Who owned Winfield Arms?

[Joseph Scott 0]

I heard a story in Dallas than Winfield Arms was owned (or financed) by Winchester to circomvent restrictions against them buying surplus weapons.  Has anyone heard this story?

[clinocio 0]

Here is an article that indicates where the Winchester/Winfield rumor came from http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/WAC/wac.html

Apparently, there was a Western Arms and Cartridge Company (Chicago) that was purchased by Winchester after WWII and a Western Arms Company (New York) in business during the American Civil War. There was also a Western Arms Company (Los Angeles) that was established sometime between 1945 and 1947 and this company later became Winfield Arms. The article sites several sources that link Winfield with the CIA, as a source for collecting/importing foreign military arms that the CIA could buy from for clandestine operations (like the Bay of Pigs).

 

[Brian Alpert 0]

The "urban legend" is that Winfield Arms and it's importer Western Arms were in reality CIA fronts which surreptitiously procured and supplied weapons to "friendlies and anticommunist insurgencies".  Sam Cummings, the crown prince of the surplus arms trade was associated.  Reportedly, the Johnson semi-auto rifles were purchased from the Dutch out of storage in the Hague by Arthur Cecil Jackson, a British surplus scrap dealer in the early 50's.  He reportedly bought the entire Dutch stock and imported them into Canada.  They somehow ended up in Southern California at Winfield Arms where they were refurbished and sold in various configurations for the next 10 years. In the mean time, Numrich had purchased the entire inventory of spare parts from Winchester who had procured them as part of the deal when they hired Melvin Johnson as a consultant/designer.  Jackson relieved Numrich of much of this stock to refurbish the Dutch rifles, many of which had been poorly stored and were in sad condition.  (The Numrich connection was described by Numrich in one of their catalogues years ago).  When Winfield went out of business, the remaining inventory was purchased by Old Benicia Armory.

[roverboy 0]

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2016 at 7:44 PM, Brian Alpert said:

The "urban legend" is that Winfield Arms and it's importer Western Arms were in reality CIA fronts which surreptitiously procured and supplied weapons to "friendlies and anticommunist insurgencies".  Sam Cummings, the crown prince of the surplus arms trade was associated.  Reportedly, the Johnson semi-auto rifles were purchased from the Dutch out of storage in the Hague by Arthur Cecil Jackson, a British surplus scrap dealer in the early 50's.  He reportedly bought the entire Dutch stock and imported them into Canada.  They somehow ended up in Southern California at Winfield Arms where they were refurbished and sold in various configurations for the next 10 years. In the mean time, Numrich had purchased the entire inventory of spare parts from Winchester who had procured them as part of the deal when they hired Melvin Johnson as a consultant/designer.  Jackson relieved Numrich of much of this stock to refurbish the Dutch rifles, many of which had been poorly stored and were in sad condition.  (The Numrich connection was described by Numrich in one of their catalogues years ago).  When Winfield went out of business, the remaining inventory was purchased by Old Benicia Armory.

Thanks Brian. That's some interesting info there. I think my Johnson is a Winfield, because it has a sporter ramp front sight with a hood. Also the butt plate isn't original. You say that Winfield was in Southern California. Well, my rifle came from a guy that lived in L.A. County. Thanks.