[Guest]

............ The post on this website as recently as yesterday on Remington Arms Inc. closing for the entire month of December laying off 940 people inspired me to take an have an outing today and go and visit the gunmanufacturing plant. ... It proved to be an eye opener as to the state of the local economy in the surrounding Mohawk valley reagon.

............ Upon my arrival at the gunmakers parking lot I went immediately through the main entrance doors. ... As I entered the main lobby two persons seated at the security desk asked if they might be of assistance. ... I asked to be allowed to enter the building as I wanted to access the company store and look at several of their firearms.

............ I was very politely told that the Remington Co. store no longer exists. ... This is, or was immediatly adjactant to the company on site museium (spelling). ... Then I was told that it was undecided if the store would reopen. ... If it did reopen it in all probability would no longer sell any firearms on site due to the red tape involved as it exists today.

............ I talked with these two very pleasant employees for some time about the current state of the Remington Arms plant and they seemed eager to answer my inquires. ... They told me they feel certain they will be back to work in January as was posted here yesterday but were uncertain as to wheather any employees would be permantly layed off as happened before about 1990. ...

............ They told me the overall state of their business was very slow and that without any gov't military contracts it didn't appear that it would brighten in the foreseeable future. ... The entire middle Mohawk region is facing a rather severe recession at this time and as Remington is the largest local employer things will quickly only get much worse.

............ In my journey there today it seemed as if every new car dealership in the extented area was having a bare bones sales selloff in order to just keep afloat and survive a little longer. ... There were discount sale signs on almost every local business of every kind in the area. ... The outlook seems very bleak for the entire area for some time to come.

............ Just my two cents worth ... Norm

 

[shotgunworld]

I think that was worth a lot more than two cents, Norm. My prayers go out to the folks in that region. I have laid off twice in three years (tech industry, yuck) by companies that blamed a 'weak economy'. In both cases it was really caused by overspending before the bubble burst. Translated...management screwed up. I hope this is not the case for Remington. It's hard to believe that a company that licenses their name, as much as they do, could actually be doing badly. Did the employees you talked to imply that the gun division was having to pay the price for poor sales in their other divisions or was it the other way around? I guess they have to also face new competition in the $300 to $800 range guns.
Keep us updated.
regards,
Jay Gentry

 

[JabberN]

I have laid off twice in three years (tech industry, yuck)

Well, I will join you in getting laid off....as of 11/5. I was let go.......ONLY 10 years as a network field engineer, Oh well, I guess that did not matter to them.

..........hmmmmm, I guess that was a little off topic..sorry!

Jab.

 

[Equismith]

Great post Norm!

Now, why don't you register? I've noticed you have posted several replies on the site and all are informative.

I went looking for a Remington 16 ga today for my father for Christmas. He might shoot a box of shells out of a shotgun in 10 years. Age, health, and residential growth around him keep his shooting way in check. But hey, he's the one who taught me how to shoot, hunt, and respect the outdoors. If a could get him a shotgun for Christmas, I'd still be behind on what I owe him. If I can get him one, it'll be a Remington 16. He's a big 16 fan.

 

[shotgunworld]

Sorry to hear that JabberN...I certainly feel your pain.
regards,
Jay Gentry

 

[Bowtek]

We're feeling it here in Phoenix also, I just got caught up in a "work force reduction" after ten years of service. My company over extended itself during the boom.
Yesterday I e-mailed remington to find out if they are planning on building a 16 gauge 1100 on a 16 ga. frame in the near future. Guess I better not count on it. Hope things get better for everyone..............................

 

[javven]

Buy American, folks. Think about putting a Wingmaster under the tree this year for you, your folks, granddad, grandson, wife or kid. Ten isn't too early and twelve-fourteen is just right for a 20ga youth gun. It's a great way to help you teach your prodigy about the outdoors, taking care of your property and respect.

My father and I have sadly fell into discord over a recent divorce from my mother (26 years together). My knight in shining armor, MY protector when things in life scared me (GF got cancer, I got laid off, GF's son got kidnapped), who would tell me everything was alright... All that stuff's gone now when I first think of my father. Sometimes now all I can feel is angry, or sad. But when I take out my old Stevens .410/.22 for it's monthly oiling I think about him and remember fondly the times when I was younger. I remember him teaching me, sitting on his lap, pointing downrange and hitting a pop can, and how much simpler things were then.

It's funny, you know. The left-wingers would tell you divorce is OK, and that people have the right to move on. They also say guns are the bane of society. Yet in the face of an emotionally devastating time for both my mother and I, the gun is the only tie that still reminds me that I love my fater as a son should, and I always will.

