Sad news about a great company. I always had a ton of respect for the guys who started Windham and saved the jobs off a lot of people when Bushmaster left Maine. Anyway, it's a shame to hear this. They have a short little message about it on their home page.

Home - Windham Weaponry Online. AR-15 Manufacturer - Official Site
Home - Windham Weaponry Online. AR-15 Manufacturer - Official Site
It is with deep regret that we announce the closing of Windham Weaponry. Our website/online retail ordering system will remain active through Tuesday night, Sept 12. We will do our best to ship all orders this week and early next week. No credit card will be charged until the order is shipped...
Home - Windham Weaponry Online. AR-15 Manufacturer - Official Site

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Find a way or make one.

That blows. The loss of another independent gun manufacturer is bad news.

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Release the Kraken

It's a competitive business with a lot of obstacles .

Bummed to hear the news- WW manufactured fantastic ARs.

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Some Might Say.

I'm not surprised by the closing. With so many companies making AR 15s, the saturated market, panic buying over, used market flooded, and lower prices for AR15s, they'll not be the only firearm manufacturer going out of business.

It sucks to hear this news. Actually, I'm surprised they lasted this long after the Bushmaster move.

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

Really sad news! I can’t remember if it is on here or on the Colt forum, but I seem to remember a member that went from Bushmasters to Windham.
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

I have a Bushmaster DCM competition AR. Excellent rifle and very accurate. It had lead weights in the forearm and butt stock, but as I got older the rifle was getting too heavy for me, so I removed the weights.

Our state is not business friendly.WW closed for the same reasons S&W is moving south.
SOUTHERN Maine has turned into north boston and she's turned into what they have ran from and they control the vote in this state.

Quality AR "M4geries" are going for $400. You can't compete there without trashing quality. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

Yup. My friend Twaits worked for both. He's a member of both forums. Windham laid him off quite a while back. I never forgave them for that.

I have not heard of them however since I don't own any AR's I have never had a reason to find out. That said, it's sad when I hear of another American manufacturing company closing their doors.

Sad news,
Still have my Bushmaster A2 made in Windham Me.
When they introduced their M16A2 copy their only real competition was the Colt Sporter which was severely neutered , bought mine for $700 and it was the closest you could get to an M16A2 at that time.
Problem is so many manufacturers are offering sub $500 AR's today that its a very tough market.
IMO they should have set up shop making high quality M16 and M16A1 or A2 retro rifles since that market has not caught up with demand.

Agreed on the business model.

A serious lack of retro ARs on the market.

With the age of the platform you'd think, other than a special run now and again like Brownell's, there'd be someone offering an A1 pencil barrel "Vietnam" variation or a solid frame/handle A2 HBAR other than Colt.

I know I'd buy one.

Sad news, I'm very sorry to see them shut their doors; but ARs have become appliances like toaster ovens, making it tough for independent manufacturers.

My only AR-15 is a Windham Weaponry. It's been nothing but reliable. For a time they were able to carry on the tradition of Bushmaster making affordable ARs. This will leave lots of factory workers to go through the painful process of being terminated once again. I've read that many of the Bushmaster people were re-hired to produce the Windham ARs. I feel bad for those folks.

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What could possibly go wrong?

This hurts me to my heart.
All 4 of my AR platforms (pistol, 2 carbines, and an AR-10) are Windhams and I’ve been really pleased with their performance.

Dogonnit

I own one of the Windham Varmint Exterminators and it certainly is a premium AR style rifle. It has been quite a while since I shot it, but I recall it was a tack driver.

It's always sad to see a company whose corporate values remain high end its run.

That is a shame to hear. Back before the Remington take over, I was offered an impromptu tour by the factory manager while I was up in Maine for a bear hunt. Friendly folks.

My go-to AR-15 is still an older Bushmaster M4 copy that has had thousands of trouble free rounds thru it.

Larry

Years ago when I was looking for my first AR I had narrowed it down between the Bushmaster & Windham Weaponry. I ended up getting a Bushmaster at a great price. I've had no regrets or issues at all with my choice, but do find it sad another American company is shutting it's doors. I've been contemplating picking up a WW but honestly have about all the variations in caliber, gas system and barrel length I want.

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John 14:6, Luke 21:11

Malysh, that’s the gentleman. He is a stand up guy, and helped me on a few occasions with questions that I had. I didn’t realize that he had been laid off. I hope he recovered quickly with something even better than he had before!
Larry

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Miss Buddies crsides & fat tom

Especially NOT small business friendly. Governor Mills pandemic policies were brutal for small businesses - almost seemed deliberate. A lot of small companies got hurt by mandates/shutdowns and have been limping along ever since.

The company didn’t exist for 5 years after the purchase of Bushmaster. Windham Weaponry opened after the non-compete clause of the sale contract expired. They made fine products, and I am very sad that they are closing.

You gut that right Tinman

Sad too for the folk who lost jobs after desertion in Windham of Bushmaster and now closing again. Tuff times i'm sure. Made fine AR's at reasonable cost.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

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And so it goes...

I have a 1996 Bushmaster A2 variety, it shoot certain factory ammo in 1/4" groups at 100yds. About 5 years ago, I bought a WR-10 in 308, I couldn't get it to do 2" groups under the same conditions until I started replacing parts. (I used 7 different types of proven ammo!) Common story with cheap ARs! But the WR-10 was just shy of $1500!! I think spotty QC caught up with them.

Ivan

Reading between the lines, rising interest rates made their floating rate debt unaffordable.

I have never heard of this outfit. I like Colt myself.

Ah - I should’ve considered that. A very good point. When variable rates are 1% or less for years and then suddenly go up over 5%, just paying interest becomes much more difficult.

I would love to comment further on local politics and our esteemed governor but don’t want to get in trouble.

The founder of Bushmaster and Windham Weaponry, Richard Dyke, passed away back in March. I’m thinking it’s not a coincidence that WW is now closing.

You'll be seeing a lot more of that over the next 18 months...

To be successful over the long-term of any business, one must be better at the business end than on the production end.

You can make the best firearms in the world, but if you don't have the necessary business skills, you'll fail.

You can make mediocre products, but if your business skills are great, you can rake in the money.

Under capitalization has been the failure of many businesses. So has being a one-man-at-the-top business without a succession plan when that top man dies.

There are FOUR Beautiful MP AR's on here for sale right now for 475 to a high of 525. You can't buy a model 10 for that money.
These things are a dime a dozen these days. I have two new unfired Colts that I'd basically have to give away. The optics are worth more than the rifles.
I can't say I am surprised they are throwing in the towel.

That’s sad to me to read.
My box-stock WW 308 gives me 1/2 MOA, or an inch at 200 yds., with a Vortex Razr.

Glad you got to meet him. He's a great guy and a discerning collector.

"Quality AR "M4geries" are going for $400."

Not mine.

Take your pick. I have owned several Anderson lowers, no experience with Radical. Joe
Firearms

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Behavior Creates Destiny