Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (Ruger) announced on 10/2/2020 that its offer to purchase substantially all of the Marlin Firearms assets was accepted by Remington Outdoor Company, Inc. and approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Ruger will pay the $30 million purchase price from cash on hand at the time of closing, which is expected to occur in October.
“The value of Marlin and its 150-year legacy was too great of an opportunity for us to pass up,” said Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy. “The brand aligns perfectly with ours and the Marlin product portfolio will help us widen our already diverse product offerings.”
The transaction is exclusively for the Marlin Firearms assets. Remington firearms, ammunition, other Remington Outdoor brands, and all facilities and real estate are excluded from the Ruger purchase. Once the purchase is completed, Ruger will begin the process of relocating the Marlin Firearms assets to existing Ruger manufacturing facilities.
“The important thing for consumers, retailers and distributors to know at this point in time,” continued Killoy, “is that the Marlin brand and its great products will live on. Long Live the Lever Gun.”
“Marlin Firearms was founded in 1870, some 144 years ago, by Mr. John Mahlon Marlin. As such, Marlin rifles for generations carried ‘JM’ roll marks on their barrels to designate this homage. Marlin had cut his teeth in Samuel Colt’s factory making revolvers and pistols during the Civil War in Hartford, Connecticut. Then, he broke out on his own, starting a small shop in nearby New Haven.
The company specialized in lever action rifles, such as the M1891, which was updated as the 1893, then the Model 39, and still exists today as the Model 336. After Mr. Marlin died in the early 1900s, the company went from being family-owned to being a corporation, which made machine guns for the Army during World War 1, merged with Hopkins and Allen, then in 1924 went out of business.
It was then that the Kenna family bought what was left of the company for $100 and, for all but a decade, a member of the Kenna family remained the president of the company for the next 83 years. During that time, Marlin registered hundreds of patents including on side ejection lever actions, Micro-Groove rifling, the T-900 Fire Control System, and others.”
More recently, in the year 2000, Marlin acquired Harrington and Richardson (H&R), maker of break-action shotguns and rifles. Then in 2007 Remington bought out Marlin, including H&R.
Gander Outdoors in Kenosha, WI — reader-submitted photo on GMToday.com
There is major ammunition shortage right throughout the nation. The unrest and riots in urban areas along with left-wing calls to “defund the police” have caused millions of Americans to be concerned about safety, so they are buying ammo wherever they can find it, online and in stores. Another reason ammo demand is exceeding supply is that 2020 has seen record numbers of first-time gun owners buying acquired rifles, pistols, and shotguns, primarily for self-defense. According to the NSSF, gun sales are up 95% in the first half of 2020 compared to Jan-June 2019. Even more remarkable, the NSSF says ammo sales are up 139% compared to the same time period in 2019. That’s a massive increase.
One ammunition manufacturer, Arizona-based Ammo Inc. has revealed that it has $80 million in unfilled ammo orders. “We’re working right now seven days a week, 24 hours a day in all the manufacturing plants”, Ammo Incorporated CEO Fred Wagenhals told AZFamily.com.
“We just bought 2.8 million dollars worth of machinery and equipment last week to increase our production and increase our volume”, Wagenhals added.
According to GunsAmerica Digest, “Wagenhals attributed the jump in demand to various factors, including COVID-19, the upcoming presidential election, and widespread civil unrest[.]” Wagenhals noted: “As you’ve seen in a lot of cities, the looting and the burning, and I think people are just scared.”
Mark Oliva, NSSF Director of Public Affairs, told GunsAmerica that the spike in demand for ammo mirrors that of firearms, with ammo sales skyrocketing:
“The sale on ammunition goes hand-in-glove with the sale of firearms. NSSF estimates there are more than 5 million people who bought a gun for the first time this year and we’ve recorded more than 13.8 million background checks for the sale of a gun this year. That tops figures for all of 2019 in just the first eight months of 2020. That’s caused an unprecedented demand in the marketplace and we’re seeing this happen everywhere.”
“Ammunition makers are working as quickly as possibly to meet this demand,” Oliva continued. “We’ve seen spikes before and we’ve seen sustained period of demand. This year, though, is unlike any before.”
Ammo Inc.’s STREAK Ammo — Tracers without Heat
Ammo Inc. produces a unique type of STREAK ammo that delivers a tracer-like light trail when fired. Through patented technology, a photo-luminescent coating is applied to the base of the bullet. This is “activated” on firing, allowing the shooter to see the projectile’s path toward its target. STREAK rounds are NON-incendiary. They do not generate heat so they are safe to use in environments where tracers are prohibited or could be a fire hazard. Ammo Inc. says these STREAK bullets are “game-changing” for indoor range use and low-light shooting.
Click Map to launch interactive webpage with info for all 50 states.
Going hunting soon? Need to find out about hunting licenses, deer tags, local regulations, and the best hunting areas? Then visit WheretoHunt.org. This website has an interactive map of the country. Simply click on a state to find the info you need. For all 50 states, the NSSF provides information about hunting licenses and permits, where to hunt, hunter education classes, laws and regulations and more. For each state you’ll also find a link for required applications and license forms. Have a safe and productive hunt this year.
On the WheretoHunt.org website, click a particular state on MAP, and resource links will load at right:
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