Do you care where your guns are made?

[DaveTN]

Anyone that knows me knows I do.

I am proud to say that I don’t buy foreign guns unless they have historical military value. In my guns that I carry and use I have just never needed to; American manufacturers produce anything I want.

I do my best to buy my guns from local (usually dealers that support this forum) dealers and buy guns that were made in American by Americans.

Lately though it is getting harder and harder to find out where the guns are made. I feel like the American companies that want us to buy their products have turned their back on us. They are trying to market foreign manufactured guns as their own.

I understand that some companies have done this to be able to stay in business. But they have a responsibility to tell us what we are buying. If we think we are buying American made from SA, Remington or others; that is what we should get.

There are all different types on this forum and as I read and participate in the discussions I see that many here have much different passions when it comes to guns. This is one of mine.

Discuss.

[nightrunner]

i care to an extent but not enough that it will persuade me one way or another if im deciding between 2 guns.

for example i wont pick a S&W M&P45 over a Glock 21 simply because of the country of manufacture. it would depend on ergonomics, mag capacity, parts availability, general quality, accuracy, etc.

yes i like to support america by buying stuff here but if the only way to get a better product in every way is to go with a foreign made product, then i will.

tends to be that most quality products arent made in the usa anymore

[DavidCBaker]

It makes no difference to me--but the good news is that gun design and manufacturing is one of the areas where the U.S. is still one of the best of breed, which is cool.

[Guest bkelm18]

Nope. Not a bit. All of my guns at the moment were made in other countries. If it's a quality company, then I have no problem buying it, American or not. That goes for anything: cars, guns, etc. I don't "buy" into all that "only buy American stuff" argument. If it's made in the USA and it's quality, sure I'll buy it, but if I can get it cheaper and better quality if I buy foreign (which is the case a lot of the time) then I will do so.

[Farman]

Not really but Thinking about it, Marlin,Stevens, 3 Smiths, 3 Colts, 1 Hi-point, 3 Brownings ( 1 is really FN ), 1 Kel-Tec, 2 Sigs. Mostly US.

Oh, and a Ruger SR9 on the way.

Edited June 14, 2009 by Farman
Addition

[Guest m&pc9]

I do try to buy American. I have 3 S&Ws

[krunchnik]

1 in Croatia,2 in Brazil,6 in the good old USA,function sometimes if not always decides before the manufacturer.

[Smith]

I know what you are saying but I have a harder time with the guys like S&W & Ruger etc. selling us out on gun control issues then trying to play patriotic. It didn't really help their bottom line either.

[Guest Jcochran88]

It's not that I don't care. It is that when there is a better product out there for less why buy american?

[Guest HexHead]

Yeah, pretty much but don't have a problem with European built arms. I preferred the Italian built Beretta I had to the MD built one. I've had several Brownings, made in Italy, Belgium and "Assembled in Portugal". All our current pistols are US made except for the Para, but they're a US company now. My wife's was made in Canada. Two Smiths, 3 Colts and a NHC. Even my 1942 British Enfield was made in the US by Savage.

I won't buy any more pistols made in South America or any made in the Philippines or any other 3rd world country just to save a few bucks. Regardless of the name on the pistol.

[Guest 2HOW]

My life is too important to worry about if Im buying American.

[Guest JLowe]

When buying a firearm for defensive purposes I personally look for the following: Dependability, accuracy, concealable, and comfort of carry. I tend to carry a Walther PPS 40 and a Ruger LCR when off duty, both are comfortable to carry, are reliable, very concealable, and accurate. One is made in Germany (the land of my forefathers) and the other in the good old USA. When working I carry either a G22 or a G23 depending on what I'm doing at the time and either the Walther or the Ruger. I'm not really concerned with country of manufacture as long as its not China.

[Metalhead]

I'll be the first to give a pistol from some unknown country a chance, but I tend to stay away anything made in Turkey, and the Phillipines.

[Punisher84]

I'll be the first to give a pistol from some unknown country a chance, but I tend to stay away anything made in Turkey, and the Phillipines.

Oh man Rock Island Armory are some good 1911s to tweak around though

This topic began one of the most heated and angry debates I've ever engaged in on this board, even spawned an inside joke between Bkelm18 and myself.

I own 13 firearms, all but 4 are American made. Not one of them is a Smith

I drive a Pontiac and the wife drives a Dodge. I ride a Suzuki.

I mostly buy American and certainly do like to support good solid American companies, but I am not a blind follower of "buy American" rhetoric. If I like a product, it's dependable, and fits my budget I have no issue buying foreign goods.

[Guest justme]

Yes--I won't own any firearm or ammo made in or shipped from China primarily, but there are a couple other countries whose firearms I would distance myself from.

Edited June 15, 2009 by justme

[Guest AmericanWorkMule]

Kind of like what they said.

...I mostly buy American and certainly do like to support good solid American companies, but I am not a blind follower of "buy American" rhetoric. If I like a product, it's dependable, and fits my budget I have no issue buying foreign goods.

i care to an extent but not enough that it will persuade me one way or another if im deciding between 2 guns. ...

