Email received from USFA today:
Factory Closed
12/19 - 1/8
Attention all USFA Customers and Dealers, the factory and all service departments will be closed from December 19 to January 8, 2012. Normal operations will begin Monday January 9, 2012. Happy Holidays!!
:)
Quote from: texagun on December 19, 2011, 08:48:19 AM
Email received from USFA today:
Factory Closed
12/19 - 1/8
Attention all USFA Customers and Dealers, the factory and all service departments will be closed from December 19 to January 8, 2012. Normal operations will begin Monday January 9, 2012. Happy Holidays!!
:)
I wish they would define "normal operations".
Darn it. And here I was going to order one of their fantastic Remington models.
Quote from: Deadeye Don on December 20, 2011, 10:54:19 AM
Darn it. And here I was going to order one of their fantastic Remington models.
So was I.
Don't know if it's been mentioned before, but I note the lack of the Rodeo series on their site... I take it that means they've been discontinued?
Quote from: Cal Fornia on December 21, 2011, 03:29:25 AM
Don't know if it's been mentioned before, but I note the lack of the Rodeo series on their site... I take it that means they've been discontinued?
I'll be darned if you aren't correct. When they aren't on Christmas vacation, what in the heck are those people doing from 9-5 ?
I hope to buy another Single Action premium grade of some configuration from them this year. Love my USFA's.
Deadwood
As popular as the rodeos are, you would think that they would be one of the last things to be discontinued.
Perhaps the premium guns have a higher profit margin and so why waste a frame on a Rodeo ?
Old Doc
I think your on to something ? I hate to see the rodeo's fall by the road side ?
Quote from: Rowdy Fulcher on December 22, 2011, 02:47:18 AM
Old Doc
I think your on to something ? I hate to see the rodeo's fall by the road side ?
The USFA I really like is the Gunslinger. I have one in .44-40. I bought a Rodeo, with the intent to antique it and make it look more like the Gunslingerbut but so far have not gotten up the nerve to do so.
It's amazing what a simple email will do. I emailed USFA yesterday asking about the Rodeo models and Gary Granger replied this morning. :D
"The Rodeo and Rodeo II will return sometime next year but not until we catch up on the higher end products.
USFA"
Merry Christmas to all...........
While dealers such as Longhunter eventually gave up on USFA for lack of product, how much of USFA's time has been devoted to providing guns to Turnbull for their Open Range series. That company has in turn dumped a bunch of these guns on the market with varying degrees of engraving. They are all over Gunbroker and now even CDNN is selling them at prices starting as low as $1199 with engraved cylinders.
I called Turnbull several months ago and those CDNN guns were made several years (2009) ago and sold to a distributor in FL that went out of business. CDNN bought them up.
It's a heck of a way to run a business!
Quote from: Doc Sunrise on December 22, 2011, 08:56:20 PM
It's a heck of a way to run a business!
And there is the rub.
Ah, but who are we to judge ? We are but lowly customers.
Para phrase
International Ladies Garment Workers Union anthem
Words by Paula Green
Music by Malcolm Dodds
USFA anthem
Look for the USFA label
When you are buying a colorful Colt Clone , SHOT PISTOL™, Remy or Omni . :-\
Remember somewhere ? our USFA is going ?
our wages going to feed the kids and run the house,
We work hard but who's complaining.
Thanks to Collectors , we're paying our way.
So, always look for the USFA label,
it says we're able
to make it in the U.S.A. ;D
A USFA Single Action lured me over to the display case,
a Cowboy gun made with American Quality as it's base.
I was amazed, and could not leave without it,
in my hands it felt so good, the smile on my face was lit.
I went home with not one, but two USFA's that day.
For the obvious American Craftsmanship, I was willing to pay.
USFA rekindled my appreciation of the American West,
I grew up with Saturday Westerns and Colt's as the best.
Here was a non-Colt, but a Colt nonetheless.
It commanded attention from all the rest,
and even Colt no less.
In years, USFA is fledgling in comparison to Colt's Legacy,
but USFA sure opened many eyes right from it's infancy.
