Winchester rumor

[akhunter]

I heard the new FN model 70s are going to be assembled in Portugal. Anyone else hear anything about this?

 

[FOTIS]

Not me......

 

[Anonymous]

I heard the same thing...doesn't make any sense to make 'em in SC, export all the parts to Portugal, assemble them, then reimport all the finished rifles back into the US....

The Portugese have been assembling Browning's Belgian made parts for a long time....but Belgians don't come as cheap as Americans and Portugal is actually on the way here.

When you look at all the work that goes into making all the parts and pieces- it seems that assembly would be a small fraction of the cost of a total rifle in an production line environment.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I don't see it happening....FN is quite proud of being able to say the M70 is "Made in the USA"....They are well aware that its a major selling point.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Portugal used to be cheaper for fabrication than the US but that was 20 years ago. The US has become cheaper than any EU Country for manufacturing. I do not see non union manufacturing moving from the southern US to the European Union, not any time soon.

 

[SJB358]

I haven't heard that as well.

 

[DrMike]

It would be quite a surprise if that was actually done. Scuttlebutt such as this surfaces from time-to-time. It is impossible to decipher the origin, but it usually be dismissed.

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

It's possible FN might make something in Portugal, but it won't be the Model 70.
Have they brought back the Model 94 yet?
Are they making all the Winchester shotguns yet?
How about .22's? They used to make some great .22's.

There are several interesting possiblilites.

 

[Guy Miner]

I sure hope the Model 70 continues to be built here in the USA.

I suspect it will, since FN has a large manufacturing capability here. They're pretty proud of building such good rifles right here in the USA.

Guy

 

[noslerfan]

Hope not. I just want them to make a 300 H&H soon.

 

[FOTIS]

I sure hope the Model 70 continues to be built here in the USA.



Guy

Amen !

 

[AzDak42]

It's possible FN might make something in Portugal, but it won't be the Model 70.
Have they brought back the Model 94 yet?
Are they making all the Winchester shotguns yet?
How about .22's? They used to make some great .22's.

There are several interesting possiblilites.

Wasn't the 94 now being made in Japan?

 

[Guy Miner]

I think so, and Very Expensive.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Browning had a major struggle with the unions in Herstal before they built the US plant in South Carolina. I do not see them going back to the unions at Herstal or Portugal to build anything but B25 superimposed shotguns maybe.

 

[akhunter]

Anyone know a FN/Browning rep or know about finding out whether or not this is true?

 

[Oldtrader3]

The BAR, semi auto pistols and many of the solid block double shotguns are built in Herstal or in Portugal. Portugal mostly sources parts for arms built in Herstal. Maybe it is a Military contract that is the works? With trade and tariff restrictions, I would think that arms would be built close to markets, especially military for contracts which often have to be sourced with some local content restrictions.

 

[tddeangelo]

I own an FN-made M70 and it's a fine rifle.

I would still buy a pre-64 300H&H every time over a new one, and you'll probably pay about the same with what they're charging these days.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Thatis unless Obummer is going to outlaw manufacturing of small arms in the US? Maybe that is the rumor?

 

[BK]

Hope not. I just want them to make a 300 H&H soon.

Preach it, brother!

 

[Oldtrader3]

USRAC made a few .300 H&H's Model 70 Sporters back in the late 1980's. I had one for while but it had really plain wood and I could not get it to shoot like the (2) Pre-64 .300 H&H 's that I had owned. So, off it went.