Vista (Revelyst) announces layoffs, including Bushnell

[Hollywood 6mm]

Here's the press release, but from the sound of it almost everyone at the Bushnell corporate offices got laid off yesterday. The guy that managed the Bushnell and RCBS account here was one of them, but he's probably going to pop back up here on a personal account.

I've kept in touch with quite a few people in OP, but I'm not sure yet if any of them survived the purge.

I'm going to keep my feelings to myself on this for now.

 

[gr8fuldoug]

I assume this was why Bushnell was not at SHOT Show

 

[redneckbmxer24]

They're basically Cerebus/Freedom Group 2.0, are you surprised? Work for one of these types of companies under a corporate umbrella and it's only a matter of time.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

I assume this was why Bushnell was not at SHOT Show

That's my assumption, too.

 

[cas6969]

Like all of these companies, they work hard at killing a brand, then they're unhappy that it's dying.

 

[Milf Dots]

It'll be interesting to hear why a known brand like Bushnell was shut down. I'm sure someone will buy it and make it a profitable label again.

 

[Hollywood 6mm]

It'll be interesting to hear why a known brand like Bushnell was shut down. I'm sure someone will buy it and make it a profitable label again.

According to the PR it's being consolidated to a different location, but it sounds like most everyone running things is out of a job, so I don't know how much really got consolidated or what the hell will happen now.

 

[netcat]

This was frusterating to read... I feel awful especially knowing how passionate some of their staff was for LRS and shooting sports in general.

I have been trying to avoid Vista where possible for some time now due to these types of situations, but Bushnell was probably one of the only brands left I was genuinely interested in purchasing something from. Can't wait for the shock and surprise as they realize (for the nth time) the "Fuck the dealers, fuck the consumers, fuck the workers and fuck america" attitude and business model still does not lead to any real business improvement.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

The reddit guy is back. He is "kinda" a big deal over there to people too young to own guns.

 

[Birddog6424]

Sad to here this. Been a fan of Bushnell for years. Bagged some great mulies and elk with my never say die Sportview.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Is this why no one wants my dmr3???

 

[Emerson0311]

Economic troubles are systemic right now. There are always companies that fuck themselves into trouble, but when times are already difficult, it happens more often. Shit happens to me regularly. It’s reasonable to expect it to happen to others too.

 

[carbonbased]

That was a gross corporate buzzword press release.

I did learn that Vista is spinning off Revelyst into a standalone public company. It’ll own:

• Precision Sports and Technology: Foresight Sports and Bushnell Golf
• Adventure Sports: Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Giro Sport Design, CamelBak, QuietKat Electric Bikes, Blackburn and more.
• Outdoor Performance: Simms Fishing Products, Bushnell, Blackhawk, Stone Glacier, Camp Chef, Primos and more.

Surprised that Stone Glacier is owned by them too. Yuk.

I imagine Vista will still control Revelst somehow. At least they aren’t relocating Bushnell to California.

Buzzword buzzkill in press release: “synergizing and prioritizing” jesus is it 1999?

 

[Convex]

Can't wait for the shock and surprise as they realize (for the nth time) the "Fuck the dealers, fuck the consumers, fuck the workers and fuck america" attitude and business model still does not lead to any real business improvement.

greed


Got food poisoning, bad. Damn near killed me; spent 4 days in hospital intensive care.

Bill $28.000.


Demanded explanation of every penny.

Saw something on there to the effect of "daily prophylactic" @ 100 dollars per day total $400.00.

Nobody will tell me what this charge is for so I get 'em on the phone and demand they explain what this is for.


Answer----------$100.00 per day for having a box of Kleenex in my room.

She took it off my bill.


I'm middle class and proud of it, and now retired, $400.00 is a lot of groceries and gas.


I don't have a problem paying the deductable on $27,600 to the folks who got me back on my feet, but that doesn't excuse BS.

 

[netcat]

greed


Got food poisoning, bad. Damn near killed me; spent 4 days in hospital intensive care.

Bill $28.000.


Demanded explanation of every penny.

Saw something on there to the effect of "daily prophylactic" @ 100 dollars per day total $400.00.

Nobody will tell me what this charge is for so I get 'em on the phone and demand they explain what this is for.


Answer----------$100.00 per day for having a box of Kleenex in my room.

She took it off my bill.


I'm middle class and proud of it, and now retired, $400.00 is a lot of groceries and gas.


