Since the Parkland shooting we’ve seen several large outdoor oriented companies shift their businesses away from the firearms market.
Vista Outdoor is the latest.
From CNN Money
“Vista Outdoor is exploring strategic alternatives, which include potentially divesting the remaining Sports Protection brands, Savage/Stevens firearms, and Jimmy Styks [paddle boards,]” said the company, in a statement provided to CNNMoney. “We will begin the process immediately, but will take the time necessary to make prudent decisions.”
Savage recently got into the AR-15 and AR-10 line ups and while already well know for its high value bolt rifles and .22’s losing its connection to the massive Vista umbrella network could greatly diminish their ability and options to produce.
Stevens and their value shotgun line are in largely the same boat.
Vista is not just considering dropping firearms from their line up and they aren’t divesting themselves from the industry with an extensive line of optics, ammunition, and accessories still in their brand portfolio but cutting Savage and Stevens after so much pressure was exerted on companies to do so cannot help but look like capitulation or outright agreement.
Famously Dick’s dicked the dog by stopping AR sales and symbolically destroying their remaining inventory like a petulant child breaking their own toys. This was allegedly to keep these rifles out of the hands of killers.
With NRAAM this weekend and their stock taking a 15% hit after the news released we will see how Vista weathers this choice. Is it politics? Or legitimately ‘just business’. With the bare shelves I’m still seeing at local gun stores the MSR-15’s have plenty of easy homes so… we will see.
