I recieved the following e-mail from Francky today...

Hi cerwyn,

I think you should know that Hudson will stop running the company in couple month. Please tell the guys on forum.

Thank you

francky

Shocking news considering their recent re-launch of the MkII STEN. There's no further news as yet, hopefully someone will pick up where Hudson leave off re spares and accessories.

Watch this space....

Any ideas why

I've only just recieved his original message. I've replied asking the same question, does Francky know if plans are afoot for a takeoever or what...

Hopefully we'll get to know something, either way, soon...

Sad news...

We still collect models no longer in production for 20-30 years, but loosing one of manufacturers is not a good thing, I'm afraid :-/

Hudson modelguns:
- M1A1 Thompson
- PPSh-41
- vz.61 Skorpion
- double barrel shotgun
- Mad Max shotgun
- STEN MkII
- Madsen M50
- AK-47 Kalashnikov
- M1 Garand (dummy?)
- M3A1 Grease Gun
- M14 (dummy)
- TT-33 Tokarev
- Desert Eagle
- Nanbu 14
- various Colt revolvers (SAA, Bisley, Blackhawk)
- various Derringers

and airsoft replicas:
- double-barrel shotgun
- Mad Max shotgun
- M3A1 Grease Gun
- TT-33 Tokarev
- Jericho 941

Bloody bad news! seems strange that they would release models again and a new silenced version of the sten only to close, worse news for spares really and more mags and rounds looks like i am going to have bulk buy some AK rounds now.

History repeats itself isn't it...still remembered makers like JAC making revolutionary (at that time) electric-powered Steyr AUG just days before its closure (same for MGC - everytime when they brought out anything they can to cash-in it means it's their last straw)...

From their website - apart from the Sten they're going to release AKM (but still I cannot see it coming)...

Japan's economy is getting at its worse recently - just during the past couple of days Japan Airline (JAL) is cutting some 6000 staff and some more routes...so modelguns as luxury toys cannot be avoided...

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...

If you ask me then I would say the entire gun (because there are too many parts need to work on)...cosmetically even after some months some streaks/stains will come up on their ABS/HW pistols (namely Desert / TT-33)...

The steel (or should I say iron) used as the rear sight for some of their guns rusted extremely quick (that's what happens on my Desert Eagles ) before they "shrunk" slightly and fell out...

Also the "front sight set" for the AKs - they're made with crap alloy therefore the surface got extremely rough (cannot be buffed otherwise the entire piece will deform)...

Then the wood stock - it seems Hudson used good quality wood for it (such as Walnut or something in slightly lower class) but nowadays it seems they uses craft wood (avoid touching it with sharp nails otherwise you'll leave marks on it)...

I bought Hudsons because basically no other maker really interested on their focused models - and hopefully some small but energetic makers like CAW can take over some of their molds for future repros...

Forgot to mention the internals (bolts, etc) - but I think our skilled members here makes better custom parts for it...

And Cerwyn's right - the "rounds"...once they're gone they're gone...

Things are hard to tell - although Hudson will be gone but if anyone here remembers "Rampant Classics" (dedicated to Cowboy Guns - offering modelguns made with the far better quality Locklite instead of ABS/HW) - they're making a comeback returning to the market (just don't know how long it'll last though)...

More information from Francky...

Hi cerwyn,

The president of the Hudson company is sick in bed this 6 months, he has suffering with very serious disease which will not be cure rest of his life. He has 3 sons, they discussed and decided to sell the building to pay the debt about $800000 before their father died, and will close the Hudson company.
They are going sell some molds to tanaka works. Hudson will going to make some modelguns before close the company, but there are no possibility to produce the spares and cartridges from Hudson in the future. but I’m expecting the tanaka works will do instead.


So things are sounding a little more encouraging, if Tanaka take over there's a good chance spares and cartridges will be available for awhile at least...

We are lucky to have Francky and such precise information about what is happening, even if it's bad (and sad) news.

I am now torn between impulsive "want to buy while available" and "wait, I did not plan to get any Hudsons" ;-)

PPSh looks great, it is the only such model, but does not work very good... Same goes for AK, unfortunately :-/ and Skorpion... Deact PPSh might be a better option for those who just like the looks, it's 250EUR here:
http://www.teilesatz.de/dts_detail.php?id=1017&Chap=1
Deact AKM (modern version) is ~500 USD. More than Denix, but you get a real deal ;-)

Do you think that Tanaka would improve on Hudson design?

We certainly are lucky to have both Francky and shazhib in Tokyo. We're fortunate to be told such news so quickly

Hudson's modelguns are notoriously poor firers. This is due, I'm sure, too not just poor design but the restraints put upon the Japanese manufacturers when choosing metal to build their products with.
Steel was banned over 30 years ago. Zinc Alloys seem to have got softer during recent years. Hudson Zinc Alloy bolts in both my PPSh41 and Thompson M1A1 failed withing a few days of buying brand new models.

Replacing these parts with steel, fine tuning and setting up can produce Hudson modelguns that fire really well.

Tanaka don't have a particulary good reputation for durability either do they? They make beautifully detailed models without doubt, but some of their pistols are known to break easily.
Would Tanaka be able to successfully redesign Hudson's range?

Hmmm, you might be right about design vs law restraints. Choice of materials is definitely restricted, and it is more important for larger replicas - SMGs and rifles. Due to higher moving mass (bolt) softer metal will deform quicker...
This does not explain other issues, like the sights (mentioned by Jim). Also cartridge design did not seem as good as MGC, KSC or Marushin. Patent issues?

As for Tanaka - only time will tell. In the easiest case they will just re-run using existing design to make sure spare parts etc. are compatible. Probably only minor things would be updated. Note that Tanaka already has M1A1 model!
In the past Tanaka also reissued some other models, like Mauser Kar98k made from CMC molds (might be wrong here).

CAW remade the K98 TW remade the CMC M1 carbine

DOC