Miroku Corp.
 | |
| Founded | February 1893 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Nankoku, Japan |
| Products | Shotguns, rifles |
| Revenue |
 3,907.4 million[1] |
|
229.4 million[1] | |
|
169 million[1] | |
Number of employees | 551 [2] |
| Website | http://www.miroku-jp.com |
Miroku Corporation (株式会社ミロク Kabushiki Kaisha Miroku) (OSE: 7983) is a Japanese firearms manufacturer located in Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture. Their products include shotguns produced for Browning Arms Company and rifles licensed by Winchester Firearms.[3] In European markets, these products are sold under both the Miroku and Browning brand names. Charles Daly Firearms of the United States imported Miroku O/U shotguns throughout the 1960s to early 1970s. Afterwards, Miroku found a new outlet for the O/U models under Browning, explaining the similarities from late models imported by Daly to early Browning Citori Type 1 models. This also coincides with FN and Miroku's joint buyout of Brownings stock in 1977.
Miroku manufactured a few different models of handguns between the 1960s and the 1980s, though these were not widely distributed. Among the most common is the "Liberty Chief" model, .38 caliber revolver.[4] They briefly manufactured copies of the Browning BL22, a .22 lever-action rifle, under the name of Miroku ML22. This model was popular with Australian rabbit hunters due to its low price and a high magazine capacity of 15 rounds.
Miroku's guns manufactured for Browning are considered generally reliable despite being cheaper than their Browning-branded counterparts. They also reproduce replicas of Winchester's famed lever-action and falling-block action rifles.
Miroku shotguns generally cost over 1,000 United states dollars. Their MK38 Teague O/U sporting shotgun is considered a classic which performs well against competing models, such as the Browning B525 and Beretta 686E. The MK38 Teague O/U also has features such as a back-bored barrel and an extended choke associated with more expensive guns in the Browning and Beretta product lines.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?symbol=MKUFF.PK&dataset=incomeStatement&period=Q¤cy=native
- ↑ "Miroku Corporate" (in Japanese).
- ↑ http://www.miroku-jp.com/gun/winchester/index.html
- ↑ http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/browse/FPM.HTM
- ↑ McNab, Chris (13 November 2007). Sporting Guns: A Guide to the World's Rifles and Shotguns. St. Martin's Press. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-0-312-36823-4.