I had to google the Bushmaster chain gun. 25mm... I know an inch is 25.4 mm so that is one bad mother.

I have a special place in my heart for Savage. I had a .22/.410 over under when I was a kid and I probably shot it more than any other gun we owned. My dad was a bird hunter so he never really owned any rifles and that Savage was the only .22 in the house. It was my best friend. I hope they live long and prosper.

I hope they keep Rob Coburn as CEO. He really turned them around. The most accurate rifles that I own are by Savage.

I'm torn. Savage gets a big brother. Good.

I'm also worried that Savage being now part of a "defense contractor" will make it a target for frivolous gun-related injury lawsuits.

It was already chambered in .358 Short Whelen years ago!

Better to be owned by an operating company than a private equity group. I don't know how ATK in particular works, but many defense/industrial conglomerates try to make each PnL within each division profitable, which would essentially mean Savage continues to operate as normal, just with deeper resources to draw on. Depending on the group, private equity can be a lot more interested in shaking out whatever cash they can in a relatively short term.

I do hope this 3rd attemp to post works... I agree that the purchase is a good thing for all concerned, with a reservation: While there would be worker displacement and brain drain, I would like to see the new arrangement pull out of the high-tax, anti-gun state in which they reside and do a Magpul: go to a gun- and industry-friendly state with lower taxes. The operating expenses saved would likely make it feasible to bring back the 99 in an affordable rifle. Would that ALL of the gun manufacturers do so. Les Baer sleeps better at night, I imagine, not worrying that he'll wake up a felon one day by overnight legislation.

What a joke ATK is anything but committed just so everyone is aware they are getting ready to layoff over 1000 people at their lake city ammunition plant in independence mo. This was just annoused this week and what they were told by the the head man because of the economy wow what a lie some how they found 315 million to buy another company.Everybody can do what they want but with my family working their and posssibly geeting ready to lose their job i will not buy any thing ATK is a part of and i wish others would consider doing the same.There are a lot of good people with alot of time in with this company that are getting ready to be put on the street.

The problem I have with Savage is they don't belive in making a better product unless they have to. I asked a while back if they would make a 5.56 NATO barrel with a 1-9 twist for the Encore, NOPE AND NOT GOING TO HAPPEN THE FELLA SAID! Worked for me? I'd fire the him on the spot!

@Clay Cooper

So you'd fire someone because they were honest and forthright with you instead of stringing you along with a lie? Who did your lobotomy?

To Dcast its funny when someone says they did research on something i guess in your research you did not find that the employees that are being layed off are being replaced by temp. employees at a cheaper wage.Also the layoffs are not based on performance and the buy out is an early retirement option and the employees work for ATK not the government the plant is owned by the government and ATK has a contract to run the plant just like Olin did but i guess in your research you did not find that.Also they hired a third party firm to do a wage comp. with like industries in the area and they were told they make to much and all raises were being stoped except for salary employees the problem with that is there are no compariable industries in the area so you my want to do some more research becuase i have plenty more of factual proof i could post.