The State of marlin Firearms - article in Rifle Magazine

[Tanstaafl]

I find it odd that Pietta using CNC tools, can make a great quality C&B revolver which Cabela's sell for less than 200 bucks, but Remington still can't get their act together?

Sounds like Ball and Williams makers of the Ballard rifle. During the civil war their factory could not keep up with orders, so contracted with Dwight, Chapin & Company to make the rifle. It turned into a disaster, the Dwight, Chapin rifles were so bad, every one of them was turned down by the War Dept.

[Tomray]

What did Freedom start doing while Marlin was still in CT that started hurting the quality?

The whole mindset directive from FGI was "Work Faster" and they continuely encouraged us to "Do More with Less".
They loaded the Engineers and Managers with demands for presentations on anything and everything.
They had a complete disregard, and lack of respect for the floor worker, and it was very evident in some of the meetings.

They set the TAKT times for completing a lever rifle to 135 seconds per rifle, and demanded we meet their goal. Marlin lever guns require some hand fitting........they are NOT toasters.

When the labor force was forced to multi task everything, every day, things began to slip. When things slipped, the answer was to work extra time for NO pay.....While at the same time, if there was aparts shortage in Assembly, the hourly workers were sent home, they were not moved to other jobs to pick up the slack.......that only works for so long.

At first, no salary worker had any issues with a little extra time. But it soon became the norm, and was strongly encouraged, and there was never any recognition for doing so.

The deciet and unfulfilled promises became evident, and I think things slipped some more............I can't blame that on the workers or the Marlin management..............it was the directives and lack of support we got from Remington and FGI, in their constant quest for profits above anything else.

Tom

[Eli Chaps]

As I've said before, this entire debacle wreaks of the unrestrained and completely incorrect infusion of Lean/TPS. It takes a massive culture change AT ALL LEVELS in an organization to make these concepts successful and IT TAKES TIME. I know one thing for absolute certain, a successful implentation of these prgrams starts with the foundation that the operator can do no wrong. NOTHING IS THE OPERATOR'S fault. If management and executives do not undertsand that, it is doomed to fail.

Simply setting takt times, realisitic or not, and moving some machines around will not make you successful. Remington is learning these lessons the hard way. I just hope they are learning. You can see the same thing with the Bushmaster line.

[Pat/Rick]

There are alot of folks running industries without a industrial background, do the consolidation thing and end up ruining a company because the largest asset is the companies craftsmen. Seen it happen alot at Vancouver, WA's largest employer.

Thankyou former Marlin employees for setting the record straight. Also for building a great product in the past.

Alot of used Marlins built with pride out there, and the prices haven't gone up yet, get 'em while you can. But then, there will always be JM rifles out there because of the folks that read about the latest, greatest whizzer that are designed to hunt today's game.

The only thing remmie has going for it nowadays is their ammo line. IMO. I even buy used 870's because I don't like the plastic trigger guards on the newer stuff.

[smlake]

I read every posting in this thread about this sad chronicle of events. I am familiar with the Remington story (their headquarters is now in North Carolina) and Cerrabus, a private equity company in New York. Cerrabus is, or was, run by John Snow, former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury and also a former president of CSX, a railroad company. I have met Mr Snow, who holds a doctorate in economics and, I believe, also a law degree. He is a very smart guy. However, he does not personally have a background in manufacturing firearms. His background is not like William Ruger, a design and manufacturing genius.

Marlin is a case study of the decline of manufacturing in the USA. It mirrors what has happened in most U.S. firearms manufacturers. Examples include Remington, Winchester, Smith and Wesson, Colt, etc. The only difference is that Marlin apparently made a profit each year while the above are dead companies, or companies whose current product quality cannot compare favorably with their products of past years. I feel sorry for the former Marlin employees who apparently were very loyal and took pride in their work and the guns they made. They obviously got screwed over.

I presently own a model 60, 39A, and 783, all more than 15 years old, and will look for deals on older Marlins when I attend gun shows and visit local gun and pawn shops.

[Tomray]

I read every posting in this thread about this sad chronicle of events. I am familiar with the Remington story (their headquarters is now in North Carolina) and Cerrabus, a private equity company in New York. Cerrabus is, or was, run by John Snow, former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury and also a former president of CSX, a railroad company. I have met Mr Snow, who holds a doctorate in economics and, I believe, also a law degree. He is a very smart guy. However, he does not personally have a background in manufacturing firearms. His background is not like William Ruger, a design and manufacturing genius.



