Japanese 1894 Winchester
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Haven't heard anybody say anything. Miroku generally turns out good quality items (a 94 from them would PROBABLY be better quality than the last few years from the maker here - which wasn't actually Winchester), but a 94 at a "way up there" price is probably not something I'd go for.
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I think the current 94s are rifles and fancier than the standard meat and potatoes 94 "Eastern carbine" which were by far and away the most widely produced of the classic 94s.
Seems like they are in the price range of the Mirouku-made Winchester branded 95s and 92s and 86s, i.e., not cheap.
I'd have to guess if they don't drop their prices a lot, their market will be filled fairly quickly and remainder guns may go begging for buyers.
But I wonder how many of the farily high dollar Marlins in the most modern Hornady calibers are selling either. I suspect the niche market for these is limited.
Not that the guns may not be worth it in either case but most modern "users" are wedded to bolt guns, or so it seems to me, and would probably prefer to spend that order of magnitude dollar on a fancy bolt gun.
Just my opinion.
Seems like they are in the price range of the Mirouku-made Winchester branded 95s and 92s and 86s, i.e., not cheap.
I'd have to guess if they don't drop their prices a lot, their market will be filled fairly quickly and remainder guns may go begging for buyers.
But I wonder how many of the farily high dollar Marlins in the most modern Hornady calibers are selling either. I suspect the niche market for these is limited.
Not that the guns may not be worth it in either case but most modern "users" are wedded to bolt guns, or so it seems to me, and would probably prefer to spend that order of magnitude dollar on a fancy bolt gun.
Just my opinion.
I'm a bit out of my league in this discussion. I was unaware that the current crop of Models 94 from FN/WInchester were Japanese.
For whatever it is worth, I have 2 Models 1886 which perhaps are of Japanese manufacture. One is a Browning carbine and the other is a Winchester Extra Lightweight Rifle, both in 45-70. They both seem quite well made. The Browning is just a bit more glossy blue than I would prefer, but the Winchester finish is quite nice. I also have a couple of original Winchester Extra Lightweight rifles (.33 Win chambering) from which to compare my recent vintage models. Well, for me there is no comparison. But standing on their own merits, the recent ones are both nice rifles. My investments were about $600 - Browning and $800 Winchester, in boxes/as new. Both acquired respectively a few years after they were no longer available new.
For whatever it is worth, I have 2 Models 1886 which perhaps are of Japanese manufacture. One is a Browning carbine and the other is a Winchester Extra Lightweight Rifle, both in 45-70. They both seem quite well made. The Browning is just a bit more glossy blue than I would prefer, but the Winchester finish is quite nice. I also have a couple of original Winchester Extra Lightweight rifles (.33 Win chambering) from which to compare my recent vintage models. Well, for me there is no comparison. But standing on their own merits, the recent ones are both nice rifles. My investments were about $600 - Browning and $800 Winchester, in boxes/as new. Both acquired respectively a few years after they were no longer available new.
I haven't seen one of the new '94's yet, but I wouldn't question Miroku quality. What was it, about ten years ago all the major stores and all the shows had plenty of those Miroku 1895 Winchesters. Jees, they came in every variant imaginable. I had my eye on one that had a flame-job color case-hardened receiver. Values seem to have held up just fine also. I think I could have bought the one in question for maybe 1200.00 out-the-door. I wouldn't expect to pay much less now if any.
Personally, I love the '94 and the .30-30 chambering in general, maybe because it gets so little respect from so many. Naturally, I'd rather have a New Haven version. Original is always best.
The Model 70's are made somewhere in North Carolina now, aren't they?
The Winchester 101's were always Miroku, to my knowledge. Always good enough for me.
Personally, I love the '94 and the .30-30 chambering in general, maybe because it gets so little respect from so many. Naturally, I'd rather have a New Haven version. Original is always best.
The Model 70's are made somewhere in North Carolina now, aren't they?
The Winchester 101's were always Miroku, to my knowledge. Always good enough for me.
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New Model 70s are made in the FN plant in South Carolina.
Would just like to add what a damn shame it is that even Winchester model 94s have to be made over seas instead of the U.S. For well over 100 years these famous American guns were made right here and because of regulations, strikes, and costs a great American name sake has to be produced in Japan. Just another sell out like Herman Survivor boots now made in China and complete junk. All this does is screw Americans out of jobs with all this outsourcing. Fat politicians love it but ask the average American worker that is out of work.
Please pardon this detour to respond to mauser9. The lament of US jobs migrating offshore might equally be construed as a lament that American workers ‘are making too much money’. Want to recapture Winchester work from Japan? Two alternatives: Persuade the American worker to take about a 40% combined wage/benefits cut and we can retrieve the production. OR Persuade American consumers to pay a comparable premium for the same quality goods and avert those domestic W/B cuts. And here we are, collectively (I included) opining that the current Winchester 94 offerings are presently too expensive!!! Factually it does seem true irony that an iconic element of our American history and heritage is being produced in Japan. That said, the global economy is a given fact. America needs to meticulously pick its battles and remain highly flexible in adapting to markets. That is how our work force will prevail. Calculated losses are the unfortunate price of good economic strategy as are some battle losses the necessary price of winning most wars.
Excuse the potentially off subject content, but the implication necessarily includes firearm manufacture!
My take.
Excuse the potentially off subject content, but the implication necessarily includes firearm manufacture!
My take.
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I don't know,but would think that japanese workers probably get better paid than US ones if anything (depending on the induestry of course).I can say with certainty that Miroku firearms are excellent quality...certainly a rung or 2 above the lever actions turned out by Winchester in the US for the last decade or so of manufacture.I brought a brand new model 94 Winchester about 20 yrs back...the front sight was quite crooked and it was pretty average quality I felt as far as finish was concerned.
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This stuff is made overseas because the cost of making it here exceeded the sale price.A company has to make a profit to stay in business.I believe Unions have killed American manufacturing. There was a time when they were needed to protect workers but after awhile they got greedy . The products that were made were shoddy and no one wanted to buy them. This was a result of a Union mentality that it was "Us vs Them" when building a product .The only goal every year was going on strike for more wages and benefits !! The product was the Bosses problem.
The success of The Japanese car makers in the south, in non Union plants ,is testimony to that fact. In those plants, the workers are part of a "Family" . The owner and the line worker ,are all in it together to build a product to be proud of , and it shows.Workers take pride in their work and the product they produce. I have heard that the only Car built entirely in The USA is, a Honda Accord, and that's down south !! The protection of workers has long been taken over by The Feds and State laws like the EEOC , and therein making Unions redundant. The "BIG THREE" would have been the "struggling one" ,if not for Obama using taxpayer money to stiff the investors and owners and hand the ownership of Crysler and GM over to the Unions. My mechanic says he would NEVER buy a US big 3 car. That's why workers don't have manufacturing jobs, at least in my opinion, BB
The success of The Japanese car makers in the south, in non Union plants ,is testimony to that fact. In those plants, the workers are part of a "Family" . The owner and the line worker ,are all in it together to build a product to be proud of , and it shows.Workers take pride in their work and the product they produce. I have heard that the only Car built entirely in The USA is, a Honda Accord, and that's down south !! The protection of workers has long been taken over by The Feds and State laws like the EEOC , and therein making Unions redundant. The "BIG THREE" would have been the "struggling one" ,if not for Obama using taxpayer money to stiff the investors and owners and hand the ownership of Crysler and GM over to the Unions. My mechanic says he would NEVER buy a US big 3 car. That's why workers don't have manufacturing jobs, at least in my opinion, BB
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