I don't have a problem paying the deductable on $27,600 to the folks who got me back on my feet, but that doesn't excuse BS.

It's 100% greed coming from executives in the corporate ladder. Drives me up the wall when its justified as "delivering value to shareholders" from leadership because in a lot of instances (Vista included) all the cuts, "synergizing", "strategic re-organizations" don't even result any meaningful change to the stock price.

Currently going through this with my employer with a new CTO who came on ~1 1/2 years ago. As soon as he came on, nothing but massive RIFs, remove raises and bonuses for middle management/principal roles, massively cut bonuses and raises for everyone else, no training budget and forced us to drop most of our tooling. All that in the name of shareholders, yet the stock price has just been pissing in circles despite record profits since he got here.

I can't imagine how many employees favorite hobby has been utterly crushed by working in Vista's corporate hellhole...

 

[TheOE800]

That was a gross corporate buzzword press release.

Absolutely. The first paragraph alone I have to congratulate the copywriter, or more likely ChatGPT, for stuffing full of so much jargon that it’s literally meaningless.

All that in the name of shareholders, yet the stock price has just been pissing in circles despite record profits since he got here.

It’s just wealth redistribution to the c-suite.

 

[Convex]

What's that joke billionaires tell each other...

"You gonna steal something, never steal anything smaller than a state".....

 

[shoot4fun]

Jennifer Jason-Leigh in the latest season of Fargo on FX.
"What good is being a billionaire if you can't have someone killed?"
Hedge Funds/Private Equity Funds(whatever they wish to be called now) use other people's money to scoop up corporations like Bushnell based on how much cash they have in the bank.
Inventories begin to dwindle, staffing numbers begin to ebb and any cash the corporation had disappears from the bank account.
Then that logo just quietly disappears. I watched it happen to two of the strongest Distributors in the firearms industry, Ellett and AcuSport.
This won't be the last sporting/firearms iconic brand we see fall in the next couple of years.

 

[Superjet]

Man that really sucks. They hit a homerun with the XRS III IMO.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Jennifer Jason-Leigh in the latest season of Fargo on FX.
"What good is being a billionaire if you can't have someone killed?"
Hedge Funds/Private Equity Funds(whatever they wish to be called now) use other people's money to scoop up corporations like Bushnell based on how much cash they have in the bank.
Inventories begin to dwindle, staffing numbers begin to ebb and any cash the corporation had disappears from the bank account.
Then that logo just quietly disappears. I watched it happen to two of the strongest Distributors in the firearms industry, Ellett and AcuSport.
This won't be the last sporting/firearms iconic brand we see fall in the next couple of years.

Is that Ellet Brothers that you're talking about?

 

[shoot4fun]

Is that Ellet Brothers that you're talking about?

Yessir

 

[A10XRIFLE]

Here's the press release, but from the sound of it almost everyone at the Bushnell corporate offices got laid off yesterday. The guy that managed the Bushnell and RCBS account here was one of them, but he's probably going to pop back up here on a personal account.

I've kept in touch with quite a few people in OP, but I'm not sure yet if any of them survived the purge.

I'm going to keep my feelings to myself on this for now.

Bushnell is relocating to Montana. New HQ in Bozeman probably near or with Sims. They fired people that in my opinion didn't do much for the good of the company anyway, They have hired some good people in the last year and in the future you will all be impressed with the products they introduce. The DMR3 and XRS 3 are not going anywhere and they have those in stock and have been keeping them in stock. I'd be the first to tell you guys if I thought bushnell was folding. It's Not.

George

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Yessir

Man. I can't believe that. I grew up in Chapin. The place I ran there as a kid growing up ordered from ellet. Great people! Salt of the earth folks. Man I'm sad to hear that. I have a ton of fishing Rods, a few guns, and knives and who knows what else that I got from them.

Damn I hate to hear that.

 

[Entropicitis]

They fired people that in my opinion didn't do much for the good of the company anyway,

 

[TheOE800]

Man. I can't believe that. I grew up in Chapin. The place I ran there as a kid growing up ordered from ellet. Great people! Salt of the earth folks. Man I'm sad to hear that. I have a ton of fishing Rods, a few guns, and knives and who knows what else that I got from them.

