Remington Arms is a company with a rich history in the shooting sports world. It was founded in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington in Ilion, New York. The company was able to sell both cartridges and guns.
Over the years, the company has produced some of the most iconic guns for American shooters. The legendary Model 700 rifle and the almost universal Model 870 Pump Shotgun are among them.
Remington, after more than 200 years of operation, has decided to close its operations.
In a letter sent out on Thursday, RemArms, the current version of Remington Arms, announced that they would close their Ilion facility, a village in the Mohawk Valley. The letter said the company “had not taken this decision lightly.”
According to union officials, approximately 270 workers are employed at the plant.
Why are the schools closing? Closing schools could have a variety of reasons, including a move to a more politically-friendly environment.
The village factory was built in 1828. In 1816, Remington began manufacturing flintlock firearms here. The buildings still standing today date back to the early 20th Century.
Ilion has also been faced with bankruptcy, legal pressures, and temporary closures. The Bushmaster AR-15s used in the Sandy Hook School shooting in Connecticut in 2012 to kill 20 first-graders and six teachers are no longer manufactured by the current company.
Roundhill Group is a group consisting of investors who purchased the Remington gun manufacturing business located in Tennessee. This includes the Ilion and Lenoir City operations. The owners have announced their intention to move the company’s headquarters to Georgia by 2021.
Smith & Wesson, Winchester, Kimber Manufacturing, and Stag Arms have all moved to Wyoming from Alabama. The political climate in New England, where Sam Colt founded his business in Paterson New Jersey, was the main reason for these moves.
It is not surprising to see the Big Green move. They already have their corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Georgia, so they no longer need the Ilion plant. This also creates a political liability. Gun control debates and leftist politicians’ hostility toward firearms manufacturers will not end anytime soon. Prices, demand, and defensive firearm usage are all on the rise. Although most gun manufacturers are not as large as automobile companies, this trend does not seem to be changing anytime soon.
After the Sandy Hook tragedy, Remington was hit with a lot of negative publicity. It’s like blaming Ford or Chevrolet for the death of a drunk driver, but it still costs them money.
Good Luck Remington! They may continue to make quality sporting arms for the American public for another 200 years in a friendly environment.
