Editing U.S. Repeating Arms Company

{{Short description|American firearms company (1981–1989)}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = U.S. Repeating Arms Company
| logo             = 
| type             = [[Privately held company|Private]]
| foundation       = {{start date|1857}}
| founder          = 
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| defunct          = {{end date|1989}} ([[bankruptcy]])
| fate             = Taken over by [[Fabrique Nationale Herstal]]
| location_city    = [[New Haven, Connecticut]]
| location_country = U.S.
| location         = 
| locations        = 
| area_served      = Worldwide
| key_people       = 
| industry         = [[Firearm]]s
| products         = [[Rifle]]s, [[shotgun]]s
| services         = 
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| aum              = 
| assets           = 
| equity           = 
| owner            = 
| num_employees    = 
| parent           = 
| divisions        = 
| subsid           = 
| homepage         = 
| footnotes        = 
}}
The '''U.S. Repeating Arms Company''' ('''USRAC''') was an American manufacturer of [[firearm]]s. It was established in April 1857 and operated as an independent company until 1989, when it went bankrupt and was taken over by [[Fabrique Nationale Herstal]]. The company traced its origins to the [[Winchester Repeating Arms Company]], which was famous for making [[Winchester rifle]]s.

==History==
In 1866, [[Oliver Winchester]] reorganized the New Haven Arms Company and changed its name to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. In 1931, the [[Western Cartridge Company]] (forerunner of the [[Olin Corporation]]) purchased Winchester Repeating Arms and subsequently merged with it to form the Winchester-Western Company.

In 1981, the U.S. Repeating Arms Company was established by Winchester employees to purchase the rights to manufacture Winchester-branded [[rifle]]s and [[shotgun]]s in [[New Haven, Connecticut]], under [[license]] from Olin. Production of [[ammunition]] and cartridge components under the Winchester Ammunition Inc. name were retained by Olin and not licensed to USRAC.

In 1989, after the [[bankruptcy]] of USRAC, it was taken over by [[Fabrique Nationale Herstal]] (FN), a Belgium-based international group producing firearms.

In early 2006, it was announced that the factory in New Haven would close.<ref>[https://www.winchesterguns.com/support/faq/us-repeating-arms-closure.html U.S. Repeating Arms Company To Close New Haven Facility]</ref> Production of several Winchester rifles would cease worldwide, while some models would be continued at factories outside the United States.{{ref|Wapo060121}}  This later changed, as according to the FN website, Winchester-branded guns are still being produced by FN in both the U.S. and Belgium.

==Factory in Newhallville==
[[File:Winchester3.jpg|thumb|The former factory in [[Newhallville]]]]
Industrial activity in [[Newhallville]] was reduced drastically after 1965 when Winchester, at that time the largest employer in New Haven, decided to move its main production line to [[East Alton, Illinois]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bowie |first1=Nicholas |title=Poison Ivy: The Problem of Tax Exemption in a Deindustrializing City, Yale and New Haven, 1967-1973 |journal=Foundations |date=Spring 2009 |volume=3 |issue=2 |pages=61–90 |ssrn=3142124 }}</ref> After a [[machinist]]s' strike in the late 1970s, the factory was sold to U.S. Repeating Arms.<ref name=GunUSAToday>Associated Press, [https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/manufacturing/2006-01-18-winchester_x.htm 'Gun that Won the West' becoming just part of history], ''[[USA Today]]'', January 18, 2006</ref> The neighborhood's long history of arms production finally ended completely in 2006, when the U.S. Repeating Arms factory closed, laying off 186 workers.<ref>Tess Wheelwright, [http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2006/03/okay_youre_out.php The Last Good-Bye], ''The New Haven Independent'', March 30, 2006, and Paul Bass, [http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/08/cleanup_targets.php The Earth Moves On Winchester], ''The New Haven Independent'', August 11, 2009</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/19/AR2006011903278.html?nav=most_emailed Out With A Bang: The Loss of the Classic Winchester Is Loaded With Symbolism], ''[[Washington Post]]'', January 21, 2006</ref>

==See also==
*[[Winchester Repeating Arms Company Historic District]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
 
==External links==
* [https://www.winchesterguns.com/ Winchesterguns.com website] (Winchester firearms made by [[Herstal Group]] subsidiaries)
* [https://winchester.com/ Winchester.com website] (Winchester ammunition made by the [[Olin Corporation]])
{{Olin Corporation|state=expanded}}
{{Herstal Group}}

[[Category:Defunct firearms manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Privately held companies based in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Olin Corporation]]