Damn I hate to hear that.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/ap-top-news/2019/06/11/sc-gun-supplier-files-for-bankruptcy-majority-owner-sued

 

[shoot4fun]

Man. I can't believe that. I grew up in Chapin. The place I ran there as a kid growing up ordered from ellet. Great people! Salt of the earth folks. Man I'm sad to hear that. I have a ton of fishing Rods, a few guns, and knives and who knows what else that I got from them.

Damn I hate to hear that.

When I was a Manufacturer's Rep I worked their show every year. My company alone wrote millions of dollars of orders thru them.
BUT, even more sad, I called many of their employees friends and it was hardest on them. They had worked hard to make the company a leader in distribution and even harder to gain respect and trust from their dealers.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/ap-top-news/2019/06/11/sc-gun-supplier-files-for-bankruptcy-majority-owner-sued

Hmmmm. Sounds like some wall street funny business

 

[Potsy]

I gotta print that press release off for the next time I’ve got to do some bullshit report with some impressive corporate-speak.
I’ve been a sales rep for 3 different companies over the last 19 years.
Last gig I had was working for ITW, read the tea leaves they were about to shitcan every sales rep in our division. When I left, my co-workers were looking at me like I was insane. They got the big F.U. about 30 days after I left.
Current job has a “typical” upper management, but anymore I just accept that it comes with the paycheck. We do have great people on the ground.
Corporate life can be “interesting”. Oh well, gotta do something so I can buy a gun every now and then…..

 

[carbonbased]

The only people that corp-speak might work on is middle management, and only then if they are a bit dense but hopelessly optimistic.

The top brass might use those words, but I suspect most of them use them to roll the proles. Most know they’re total b.s. words designed to stop your brain from thinking critically… i.e. see ”collateral damage” = bombed dead people (maybe) accidentally killed, anyone?

 

[koshkin]

I heard a rumor while chatting with people at SHOT that the guy who is going to be in charge of Bushnell is actually competent and capable. I am very curious to see how it will pan out.

ILya

 

[TheBigCountry]

Bushnell is relocating to Montana. New HQ in Bozeman probably near or with Sims. They fired people that in my opinion didn't do much for the good of the company anyway, They have hired some good people in the last year and in the future you will all be impressed with the products they introduce. The DMR3 and XRS 3 are not going anywhere and they have those in stock and have been keeping them in stock. I'd be the first to tell you guys if I thought bushnell was folding. It's Not.

George

Help convince them to bring back:

Illumination in the DMR3 and XRS3

A new, revamped LRHS scope

 

[Basher]

Bushnell is relocating to Montana. New HQ in Bozeman probably near or with Sims. They fired people that in my opinion didn't do much for the good of the company anyway, They have hired some good people in the last year and in the future you will all be impressed with the products they introduce. The DMR3 and XRS 3 are not going anywhere and they have those in stock and have been keeping them in stock. I'd be the first to tell you guys if I thought bushnell was folding. It's Not.

George

I’m glad to hear this and hope your view remains accurate, George. I’ve been a long time supporter of Bushnell and really wnjoy their products. Hell, I’m still rocking some original Elite Tac scopes (both a 3-12x and two 6-24x) with the G2 in them and they’re tanks. Had DMR2, XRS2, LRHS, and LRTS models in the past as well before needing to downsize some and fully anticipate having more in the future, so I hope they pull through!

 

[HaydenLane]

Help convince them to bring back:

Illumination in the DMR3 and XRS3

A new, revamped LRHS scope

I assume you know you can get an LRHS2 from GAP. Everyone made it clear the 3-12 wasn’t a seller and isn’t coming back. Maybe the shakeup will change things, but I’m not holding my breath.

 

[TheBigCountry]

I assume you know you can get an LRHS2 from GAP. Everyone made it clear the 3-12 wasn’t a seller and isn’t coming back. Maybe the shakeup will change things, but I’m not holding my breath.

Yes I know but lack of illum in an optic is a buzz kill

And so is the 3-12 cuz I call BS on it not being a seller they fly off the used market as soon as put up

 

[HaydenLane]

Yes I know but lack of illum in an optic is a buzz kill

And so is the 3-12 cuz I call BS on it not being a seller they fly off the used market as soon as put up

Ya it’s heard to believe something that was so sought after on the secondary market didn’t move when new.

 

[TheBigCountry]

Ya it’s heard to believe something that was so sought after on the secondary market didn’t move when new.

Except it did move….

 

[ma smith]

Here's some news on the outdoor industry side...specialty/outdoor retail business was struggling a bit.

