An American Legend Heads Into The Sunset

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  • An American legend heads into the sunset



    It's hard to imagine John Wayne winning the West without his trusty Winchester by his side.


    In real life, the Winchester was there for the winning of the West, as much a tool for survival as a weapon.


    It's Winchester that's kept generation after generation employed in New Haven, Conn., home of the world-renowned rifle.


    But the end may be near for Winchester.


    U.S. Repeating Arms Co. Inc. plans to close the New Haven factory that opened in 1866. New Haven residents are trying to save the plant before the March 31 closing date, but if a buyer can't be found, it could mean the end of all commercially produced Winchesters.


    Even people who aren't firearm enthusiasts know what a Winchester is thanks to the movies, TV and Louis L'Amour novels. (Remember "Winchester 73," one of Jimmy Stewart's best movies?) It's an American legend, a part of this country's history and heritage.


    Winchesters could be found on cattle drives, wagon trains and Army posts during the opening and development of the West. They could be found in the hands of infamous outlaws, but Winchesters also were used by the lawmen who brought them to justice.


    Ranchers, farmers, cowboys, hunters and explorers used Winchesters every day, as much one of their tools as a saddle and rope. They were a part of the culture, a necessary part.


    A lot of people hear the word "gun" and automatically a negative image springs to mind. They think of firearms as something evil. But guns themselves are not evil.


    At one time guns virtually were a household necessity for gathering game and for protection. Winchester has been among the most popular and reliable. Many a family had meat on their tables thanks to a Winchester, especially the Model 94, the company's most popular rifle. More than 6 million have been made since its introduction.


    At the New Haven factory, generation after generation of workers and artisans produced different models of Winchesters, everything from utilitarian rifles for everyday use to priceless commemorative rifles. Making Winchesters has been a family tradition for many.


    Yet it's a tradition that appears to be near its end.


    While the manufacture of Winchesters may be coming to an end, like so many things that have helped shape America, it's not likely the Winchester legacy will fade from the scene.


    Not as long as there still are real cowboys, Westerns and people who preserve American heritage.


    — tag



    Originally published January 18, 2006 @ baxterbulletin.com


    Bye, bye, to alittle piece of American history!!