From Military Times:

"U.S. Army places order for 24,000 M4 carbines with Remington

It was bound to happen. The U.S. Army has been buying M4 carbines exclusively from Colt since 2002 (though the first Colt M4 contract was awarded in 1996). But, as of 18:20 4/20/12, Remington Arms has been added to that dance card. The question is whether Colt retained a portion of the contract. It appears they haven’t, but it’s hard to tell from the published documents.

According to the Department of the Army’s Chief of Legislative Liaison, the Army today executed a delivery order on an existing contract to buy 24,000 M4/M4A1s worth $16,163,252.07. The order comes as line 001 on an IDIQ contract for up to 120,000 carbines worth $83,924,089.00, though U.S. Army Contracting Command lists the “Max Potential Contract Value $180,000,000.00.” The rifles will be made at Remington’s factory in Ilion, N.Y., from the Colt technical data package and, by my math, will cost about $673 a copy. That’s a hell of a group buy price.

I haven’t heard from Colt, yet. But I expect them to be fairly quiet until the protest period has ended. I did speak with one industry executive Saturday morning that suggested Colt is already close to it’s production capacity. He mentioned the 2009 M240 and M249 contract awards as major contributing factors.

Any of you that were about to buy milspec parts for your guns, now’s a good time. I’m sure Remington is about to go on an OEM parts buying binge. While they will likely forge their own upper receivers, lowers receivers, bolt, bolt carrier and barrels, they will have to subcontract for small parts such as ejectors, extractors, fire control groups, springs, pins just as Colt does."

Colt was rumored to be moving to Florida.
I wonder??

I'm just glad that a US company got the contract.

I presume that Remington will have to use milspec steels/alloys? I think their rifles use cheaper steel, with less chrome, than many other manufacturers.

Certainly, the bolt feels cheaper to me and I've seen more rust on used M-700's in stores than on Winchesters, Sakos, etc.

Heard a rumor many years ago that in exchange for exclusive supplier of M4s to the Gov't , Colt had to severely restrict civillian sales of handguns and ARs.

Didn't even know Remington made them. Hummm...@ $673 a piece, I'd get one!

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RIP Shipmate

I hang out on 1911 Forum, Colt section a bit. Colt has purchased property in FL for another plant, not a move. It is currently not publicly known or decided what they are going to make there. The Colt Custom Shop rep who pops up occasionally to answer questions said the main plant has no more room for expansion and the CEO has not announced what their plans were for the FL plant. They still can't keep up with their 1911 pistol orders after having expanded some 40%.

I'm sure NBC (Nobama Bootlicking Commie-corp) will have something nice to say about this.

S/F,

RAS

The "Plant" is a couple miles from the house. They are projecting around 70 permanent jobs. Since this is a right-to-work state, anything that is labor intensive would be much cheaper here than Connecticut UAW scale. The rumors around here cause me to disregard all of them. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

Dang! I could use a job, too.