A Hard Kick From John Wayne's Gun

New York Times ^ | January 21, 2006 | STACEY STOWE

[Beagle8U]

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

I now own only one Winchester, but it has a great story behind it.

About 7 years ago I planned a Canadian fishing trip.

I knew and old guy that had always said he would love to go back to Canada fishing. I also knew he didn't have the money for the trip because he lived off only a small SS check, so I offered to pay all his expenses because I needed someone to go with me. ( I lied, kinda)

He had a ball and I picked up the tab for everything.

The following Christmas morning he showed up at the door and said he had a present for me.

When I opened it...It was a 1897 12 ga. Winchester pump that looks brand new off the shelf!

I'm not sure what its worth, but I'm quite sure that trip was worth alot to that old man!

[Rummyfan]

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

They are more into the 'modern' cowboy, as personified by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall.....

[El Gato]

You know where Winchester is Headquartered? Anti-gun Illinois!

That would be Olin, which makes the Winchester brand of ammunition, and owns the trademark, which is only licensed to US Repeating Arms, when it was spun off from Olin.

[Osage Orange]

Nice story......

Very, very nice of you to extend some great kindness......As you said, it must have meant a lot to that gentleman.

His gesture to you reminds me..of the old saw..."Ain't never yet seen a Hearst pulling a U-Haul trailer"

A friend of mine has a Marlin pump ( the model escapes me at the moment..) that's very similar to the 1897. Although his is a 16 gauge...They are unique shotgun's. I hope you enjoy yours....

FRegards,

[nutmeg]

Connecticut ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.

[Sensei Ern]

I don't know about that model, but my first rifle was a Marlin 18 shot 22. It cost $60 and came with a scope. I never learned how to use a scope, but I was dead on iron sights.

My brother and I would go plinking cans every weekend. When 100 22 shells cost $1, it was easy to go through a whole box and go home to clean it.

After 10 years, the firing pin wore out and it began to jam. Never figured out what started to make it jam, but it still made a decent squirrel gun.

[El Gato]

That would be Olin, which makes the Winchester brand of ammunition, and owns the trademark, which is only licensed to US Repeating Arms, when it was spun off from Olin.

Actually Olin is Headquartered in Clayton, MO. The Winchester Ammunition division is indeed headquartered in East Alton, IL. But that has no longer has anything to do with Winchester brand firearms, which have been built by US Repeating Arms since 1981. USRA is currently owned by Herstal, the parent company of FN and Browning.

Actually the three companies have a long history of cooperation. FN made John Browning designs in europe for many decades, Winchester made many other Browning designs in the US. The Winchester-Browning relationship goes back to the time of John Moses Browning himself.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

..Winchester Model 94

[Thermalseeker]

Unions are the issue if you ask me.

Unions and frivilous liability law suits are killing many businesses. Outsourcing is just a smoke and mirrors argument. Although we outsource something like 600,000 jobs here in the US, we insource something on the order of 8,000,000 jobs here.

If you erode that opportunity enough, companies will fold or seek the next best idea (usually somewhere with a less oppressive tax system).

The best arguement yet for the Fair Tax. Scrap the IRS, eliminate all taxes and replace them with a National Consumption tax. It will create a tax haven unlike anywhere else in the world. Companies will be falling all over each other to come here to produce their goods and do business.

[Beagle8U]

"After 10 years, the firing pin wore out and it began to jam. Never figured out what started to make it jam, but it still made a decent squirrel gun."

That is the reason the MR-7 didn't sell very well, people were too used to Marlin building low end 22 cal rifles to pay $700 for the MR-7.

The MR-7 is a high powered rifle built to compete with the Remington 700, the Browning etc.

I think the calibers offered were 25-06, 270, 280 rem.,and 30/06 but there may have been a few others.

The quality and features are there to stack up to any top of the line bolt action on the market, they just wouldn't sell with the Marlin name attached.

( this is the cool part) Most of the rifles that were sold were deeply discounted when Marlin was dumping the line, so if you find a used one you may get a $600-$700 rifle for $200! I bought one new ( in 280 rem.) when they were closing them out for just under $300.

They were built in the mid/late 90's.

[MikeGun]

I hope everyone here will visit

www.SaveWinchester.com

This is a REAL attempt to save this factory.

[Beagle8U]

http://www.savewinchester.com/

That is a working link for your news on this.

I hope they can stay American, I doubt it will stay if its union though.