Zenith no longer supporting products...

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Cosmodragoon

New member
I just got this press release by email from Zenith. I contacted them for clarification. They said they will no longer be supporting their imported pistols, such as the MC-14.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2017

Zenith Firearms eliminates product lines to support roller-delayed blowback-centric business model

ONGOING INVESTMENT IN ROLLER-DELAYED BLOWBACK FIREARMS AND ACCESSORIES MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY

Afton, VA: Zenith Firearms has eliminated three product lines to make way for a heightened and exclusive focus on its signature roller-delayed blowback firearms. This move is the logical result of Zenith’s recent decision to change its business model from one in which it distributes a wide variety of firearm products, to one in which it intensively researches, develops, manufactures, and distributes only those firearms that comprise its signature line. Zenith sold all remaining inventory of its eliminated product lines, which include Tisas, Girsan, and Tedna, to Texas-based firearms wholesale liquidator CDNN Sports.

CEO Hanri Kaya commented on the new business model: “What we’re after is an undivided focus. That is critical if we are to develop the roller-delayed blowback platform to its greatest potential within the context of large-scale production and distribution.”

Zenith’s ongoing investment in a significant manufacturing capability began with its second quarter 2017 occupation of a brand new 84,000 square foot industrial facility, built specifically for firearms manufacturing. With progress currently underway to secure machinery and related assets, the Company’s customers, as well as current and prospective users of the roller-delayed blowback platform, can look forward to the following from Zenith in 2018:

Introduction of mid-life improvements to existing roller-delayed blowback models

Domestic manufacturing of new, hard-to-find, and 922(r)-relevant accessories

Greater consistency in meeting consumer demand

Service to an increasing number of law enforcement and government agencies



About Zenith Firearms: Zenith Firearms, Inc. is an Afton, VA-based, American family-owned company that works closely with MKE (Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation) of Turkey to bring the legendary reliability and design of roller-delayed blowback firearms to the U.S. market. Zenith is a BATFE-licensed manufacturer and importer of destructive devices (FFLs 10 and 11), and a DDTC licensed exporter and broker of defense articles.

Industry/Media inquiries: Chase Welch, 434-989-9681, chase@zenithquestintl.com
Sales inquiries: Ryan Lantz, 434-202-7790 x 107, info@zenithfirearms.com
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chrisp51

New member
I hate this. I was hoping they would import the Tisas browning hi power clone. Oh well maybe the next importer will. Sounds like Zenith is putting all their eggs in one basket. Not good.
 
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hdwhit

New member
So, Zenith is owned by MKE, the company that produces weapons for the Turkish Military. MKE produced, under license, versions of the G3 and HK33E that are now being replaced by the MPT-76 and MPT-55 (a series of AR/10/15-style rifles). Yet, with their home market for roller locked rifles and sub-machine guns disappearing, it is expanding operations in the United States to "develop the roller-delayed blow-back platform to its greatest potential"?

Since I think a quick survey of the market strongly suggests that the day of the roller-locked blow-back rifle/sub-machinegun has largely passed, where does Zenith seem to think the market for these new roller-locked guns going to come from?

This makes me wonder whether the Commonwealth of Virginia given them a tax credit or some other incentive that they have to secure by continuing operations in the U.S.?
 
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dogtown tom

New member
hdwhit So, Zenith is owned by MKE, the company that produces weapons for the Turkish Military.
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Nope, see the bottom of that press release: "...About Zenith Firearms: Zenith Firearms, Inc. is an Afton, VA-based, American family-owned company..."
 
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Destructo6

New member
Zenith Firearms, Inc. is an Afton, VA-based, American family-owned company that works closely with MKE (Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation) of Turkey
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Zenith has no product without MKE. Zenith is the American company that imports MKE products.

Hopefully, they'll do what PTR did and bring all of the HK tooling to the USA and produce their entire line, from MP5 to G3, domestically.

Who wouldn't want a quality made MP5 at a reasonable price?
 
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carguychris

New member
I can't say this development surprises me given Zenith's lack of presence with retailers in my area.
Zenith sold all remaining inventory of its eliminated product lines, which include Tisas, Girsan, and Tedna, to Texas-based firearms wholesale liquidator CDNN Sports.
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Sounds like a golden opportunity to check out an MC-14 on the cheap. :)
 
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Cosmodragoon

New member
Sounds like a golden opportunity to check out an MC-14 on the cheap.
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They said they were unloading inventory to CDNN. However, I don't see anything up on their site yet. The MC-14 looks to be a dandy little gun for what it is and it supposedly uses accessories for two other relatively common guns.
 
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carguychris

New member
Cosmodragoon said:
The MC-14 looks to be a dandy little gun for what it is and it supposedly uses accessories for two other relatively common guns.
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I assume you mean the Beretta 84 and Browning BDA 380. :)

I actually intend to tear the MC-14 down and see if any of the internals will swap out with the 84. There's some hearsay online that the MC-14 is internally a near-clone of the 84 and I'm curious if it's true.
 
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Model12Win

Moderator
I'd love a Zenith MKE G3. They somehow got a way to use the pin for the lower just like a real G3 but still legal.

One of the reasons I sold my PTR91 is the weak arrangement they use for the lower, just a shelf that sits on the upper. This allows the lower to slide back and forth, extremely annoying. This is a non-issue on a real G3 as the lower is pinned to the receiver, nor is it a problem on the MKE.

Still I would want a military clone style gun with original furniture and tapered cocking handle tube. They probably don't/wouldn't offer that and instead offer a bunch of short barrel tacticool tarted up models instead.
 
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