Type Private Area served worldwide Founded 1905 | Industry Firearms Headquarters Manila, Philippines | |
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Formerly called Squires Bingham Manufacturing, Inc. Founder Ray Squires, William Bingham Key people Martin Tuason (President) Motto Bringing the best of the Philippines to the rest of the world Profiles | ||
The Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) is a firearms manufacturing company headquartered in the Philippines. The company is known for its inexpensive 1911-pattern pistols, revolvers, shotguns, sporting rifles, firearms parts and ammunition.
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History
Armscor traces its roots to a Manila printshop Squires Bingham & Co., that was founded in 1905, the printshop also running imported and sold motorcycles and various sporting goods, which including firearms and ammunitions. The company was bought by the Tuason family in 1941 and began making firearms through the present corporation in 1952. Armscor manufactures its own line of firearms and holds manufacturing contracts for other companies' firearm lines, such as Twin Pines' Rock Island Armory (RIA) pistols. In addition to the Rock Island Armory 1911 series pistols, Armscor is the source of pistols for STI's Spartan, Cimarron Firearms pre-1923 Model 1911, Charles Daly and Auto Ordnance 1911 style pistols. Armscor is an ISO 9001 certified compliant company which manufactures weapons using CNC (Computer Numerical Control) equipment.
The company is headquartered in Marikina, Philippines and represented in the United States by its subsidiary Armscor International, Inc, located in Pahrump, Nevada with facilities in Stevensville, Montana.
Armscor became a registered trademark on Feb 24, 2009.
Ownership/Management
Armscor is owned by the Squires Bingham Co. Inc, a holding company for the family of Don Celso Tuason. Don Celso's eldest son Demetrio "Bolo" Tuason is the Chairman Emeritus. Younger brother Daniel "Concoy" oversees production and plant operation. Bolo's son, Martin, is currently the president and CEO of the company.
Products
While it is primarily known as a manufacturer of M1911 pistols, Armscor manufactures and markets a number of other handgun, revolver, shotgun and rifle models as well as ammunition and accessories.
Revolvers
Handguns
Armscor's handguns are based on the Colt M1911A1 design and Tanfoglio versions of the CZ-75.
Shotguns
Based on design of High Standard Flite King shotgun.
Rifles
The company has been making bolt-action and rimfire rifles since 1980.
Innovations
Armscor introduced a new propriety caliber named the .22 TCM (Tuason Craig Micromag) based on the 1911 pistol. The cartridge is essentially a 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge shortened to 1.265 in. total length with a 40-grain jacketed hollow point bullet. Its main characteristics are its high velocity and low recoil, allowing for repeated accurate shots.
More recently the company has released a bolt-action rifle chambered for this cartridge.
AFP (Armscor) Arsenal Battalion
Due to the nature of the Business of ARMSCOR, it has been tapped by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to be one of its partners as an "Affiliate Reserve Unit". The company was designated as the 1st (ARMSCOR) Arsenal Battalion (Reserve) and placed under the operation control of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reserve Command.