My favorite bullet manufacturer, Barnes Bullets, maker of the Triple-Shock, has been acquired by Freedom Group, Inc. The press release says that Freedom is acquiring “certain assets.” Barnes will reportedly continue day-to-day operations under the direction of founder Randy Brooks. I’m nonetheless a bit nervous, especially since the Barnes Web site has basically been taken off-line, except for the store. A message on the site says the Web site is in a “transition phase.” Any good Web developer knows that you can still operate the old Web site while developing the new Web site, so this means that there is either poor planning, or that the change is related to the acquisition.
Barnes recently moved into a newer, bigger, better facility, so one wonders if this was a sudden decision based on either personal or financial reasons.
Freedom Group bills itself as “the world’s leading innovator, designer, manufacturer, and marketer of firearms, ammunition, and related products for the hunting, shooting sports, law enforcement, and military markets,” with a portfolio including Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS/Panther Arms, Marlin, H&R, NEF, LC Smith, Parker, EOTAC and INTC. Their Web site is www.freedom-group.com.
