this week at the U.S. Repeating Arms Company.

15 posted on 01/21/2006 3:54:47 AM PST by Pharmboy (The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones.)
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To: Pharmboy

You're welcome. Thank you for the kind response.


16 posted on 01/21/2006 4:00:22 AM PST by Admin Moderator
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To: Pharmboy
You know where Winchester is Headquartered? Anti-gun Illinois!

Funny you never hear Daley or Blago talk about any loss of jobs when it comes to those evil gun manufacturers. Heck, behind closed doors, they beg and bribe gun makers to stay in Illinois!
17 posted on 01/21/2006 4:00:30 AM PST by endthematrix (None dare call it ISLAMOFACISM!)
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To: Lurker
The problem with them is they're built so darn well they almost never need replacing.

Indeed. My best hunting rifle is a pre 1964 model 70 .300 Winchester Magnum with a low profile 3x9 widefield Redfield scope.

18 posted on 01/21/2006 4:01:21 AM PST by RadioAstronomer (Senior member of Darwin Central)
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To: Pharmboy
Also, Olin is the Winchester ammo maker and I don't know how they are tied corporately, I do reckon that ammo manufacturing is doing well with a war on...
19 posted on 01/21/2006 4:02:55 AM PST by endthematrix (None dare call it ISLAMOFACISM!)
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To: MinuteGal

I don't know about that. I bet most of the male NYT staffers swoon over big, strong cowboys ( or sheepherders, as the case may be ).


20 posted on 01/21/2006 4:14:51 AM PST by GadareneDemoniac
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