Made in the USA

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JoeSixpack

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Does it mean anything anymore?

I use to joke the only thing America still made well was firearms and pornography.

I started thinking about my guns yesterday, most of them was made in whole or part outside of the US.. but are still what I'd call quality guns.

Does made in the USA man anything these days for firearms?
 
We are a global society these days, and other countries make good stuff. Then there is the old argument that if everything was made in the US we'd all be broke from the high prices. Meh, economics are perhaps over my head.
I own several guns that were not made in the US and several that were, they are all pretty quality pieces, save for one.
 
Buy USA. It is true it keeps Americans employed. Sad that Global Investors destroy the quality and take the profits elsewhere, like Soros, and then spend them here on Anarchy.
Henry Rifles are made here. Quality needs work to bring up fit and polish and quality of wood, to match, 1964 and before American, and some cases like Colt and Smith mid seventies and before. Move to Tn our taxes are lower and we would much prefere to build guns than drive trucks. People like to sign their work here.
 
Given similar quality and price I try to buy USA made products, guns included. But I'm not going to pay more for a lower quality product just because it is made here.

I try to buy Ruger firearms whenever practical for this reason. But they are not always the best option.
 
I never had any hesitation buying Italian (from a company doing it longer than there was a USA). As an American though, there is a sense of pride that comes with Ruger. Quality is where you find it.

The idea of paying a higher price for being American made is a conflated notion stemming from all the extra costs associated with various governmental regulatory constraints. I do find it funny though, that we spend so much time and money dealing with lead in the paint used in older homes but conveniently ignore the lead in the paint of all the electronics casings, toys, and various plastics from other countries; things that fill our homes perhaps even to a higher percentage than the paint used on our walls. I also never understood how it could possibly be cheaper to ship in fruit from half way around the world. It makes even less sense how "steel" products could be cheaper.

I'll buy domestic when I can. It's just not always easy to do....and that's when it's even an option.
 
I won't pay a large premium just to get something that's American-made. That said, all factors (cost, quality, etc.) being fairly equal, I buy products made in the USA when I can.
 
For those of us old enough to remember, "made in Japan" has been replaced by made in China or Taiwan. I think generally Japan is now known for quality, at least in technology. Of course they probably stole the design from Apple.

Many of our fathers, when we were kids, surely were not going to buy any of those cars from Japan or Germany. No way. Wish I could be around 50 years from now to what the market places are like.
 
I try to buy made in the USA when it makes sense but we live in a global economy and if you say youre only going to buy made in USA, youre really selling yourself short.
Theres tons of great products that arent made in the USA. We live in a global economy and while its cute to think that buying from American companies means that you are supporting US jobs, its also important to remember that companies source their parts from global suppliers. Take the Springfield XD for example: there isnt a single thing American about that gun, other than the name stamped on the slide.
 
I pay attention to where things are made and, all other things being equal, favor the US followed by Germany, the rest of Europe, Japan, Russia, and then the rest of Asia.

The thing is things are seldom all equal up to that point so it becomes an insignificant point.

Though I did buy a Redfield scope for on my TC rifle specifically because it was US made.
 
I'll buy what I think is the best gun for my wants. Will buy made in USA "IF" i consider the quality to be very good if not, will not buys just to get made in the USA.
 
Ever since ships crossed the oceans, we've been living in a "global economy".

The main difference is that today, information can cross the globe in seconds, smaller items in hours or days, and bulk materials in weeks not months.

Import and export, trade, not a new thing. The degree of it is undeniably the greatest in history, but the concepts are not new.

Over the last century, changes in both our society and consumer attitude, as well as a tremendous volume of government regulation have created a situation where the US is unfriendly / hostile to virtually every manufacturing business.

TRADE flourishes, but today we trade paper and electronic paper more than things we make. If it is easier, cheaper, and you stand a better chance at making a profit NOT making your products in the USA, you won't.

Patriotism usually takes a back seat to profit. There are exceptions, but they are few.
 
Tinbucket said:
Buy USA. It is true it keeps Americans employed. Sad that Global Investors destroy the quality and take the profits elsewhere, like Soros, and then spend them here on Anarchy.
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I think some are missing the question.

It's not about do you buy American because of patriotism, or some moral reasons.

