From Michael Markham CEO of RPA.
Rather than let this rumble on, here are some precise unequivocal answers to your points and doubts. I am old enough to know that no good comes from engaging in a dialogue like this, but things have been said which cannot go un-answered.
I also would like to know.
I didn't think that RPA existed in any meaningful way since the bust up, and the clever people setting up Steelcore and moving forward.
RPA was placed into Administration back in 2011 and the assets, buildings, employees etc were sold/transferred by Grant Thornton to the present day RPA Systems. It is not my place to comment on the somewhat subjective statement re "the clever people at Steelcore". We are sure they will be delighted and show their appreciation accordingly. As it happens, after an awkward start, we now are on good terms with Steelcore, and we struggle to believe they would be part of such negativity and dis-information. We recognise they make great rifles, and we leave the rifles to do the talking.
The RPA action just being a copy/evolution of the Swing I think, and hardly evolved since.
It is true that the current RPA Quadlock and Quadlite are magazine derivations of the excellent Swing Action. Strangely the "clever people" at Steelcore rifle have also adopted the 4 lug action.
Swing rifle - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
This used to be at the top of its game.
We agree it was a great design and product. We still maintain these actions 20+ years later. We now make a modern version of the SWING.
Not so much nowadays. In fact I know of no one using an RPA action for competition nowadays. But I could be wrong.
We are sure that, amongst others, the US Marine Corps Target Rifle team will be confused by this comment. James Corbett (winner of the Queen's Medal at the Imperial) uses RPA actions, as do most of the International Palma Teams.
Since then a lot of things have gone on, and rpabarrels.com shares the same address, Plot 3 Shipston Business Village, Tilemans Lane Industrial Estate, Shipston on Stour, CV36 4FF , as RPA SYSTEMS LIMITED.
Correct
Company number 08112409
Correct
Who used to be based at PO Box 441, Unit 1a, Munday Works, Morley Road, Tonbridge, Kent, England, TN9 1RA
Correct. We decided to build our own factory rather than rent on the Morley Road Industrial Estate.
Which is where these things used to be made.
Then of course there is the dormant
RPA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Company number 11155997
Correct. We had a period of making our military sales as Rangemaster Precision Arms Limited. The use of the word "Arms" was a big mistake re UK Clearing Banks, and so we are in the process of moving our military sales to RPA International Limited (which is what is used to be prior to 2011)
Now, the impressive description of these buttoned barrels surprises me. Because RPA always used to get their barrels in from Border Barrels, made I think identically. Not the best that Border could do, but adequate.
Prior to manufacturing our own barrels, we sourced from both Border Barrels and also Lothar Walther. Reference to "not the best that they could do, but adequate" is somewhat confusing. Dr Kolbe also looked after us and remains close to this day. We do not believe he would have supplied us only "adequate only" barrels.
So, is rpabarrels.com now making their own barrels ? Or their actions ? If so where ? Using the good people in Tonbridge or somewhere else ? I would be interested to know, not that's it's any of my business.
As is evident from our Video at rpabarrels.com we are indeed manufacturing both high-quality barrels, actions and triggers at our Warwickshire factory. We do 100% of the work on our own machines (most of which can be seen in the video) with the exception of some fast 4 axis work on the fore-end of our military chassis' which we subcontract out. The good people of Tonbridge that you refer to are probably working at another Kent-based Rifle company, except that they make no pretence that they subcontract out effectively everything apart from their Prototyping work. This high level of subcontracting is becoming increasingly common in our industry.
But a little more clarity, and justification for the cost, and what you get for that, would be of interest.
Interesting, yes; for some strange reason, we do not sense you are a potential customer!
Small Arms manufacturing is very challenging in the modern UK economy. We are far from perfect, we try hard to make good kit and look after our customers. We believe that we now do, but clearly there are those who do not wish us well. One less UK manufacturer seems in nobody' best interests, but we live in strange times.