Like my teenager, USFA is trying to navigate its way through life,
sometimes appearing lost and dealing with supporter's strife.
Who knows what the future holds,
already so many changes to the molds.
It is easy to see why all walks of life fall for the USFA,
whether shooter, Collector, hunter, or just mounted for the day.
What's foggy is the future, will USFA still hold its lure.
USFA stirred the pot and many awoke,
meeting the challenger many spoke.
Even Colt itself reassessed and is redeploying,
but USFA is seen just spinning and toying.
What move will USFA make next,
sometimes when lost, going back to your roots is best!
It will be good to have the Rodeo guns return someday.
Quote from: Old Doc on December 21, 2011, 06:27:28 AM
When they aren't on Christmas vacation, what in the heck are those people doing from 9-5 ?
My dealer has had a serialized pair of USFA SAA's polished and in the white with special serial numbers on order for me for going on a year... and, still not a word as to when they are supposed to be produced. It was mid-summer, early fall, late fall, by the middle of January...
I'm almost getting to the point that I might just buy a pair of Colt's instead. I love the USFA's and I think they make a much better SAA than Colt does. (I own them both and that's my opinion and I'm sticking with it.) But, they aren't producing much of anything.
Gary Granger told my dealer how Doug D. has the plant idled with only FOUR employees working there. I just don't understand it. It's mind boggling why he doesn't put his nose to the grindstone and get the business fired up. There's plenty of demand... or, at least there was. People can only hold on and wait for just so long and they will lose the fire that brought them there to begin with.
Maybe Doug D. doesn't care if he's in business to make firearms or not. I'm beginning to wonder about that.
Sorry for the rant. :-[
No need to apologize, Dakota. Many of us here are getting a little frustrated for the same reason.
I'm surprised more hasn't been said, here, about what's going on at USFA. Roughly two months ago, I had telephone conversations with individuals at two USFA dealers. One a former dealer and one current. Both said almost the exact same thing. They said USFA is, and always has been, Doug Donnelly's "hobby". And, it appears, as often happens with hobbies, he's lost interest in it. Both also said USFA hasn't been producing guns. One said not for a year, the other not for 8 months. The person who said "a year" stated USFA had laid off its employees and the plant was sitting idle. The person who said "8 months" stated USFA had sold one of its CNC machines, and presently only employs a bookkeeper, a gunsmith, and Mr. Granger.
Well, I'd like then to see him sell USFA to someone that would continue making the finest revolver that they are.
I wouldn't trade a one of mine for a farm in Georgia, but it does look like the company has lost production steam to say the least.
Deadwood
Marshal, looks like one of us may need to go find that second gold mine in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre." The one we never heard about. The one the old man never mentioned to Dobbs or Curtin. Then, he could take USFA off Mr. Donnelly's hands and crank it up.
Seriously, I, too, hope these fine revolvers continue being made. I have four, and a strong hankering for, at least, two more.
It is unfortunate where USFA is today. USFA had brought new life to the SAA. It forced Colt to wake up, and brought back a true American Quality that had been lacking in the old sixgun. I have been hopeful as USFA started to bring modern technology together with real craftsmanship and create new guns to extend the growth of an old line, like the 12/22. It also had the idea of creating a more attractive price for a SAA by choosing different finishes, but keeping the heart of the SAA mechanics at the same high quality as the premium finished guns. But it seems USFA has fallen back to replicating, or lack of, other peoples' successes in place of creating their own ideas. Only time will tell.
So what do you guys think? If USFA shuts its doors, will that increase or decrease the value of the USFA's that we have? I would like to think increase, as there would be a finite supply of them from that point on.
Jared
Quote from: jphendren on January 24, 2012, 09:43:52 AM
So what do you guys think? If USFA shuts its doors, will that increase or decrease the value of the USFA's that we have? I would like to think increase, as there would be a finite supply of them from that point on.
Jared
Even though I'm going to engrave the "in the white" pair if and when I ever get them... I will shoot them and enjoy them that way. That's where the value lies for me. I don't think the USFA SAA's will ever have a big collector following such as seen with the Colt's. Buy Colt's if you want to make money for your heirs.