 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | firearms |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Bankrupt |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | U.S. |
Key people | Jim Davis |
| Products | firearms |
Davis Industries was a firearms manufacturer established in 1982 by Jim Davis.[1] Davis produced a series of inexpensive handguns, which were sold primarily through pawn shops and marketed towards people with low income.[2] The guns were constructed of injection-molded Zamak, a zinc alloy.
Jim Davis had previously been the office manager at Raven Arms,[3] established by George Jennings, and was also Jennings' son-in-law.[1] As one of the companies connected to Raven Arms, and a maker of Saturday night specials, Davis was described by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as one of the "Ring of Fire" companies, a series of companies established around Los Angeles, California, all of which manufactured inexpensive handguns of similar design and all of which were connected to Raven Arms.[4]
Davis primarily manufactured and sold pocket pistols and derringers, in .22 Long Rifle, .32 ACP, and .380 ACP. However, they also marketed some larger handguns in 9mm Parabellum and .45 ACP.
In 1999, Davis filed for bankruptcy and went out of business as a result of a large number of lawsuits being filed by cities and municipalities.[4]
- ^ a b Vinzant, Carol (November 13, 2005). Lawyers, Guns, and Money: One Man's Battle with the Gun Industry. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 119. ISBN 1403966273.
- ^ "Davis Industries". Violence Policy Center. 2000. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ "Hot Guns: Ring of Fire". Frontline. PBS. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ^ a b Butterfield, Fox (June 24, 1999). "Lawsuits Lead Gun Maker To File for Bankruptcy". New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2015.