Remington Buys AAC!

[Yellowfin]

Way to go Remington!!!

http://www.aacblog.com/?p=5041

REMINGTON PURCHASES AAC

An industry icon’s new venture in suppressor technology.

By Tom Beckstrand

Remington announced today that they have purchased the assets of Advanced
Armament Corporation, an industry leader in suppressor manufacturing. The
AAC acquisition appears to be part of Remington¹s broader strategic goal of
returning American military weapons production to the American industrial
base.

For the first time in years, Remington has introduced new products in the
sniper rifle space with the Modular Sniper Rifle (MSR) and the
carbine/sub-compact weapon space with the Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR) to
compete for emerging US government special operations and conventional force
requirements. As it currently stands, the majority of small arms produced
for the American military come from companies headquartered overseas.

Remington’s decision to purchase AAC stems from recognition that future
military weapons selections will almost unilaterally require sound and/or
signature reduction. Our military has been at war for over 8 years now and
experience shows that there are significant tactical advantages associated
with suppressor use; hence the military’s interest in adopting this new
requirement.

The Advanced Armament Corporation is a small business devoted to suppressor,
or ’silencer’, development and production. AAC is headquartered in Georgia
and has recently experienced substantial growth from the military¹s interest
in and purchase of suppressors including its subcontractor role as the
provider of silencers and flash hiders for the SOF Combat Assault Rifle
(SCAR) program. Civilian sales are also up as civilians become increasingly
aware that suppressor ownership is legal in 34 states.

AAC is one of the largest suppressor manufacturers in the United States.
However, few suppressor companies are positioned to provide suppressors in
the quantities required by existing and future military contracts while
still being able to meet growing civilian demands. The merger of Remington
with AAC will enable AAC to take advantage of Remington¹s production
capabilities as well as benefit from the additional R&D capabilities that
Remington has to offer.

While Remington purchased AAC¹s assets and intellectual property, initial
indications are that they have no intention of replacing AAC’s executive
staff with one of their own and that they are instead intent on expanding on
AAC’s current footprint. AAC will report to Remington’s Military Products
Division, but the leadership at AAC, including former owner Kevin
Brittingham, will remain in place and continue to function as they have in
the past.

This is HUGE if they play this the right way: to get the mainstream gun owning community to learn about and buy suppressors, to undo the damage of 1934. The single biggest obstacle to taking on the NFA is that too many gun owners believe NFA items (suppressors, short barreled rifles and shotguns, full auto, etc.) are totally illegal and inaccessible, so they don't know to ask for what they think they can't have in the first place. This is no accident, as Class 3 dealers are comparatively rare and out of sight and NFA process comparatively unknown. It's expensive, obscure, and isolated. I really, REALLY hope Remington will want to reverse these problems.

Why do we care about this? If they do pick up the regular market, we will see monumental growth in firearms ownership and enjoyment if suppressors are brought to the masses. Our current biggest task that we have is expanding firearm ownership and familiarity to new people, and having this as a tool would boost that effort by a considerable margin. That loud, inconvenient, scary thing your wife/girlfriend/sister/cousin/neighbor/classmate doesn't want to do because it's loud, scary, and awkward won't have to be loud, scary, and awkward anymore if this is brought to be. We will eventually be able to push for mandating suppressors to be legal in NYS and the other remaining 15 states they aren't allowed in--a big win for 2nd Amendment advocacy in rolling back bad gun laws. The first thing is familiarity, and anyone familiar with firearms at all has seen the Remington name. If it's something more people recognize and see that it's what they want, we will be able to get it.

[ungawa]

It could go the other way. Remington could decide the product is worthless/risky except for government contracts. And take AAC out of the civilian supply chain.

[Yellowfin]

It could go the other way. Remington could decide the product is worthless/risky except for government contracts. And take AAC out of the civilian supply chain.

Unlikely. People want silencers. Just a few months ago AAC had a promotion for their product called "Branded for Life" where people could get a free can for having an AAC approved logo tattooed on them. They had to close off the promo after less than 3 days because over 250 people jumped on it IMMEDIATELY, even though the sole publicity for it was on SilencerTalk, AR15.com, and maybe one other forum. They literally couldn't afford to give away more because they gave away a quarter million dollars worth of product in half a week.

