Caracal announced today a recall of every C model pistol the company has ever made. Â The recall is not limited to any specific serial numbers or market.
The safety issue(s) with the Caracal C cannot be fixed according to information released by the company. Â No guns will be repaired and/or returned to the purchaser. Â Caracal is offering a full refund of the original purchase price or vouchers for other Caracal products.
Getting rid of Walther, grabbing market share and selling to the professional market all contributed to increased sales and gross profit for Smith & Wesson in the quarter ending August 31, 2013 according to company officials.
For consumers, the best news might have been the company’s focus to eliminate the order backlog and the goal to move from operating at capacity to operating at demand.
So, what new guns does the company have in the pipeline, and what role will the state of Illinois play in the future of Smith & Wesson? Let’s take a look at the past quarter and gaze into the future with the insights gained from the company’s latest earnings call.
Here is a quick round-up of recent gun news…
Win a $1,000 Â Cabela’s Gift Card
Looking for $1,000 to spend on shooting, hunting and outdoor gear? Â Sign up for the giveaway at AllOutdoor.com. Â They are giving away a $1k gift card to Cabellas on June 15. Â Five additional people will win $200 gift cards.
Another AcquisitionÂ
Bullet and ammunition manufacturer Nosler finalized a deal to purchase Silver State Armory (SSA). Â SSA makes high quality ammunition for hunting, law enforcement and the military. Â I met the guys from SSA several years ago at the SHOT Show, and was impressed by the staff and their products. Â Nosler is known for high quality, so hopefully this will be a good deal for not just Nosler and SSA, but for consumers also.
Wednesday’s gun news…
Colt Mustang XSP
Announced at the NRA Annual Meetings and Expo earlier this month, the new Mustang XSP is a polymer-framed version of the single-action .380 ACP pistol. Â Do not think that this is the same pistol just with a plastic frame. Â Colt made a number of changes in the frame that many shooters will like. Â For example, there is a relief cut into the frame, behind the trigger guard, which allows the shooter to get a grip higher up on the gun.
Other enhancements on the new Mustang XSP include an ambidextrous safety, dovetailed front sight and short accessory rail. Â Total weight of the pistol is less than 12 ounces (unloaded) and the MSRP is $649. Â For now the frame is black, but polymer frames allow for relatively easy color additions to the handgun line. Â Don’t be surprised to see an OD green, FDE or even pink Mustang XSP in the future.
The AR-15:Â Practical, Tactical or TACTI-COOL!
The American Gunsmithing Institute released a new gunsmithing DVD on customizing the AR-15 rifle. Â The video course starts with an overview of different customization options that are available for the rifles, and then launches into a number of project builds for different needs. Â The course is taught by a master gunsmith with decades of experience with the AR platform. Â The DVD retails for $79.95.
Ruger is expanding.
Sturm, Ruger & Co is in the process of opening a third production plant to expand manufacturing capacity, and company president and CEO Michael O. Fifer wants to do it quickly.
“We’re running out of space,†said Fifer in the company’s annual shareholder meeting on April 30.
According to Fifer, Ruger will use the new facility to build new lines of firearms, not to expand production of current firearms. Fifer stated he expects the new facility would build about ten completely new firearm lines.
To show how much growth Ruger has experienced, consider the number of employees employed at the Prescott, AZ manufacturing facility. On the weekly Gun Talk radio program, Ken Jorgensen, Director of Media Relations for Ruger, told host Tom Gresham that there were about 150 employees at the plant in 2008. Currently, there are about 750.
An existing, high-quality facility is what Ruger would like to find. “I don’t have any desire to build something,†said Fifer. He stated that there is more risk in building something, and he would prefer to get the new plant up and running “very quickly.â€
Ideally, the facility would be of newer construction, about 250,000 square feet in size, and have a “phenomenal electrical [system] in it.â€Â Fifer stated the company would prefer not to be in an industrial park.