 

[Guest]

... Jay Gentry

............ Thank You Jay .. for your polite answer to my post of yesterday as to my visit to the Remington Arms Inc. gun manufacturer here in beautiful, rural and wild upstate New York. ... Nice of you to bother to take the time to answer me even thou I am only an occasional visiter here and not an actual member. ... Now as to your question as to how the two employees answered my questions.

............ What they very specificly said was "things are very slow here for the whole plant at this time and have been for quite some time." ... The only product being manufactured in this New York state Remington gun plant is firearms. (so far as I know) ... I am aware of another Remington plant in Delaware, but that is hundreds of miles away and I don't know what goes on there. ... Sorry!

............ I must sorryfully confess that at the time of my visit I did not think to ask about any other related Remington manufacturing plant closings elsewhere, it just completely slipped my mind. ... My main purpose was to look at some shotguns, in particular their 870 wingmaster pump gun in the little 28 gauge. ... I may wish to purchase one for early season Ruffed Grouse hunting here in New York. ...

............ I do know by my own personal experience of living in this area all my life that the employees of Remington Arms are the very highest paid by far of any other jobs in this extended Mohawk Valley region. ... It is just about impossible to land any sort of job at all there in the plant. ... I believe that at one time some years ago (Vietnam war era) the payroll was as high as 1700 persons working there.

That's all I can remember at this time ... Norm

 

[Claydust]

I have heard similar information from some other sources.

I am quite fond of 870's and currently have five; 870TB, 870SA, 870 20G LTwt, 970TC and 870 Wingmaster LC.

In 1996 I was at the Remington Shooting School (since shut down ) and went on a plant tour; they treated us very well there and it was a nice area.

I hope things turn around there for them and the region.

 

[Rem396]

Claydust,

Remington Shooting School is up and running at present. Check this link.

http://www.remingtonshootingschool.com/program.htm

 

[Papadoodles]

Okay Remington!!! How many shotguns do we have to buy to get you back in operations??

I can always use a good "excuse" to buy at least one more!!

 

[Claydust]

Claydust,

Remington Shooting School is up and running at present. Check this link.

http://www.remingtonshootingschool.com/program.htm

Thanks, great news.

Last I heard, which was a while ago, they had shut it down.

I just joined this forum today, I have been looking for a forum on shotguns, this is great; to be able to get update on this sort of thing.

I had a great time there, it was fairly costly but well worth it, good to here it is operating

P.S. I see from the link you gave that Skip is still there, great guy, knowlegeable, entertaining and a great host; he also shares my liking for the 870.

 

[Howie1049]

I feel sad that Remington shutting down. I like the 11-87 I bought last year, shot the gun to blazes this last summer, now it's fixed again and ready to go. I understand lay offs myself. The Tech sector in west Michigan sucks with a big vacuum sound. Reason I had so much time to shoot this year. I wanted to buy a 11-87 12 ga, due to the economy, I got to wait. CRAP!!! I can't help right now.

 

[Claydust]

I feel sad that Remington shutting down.

It is bad enough they are shutting down but in case you are not aware, from what I have read, it is temporary and they plane to start up again in January 2004.

The item I read said, shut down until Jan. 2.

Hopefully this is correct.

 

[Guest]

===============================================

............The closurer of the above Remington Arms Inc. manufacturing gun plant is indeed only temporary and the gun manufacturer is expected to resume production on January 3rd. of 2004 ... It is not known to me at this time if any of the 940 employees will be permanently let go. ... If the firearms economy continues to be as sluggish as it has been these last two years I expect some people will be permanently pink slipped. ... This situation has presented itself before to the workers of the Remington gun plant here in New york state.

===============================================

 

[Fish Springs]

Humm...went out for a day of sporting clays training in Houston last weekend. It was apparent that my 1100 Remington was not on the "A" list of the crowd at the range...I have never seen soo many Italian shotguns...wonder if there is a connection?

My first shotgun was a Remington M31 plain barrel, full choke. I still works fine. So do the 1100's and the 870s we own. Given Norm's post that Extrema 3.5 may have to wait a while...a long while. I am fairly sure that I could find a Remy that works as well. Heck my wife's 1100 is 25 years old and is one of the better balanced shotguns she has shot.

 

[Mossberg Man]

The other firearm plant in kentucky makes the 597 and 710 and ammuntion these guns are made mostly be computers thats why there cheaper. Madison north carolina is headquarters. There ammuntion plant is in arkansas. The oklahoma one makes clay pigeons. The new york plant makes all the old designs. I think there trying to move new guns south like the 597 and 710.

 

[Guest]

After hearing the story of the plant closing, I wanted to purchase a 11-87 and was talked out of it buy several people but they recommended the 1100, so I can't wait for it to get here. I been shooting the 390 Beretta and it has a aluminum reciever and is wearing thin. Remington has a metal reciever. From my research Remington should scrap the 11-87 and sell what works, the 1100.