There’s word tonight that Armalite, the parent company of the AR-15 rifle and one of the major firearms manufacturers in Illinois, has been sold to SAC (Strategic Armory Corp). SAC also owns AWC Silencers and Surgeon Rifles, two quality brands. It looks like SAC is trying to build up a Freedom Group killer, but instead of buying the big brand names and ruining them they’re buying quality. Hopefully this isn’t the beginning of a race to the bottom for these companies. Press release after the jump.
Phoenix, AZ July 23, 2013 – Strategic Armory Corps (“SAC”) announced today that it has acquired ArmaLite, Inc. ArmaLite is a leading manufacturer of a complete line of semiautomatic rifles, including the M15 and AR-10 lines, and an expanding line of advanced bolt action rifles in a wide range of calibers from .308 Winchester through .300 Win Mag, .338 Lapua, and .416 Barrett to the massive AR-50A1 .50 caliber rifle. Mark Westrom, the seller of ArmaLite, will remain as an investor in SAC and will serve on its board of managers.
The ArmaLite Division of the Fairchild Engine and Aircraft Company was the original developer of what has become known simply as the “AR”. In fact, “AR” actually stands for ArmaLite. There have been many variations of the original rifle, and today’s ArmaLite produces some of the highest quality firearms in the market. ArmaLIte will continue to operate out of its facility in Geneseo, Illinois which houses approximately 90 personnel.
Strategic Armory Corps manufactures precision bolt action rifles under the name Surgeon Rifles, high quality firearm suppressors under the name AWC Silencers, and match grade ammunition.
“ArmaLite is a tremendous addition to our group of outstanding companies and broadens our product line so we can better meet the needs of our customers”, said Mark Johnson, SAC President and CEO. “The history of Mark Westrom over his 19 years of leading ArmaLite will provide a wealth of industry knowledge to our leadership team and allow us to further expand our ability to meet the ever increasing demands for the highest quality products by our customers and the marketplace.”
For additional information regarding Strategic Armory Corps, ArmaLite, Surgeon Rifles, or AWC Silencers, contact John Piscione 623-780-1050, [email protected]
[via TFB]
What does this mean for normal gun owners?
SAC also stands for:
Special Agent in Charge
Student Activities Council
School Aged Children
Slovak Antivirus Center
Send All Calls
Same As Cash
Swiss Alpine Club
Survive And Continue
Salvation Army Corps
South Asian Connection
Students Against Corruption
Sergio A. Cuevas Cigar Company
Seriously Amusing Cat
Strategic Air Command (USAF)
Shuttle Action Center (HOSC)
South American Silver Corp.
Sexual Addiction and Compulsion
substance abuse counsellor and lastly,
sac(n.) a baglike structure in an animal, plant, or fungus, esp. one containing fluid.
That was very helpful, thank you.
I feel 15% smarter after reading that.
Except you just lost 17% of your evening.
I would be interested in the financial reports of these two companies.
Was this a mutual consolidation, a marshaling of forces, as it where,
because they know the anti-gun crowd is not going to go away quietly?
It’s either about two is stronger than one, or Armalite was just weaker.
Mergers and acquisitions aren’t something that successful companies
engage in casually, not if there’s no financial benefit to be gained.
Or someone cashing out. Sometimes you just get sick of coming to the same party every day.
That said, from what I understand, Armalite has had either a severe production problem, or they have a serious backlog. I managed to score one of the few AR-10’s in the northeast last year apparently. And I love her a lot.
Except magazines. I live in this stupid state that still has a mag ban.
That’d be my guess…Armalite’s owner, Mark Westrom, probably wants to take a less active role and have some time to enjoy life.
Going to be interesting to see if they combine facilities in AZ of if they leave things be in the long run. Hopefully to your average gun owner this will mean nothing, but in about another year we will know if they Freedom group it up or not.
I am very nervous that a company that owned a precision firearms company such as Surgeon would buy a low end company such as Armalite (not a fan of their quality)
Perhaps the QC is something that they will improve on with their precision manufacturing experience? Only time will tell.
I’m guessing that it is just a question of time before the plant moves out of the State of Ill-Annoy. Hooray!
By definition, it’s always a ‘race to the bottom’.
Slight correction: the Armalite we have these days is not descended from the original Armalite, but rather is “Eagle Arms” rebranded.
Too many AR “manufacturers” out there for them all to be financially healthy. Armalite struggled for years with QC and other issues. One LGS in my burg dropped their line after several years saying “life’s too short to put up with their s#!t”. When’s the last time you saw an Armalite at an LGS or gun show?
Armalite couldn’t keep up with orders in the gun buying panic until now from what I’ve read. I’ve seen Armalite M15s at the smaller local gun stores, but have never seen them at sporting good stores or at WalMart. Yet, I did buy a new one about three weeks ago from a local gun shop.
I think the biggest problem with ArmaLite is them being under marketed to the civilian market and their out of date website doesn’t help either. If you compare their internet marketing to anyone else, ArmaLite’s is stuck in 2000. Perhaps SAC will change all that.
A “Freedom Group killer” would have to be a lot larger than this. When you see how many businesses have been bought up by Freedom Group, the roster is a lot longer than just black rifles.
And, no offense to SAC, but they’re got a long way to go before they have the sales or name recognition of a Remington.
Nitpick: The Armalite division of Fairchild folded in the ’80s. The current Armalite Inc is a different company that purchased the name. Thus, the Armalite being aquired by SAC is not exactly the parent company of the AR-15. That company no longer exists.
Springfield Armory is the same. Different company that aquired the name and rights.
Not trying to dis the brands, but it seems most people don’t know this.
Yep, Eagle Arms just bought the Armalite name. That is a major fact to leave out of this story. And Armalite (previously known as Eagle Arms) has had more than its share of quality problems. Noveskes they ain’t…..
Armalite sent me the release this morning because I’m one of their owners. I can’t say if I’m glad or sad about the sale, but I’m glad that I own three pre-SAC Armalite 10s! lol
Charlie
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