If Remington buys Barnes, that could be good or bad. I understand your concern! The idea of a larger group controlling all of a smaller one is a bad idea, particularly in business. However, Barnes bullets are pretty expensive, especially their all copper ones for handguns. But they work and work well. Look at all the big game bullets (for my .460 Weatherby ) or the smaller handgun ones (.40 DPX). All work EXCEPTIONAL, but are highly expensive. Maybe putting them under a large scale roof would help out in the cost department... maybe? But, then again, it would be a large scale company calling the shots on a small, niche operation that makes a great, albeit expensive product. Yargh if this means price increase! Yeay! if this means a new product line for Remington: Remington Copper Sabre ammo?
Barnes doesn't have any serious competition in all-brass hunting bullets, at least not in performance. I don't imagine Remington will be too motivated to drop prices.
Remington has no say as they are also owned by Freedom group. Cerberus, a multinational consortium of big money investors, controls Freedom group. This leaves only a handful of companies that aren't owned by either Cerberus or ATK. Cerberus Capitol are the owners of Chrysler Corp also, if that tells you anything.
Anybody else think it curious that a company (Cerberus), named after one of the dogs of he!!, is in the ammo/firearms business? Does the name Damien Thorn ring a bell?????
Could be interesting - I know Remington has a pretty extensive line of copper-solid shotgun slugs. They could extend the spectrum of loaded copper ammunition even further.