HUDSON TO CLOSE?

smootik · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:38 pm

Thanks for clarification :-)

So, hope is still there, even if Tanaka already has M1A1 (their own) and M1 (from CMC).

Cerwyn · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:59 pm

Do Tanaka still produce their Thompson models

I'm curious to know if every component for these models is made "In-House" by each manufacturer

Cartridges for example... Did MGC make their own Do Hudson and Marushin

Or do they all buy in cartridges made to their specifications from an outside supplier If this is the case then IF demand for cartridges remains high then continued production could well be justified.

All the Caps are made by the Kane Company and packaged as their customers demand, MG, Marushin etc.

_________________
Cerwyn

Hobby collector of Replica model guns and Militaria.
also member of Living History Reenactment Groups.

jim · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:21 pm

Well in my opinion - the law also applies to other makers but that doesn't stop them from having better surface finish (such as MGC/Marushin etc)...so it's more of cost cutting...

Regarding the zinc alloy it's all about the ratio of the mixture - the more of the lead the more heavy but at the same time soft/fragile/hazardous there is...remember lead is cheaper than metal by all means...

There shouldn't be any new AKs as Hudson already declared their aged AK moulds had broke - unless Tanaka decided to make a new one (unlikely)...

Cerwyn raised a good question - when I ordered the spare MP44 mag and spare dummy rounds from Shoei's Tomio san direct he stated that certain processes are sub-contracted (after I found some dents on it Sad

)

Tanaka stopped making Thompson quite some time ago but I know their quality is far better than Hudson...

Another personal opinion - Tanaka's reproduction of Beretta M9/M92F (apparently using MGC molds) doesn't feel as "right" as original MGCs...

jim · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:25 am

jim wrote:

I'll get out to the shops during this weekend to snatch up the Sten/PPsH/Jericho (maybe the Garand & the M14 as well if possible/available) definitely...

OK an update after the weekend:

1) PPsH 41 - out of stock, tough...
2) Sten - the quality is so ____ that I don't really want to pay a cent for it (some material peeling on the stock of the one that I was offered) so I leave it...
3) The M1 & the M14 & the Jericho - out of stock as well...

Somehow I don't think these are related to Hudson's closure...it's just the demand of Hudson guns in HK is so low that not many shops interested in stocking too many of it - so let's see how Tanaka deal with the molds in the future...

smootik · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:36 am

jim wrote:

2) Sten - the quality is so ____ that I don't really want to pay a cent for it (some material peeling on the stock of the one that I was offered) so I leave it...

Peeling material is metal? Not paint?

On my Mad Max shotgun some metal flakes off from receiver. In places where process started (along an edge) you can peel small bits (as if layers) with a fingernail. Paint on metal is uneven (air bubbles?) and surface is overall quite rough (nowhere near other metal models I've seen). For metal parts it is a disappointing quality.

jim · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:37 pm

Yes...the flakes - it makes the Sten so poor looking (worst still it is supposed to be in brand new out-of-the-box condition...

Sometimes I just think that the end of Hudson is actually good news for us as the consumers (spending these amount of cash for toys with these quality... Mad

)

If Hudson made their AK and other longarms in ABS will they eventually gets stronger and also fires better...? God knows...

smootik · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:51 pm

jim wrote:

Yes...the flakes - it makes the Sten so poor looking (worst still it is supposed to be in brand new out-of-the-box condition...

This is exactly my feeling when I unpacked a brand new Mad Max shotgun - my first thought was "it must be an old-new stock!" due to the weathered way the metal looked. Fortunately there is not much metal in that replica - barrels are ABS, grips wood, only the block with hinges is metal, and it's visible only on underside. I would be truly disappointed if I got a Sten with such a surface :-/

I always thought that Hudson models have much better quality. Based on older reviews, your recent STEN observation and Cerwyn's two-piece PPSh it seems that metal quality went downhill for recent production runs Question

Maybe it's due to regulations? Older CAW/CMC/Kokusai/Marushin and recent Shoei metal (not steel) models are much more robust and the finish looks way better.

Folks: if you have an AK, Sten, Thompson, Skorpion or other Hudson with larger metal parts - could you please comment on metal quality? Surface finish, signs of flakeing, also whether it's a new production run or older one.

8ace · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:58 pm

Ah Hudson zinc

I have an old Thompson which is showing signs of surface bubbling (which I sort of like for that WW2 world look Very Happy

) but I’m not sure if it was down to owner abuse of factory quality issues Question

I have a soft spot for Hudson models Very Happy

but I’ve found that the quality of their zinc (bolts included) is not as good as MGC and Marushin.

But all of the modelgun manufacturers have issues with quality control which is made worse by no warranty

but I suppose it's the nature of cap firing replica guns scratch

8ace

smootik · Subject: Re: HUDSON TO CLOSE? Tue Nov 17, 2009 12:32 pm

smootik wrote:

On my Mad Max shotgun some metal flakes off from receiver.

Quoting myself...

Here is two photos (original and a magnified part).

Surface on a part with a screw has paint bubbles that are flaking off the metal. Actually this is still a better finished part, quite smooth except for the bubbles.
The part between screw and wood is in much worse shape. Surface is rough, paint has peeled off in a few places already (had the same bubbles before). An edge of that part, near the gap towards the screw, is falling apart, I hope you can see it on magnification. It started to fall apart because the part you see is a shotgun hinge. You have to break shotgun to cock the hammers. Unfortunately, due to design, you need to break it quite strongly, otherwise hammers do not cock. Both parts seen here touch! You can see a vertical scratch just to the right of the screw, this is where the edge of the left part lands. Contact led to the initial edge damage, but once the process started, this area is quite brittle and you can break off a flake using just a fingernail.
Surface finish on that part is much worse than on the right part, more rough and uneven. This is what made "too long in storage" effect that I have mentioned.

This is not to scare you away from Hudson, just to make you aware :-)