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Hudson Industries - Out of Business


orca

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Hudson Industries (mfg of an M3 Grease Gun, Jericho, etc) has officially announced they are out of business. Depending on your experience with Hudson (Mine have been bad across multiple products), it's either a shame or something long coming. Either way they were an airsoft manufacturer who made unique replicas.

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I'd say it's a shame and something long coming. I loved Hudson's guns (first to make a Tokarev I believe) but I can't say I'm surprised. How they made any money in the first place is beyond me with a catalog of products that wouldnt fill much more than a page.

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Hudson was one of the very first companies (MGC was before them) that produced toyguns (including airsoft and cap-firers). It was founded in 1960 as an importer of toyguns. In 1962 they were the first to release a Japanese-designed and produced modelgun, Mauser 1896 (dummy). Hudson specialised in models that noone else did: vz61 Skorpion, Tokarev TT-33, IMI Desert Eagle, PPsh-41, Madsen 1950, Jericho. variety of Derringers. Quality of design and materials was not too good, but at least they tried to innovate in choice of models. Most people have mixed feelings about their replicas.

 

President of Hudson, Kazuo Yamada, died on 19th of December 2009. Company was closed by his sons who did not wish to continue this business. Remaining unsold stock and molds were destroyed, factory and land will be sold shortly (or is already sold).

 

If anyone could take pictures of their factory - this is probably the last moments in history.

 

(feel free to correct if I'm wrong)

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President of Hudson, Kazuo Yamada, died on 19th of December 2009. Company was closed by his sons who did not wish to continue this business. Remaining unsold stock and molds were destroyed, factory and land will be sold shortly (or is already sold).
There goes our hope. Down the c###per.
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It is sad... In Japan companies have to pay taxes on assets - not only buildings but also moulds. It was probably cheaper and faster to dispose of that and have a clean building to sell. If taxes are paid on year-by-year basis, getting rid of assets was especially important before end of year (just thinking loud).

 

Manufacturing was already closed from beginning of December, as Mr Yamada was ill. Last stock was sold out to in early December, but that was it...

 

Looking more closely at production: Desert Eagle as airsoft GBB was eventually done by Marui (and CO2 version from Cybergun). AK47 is (as AK74) available as airsoft (electric and GBB). Taiwanese company makes a cap-firing TT-33. PPsh41 has just been released as an AEG from a Chinese company. Jericho 941 was released by KWC as a CO2 airsoft and bb gun. Marushin makes Derringers (check out cool Hybrid model!). Vz61 Skorpion has an airsoft GBB version by Maruzen.

I am not sure if there is another maker of M3A1 Grease Gun. Madsen M50 has not been produced for a long time, so it's safe to skip.

 

Loss of Hudson was a bigger loss for cap-firing modelguns than airsoft, as there is no replacement for these models, maybe except for TT-33 (not easily obtainable) and Hybrid Derringer (not quite the same).

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Taiwanese company makes a cap-firing TT-33.

 

But as for now nobody makes a TT-33 in airsoft version. And with PPSh coming out under two or three different brands, we apparently lack the secondary weapon for 7,62 system ;)

 

Which actually makes wonder, where to buy spare clips for this piece today, or parts of clips (valves).

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Thank You, I have seen this item.

 

I am not a fanatic modeller but this model's dimensions are beyond my level of tolerance :)

 

Besides, already owing a TT-33 from Hudson (has some minor dimensional issues too :) ) I am more interested in spare mags of which sale is now apparently discontinued even in Japan.

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Hudson Industries (mfg of an M3 Grease Gun, Jericho, etc) has officially announced they are out of business. Depending on your experience with Hudson (Mine have been bad across multiple products), it's either a shame or something long coming. Either way they were an airsoft manufacturer who made unique replicas.

 

Unique being the word!

Shame you couldn't actually fire the things or they broke.

<_<

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Damn shame about Hudson going up the swanny. They, as far as I know, were the only company that made the PFC AK47 and a friend of mine has a lovely AK of Hudsons that he converted, quite legally I might add, to fire 7.62mm blanks. Not mil spec blanks, God no that would be lethal. He's a re-enactor and makes his own less powerful 7.62mm blanks. I've been stood next to him when he's cabbied rounds off - SWEET AS! He's got licences for this that and t'other coming out his bottom.

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