Why are so many gun companies in anti-gun states?

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John Wayne

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S&W is in Massachusetts.
Colt is in Connecticuit.
Remington is in New York.
Weatherby is in California.
Beretta USA is in Maryland.
Dan Wesson is in New York.
Para Ordnance is in Canada.
Rock River Arms is in Illinois.

Obvioulsy not every gun company is located in an anti-gun state, and many were based there before the state became anti-gun. Still, I have to wonder why they're still there.

Do gun laws affecting citizens not have anything to do with manufacturers?
 
Probably because many companies were there before the nuts started running the state.
 
The North East has traditionally been the manufacturing center for the USA. That is where almost all firearms were designed and first manufactured. Most could not justify closing down a factory and moving to more gun friendly states.

A few have. Ruger manufactures some of their firearms in Arizona. After Winchester went under in 2006 they were bought out by FN who moved production to South Carolina.
 
They might have been there before they were anti gun or some states may offer better tax rates to companies although I doubt these states do that.
 
"Thunder Valley" in Connecticut predates all the mental sickness which has now taken the area over. Many of the old time companys are moving to gun friendly states.
 
Maybe those states became anti 2A because the firearms manufacturers wouldn't submit to their progressive agenda. Just a thought.
 
Kimber is in NY.
They can't move now. They have very well trained personnel and the cost of relocating them would be incredible.

As a former CFO I promise you, if they could they would. States would line up to give them freebies to move there.

AFS
 
I think others nailed it; many of the best known names have been around forever, and therefore are based in states that have been around forever.

And of course, since they are a manufacturer, civilian ownership laws have nothing to do with it. A million other things are much higher on the list of stuff that matters from a business standpoint, including but not limited to tax environment, availability of personnel, etc.
 
As others have stated, the companies were in those states before the states went politically batty.

Also, the restrictions that apply to civilians in those states don't always apply to the manufacturers.

EDIT: whoops, too slow to post...
 
In the case of Illinois, it's not just Rock River. In fact, the Quad Cities area, a small area in one part of the state, is oozing with firearm manufacturers.

Lewis Machine and Tool - Milan, IL
Rock River Arms - Colona, IL
Springfield Armory - Geneseo, IL
ArmaLite - Geneseo, IL
Les Baer - Hillsdale, IL
 
Marlin is also in CT.

I know CT is always cited as an evil anti gun state, but I can't figure out why. I can buy any long gun FTF, no paperwork required. Yes, I needed to get a permit for a pistol, but at no point in the process did I get even a whiff of anti gun sentiment. They essentially want to know that you're not a felon and not crazy, qualities I admire in someone carrying a pistol. Now that I have a permit I can walk into a gun store and walk out with a pistol or rifle, (or several) no waiting. I can carry concealed or open as I choose.
 
Skilled workers in this industry for one.

Beretta USA is in Maryland
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. - Yep - their main concern is military contracts - being close to DC, Aberdeen proving grounds, etc.....good move

Weatherby is in California.
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Weatherby never made anything, it's a marketing company like Browning. He could have been located anywhere, but I suspect Southern CA in the 50's was still a pretty nice place
 
Companies don't often follow the politics of a particular state when deciding where to locate themselves. Usually the owner of the business builds it where he lives then the tax laws of the state usually decide if the business stays in that state or relocates to some place more cooperate friendly. That is why we have lost so many corporations out of Ohio, but hopefully the new Governor will fix that.
 
The ammo company that makes most (all?) of Winchester branded ammo just moved out of IL. Presumably because of the horrible taxes here. We're expected to see more and more businesses leaving this state in the coming years.

In a recent report of expected net changes in population, IL was ranked #2 for the most net loss of people escaping its tyranny.

Wish I could be among them. ;)
 
It is still a puzzler for me though. I am from Detroit, and we are not anti-car here. It's crazy to be anti-whatever industry is in that state and not lobby for it.

Michigan: pro-autos
Iowa: pro-corn
Texas: pro-oil
California: pro-movie

As was said in posts above, just crazy.
 
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Most gun control laws target individual owners, not manufacturers. Most gun manufacturers don't care about the liberty of individuals, as long as they are making money. Lots of the manufacturers make a good bit of their profits selling to the government's hired muscle, anyway.
 
How many Toyotas and Nissans in those parking lots at Ford and GM? (even they are made in the US)
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That actually makes my point. It's about supporting the local businesses. When your dad works for Ford, your mom works at the resteraunt where Ford workers eat, and you go to a college that gets money from Ford, you tend to buy Fords. If I lived in Alabama where the local auto manufacturer is Honda, I'd be driving Hondas.

Most gun control laws target individual owners, not manufacturers. Most gun manufacturers don't care about the liberty of individuals, as long as they are making money. Lots of the manufacturers make a good bit of their profits selling to the government's hired muscle, anyway.
Click to expand...

Well lets leave Ruger and H&K out of it then. :)

Seriously though, laws that limit what your customers can buy also limit how much money you can make. Going back to the automobile analogy, if the EPA said that SUVs made after a certain arbitrary date couldn't be sold to private individuals, only government agencies, the car companies and even the UAW would be on the phone and in DC chatting up the Representatives.
 
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many were based there before the state became anti-gun.
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Just imagine how many millions of dollars it would take to move an entire factory to another state. So unless there's a pressing monetary reason they're not leaving over politics. At least that's my guess.
 
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