Imagine what they could do with Remington's brand exposure. No way in hell would Remington pass that up.

[ungawa]

Unlikely. People want silencers. Just a few months ago AAC had a promotion for their product called "Branded for Life" where people could get a free can for having an AAC approved logo tattooed on them. They had to close off the promo after less than 3 days because over 250 people jumped on it IMMEDIATELY, even though the sole publicity for it was on SilencerTalk, AR15.com, and maybe one other forum. They literally couldn't afford to give away more because they gave away a quarter million dollars worth of product in half a week.

I know.

Imagine what they could do with Remington's brand exposure. No way in hell would Remington pass that up.

There's a history of large manufacturers wanting to keep military and civilian products separate, or swaying to political pressure. Going back to long before '86. I hope you are right!

[Yellowfin]

I think the political pressure is working the other way this time. Remington can say to any politicians that want to cause them trouble: "Hey, you know that 90 million gun owners you're afraid of? Half of them own Remington guns. So if I were you I'd buzz off before you make us all very, very mad."

[ungawa]

Just understand where I am coming from. In the NFA community, small companies have always supported us and large companies have always told us to pound sand. I have tons of stuff, and none of the good NFA stuff, factory nor aftermarket, ever came from a large corp. Except my Colt M16, which Colt did not sell to civilians.

So, now a big company is grabbing up a player in our small community. You see the glass as half full, I say the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. I hope you are right, it would be a monumental shift. An unprecedented one.

[Skullz]

I'm with ungawa on this one. Although I'm taking the wait an see approach.

I am one of the 200+ Branded for Life folks and I did that not only for the free can, but because AAC is a huge supporter of their customers, the NFA community and the Wounded Warrior Project. I liked the fact that they were a small company with accessible people and outstanding customer service. We'll see what happens...

Kevin, Cara and the crew have been all over Silencer Talk trying to deal with their loyal customer's concerns. It's obvious that Kevin is not stupid or naive, so if he still gets to maintain control, then the backing of a company like Remington just might give AAC the ability to make even more kick-ass products.

Of course, the other side is that a company the size of Remington might just decide they know better....

[Yellowfin]

I've been a Remington owner my whole (shooting) life and have gotten great customer service from them when I've needed it, but their shotguns are made so well I've only needed it once. I have absolutely nothing but the best to say about their company out of 25 years of shooting their guns and their ammo-I've put down every kind of game within the areas I've lived in without fail and without desire for anything else. Deer, dove, duck, quail, turkey, coyote, squirrel, rabbit...all of them have been taken using Remington guns or ammo or both. No one I've ever known has had anything to say about them except more of the same.

And they're not paying me a single dime to say that. It's simply the truth.

I don't expect any less from them in the suppressor product line. I think they want to add it to the excellence they are known for.

The biggest thing that Remington could bring is their brand name. They are probably THE biggest name in civilian firearms sales--no suppressor company has 1% of that kind of market penetration and recognizability. A Remington brand suppressor would have a mainstream recognizable name that carries immense weight. How many people would you say who own guns own at least one Remington? It's gotta be no less than 1/4, probably more like 1/3. Who has seen Remington the last time they were gun or ammo shopping? Who has at least one box of Remington ammo in their closet? Now combine that thought with a wide open market--a VERY TINY percentage of gun owners own suppressors. I bet at least half the problem is they don't know where to get them or who makes them, probably half of that problem being they don't know they can get them at all. What a HUGE revelation it would be to them that not only they can get one, but Remington AAC makes a very good one.

This could be the biggest gun marketing breakout since Glock in the 90's.

[Skullz]

So far, according to AAC, there will be no Remington branded suppressors.

AAC doesn't need any help marketing, they need help manufacturing. they can't keep up as it is.

[mojo]

So far, according to AAC, there will be no Remington branded suppressors.

AAC doesn't need any help marketing, they need help manufacturing. they can't keep up as it is.

Yep ... I don't see Remington rebranding AAC's suppressors. Hopefully they will keep AAC as a wholey owned sub that is ran basically as a separate Co. That why you still can have the small feel and everything but Remmy can help with R&D and $$$.