# Thoughts On Non USA Made Guns?



## Ruger71 (Jan 15, 2007)

I guess I may be biased because I work in manufacturing and we compete on price and quality with the same product made in other countries. 

I have looked at some pistols that I liked, but if I had the money at the time I would have had a hard time laying it out because I know my purchase was not feeding a fellow manufacturing worker in my own country. ANyone else give this any thought?


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## TCW (Sep 20, 2009)

Ruger71 said:


> ANyone else give this any thought?


Yes!! I think about this every time I buy something. Unfortunately, 90% of Americans could care less. I think this will change soon now that the white collar workers are losing their jobs to offshore, low paying sweat shops.

Tom


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

And what about the Americans selling the others? Their dinner is not as important? The idea of open markets is you get to see where your money spends the best. But your right to an extent. I'll take a Toyota made in Georgetown Kentucky over a Chevy made in Canada. But that's more about the quality differences between the two. I see some of the old rice burner trucks with 300,000 miles on them and the old S-10 will be in the rust yard before it hits 200,000.

BTW.I drive a 1999 Cherokee. Bought it used. I have guns made all over the world. But they were the best buy of what I had to choose from at time of purchase. If I could get a S&W weapon as reliable as mi Sig and get it for 500.00 I'd jump at it. But if you lok at the Smith stable and the MSRP on them it isn't going to happen.


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## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

I prefer to buy US products when I can. I think more would if they were advertised as such. It gets a little fuzzy these days though. Like DJ noted, you can have a US company building a product in Mexico with Chinese parts.


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## SMann (Dec 11, 2008)

I support all Americans by serving in the military. When the decision is to be made concerning which weapon I'm going to buy to use as a tool to protect the lives of my family members, location of manufacture is of no concern. If the weapon I settle on happens to be made in the U.S. I would consider it a bonus, but that fact would carry no weight when trying to select an important tool that has such an important purpose.


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

Another good reason to buy a Smith and Wesson...


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

Ruger71 said:


> I guess I may be biased because I work in manufacturing and we compete on price and quality with the same product made in other countries.
> 
> I have looked at some pistols that I liked, but if I had the money at the time I would have had a hard time laying it out because I know my purchase was not feeding a fellow manufacturing worker in my own country. ANyone else give this any thought?


It's not easy to buy all American made products anymore. I try to when I can but guns seem to be the most difficult to find American made.

BTW, what part of MO are you in and what do you manufacture, if you don't mind me asking?


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## deputy125 (Dec 27, 2009)

The dollar is shrinking daily, ammo and reloading components are going up, and i'm caught in the middle.

in the end, i tend to buy "used" because that is what i can afford......and buying used does not help anyone in a smith or ruger plant, or china or where-ever.......but that's just the way it is.....


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## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

SMann said:


> I support all Americans by serving in the military. When the decision is to be made concerning which weapon I'm going to buy to use as a tool to protect the lives of my family members, location of manufacture is of no concern. If the weapon I settle on happens to be made in the U.S. I would consider it a bonus, but that fact would carry no weight when trying to select an important tool that has such an important purpose.


Right. If could find a quality new gun made here in the US that I liked I would buy it.
Unfortunately the only guns made in the US that I can afford are HiPoint and the Ring of Fire guns. S&W are way out of my budget. 
Which makes me wonder, Why can't a company in the US make a Bersa or CZ quality and looks product at a comparable price.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Freedom1911 said:


> Right. If could find a quality new gun made here in the US that I liked I would buy it.
> Unfortunately the only guns made in the US that I can afford are HiPoint and the Ring of Fire guns. S&W are way out of my budget.
> Which makes me wonder, Why can't a company in the US make a Bersa or CZ quality and looks product at a comparable price.


Find a factory that will take a pay cut and you might be able to do it. Take some of the teeth out of the UAW and you might be able to build a U.S car that the people cold both afford and will last longer.

Simple fact is everyone wants to be able to live as good as the people above them on the money scale So they want more money. Americans as a whole have to be able to compete with a global market these days. It's their choice how much they are willing to try. Per unit cost has a lot more to do with U.S. rices than those "Fat CEO's"
Although it will take everyone taking a hit to the old greed gland to make it happen. I've watched the minimum wage go from 2.85 to 7.25 (Ohio and Kentucky) since I was 18 years old. Yet the working poor that hold the jobs that traditionally pay those lower wages are no further along than they where when I was a kid. In some ways I see them much worse off. I guess we can keep printing money. Sure beats making the dollar actually worth a buck.:smt083


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## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

DevilsJohnson, you must be a little bit younger than me. I remember minimum wage when it was around 3.18 or 3.32 in that range an hour. but yah I know what you mean.
It is a pity how we in the US ship our scrap metal over seas, thousands of miles, loading and unloading costs in the ship yards, they melt it down to a reusable form and then ship it back for a cheaper price than we can do it here. 
Or how a quality pistol can be totally manufactured over seas about anywhere, and then shipped here and sold with a few extras and tax for less than it takes to buy a replacement barrel and some new grips for some American made gun, that you are paying mostly for the name and some CEOs wages, while the workers that make the gun and get it to the FFL make that minimum wage you were talking about.


