New England Small Arms Corporation was a consortium of small manufacturers who coordinated their facilities for production of M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The company was an unusual variation of United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 conversion of small manufacturing plants from civilian goods to military armaments production. Other manufacturers of this size typically produced firearm components on a subcontract basis for larger prime contractors responsible for assembly and delivery. Boston Wire Stitcher Company

Bostitch

Stanley Bostitch, previously and more commonly known as simply Bostitch, is an American company that specializes in the design and manufacture of fastening tools—such as staplers, staple guns, nailers, riveters, and glue guns—and fasteners—such as nails, screws, and staples. Its product range...

 of East Greenwich, Rhode Island

East Greenwich, Rhode Island

East Greenwich is a town in and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2010 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island....

, A.G.Spalding & Brothers

Spalding (sports equipment)

Spalding is a sporting goods company founded by Albert Spalding in Chicago, Illinois, in 1876 and now headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The company specializes in the production of balls for many sports, but is most-known for its basketballs...

 of Chicopee, Massachusetts

Chicopee, Massachusetts

Chicopee is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 55,298, making it the second largest city in...

, Blake Manufacturing Company

Rayovac

Rayovac is a brand of batteries owned by Spectrum Brands of Madison, Wisconsin, United States.- History :...

 of Clinton, Massachusetts

Clinton, Massachusetts

Clinton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,606 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Clinton, please see the article Clinton , Massachusetts....

, International Silver Company of Meriden, Connecticut

Meriden, Connecticut

Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.-History:...

, National Blank Book Company of Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke, Massachusetts

Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...

, and Elliot Addressing Machine Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...

 distributed tooling used for M1918 rifle production during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 by Winchester Repeating Arms and Marlin-Rockwell

Marlin Firearms

Marlin Firearms Co., formerly of North Haven, Connecticut, is a manufacturer of high power, center fire, lever action, and .22 caliber rimfire rifles. In the past, the company made shotguns, derringers and revolvers...

. Each company manufactured different rifle components and forwarded them for final assembly to a jointly operated facility converted to wartime arms production in Crompton, Rhode Island

Crompton, Rhode Island

Crompton is a small community in West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA. It is named after Samuel Crompton, inventor of the "spinning mule". The Crompton mill was known for the manufacture of corduroy. Crompton is home to Old St. Mary Church, the oldest Roman Catholic church building in the state of...

. The corporation was created for M1918 rifle production and dissolved as members of the consortium returned to pre-war production when wartime procurement contracts were canceled. The firm produced 188,380 M1918 rifles, or 90% of the total wartime production of 208,380.