French now own Browning/Winchester...?
Do the experts know if Browning/Winchester is now owned by a French company. Over the past week, I have been told twice that this is now the case. I know the customer service has gone to pot, and can only speculate what would happen under French management. I sincerely hope this is not the case. Talking about shooting oneself in the foot...Yes this is a specific question about a specific firearm mfgr.[V]
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raskil,
BROWNING INTERNATIONAL S.A. c 2003 - Parc industriel des Hauts-Sarts, 3?me Avenue, 25, B-4040, HERSTAL, BELGIUM
There is a big difference between France and Belgium. Afterall, John Browning has been tied to FN in Herstal since the turn of the century.
Best.0 -
HAS BEEN FOR SOME TIME. MAYBE YEARS.
I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.0 -
Let's clarify a couple things here, right now.
AND Dispel any rumors, along with helping anybody with a "Customer
Service" Problem or Question.
FN,Browning International SA & Winchester- is NOT owned by a French
Company.
Until 2000, it was owned by GIAT of France.
BUT that is no longer the case.
It is owned by the BELGIUM Government.
Browning runs deep in my veins and when I read the post I made a phone
call to make sure nothing had changed that I was not aware of and to make
mention of the poster's dissatisfaction with Browning Customer Service.
I just got off the phone with Jackie Love, who is the Manager of
Customer Service for Browning/Winchester.
As she said, "Feel free to call her ANYTIME, if you have a problem
with Customer Service that is not being resolved".
The Toll Free number is 1-800-333-3288 at the Morgan, Utah office.
I know Jackie personally, have visited with her on my last visit to
Morgan and can assure you she WILL provide Customer Service that
is "Second to None" in the gun industry and any other industry
for that matter.
"Incorrect" rumors need corrected and I hope this helps answer the
question of the original poster.
NRA Benefactor Life Member
Browning Collectors Association0 -
Doesn't FN also own Colt as well? I thought I heard that they bought Colt.....
maybe i am thinking of the US Government m16 contract....0 -
I don't know about the ownership but I do know about Winchester/Brownings customer service. In my experience if you have to deal with the folks in parts in New Haven you are in for an immense disappointment, rude, not helpful in the least and if you don't know exactly what you are after by their part number you will not recieve any thing but a brush off. But the folks in Morgan Utah are an absolute joy to deal with, nice, helpful, conversational etc. and anytime I need something they are the ones I call.......Good people. 0 -
im pretty certain fn just got the contract, but colt still owns colt. i know my issued rifle says fn on it. 0 -
O.K., I rarely rage at a cause but here we go! quote: quote: First off folks it is the BELGIAN government etc. not the BELGIUM government. Might seem a small point but it drives us Belgians nuts!!! Actually second only to being mentioned in the same sentence as the freaking frogs!!! If it were not for the French Foreign Legion they would have no military at all. (my appologies to those of you out there of French descent...at least your forebearers had the sense to come here!) I'm sure John Moses Browning did a somersault with a full twist when GIAT gained control those years back. My father (a consulting engineer) did work with GIAT some years back and declared them to be the haughtiest bunch of jerks he ever dealt with and he has worked for the Israeli's, the Swiss, the Egyptian's, several US contractors et. al. and many of them were supposedly percieved as tough to deal with...could not hold a candle to the French. I cannot make authoritative comment on current ownership of Win./Browning but would be happy to boycott either/both if this ever comes to be! FN's long and prolific association with JMB should prove at least they had a good base to begin with and I would hope they maintain their disdain/disassociation with the French. I'll get off the soapbox now and appologize if I've insulted anyone..unless you are native French in which case nobody cares what you think anyway.
"When I cease learning...I'm dead"
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"
"History is written by winners"
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0 -
GIAT sold in 1997.
See earlier post:
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=66158
NRA Benefactor Life Member
Browning Collectors Association0 -
Thanks SpringCreek, that is a huge relief and I thought that it was so but could not find proof last night after having stepped off my 'soapbox'. I do appologize to those of the forum for having ranted on the way I did but the French make me sooooo angry sometimes! I will post this kind of diatribe on the more appropriate forum next time. Thanks to all for the good, concise information regarding the ownership topic; all things that are good to know when making purchasing decisions in todays international climate!
"When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
"Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
"History is written by winners"(Patton)
"You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(?)
"There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)0 -
And this is reply number 10 so this post will lock and we can move on[}:)] 
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0
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