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## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

dosborn said:


> It's not easy to buy all American made products anymore. I try to when I can but guns seem to be the most difficult to find American made.
> 
> BTW, what part of MO are you in and what do you manufacture, if you don't mind me asking?


Ain't it the truth, I can't even find American made tooth picks. China or Mexico.

I know the XD/XDm lines are made in Croatia, but does Springfield make all their 1911s here in the US, I mean are all the parts made here and the pistol assembled here?

I know some of the Glocks are supposed to be made here now, but I don't know if all the parts are manufactured here.


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

I try to buy USA products, but I also try to buy the highest quality that my money can afford.

The two objectives are rarely in line with each other.

:smt1099


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

Freedom1911 said:


> I know some of the Glocks are supposed to be made here now, but I don't know if all the parts are manufactured here.


I _think_ all the slides are made in Austria, some frames in GA, plus the US import slides get fitted with sights in GA.


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## unpecador (May 9, 2008)

I'm content with my purchases of non USA made guns, and I'm sure these purchases have helped feed a fellow American at some point.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

unpecador said:


> I'm content with my purchases of non USA made guns, and I'm sure these purchases have helped feed a fellow American at some point.


Exactly

@ freedom..I'm 46..When I was 18 I washed dishes in a Greek restaurant for 2.85 and hour. Was really happy to get it too..lol (where I get 36?)


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## Ruger71 (Jan 15, 2007)

Interesting discussions. I agree, if GM and Chrysler products would make 100,000 miles anymore, they wouldn't have went bankrupt. I am very proud of the fact that my company is extremely committed to quality and doing everything we can on our end to keep the cost down. It is a position in that more in the labor force need to be taking, but we need the jobs here so that they have the opportunity. 

Just curious on everyones take. I love the feel of the XD (wish I could shoot one), but it does bother me that they are not made here. This goes for other imports as well. I agree Smiths seem to be overpriced to me. Ruger seems to be more reasonable, but I'm not sure any they offer will suit my future purchase. I really give alot of thought to big purchases like this.


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## Freedom1911 (Oct 22, 2009)

Ruger71 said:


> Interesting discussions. I agree, if GM and Chrysler products would make 100,000 miles anymore, they wouldn't have went bankrupt. I am very proud of the fact that my company is extremely committed to quality and doing everything we can on our end to keep the cost down. It is a position in that more in the labor force need to be taking, but we need the jobs here so that they have the opportunity.
> 
> Just curious on everyones take. I love the feel of the XD (wish I could shoot one), but it does bother me that they are not made here. This goes for other imports as well. I agree Smiths seem to be overpriced to me. Ruger seems to be more reasonable, but I'm not sure any they offer will suit my future purchase. I really give a lot of thought to big purchases like this.


I hear many great things about Ruger Semiautos but they use a fiberglass material rather than poly in their frames and it is like Teflon to me. I have to regrip after almost every shot. True poly pistols I have no problems with just like metal frame guns, with rubber or wood grips, no problems with them either, I have a GP100 though and the grip on it is sweet. I would love to have a Ruger semi in my collection but that fiberglass material just kills it for me. 
Do you know, are Rugers all American made?


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## deputy125 (Dec 27, 2009)

the guns are American made..........but they do have an air rifle that i think is a re-brand...........


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## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

Repost of a topical email I received this morning:



> One Light Bulb at a Time
> 
> A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American ..
> 
> ...


I almost always make some attempt at researching email claims before propagating potential BS. Hershey does indeed make some candy in Mexico after closing some US factories. Some varieties of Colgate toothpaste are made in Mexico, Canada, and the UK. Wasn't able to determine anything about "Everyday Value" light bulbs.

Regardless, I agree with the main point of the narrative; actively looking for domestically made products and purchasing them when you can is a good plan. I don't think that extends to buying inferior products just because they are domestically made though.


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## Ruger71 (Jan 15, 2007)

Right on with the light bulbs!!! :smt023:smt023:smt023

I did this myself at Wal Mart or Lowes one a few months ago. Definately TRUE! 

Zip Lock Brand bags (at least the ones I looked at) were made somewhere else also.


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## P97 (May 8, 2006)

Freedom1911 said:


> I hear many great things about Ruger Semiautos but they use a fiberglass material rather than poly in their frames and it is like Teflon to me. I have to regrip after almost every shot. True poly pistols I have no problems with just like metal frame guns, with rubber or wood grips, no problems with them either, I have a GP100 though and the grip on it is sweet. I would love to have a Ruger semi in my collection but that fiberglass material just kills it for me.
> Do you know, are Rugers all American made?