Marlin is a case study of the decline of manufacturing in the USA. It mirrors what has happened in most U.S. firearms manufacturers. Examples include Remington, Winchester, Smith and Wesson, Colt, etc. The only difference is that Marlin apparently made a profit each year while the above are dead companies, or companies whose current product quality cannot compare favorably with their products of past years. I feel sorry for the former Marlin employees who apparently were very loyal and took pride in their work and the guns they made. They obviously got screwed over.

I presently own a model 60, 39A, and 783, all more than 15 years old, and will look for deals on older Marlins when I attend gun shows and visit local gun and pawn shops.

Cerberus Capitol Management.........(Get the spelling right) was incepted and is run by Stephen Feinburg, it is headquartered in New York City......Cerberus re-located Remington headquarters to Madison North Carolina............
Marlin is NOT a case study in anything ethical, regarding Cerberus, Remington or FGI........
Do some more research..........you'll find the facts missing in your statements.......You'll also find the meaning of "Cerberus", if you dig a little...............And while you're digging,.........Google "Vampires on the Mexican Border"...........Cerberus runs a string of blood plasma collection store fronts, preying on illegals along the border................Cerberus........Great people to be associated with.......

Tom

[galaxieman]

I now have a total of 9 Marlin firearms. They are all pre Remlin and that is the way it will stay. I so appreciate Dom, Tomray and the others here that helped create the guns I love. They are pieces of art to me. My newest purchase, a like new1967 WesternField 740 (Marlin 336) that I recently got from a member here just feels perfect in my hands. I seem to be collecting Department store guns of late and they just speak of a time in America that I realy miss, when you could still by a quality rifle or shotgun the same place you bought a shovel and a pair of pants. I miss a lot of America that is gone forever. I think that is why I am stocking up on the guns that remind me of a better time. Thanks Marlinowners,

[domct203]

As I've said before, this entire debacle wreaks of the unrestrained and completely incorrect infusion of Lean/TPS. It takes a massive culture change AT ALL LEVELS in an organization to make these concepts successful and IT TAKES TIME. I know one thing for absolute certain, a successful implentation of these prgrams starts with the foundation that the operator can do no wrong. NOTHING IS THE OPERATOR'S fault. If management and executives do not undertsand that, it is doomed to fail.

Simply setting takt times, realisitic or not, and moving some machines around will not make you successful. Remington is learning these lessons the hard way. I just hope they are learning. You can see the same thing with the Bushmaster line.

Well said Erik.

Dom

[ggeilman]

The whole mindset directive from FGI was "Work Faster" and they continuely encouraged us to "Do More with Less".
They loaded the Engineers and Managers with demands for presentations on anything and everything.
They had a complete disregard, and lack of respect for the floor worker, and it was very evident in some of the meetings.

They set the TAKT times for completing a lever rifle to 135 seconds per rifle, and demanded we meet their goal. Marlin lever guns require some hand fitting........they are NOT toasters.

When the labor force was forced to multi task everything, every day, things began to slip. When things slipped, the answer was to work extra time for NO pay.....While at the same time, if there was aparts shortage in Assembly, the hourly workers were sent home, they were not moved to other jobs to pick up the slack.......that only works for so long.

At first, no salary worker had any issues with a little extra time. But it soon became the norm, and was strongly encouraged, and there was never any recognition for doing so.

The deciet and unfulfilled promises became evident, and I think things slipped some more............I can't blame that on the workers or the Marlin management..............it was the directives and lack of support we got from Remington and FGI, in their constant quest for profits above anything else.

Tom

Do more with less.

Welcome to work in America, especially since the latest recession. It is getting worse, not better. Now they are doing it to all the government workers also. As for the bounder of hell, well we can hope that is a foretelling of their ends.

[domct203]

Do more with less.

Welcome to work in America, especially since the latest recession. It is getting worse, not better. Now they are doing it to all the government workers also. As for the bounder of hell, well we can hope that is a foretelling of their ends.

Yup, at the "dog & pony shows" the CEO & COO of FGI would always reply "more - faster", and chuckle.

Dom