Looks like the firearms related stuff is a separate unit (or whatever you call it).

Revelyst sales down 10% in most recent quarter

ANOKA, Minn. (BRAIN) — Sales in Vista Outdoor's Revelyst business unit — formerly its Outdoor Products segment — decreased 10% in the company's fiscal third quarter, which ended Dec. 24. Revelyst contains bike industry brands Giro, Bell, Fox Racing, QuietKat and others.Revelyst's quarterly sales...

www.bicycleretailer.com

 

[TheOE800]

The only people that corp-speak might work on is middle management, and only then if they are a bit dense but hopelessly optimistic.

The top brass might use those words, but I suspect most of them use them to roll the proles. Most know they’re total b.s. words designed to stop your brain from thinking critically… i.e. see ”collateral damage” = bombed dead people (maybe) accidentally killed, anyone?

As a middle manager I am offended.

 

[lash]

That was a gross corporate buzzword press release.

I did learn that Vista is spinning off Revelyst into a standalone public company. It’ll own:

• Precision Sports and Technology: Foresight Sports and Bushnell Golf
• Adventure Sports: Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Giro Sport Design, CamelBak, QuietKat Electric Bikes, Blackburn and more.
• Outdoor Performance: Simms Fishing Products, Bushnell, Blackhawk, Stone Glacier, Camp Chef, Primos and more.

Surprised that Stone Glacier is owned by them too. Yuk.

I imagine Vista will still control Revelst somehow. At least they aren’t relocating Bushnell to California.

Buzzword buzzkill in press release: “synergizing and prioritizing” jesus is it 1999?

The whole world of corporate America is full of Harvard MBAs that have been taught and learned one thing. How to enrich themselves and their families. It’s always that way once a company leaves the control of the founders.

Help convince them to bring back:

Illumination in the DMR3 and XRS3

A new, revamped LRHS scope

I own both an LRHSi and an LRHS2. Each has its use. I’d go for an LRHS3 as long as they keep the reticle.

 

[beetroot]

Yes I know but lack of illum in an optic is a buzz kill

And so is the 3-12 cuz I call BS on it not being a seller they fly off the used market as soon as put up

There's a difference between a few selling a month on the used market and needing to sell hundreds a year to justify adding more SKUs to to a company's line up.

Especially if other models are out selling them.

If a 26oz 13.4" 3-12 like the LRHS/LRTS came out tomorrow for $1400 it'd be:
-too expensive for a 4x scope
-too long for clip ons
-too heavy for an MPVO
-not enough magnification for a long range rifle
-1/4 the people would want a G2H donut of death reticle, 1/4 G3 reticle, 1/4 no tree, and 1/4 something crazy like a firedot German #4
-half the people would want a illumination and the other half complain about the added weight and cost for something they don't need

If there were a market for it George and GAP would've bought it back.

 

[ma smith]

If a 26oz 13.4" 3-12 like the LRHS/LRTS came out tomorrow for $1400 it'd be:
...
If there were a market for it George and GAP would've bought it back.

Counter-argument...is Leupold Mk 4 series...that just (re)launched.

 

[TheBigCountry]

There's a difference between a few selling a month on the used market and needing to sell hundreds a year to justify adding more SKUs to to a company's line up.

Especially if other models are out selling them.

If a 26oz 13.4" 3-12 like the LRHS/LRTS came out tomorrow for $1400 it'd be:
-too expensive for a 4x scope
-too long for clip ons
-too heavy for an MPVO
-not enough magnification for a long range rifle
-1/4 the people would want a G2H donut of death reticle, 1/4 G3 reticle, 1/4 no tree, and 1/4 something crazy like a firedot German #4
-half the people would want a illumination and the other half complain about the added weight and cost for something they don't need

If there were a market for it George and GAP would've bought it back.

Clip-Ons I’ll give you that even though I don’t run any

Weight? Do more curls and bench

Too expensive? What isn’t today.

Not enough mag? You’d be suprised what 12x top end with a generous FOV can do. We’re not punching holes in paper we’re taking game and a 3-9 has been the pinnacle of a do-all hunting scope for a while

Reticle? Leave it alone the donut of death is perfect

And I’m sure if they tried they could lighten the scope up a bit

So I would say there could very well be a market for it if they could bring it back

But they probably wont

 

[redneckbmxer24]

LRHS would be marketable if it re released but it would need some revisions. I don’t think it would be a $1400 scope though and I don’t think they’re charge that. Their 6x erector elites only cost that or a little more. For $1000ish I’d bet they’d sell an ass load of them and given that there are other LOW scopes sold for around there it would be doable as long as pricing structure wasn’t stupid.

