TXGunNut said
David-

It’s not a matter of being “purist” or snobbish, it’s just that Miroku’s are not what this site was established to discuss. I happen to like Miroku (and other) firearms but I came here to learn about Winchesters and their history.

 

Mike  

While I do regard Mikes comment, I will state that it was not my intention to offend anyone.

However,

It was my understanding that this site was created for the – Appreciation and Discussion of “All Things Winchester” – and not just our own individual specific interests.

Of course, being a “Newby” to WACA, what possibly could I know…

D.

Bert H. said

David,

Yes, it was created for “Winchester” – https://winchestercollector.org/about/

That stated, the Miroku Japan manufactured firearms are not truly “Winchester”.  Instead, they are Belgian (FN) owned.  The “Winchester” company ceased manufacturing firearms in late 1980 when they sold the factory in New Haven, CT to the newly formed U.S. Repeating Arms Company (USRACo), and leased them the rights to use the trademarked “Winchester” name for a 25-year period.  The USRACo got into to financial trouble in the early 1990s, and was sold to Fabrique Nationale (FN) in 1992.  FN shut down the original New Haven factory in March 2006, moving production of Model 70 to Columbia, SC in 2008 (same place they were manufacturing the M9 Berretta government contract pistols).  A few years ago, they pulled up stakes in Columbia, SC and moved the Model 70 production overseas (to Portugal I believe).  Prior to buying out the USRACo in 1992, FN also purchased the Browning Arms Company.  After the 25-year lease of the trademarked “Winchester” name (still owned by Olin industries) ended, FN (Browning) contracted with Olin to renew the lease.  Browning Arms created a “Winchester” division, and currently manufactures modern versions of several original Winchester models, many of them at the Miroku Japan factory.  My point in all of this, is that I (and the majority of the WACA members) do not consider anything manufactured after 1980 (with the trademarked “Winchester” name on it) to be a true “Winchester”.  We are not denigrating them, but we do not have much interest in them, nor do we actively collect them.  Accordingly, we also do not spend any time researching them… they simply do not have a place in history (at least at this time).

Bert – WACA Historian  

Bert,

I agree completely that the Miroku guns are not “truly” Winchesters – from the collector/historians point of view.

But again, as I have dared to mention in previous posts these Miroku’s are interesting guns from a shooters point of view in the current context.

It just so happens that they are stamped Winchester, and marketed and sold as Winchesters.

And, at the very least they are not Chiappa’s, Pedersoli’s or Uberti’s.

Without going political, if our North American Manufacturing Base had not been destroyed in the USA and up here in Canada by off-shoring production for the sake of cheaper imports we would not be making these comments.

Again, apologies all round to those whom I’ve offended.

D.

Are the “Winchester” firearms manufactured at the former H.W. Cooey Machine and Arms Co. of  Cobourg Ontario, which was sold to the Olin Corp. in 1961 and marked and marketed as “Winchester” prior to 1964 considered as such by the WACA?  The Winchester Model 600 bolt action .22 repeater and the Model 840 single shot shotgun are examples of Winchester’s made in Canada and sold in Canada prior to 1964. Cooey had a long and important history of firearms manufacturing in Canada by producing inexpensive but reliable firearms beginning in 1919 with a single shot bolt action .22, the “Canuck” which was the first gun that many kids every shot or hunted with including me.