Try a Ruger P90. They have aluminum frames and with Hogue Grips feel good to me.


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## archull (Dec 21, 2009)

I like to keep our money in the states but I am not willing to buy an item that is sub par just because of where it was produced. I will buy an item based upon its engineering, production quality and customer service and the last consideration is where it is produced. I am sorry but the US really has lost its edge in the global market and often our products do not have the quality control as countries like germany companies for example.


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## Alaskan_Viking (Jun 13, 2006)

In general, I believe in free trade. Cheaper foreign lumber makes building houses cheaper, etc. I have no problem buying goods or services made in western, or allied countries, England, Germany, Japan, etc, or even India. But I do prefer to buy American, all things being equal. 

The only exception is goods made in China, but that is more to hurt facist Chinese than it is to help American manufacturers. Btw way, when I say "China" I mean the People's Republic of China (PRC), not the Republic of China (ROC), I have no problem buying stuff made in Taiwan. This is usually impossible though, seeing as how almost all cothing items are made in China. Even my new $400.00 North Face Coat.... 

Where guns are concerned it is much easier though, because most of the ones I am interested in are made in the US, or Europe. The Springfield XD's (With the gaint American flag on the label) are made in Croatia, but I rather like Croatia so it wouldn't bother me if I ever bought one. The only time that I'm really bothered by a gun's origin is if its a Chinese clone, partly because of the stigma of cheap mass produced Chinese goods and the assumed lower quallity, and partly because of my before mentioned attitude towards the PRC.


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## doyle01 (Feb 28, 2010)

If the quality drops like it did with the K cars and all the stuff in the 70's than I don't have a problem buying anywhere with better quality . I am a disabled Vietnam Vet I love my country but I hope we don't get lazy and not give a damn like the 70's . Give 100% and people will buy your products :smt1099:smt1099:smt1099


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## BULLMACK45 (Mar 12, 2010)

*ruger*



Freedom1911 said:


> I hear many great things about Ruger Semiautos but they use a fiberglass material rather than poly in their frames and it is like Teflon to me. I have to regrip after almost every shot. True poly pistols I have no problems with just like metal frame guns, with rubber or wood grips, no problems with them either, I have a GP100 though and the grip on it is sweet. I would love to have a Ruger semi in my collection but that fiberglass material just kills it for me.
> Do you know, are Rugers all American made?


(And American owned) JBR


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Germans make great guns. I love Walthers and HKs.

I am a big time Beretta nut - they are Italian. But, 3 of my 4 Berettas are made in the USA.

I just buy guns I like - I don't worry about where they are made at, personally.


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

Freedom1911 said:


> I hear many great things about Ruger Semiautos but they use a fiberglass material rather than poly in their frames and it is like Teflon to me. I have to regrip after almost every shot. True poly pistols I have no problems with just like metal frame guns, with rubber or wood grips, no problems with them either, I have a GP100 though and the grip on it is sweet. I would love to have a Ruger semi in my collection but that fiberglass material just kills it for me.
> Do you know, are Rugers all American made?


I shoot the SR9 quite often It is a glass filled nylon frame. It is anything but slick. I shot one of them in USPSA so I put about 150 rounds down range every other Tuesday evening (I roltate my CZ in every other week) with it. i also put about 100 more on the weekend practicing. It is interesting to hear the teflon analogy again , I have not heard that about Rugers for years. I actually thought it went away.

Ruger is a pretty good company very CS oriented and theymake a fine weapon for the place it holds in the market. To answer the original question......I support my local gun shop owner, my local gunsmith and I buy a pile of ammo. I buy the gun that best suits my intended purpose regardless of origin at the time with the money I feel it is worth. If I do not have enough money I wait until I do to make a purchase. I would never buy a gun manufactred in Florida just to save 100 bucks. NEVER! I would, on the other hand gladly buy one manufactured in Mass. for an extra 100 bucks though. I will also buy one made in the Czech Republic next time I see one of the stainless versions for a decent price. Because they are very good weapons.

RCG


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## dondavis3 (Aug 2, 2009)

+1 shipwreck

I love my Sig's , Beretta's, Walther's, Rugers and more..

I buy the gun that I like - where it is made is secondary to me.

I wish they were all American made - but no way - there are just too many excellent guns made all over the world.

:smt1099


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## BWT (May 12, 2010)

I always try and buy America First, but when it comes down to safety, I go with the best regardless where it is made, assembled etc. I know that Glock spends a good portion of money here and employs about as many people here as they have on staff in Austria.


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## Illusive Man (Sep 13, 2010)

dondavis3 said:


> I try to buy USA products, but I also try to buy the highest quality that my money can afford.
> 
> The two objectives are rarely in line with each other.
> 
> :smt1099


I agree. I would love to buy all American, but since I don't have a lot of money, I have to buy the very best that my few dollars can afford, and sometimes that means buying something made in another country.


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