Does Winchester still make a Model 70 bolt action carbine? - Answers

Winchester, the iconic American firearms manufacting firm went out of business in March of 2006, primarily because of the intransigence of the labor union representing the machinists in the company's New Haven, Connecticut plant. After its official demise, Winchester, actually Winchester Repeating Arms Company, entered into a licensing agreement with Browning Arms to produce some of its products offsite. See: "East Alton, IL, August 15, 2006 -- Winchester announced today that it has entered into a long-term license agreement with Browning for the manufacture and distribution of Winchester brand rifles and shotguns. "With this new agreement, Winchester is confident that Browning will produce innovative firearms worthy of the Winchester name, continuing a tradition that people around the world associate with the Winchester brand," stated Richard Hammett, President Winchester Ammunition. "We are proud of our heritage as The Gun That Won the West and consider this arrangement as entering a new era for the legendary Winchester Firearms brand." [source, http://www.winchesterguns.com/services/press/detail.asp?id=39] The name Winchester is still owned by Olin company. Browning is owned by the highly respected European arms manufacturing conglomerate FN Herstal. FN currently manufacture a complete line of arms for the civilian, police and military markets. The majority of M16's currently in use by U.S. Armed Forces are manufactured by FN and they have a very high quality build. FN because of its subsidiary's agreement with Winchester, has started once again manufacturing Winchesters Model 70 bolt action rifle which was first produced in 1936 and labeled by gun writers as the "rifleman's rifle." So far the quality seems to be far superior to that which came out of the old Connecticut plant and the Model 70 action serves as the platform for FN's highly respected SPR series police tactical rifle. With a purchase price of approximately $1,500, the FN SPR is probably the finest factory built, non-custom rifle available, superior in quality and practical accuracy to Remingtons PSS, 700 action based police tactical rifle.