[DaveTN]

My life is too important to worry about if Im buying American.

I was going to comment on that, but I’m not sure I understand.

You are too busy or you are just too important to care about such minor things as….. your country’s economy?

[Mike.357]

your country’s economy

I think the economy is pretty much global anymore. I am not sure how much I would be hurting the US if I bought a pistol made in Croatia or from a company headquartered in Belgium. Oh wait, that Croatian company is also in the US. So why does it matter where it was manufactured again? I own pistols made in Italy, distributed in the US and sold by companies in the US. So the guns are purchased in the US, from an American or a American business. Which in turn bought the gun from a distributor who employs Americans more than likely.

Can't say I would even really give it much thought.

[nightrunner]

remember ANY new gun brought into this country has had an import tax paid on it, that guns manufactured here dont have

[E4 No More]

So, those of you that are "Buy American" won't ever own an HK if given the opportunity?

[ttocswob]

My tally" 6 US, 2 Mosins (Russia,Finland), and 1 from Kalifornia.

[Magiccarpetrides]

wait all guns arent made in america?

;-D

[Guest db99wj]

Here is something I have thought about.

Gun made in foreign country like Croatia or Belgium, or wherever, imported by an American company (distributor) in IL, or CA, or here in TN, gun sold to dealer (here locally), gun bought by me at local dealer.

Gun might not have been manufactured here, but money was made on many levels here in the United States, from importation fees to profit made by American companies that employ Americans.

So in summary, gun might not have been manufactured in the U.S., but there is a lot of people employed, and making money, and in business here in the U.S. due to the demand for those products.

I've said this before, look around at all the things that you are using, on your desk if you will. I see a laptop, I see an HP calculator, I see a Palm Treo phone, I see a Cannon Powershot SD790 camera, I see a phone...All bought here in the US. Some of the above mentioned items were built right here in the US, with US parts and foreign parts. As Mike mentioned, we are not a US economy, we are global. We manufacture and sell here stuff, we ship stuff out to places all around the world, we also bring stuff in. Many people rely on the import and export of goods.

I like to buy from local people, US companies, but I am not excluding items due to the fact they are made overseas. If it is a superior product, I can afford it, I am going to buy it.

On a side note, I do prefer to buy my ammo and whatnot at my local range over places like Walmart or online. I want to support them, so that I have a nice place to go shoot, and saving a buck or two on a box of ammo is not worth not having a place to shoot.

Edited June 15, 2009 by db99wj

[Punisher84]

Here is something I have thought about.

Gun made in foreign country like Croatia or Belgium, or wherever, imported by an American company (distributor) in IL, or CA, or here in TN, gun sold to dealer (here locally), gun bought by me at local dealer.

Gun might not have been manufactured here, but money was made on many levels here in the United States, from importation fees to profit made by American companies that employ Americans.

So in summary, gun might not have been manufactured in the U.S., but there is a lot of people employed, and making money, and in business here in the U.S. due to the demand for those products.

I've said this before, look around at all the things that you are using, on your desk if you will. I see a laptop, I see an HP calculator, I see a Palm Treo phone, I see a Cannon Powershot SD790 camera, I see a phone...All bought here in the US. Some of the above mentioned items were built right here in the US, with US parts and foreign parts. As Mike mentioned, we are not a US economy, we are global. We manufacture and sell here stuff, we ship stuff out to places all around the world, we also bring stuff in. Many people rely on the import and export of goods.

I like to buy from local people, US companies, but I am not excluding items due to the fact they are made overseas. If it is a superior product, I can afford it, I am going to buy it.

On a side note, I do prefer to buy my ammo and whatnot at my local range over places like Walmart or online. I want to support them, so that I have a nice place to go shoot, and saving a buck or two on a box of ammo is not worth not having a place to shoot.

Very well put!

[DaveTN]

Gun might not have been manufactured here, but money was made on many levels here in the United States, from importation fees to profit made by American companies that employ Americans.

So in summary, gun might not have been manufactured in the U.S., but there is a lot of people employed, and making money, and in business here in the U.S. due to the demand for those products.

So you do care about jobs in your country; or was that just a trivial afterthought?

As Mike mentioned, we are not a US economy, we are global.

No… last I checked we depend on the U.S. economy. Pick up a newspaper or go to your favorite news site. How’s the whole “Global Economy†thing working out for us?

On a side note, I do prefer to buy my ammo and whatnot at my local range over places like Walmart or online. I want to support them, so that I have a nice place to go shoot, and saving a buck or two on a box of ammo is not worth not having a place to shoot.

On a side note, I do prefer to buy my guns and whatnot from my local dealers and manufacturers. I want to support them, so we have a strong economy and gun makers in this country. And saving a buck or two on a gun is not worth the alternative.

I want it all. I want my kids and grandkids to enjoy the lifestyle (or better) that I have enjoyed. My last gun purchase was from Joe for $1100. It all stayed here. He took what he needed and the rest went to Springfield MA. That’s a lot better deal for all of us than it going to Croatia by way of Illinois.