BRONCO INFO NEEDED, ANY MAKER
I just acquired a very nice Firearms International Corp. BRONCO .22rf single shot and am reserching its history. Below is overall pic of the rifle.
Thus far I've learned FIC started the ball rolling when they began manufacturing these in 1967 in the former Baretta (USA) plant in Accokeek, MD.
They then sold out to Garcia, best known for their fishing reels, etc., who continued to market the Bronco. Upon their exit from the market Bauer of Michigan tried to revive its sales calling it the "Bauer Rabbit." Rau Arms in 1969 borrowed heavily from the old Hamilton No. 11 and the Bronco to open a gun production company in El Dorado, KS making their Rau Wildcat 500 and 600 rifles. Rau in turn sold out in 1970 (about one year later) to Mountain Arms of Ozark, MO which in 1975 changed the name stamped on the gun to Precision Ind. Div. Oz. MO. USA.
I was first told that ALL Broncos were manufactured by some "unknown" maker in Italy. IF THAT IS TRUE, those guns must all have MADE IN ITALY stamped on them someplace since the Gun Act of 1968 required it.
MY QUESTION IS THIS: does anyone have ANY brand of Bronco WITH that message stamped on it? Gun Digest had been following that Italy rumor until they recently discovered they could NOT document it as a fact, and have since edited it out of their description of the Broncos.
Any information on these little oddballs would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ Shansei45
Thus far I've learned FIC started the ball rolling when they began manufacturing these in 1967 in the former Baretta (USA) plant in Accokeek, MD.
They then sold out to Garcia, best known for their fishing reels, etc., who continued to market the Bronco. Upon their exit from the market Bauer of Michigan tried to revive its sales calling it the "Bauer Rabbit." Rau Arms in 1969 borrowed heavily from the old Hamilton No. 11 and the Bronco to open a gun production company in El Dorado, KS making their Rau Wildcat 500 and 600 rifles. Rau in turn sold out in 1970 (about one year later) to Mountain Arms of Ozark, MO which in 1975 changed the name stamped on the gun to Precision Ind. Div. Oz. MO. USA.
I was first told that ALL Broncos were manufactured by some "unknown" maker in Italy. IF THAT IS TRUE, those guns must all have MADE IN ITALY stamped on them someplace since the Gun Act of 1968 required it.
MY QUESTION IS THIS: does anyone have ANY brand of Bronco WITH that message stamped on it? Gun Digest had been following that Italy rumor until they recently discovered they could NOT document it as a fact, and have since edited it out of their description of the Broncos.
Any information on these little oddballs would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ Shansei45
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Can't help yu with any specific info on the various Broncos.
The requirement for country of origin on commercial manufactured products imported into the U.S. dates to the 1890's though, not 1968. This was true for firearms as well. The only likely possibility for not finding a country of origin on a manufactured product if it was a private purchase by a American overseas, and was then brought back to the U.S. as personal property.0 -
I had never heard that these things were produced anywhere except the good old USA and then distributed by Garcia. The price in 1971 was $15.95 and then twenty five bucks in 1973 (inflation rears it's ugly head). Guns Illustrated always listed the Bronco as made in the USA, both in their product descriptions as well as categorizing them with other US made firearms. I had always thought that Garcia was the end of the line for broncos...I guess they lived on for a while longer. 0 -
Hi Mark and Rufe. Greatly appreciate you gents getting back so quickly. I'm still gonna' need someone who can actually SHOW me that the marking was found on one of these little guys to convince me the rumor was true.
I too thought all along that they were made here, but it's astonishing how many postings I found through Google searching that referred to them as being Italian made. One after another . . .
Thanks for your feedback.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ Shansei450 -
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Shansei45,
The box does say something about where it was made:
I never questioned the country of origin, of this rifle, until someone told me that they were made elsewhere. In poking around the 'net, I found a site that showed a collection of unusual firearms. One of them was a .22 rifle that was supposed to be what Depression-era shooters could afford. The rifle looked very much like the Bronco. Here it is:
...from this page:
http://www.thegunmuseum.com/guns/9163.htm
EDIT:
11b6r,
Thank you, for setting me straight about the Hamilton. The Gun Museum reminds me of so very many of the cheap "tabletop" books that you can buy for $5.00.[;)]
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Most Firearms International products were assembled in the US from imported parts. That made it perfectly legal for them to claim that they were "made in USA", & it was not necessary to tell anyone where their parts were made. Just like the Chevrolet sitting in my driveway.
And, Beretta thinks they still own the manufacturing plant that they built in Accokeek in the 1970's, & which they expanded in 1985 when they got the contract to supply the M9 pistol to the US government.
Neal0 -
Bigloop- gun museum needs to learn about their exhibits. That wire framed, nickel plated skeletal rifle is a CJ Hamilton #6- and they might want to spend some time learnng about boy's rifles. 0 -
Thanks to all who replied for your help. Lots of interesting info, but we digress. The question is: can ANY brand of BRONCO be shown which is plainly marked as MADE IN ITALY?
EXAMPLE: BigLoop22 has furnished a Garcia Bronco box which is plainly marked MADE IN USA. Question is, how was the rifle itself marked??? Always suspicious, perhaps the MADE IN USA meant the box, not the rifle... That's definitely stretching it, but ...
And, 11b6r, I've never found any info on a No. 6 Hamilton. The one pictured is the No. 7 which was later called their No. 11 when they added a wooden insert in the skeleton stock. (Similar to my Rau and Precision Wildcats.)
Mark Christian furnished a page from a publication called Guns Illustrated the Garcia guns are claimed to be MADE IN USA.
I'm still convinced that none of the Broncos was manufactured anyplace but the USA. As nmyers pointed out, even though parts came from a foreign source and assembled here, the product is still represented as MADE IN USA.
And, I still need to SEE a gun marked MADE IN ITALY to believe those "rumors" about these guns.
Thanks again, gang.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ Shansei450
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