April 29, 2021: Global

I was showing a new watch to my father-in-law the other day and he asked what brand it was. Orient. Where was it made? Japan. I added: my cars and watches are made in Japan, my guns are made in America. He added: and your ammo. don’t forget the ammo. Yes that’s American too.

While I prefer to buy American products, I will purchase the products that give me service and value. In relating to the small arms industry, there are American choices and International choices. Some American companies even offer International products in their line up.

I”m always interested in the COO (Country Of Origin) when reading a firearms review. Decades ago you could tell based on the brand of the gun. Beretta was made in Italy. Glock was made in Austria, Taurus was made in Brazil, Sig Sauer were made in Germany.

Now you need a road map, or maybe a globe would do better. Because of contract requirements of the US Federal Government in relation to military firearms, several foreign companies have US subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities in the US. Beretta has facilities in Tennessee. Which highlights another disturbing trend within the United States were firearms companies are moving manufacturing and headquarters away from States that are oppressing them. Beretta moved out of Maryland.

Glock has facilities in Georgia. Sig Sauer has facilites in New Hampshire, Oregon and Arkansas. Taurus of Brazil has a factory in Georgia. While MLB may not like the Peach State, other businesses that depend on a stable economic and political status of a state do.

There is evidence of the fluid nature of the firearms businesses as they compete to sell products. Organizations are willing to move and re-form in order to continue to compete for customers.

One of the targets of the current Federal Administration is to strike down the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act  (PLCAA). This law protects firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable for criminal activity when their products are used illegally. It doesn’t shield manufactures from being sued for defective products.

The goal in defeating the PLCAA would be to subject manufacturers to a death by a thousand cuts. Frivolous lawsuits that still have to be addressed and require resources to be taken away from manufacturing. In the current Federal environment I don’t doubt the PLCAA will fall.

I expect some States to try to provide this protection at the State level. Manufacturers will move to these states if they stay in the US. But there will still be short term impacts.

What will the aftermath look like? You think guns and ammo are in short supply now? Retailers will start to dry up. Either from being sued or from lack of product. Prices for used firearms will skyrocket. Manufacturers will move to “Gun Friendly” states or cease production.

Components for hand loading are also scarce . Now is not the time to try to buy a new set of dies. Primers? Forget about it, manufactures are using all they can for finished ammo.

Global producers won’t be impacted by Federal law, but they may be impacted by existing or new laws restricting importation. Some of the brands you’ve probably heard of, will still be in business around the globe. ASTAR in Spain, Beretta in Italy, Browning in Portugal and Japan, CZ in the Czech Republic, FAMAS in France, Girsan in Turkey, Holland & Holland in England, IWI in Israel, Kalashnikov in Russia, SAKO in Finland, Tanfoglio in Italy, Savage in Canada, Winchester in Japan. That list doesn’t even include the facilities in Croatia, Brazil, Austria & Switzerland or any of the African countries that produce small arms.

So even if the current administration can reach it’s goal of forcing all the US firearms businesses to close (but somehow the ruling elite security details will still be able to get arms and ammo), there will still be global sources.