Remington

Initially launched as E. Remington and Sons, Remington Arms is an American firearm manufacturing company. It operates two manufacturing plants – one in Ilion, New York and the other in Mayfield, Kentucky. It also has  a ammunition and component plant in Lonoke, Arkansas, and its corporate headquarters are located in Madison, North Carolina. Remington Arms is the oldest firearms manufacturer in America and it still makes the products it had introduced at its inception. Today, Remington Arms is the most prolific manufacturer of shotguns and rifles in the United States and it exports its products to over 60 countries. It also holds the distinction of having launched and utilized the widest variety of commercially viable firearms rounds in the history of firearms.

E. Remington and Sons initially established its market presence by being first to design and manufacture typewriters, which it introduced to the world in 1873. It was founded by Eliphalet Remington, whose son Eliphalet II – a blacksmith - began the production of firearms after successfully creating a market for rifle barrels in 1816. History has it that Eliphalet II designed a flintlock rifle for a shooting competition in which he eventually came second. However, his invention was highly innovative for its time and drew a lot of buyer interest that generated the first spate of orders. The era of serious production of the world-famous Remington rifles began when they relocated their forge and foundry to the Mohawk Valley in 1829.

Between 1839 and 1845, the Remington family did not go far beyond the production of rifle barrels. These were in great demand by local gunsmiths who included them in their own sporting rifle assemblies, and it soon became evident that the Remington product line could feasibly include other rifle parts. They began with the manufacture of percussion locks, trigger guards, butt plates and other firearm components. However, 1946 saw the company introduce the first rifle for military use, and their legendary revolvers soon joined the production line, too.

Contracts to supply rifles to the US Army during the two-year-long Mexican-American war established E. Remington and Sons as the permanent firearms market force it remains to the present day. They also invented the breech-loading rifle and obtained contracts for regular supply of these to the US Navy at around this point in time. The company later added sewing machines, agricultural equipment and, of course, typewriters to its production repertoire. E. Remington and Sons rechristened its firearms operations to Remington Arms in 1886. At this point in time, it sold the typewriter manufacturing division to Standard Typewriter Manufacturing Company, Inc., along with all trademark rights to the Remington name and began the production of rifles, shotguns, other firearms, and ammunition in all earnest. The American Civil War, and later World War I and World War II generated a steady amount of orders for small arms for the company and its export portfolio grew exponentially. By 1900, Remington Arms was supplying landmark products such as the single shot, large caliber Remington Rolling Block action rifle all across the globe.

Today, Remington has a Military Products Division and also supplies firearms to a staggering number of law enforcement agencies. Its status as America’s oldest manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition has assured it a place in armament history, but the company shows no signs of wishing to rest on its laurels. It had generated business revenues in excess of $393 million as little as two years ago. The Remington name dominates the sport shooting circuit, and the company has a product range of over 100 models in rifles and shotguns. It is one of the most revered names in standard and customized firearms for hunting, target shooting and or law enforcement. As of now, the company concentrates exclusively on shotguns, rifles and ammunition and has only one handgun on its production list. The current rifle catalog includes the Remington 700 and Seven Series Bolt Action rifle lines, Remington Repeating rifles, Remington Rimfire rifles and Remington Model 700 Muzzleloaders.