Production of AR-15s to cease, says Colt

Gun manufacturer will stop making AR-15 assault rifle for consumer market

Venerable gun manufacturer Colt says it will stop producing the AR-15, among other rifles, for the consumer market in the wake of many recent mass shootings in which suspects used the weapon.

"At the end of the day, we believe it is good sense to follow consumer demand and to adjust as market dynamics change," Dennis Veilleux, president and CEO of Colt, said in a statement. "Colt has been a stout supporter of the Second Amendment for over 180 years, remains so, and will continue to provide its customers with the finest quality firearms in the world."

The company did not mention mass shootings in its statement about stopping production and instead blamed the indefinite pause in making the weapon on a "significant excess manufacturing capacity."

Gosh. Although it didn't cite "mass shootings", the media seems to be saying that they are a major factor in this decision.

I must have missed the part where guns shoot themselves...***

I missed the part where a Colt AR~15 was used in any mass shooting. I think they are bending to the public pressure of the liberal media...

a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

There are plenty of other companies that make the AR-15 style rifle and I will happily buy mine from one of them. Also, if Colt wants to abandon its customer base then we should abandon them as well.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

There are plenty of other companies that make the AR-15 style rifle and I will happily buy mine from one of them. Also, if Colt wants to abandon its customer base then we should abandon them as well.

Which makes this move by Colt all the more silly. Actively walking away from profit and revenue when there aren't even waves of massive protests against the AR-15 (even if there were) is bizarre.

a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

Oh my gosh. Losers. They must be experiencing a decline in sales. There are so many AR types out there to choose from. Colt must be losing in that particular market. M4 will be rising in price.

reading what colt ACTUALLY wrote would be usefull - BEFORE replying to this thread :

announce

and actually comprehending it - would be awesome

Company Response to Questions about Colt Participation in Consumer Markets


WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (September 19th, 2019) – There have been numerous articles recently published about Colt’s participation in the commercial rifle market. Some of these articles have incorrectly stated or implied that Colt is not committed to the consumer market. We want to assure you that Colt is committed to the Second Amendment, highly values its customers and continues to manufacture the world’s finest quality firearms for the consumer market.

The fact of the matter is that over the last few years, the market for modern sporting rifles has experienced significant excess manufacturing capacity. Given this level of manufacturing capacity, we believe there is adequate supply for modern sporting rifles for the foreseeable future.

On the other hand, our warfighters and law enforcement personnel continue to demand Colt rifles and we are fortunate enough to have been awarded significant military and law enforcement contracts. Currently, these high-volume contracts are absorbing all of Colt’s manufacturing capacity for rifles. Colt’s commitment to the consumer markets, however, is unwavering. We continue to expand our network of dealers across the country and to supply them with expanding lines of the finest quality 1911s and revolvers.

At the end of the day, we believe it is good sense to follow consumer demand and to adjust as market dynamics change. Colt has been a stout supporter of the Second Amendment for over 180 years, remains so, and will continue to provide its customers with the finest quality firearms in the world.



Very respectfully,

Dennis Veilleux, President and Chief Executive Officer

there it is - did you spot the killer line ?

try this - edited for clarity :

these high-volume contracts are absorbing all of Colt’s manufacturing capacity for rifles.

further - the colt announce - does not contain a certain string of 5 characters - did you spot it ?

but hey

The smaller armory manufacturers caught up to the quality of Colt in the past decade, and did so while being able to offer an AR platform rifle that's as good as anything Colt produces, is more customizable when the customer places their order, and is half the price. If anything, this announcement should make us demand a review of the government contracts Colt is filling to ensure they're not hosting the tax payer and charging the same ridiculous markups they tried in the domestic market. I'm not sure if arms supply to the government is a low bid or no bid/qualifications based only contract... but if they are no bid, Colt is not giving the tax payers the best value, you can be certain of that.

originally posted by: TheRepublicOfCanada

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

There are plenty of other companies that make the AR-15 style rifle and I will happily buy mine from one of them. Also, if Colt wants to abandon its customer base then we should abandon them as well.

Which makes this move by Colt all the more silly. Actively walking away from profit and revenue when there aren't even waves of massive protests against the AR-15 (even if there were) is bizarre.

They make the M4 real deal military assault rifle and the 9MM military pistol. Believe me, they are not losing any money or enough to matter. I don't even know why they even bother making civilian weapons. The real money is in Government contracts.

Them saying this is tongue in cheek though because not only will they continue making assault rifles, they will continue making the most dangerous one of them all to include other more dangerous weapons on a massive scale.

Now if only we could get some freedom back and open up those government contract colt AR rifles to the general public...

I could finally have one of those "military-style" scary black guns I keep hearing about!

I thought they lost the M4 contract back in 2011 which led to their bankruptcy? Did they get this contract back?

originally posted by: Nickn3
I missed the part where a Colt AR~15 was used in any mass shooting. I think they are bending to the public pressure of the liberal media...

Or when's the last time you asked someone what kind of AR they had and they said Colt. How often do you see them in stores?

I don't believe they ever had a large segment in the AR-15 market... Colt was popular for the M-16 and M4 platforms, which are different.

Edit: Armalite invented the whole platform and sold it to Colt... Today I learned.

originally posted by: Metallicus
a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

There are plenty of other companies that make the AR-15 style rifle and I will happily buy mine from one of them. Also, if Colt wants to abandon its customer base then we should abandon them as well.

I think that you hit the nail on the head with your first sentence.

There are so many AR15 tye rifles out there for the civilian market that profit margins are razor thin. Colt is simply moving out of a less profitable market in order to concentrate on a market with better margins.

It might try to spin this as being in respose to public pressure, but its an economic decision.

a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

I guess the grand children have plenty enough money at this point to pursue their own interests.

originally posted by: Generation9
a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

Oh my gosh. Losers. They must be experiencing a decline in sales. There are so many AR types out there to choose from. Colt must be losing in that particular market. M4 will be rising in price.

The AR-15 is semi, AK 47''s and M series of weapons were automatic.

a reply to: TheRepublicOfCanada

Well let's face it, the public should not be assaulting anything with rifles, nevermind each other.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Not sure, but it shows that Colt still has not learned from its over reliance on government contracts to the detriment of losing share of the civilian market.

That’s why a Singer Sewing Machine made Colt 1911 in “New in the Box” shape is worth more than a brand new Jeep Gladiator.

a reply to: Ahabstar

To be fair, the government overpays for stuff, private citizens typically do not.

Jokes on them, I have a Wyndham brand AR15 platform. Also, I don't need to buy a second AR15, one is enough.

Colt ar15, 800 to 2000 bucks.
PSA ar15, 375 bucks including a magazine.

originally posted by: eXia7
Jokes on them, I have a Wyndham brand AR15 platform.

Same, I like the quality and lifetime warranty.