 

[MikeMiller]

Bushnell is relocating to Montana. New HQ in Bozeman probably near or with Sims. They fired people that in my opinion didn't do much for the good of the company anyway, They have hired some good people in the last year and in the future you will all be impressed with the products they introduce. The DMR3 and XRS 3 are not going anywhere and they have those in stock and have been keeping them in stock. I'd be the first to tell you guys if I thought bushnell was folding. It's Not.

George

George that’s great news then. When I read they closed I was sad. The Tactical Elite line has always been a great scope. Unfortunately the company since Vista took over has been iffy changing people like underwear all the time

 

[rothgyr]

Clip-Ons I’ll give you that even though I don’t run any

Weight? Do more curls and bench

Too expensive? What isn’t today.

Not enough mag? You’d be suprised what 12x top end with a generous FOV can do. We’re not punching holes in paper we’re taking game and a 3-9 has been the pinnacle of a do-all hunting scope for a while

Reticle? Leave it alone the donut of death is perfect

And I’m sure if they tried they could lighten the scope up a bit

So I would say there could very well be a market for it if they could bring it back

But they probably wont

Do a voice over of this, with some blue grass guitar in the background and try running it as an ad. I don't think you'll sell many.

"Weight? Do more curls and bench“

Remember when the mk5 2-10 launched and a bunch of people were say leupold had totally missed the mark with a heavy 24 oz scope? Pepperridge farm remembers.

Telling a market segment what they should want is a great way to go bankrupt. You ALWAYS follow the easy money, and ignore the loud minorities with limited investment funds. I mean, if you've got the cash to invest in a product release and eat up all the risk, I'm sure Bushnell is all ears...

 

[Threadcutter308]

That was a gross corporate buzzword press release.

I did learn that Vista is spinning off Revelyst into a standalone public company. It’ll own:

• Precision Sports and Technology: Foresight Sports and Bushnell Golf
• Adventure Sports: Fox Racing, Bell Helmets, Giro Sport Design, CamelBak, QuietKat Electric Bikes, Blackburn and more.
• Outdoor Performance: Simms Fishing Products, Bushnell, Blackhawk, Stone Glacier, Camp Chef, Primos and more.

Surprised that Stone Glacier is owned by them too. Yuk.

I imagine Vista will still control Revelst somehow. At least they aren’t relocating Bushnell to California.

Buzzword buzzkill in press release: “synergizing and prioritizing” jesus is it 1999?

Vista/Revelyst bought Simms ?

Shit.

 

[Huskydriver]

Counter-argument...is Leupold Mk 4 series...that just (re)launched.

But it's Leupold....

 

[TheBigCountry]

Do a voice over of this, with some blue grass guitar in the background and try running it as an ad. I don't think you'll sell many.

"Weight? Do more curls and bench“

Remember when the mk5 2-10 launched and a bunch of people were say leupold had totally missed the mark with a heavy 24 oz scope? Pepperridge farm remembers.

Telling a market segment what they should want is a great way to go bankrupt. You ALWAYS follow the easy money, and ignore the loud minorities with limited investment funds. I mean, if you've got the cash to invest in a product release and eat up all the risk, I'm sure Bushnell is all ears...

They ain’t been all ears in a while

They released new-gen non illuminated tactical scopes and the market the released into very loudly told them they missed the mark with no illum.

They simply said we don’t care what y’all want several times.

 

[rothgyr]

But it's Leupold....

You're not wrong. I mean, up through 2023 - let me say that again, TWENTY TWENTY THREE - Leupold was still selling a 3x erector scope for $800+. Leupold is stuck in the small erector world, and it doesn't matter to them I guess, because their brand name loyalty does all the heavy lifting, regardless of how unimaginative they can be.

I don't think Bushnell has that luxury.

 

[FredHammer]

George that’s great news then. When I read they closed I was sad. The Tactical Elite line has always been a great scope. Unfortunately the company since Vista took over has been iffy changing people like underwear all the time

Daggum, my HDMR and DMR3 better not shit the bed then! If this means warranty will go away too...