The question is are US made firearms superior to foreign arms?
I know in the US we have mfg's that run the whole spectrum but lets say from teh major mfgs.. S&W, Ruger, Remington, Etc

The question isn't, SHOULD we buy Made in the USA.. The Question is are we really any better at it then the rest of the world these days?


I use to think so, But these days I gotta be honest.. I don't think we can really claim to make a superior firearm anymore.

PS. That's not to say we are Inferior, It's just not something I feel we can point to as being any better then the rest of the world anymore.
 
I think we dominate the AR platform.
Pretty well in the long range and hunting rifle category.
Handguns, not so much.
Machine guns is a toss up.
Tactical shotguns probably a win. High grade hunting shotguns perhaps not.
 
Tikka's aren't made in the USA are they? How about Weatherby, Was it ever made in the USA as a factory firearm? Where's Browning made? I kind of suspect unless your paying for a custom, other than Remington and Winchester, and maybe Ruger are about all made in this country, rifle's and shotgun's. If you get past that, other than looks, how do you tell if a rifle is a quality rifle?
 
How about Weatherby, Was it ever made in the USA as a factory firearm? Where's Browning made?
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Roy Weatherby began producing rifles in his shop in California in the late 40s. Custom and semi custom work. Mostly he used modified Mauser actions. Later, he made a deal with J.P Sauer & Sohn, in West Germant, to produce his Mark V action design. Some rifles were made in the USA, using the German made action, (I believe), but after a little bit, the entire rifles were made in Germany. After some years, production was moved to Japan, where it remains today.

Browning, NEVER made guns. Anywhere, other than JM's shop prototypes and guns for military testing. Browning was a gun designer, not a manufacturer, and he sold all his designs to other companies for manufacture.

Browning Arms today, is also NOT a manufacturer. All Browning guns are made in someone else's factories. Mostly FN in Belgium, and someone else (Miroku??) in Japan. They are made FOR Browning, have Browning's name on them, and are marketed and sold by Browning. Browning doesn't make them, Browning has them made for them to sell to us.

As far as "buy American" goes, I TRY to, when practical. IF there is an American made product that meets my requirements, and the price difference is not outrageous, I will buy American. I will also buy from American COMPANIES, when possible, no matter where their products are actually made.

I've been driving Fords for decades, not because I have a love affair with Fords, but because they are an American company, and the local Ford dealer accepts my credit.;)
At least one of my "American" Fords came from Canada. One of them might have come from Mexico. That doesn't bother me terribly, the guy I'm buying from IS an American, so I know that at least some Americans are the ones getting my money.

when you look at the foreign made guns selling here in the US, remember this, those guns were made for export. They were made to be sold here, primarily. Most (if not all) the major gunmakers in the world, outside of the USA are in countries that have VERY restrictive laws about their citizens buying and owning guns. Europe varies from restrictive to very restrictive (by US standards) and Japan is virtually prohibitive.

Companies in those countries only do a tiny fraction (if any at all) of their business selling locally. Nearly all their sales are exports. And the bulk of them are either in the US or various militaries around the world.

It should be obvious to anyone who looks, that the US arms industry does NOT saturate the market in the US. If it did, there wouldn't be much of a market for imports.

buy American? I do when I can. Heck, I've got a stainless steel AMERICAN MADE LUGER! (not a stainless steel gun chambered in 9mm Luger, and actual Luger chambered in 9mm Luger. the P.08 design) how many of you can say that??:D
 
I own a powder metal parts producing factory (www.metaltech-pm.com). We export in excess of 75% of our output, primarily to Canada and Mexico, though a significant number of parts go to the EU, Turkey, Japan and even China.

What needs to be remembered and considered is the phrase "assembled in _____ using globally sourced parts". We supply a number of power hand tool parts, that are assembled off shore, with many complaining about the "made in _____" tools, when in fact critical components are made in this country.

As far as gun components, we make a number of AR parts, and have quoted to other makers, but our primary markets remain cars.
 
I prefer made in USA stuff. I do have a few foreign made guns. I shoot Citori shotguns, can't afford Kolar, I also have a CZ .22 rifle, a Rossi I bought for cheap when I was poor. Also a Citadel I got for cheap. Most are made in USA tho.
I don't like it but I guess things happen that way. I really don't understand why we can't have a quality O/U shotgun built in this country for under 10,000.00. You can get a Citori for under 2000.00.
 
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