In all, seven groups swooped in to pluck brands from the ashes that was the Remington bankruptcy sale. And in many cases, top brands gained a new lease on life through acquisitions that appear to make sense. But arguably no pairing looks as good at the jump as does the Ruger acquisition of Marlin Firearms.
Ruger Accquires Marlin Firearms
Now its confirmed, Remington Outdoor Company accepted an offer from Ruger to pay $30 million to purchase Marlin. A United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama approved the deal. The transfer should take place sometime soon in October.
“The value of Marlin and its 150-year legacy was too great of an opportunity for us to pass up,” said Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy. “The brand aligns perfectly with ours and the Marlin product portfolio will help us widen our already diverse product offerings.”
The transaction exclusively names Marlin Firearms assets. Remington firearms, ammunition, other Remington outdoor brands, and all facilities and real estate are excluded from the Ruger purchase. Ruger will relocate Marlin Firearms assets to existing Ruger manufacturing facilities upon transfer.
“The important thing for consumers, retailers and distributors to know at this point in time,” continued Killoy, “is that the Marlin brand and its great products will live on. Long Live the Lever Gun.”
From a shooter’s perspective, this deal just makes so much sense. Marlin and Ruger share a similar kind of place in Americana. Both brands eschew guns built tough. They carry in wild lands on the hunt. They pack in the truck for defense.
The Marlin name slipped a bit after the acquisition by Remington. If anyone can make Marlin what it once was, Ruger might just be the company to pull it off. Let’s hope so, as Marlin remains an American classic. Long live the lever-gun, indeed. For more information, visit ruger.com/marlin.
