Armscor
Armscor refers to either:
- the Philippines-based manufacturer of weapons.
- the South African manufacturer of weapons.
The Arms Corporation of the Philippines (Armscor) is familiar to many firearms enthusiasts for its inexpensive 1911-pattern pistols, revolvers, shotguns, sporting rifles, firearms parts and ammunition. It traces its beginnings to a Manila gun retail store (Squires Bingham & Co.) in the year 1911, though the present corporation was formalized in 1952. Armscor manufacures its own line of firearms but also takes on manufacturing contracts for other companies' firearm lines, such as Twin Pines' Rock Island Armory (RIA) pistols and the Charles Daly brand of 1911-type pistols, among others elsewehere. The company had initially referred to itself in as alternately, Armscor and/or Armscorp, but soon settled on the spelling that was less ambiguous to pronounce.
The company is represented in the USA by its subsidiary Armscor Precision International (API), located in Nevada.
Krygstuig Korporasie van Suid-Afrika (Armaments Corporation of South Africa) traces its beginnings to 1948 as the state's defense manufacturing arm, producing everything from heavy ordnance to armored vehicles and systems. However, its small-arms component was incorporated only in 1977 (as a result of the apartheid government's reorganizations) and only started using the commercial name 'Armscor' a few years later. The derivative company is presently focused on acquisition, refurbishing and resale of defense articles and small arms. Its USA presence is based in Maryland, although known by an slightly altered name: 'Armscorp'.
The South Africans had to add the "p" at the end of their name, within the USA at least, when it was determined in the USA that Armscor of the Philippines predated them, both in the USA and worldwide.
It is important to note that for the past decades of concurrence, the firearm products of the Philippine and South African entities have hardly overlapped in terms of caliber and design.
The Philippine entity has remained focused on manufacturing sporting and personal-defense arms and ammunition, and these are generally quite distinguishable from the refurbished military surplus that are the bulk of the South African entity's business.