founded in 1994
Florida, North Carolina
- famous for its tactical OTF automatic knives
- 1994 founded in Vero Beach, Florida
- 2005 relocated to Bradford, Pennsylvania
- 2009 relocated to Fletcher, North Carolina
“It has the same quality as a handmade custom.”
Microtech Small Arms Research (MSAR)
2007 – 2015
- 2007 manufactured an American-made Steyr AUG
– Microtech Small Arms Research (MSAR) - 2009 Archangel 9mm pistol
- Fletcher, North Carolina
About Microtech and MSAR
Microtech Knives, Inc. is an American knife manufacturer best known for its tactical automatic knives, especially its Out The Front (OTF) and Double Action designs. The company was founded in Vero Beach, Florida, in 1994, moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania, in 2005, and settled in Fletcher, North Carolina, in 2009, later expanding its corporate headquarters to nearby Mills River in 2018. Microtech built its reputation on tight machining tolerances, to within one thousandth of an inch, and, together with Benchmade, is credited with reviving interest in precision tactical automatics during the 1990s. It has designed knives for U.S. military use, including the HALO, UDT, SOCOM and Currahee models, and has collaborated with makers such as Ernest Emerson, Bob Terzuola and Mick Strider.
For gun owners, the company’s most notable chapter is Microtech Small Arms Research (MSAR), a subsidiary that built an American-made version of the Steyr AUG bullpup rifle. The MSAR STG-556, an AUG A1 clone offered in semi-automatic civilian and select-fire military and law enforcement versions, was introduced at the 2007 SHOT Show. Microtech closed the MSAR division in March 2015. The company has since returned to the firearms accessory market through Microtech Defense Industries, based in Mills River, North Carolina, which launched the R2K9 9mm suppressor in 2019.
Key Facts
- 1994: Microtech Knives is founded in Vero Beach, Florida.
- 2005: The company relocates to Bradford, Pennsylvania.
- January 2007: MSAR introduces the STG-556, an American-made Steyr AUG A1 clone, at the SHOT Show.
- 2009: Microtech moves to Fletcher, North Carolina.
- March 2015: Microtech closes its MSAR firearms division.
- 2019: Microtech Defense Industries launches its first product, the R2K9 9mm suppressor.
Sources
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