Winchester, Browning License Agreement Winchester announced Tuesday that it has entered into a long-term license agreement with Browning for the manufacture and distribution of Winchester brand rifles and shotguns. "With this new agreement, Winchester is confident that Browning will produce innovative firearms worthy of the Winchester name, continuing a tradition that people around the world associate with the Winchester brand," stated Richard Hammett, president of Winchester Ammunition. "We are proud of our heritage as The Gun That Won the West and consider this arrangement as entering a new era for the legendary Winchester firearms brand." The New Haven Register reported the deal signals the end of production in the city, where Winchester firearms had been manufactured for more than 140 years. The Register also ran a story Sunday in which a spokesperson for Olin Corp., the owner of the Winchester name, explained the company's decision.