Florida becomes Leading Safe Haven for Gun Manufacturers

Florida in particular, and Southern states in general, have become safe havens for gun manufacturers. In response to anti-gun legislation, labor issues and over-regulation in states where gun-making once flourished, like New York and Massachusetts,  manufacturers large and small are finding better places to do business across the American South.

The map below shows the recent relocation or expansion of forty gun manufacturing companies into Southern states. Of the forty companies Florida leads with way with ten companies or 25% of the total.

Guns_South_Map

Map courtesy of American Rifleman. For a larger view click on the image.

49H

John Zent.

John Zent in Gun Culture writes, “In the past six months, three preeminent firearm manufacturers—RugerBeretta, and Remington—announced plans to build new gun factories, and it’s no coincidence that all three chose not to expand at current locations. In fact, the companies publicly stated that moves to the gun-friendly South at least partly hinged on rampant anti-gun legislation in northeastern states where they have been long-time, tax-paying fixtures in the business community. In a Washington Times op-ed piece, Dr. Ugo Gusalli Beretta slammed the hypocrisy: ‘Unfortunately, as we were planning that expansion, Maryland’s governor and legislature voted in favor of new regulations that unfairly attack products we make and that our customers want. These regulations also demean our law-abiding customers, who must now be fingerprinted like criminals before they can be allowed to purchase one of our products.’”

“Significant gun manufacturing continues to occur in the northeast, where major players like Smith & Wesson, Kimber, Colt’s and SIG Sauer appear firmly entrenched. Ruger and Remington, for that matter, still have operations at their original locations. As American Rifleman Editor-in-Chief Mark Keefe pointed out in his “Keefe Report” last July (“Moving: It Isn’t That Simple”), there are many obstacles that stand in the way of gun-company relocation, not the least of which is concern for loyal employees. Nonetheless, one must wonder what the future holds for America’s traditional “Gun Valley” if states there continue on the course of self-destructive legislation that cripples corporate vigor and strips the rights of law-abiding citizens,” notes Zent.

Zent lists the following manufacturers who have relocated or expanded their facilities in the American South:

1) Ashbury Precision Ordnance, Ruckersville, VA
2) Sturm, Ruger, Mayodan, NC
3) Para USA, Pineville, NC
4) FNH USA/Winchester, Columbia, SC
5) Ithaca Gun, Aynor, SC
6) PTR, Aynor, SC
7) Daniel Defense, Ridgeland, SC
8) Daniel Defense, Black Creek, GA
9) MasterPiece Arms, Comer, GA
10) Lothar Walthar Precision, Cumming, GA
11) Knight’s Armament, Titusville, FL
12) Kel-Tec, Cocoa, FL
13) Diamondback, Cocoa, FL
14) Taurus/Rossi, Miami, FL
15) Heritage Manf., Miami, FL
16) Doublestar, Winchester, KY
17) Remington/Marlin, Mayfield, KY
18) Beretta, Gallatin, TN
19) Barrett, Murfreesboro, TN
20) Remington, Huntsville, AL
21) Steyr Arms, Bessemer, AL
22) Wilson Combat, Berryville, AR
23) Daisy Manf., Rogers, AR
24) Bond Arms, Granbury, TX
25) American Derringer, Waco, TX
26) STI Int’l, Georgetown, TX
27) High Standard/AMT, Houston, TX
28) Mossberg, Eagle Pass, TX
29) BPI Outdoors, Duluth, GA
30) Walther Arms, Fort Smith, AR
31) Nighthawk Custom, Berryville, AR
32) Surgeon Arms, Prague, OK
33) Shield/Texas Black Rifle, Shiner, TX
34) Alexander Arms, Radford, VA
35) Jarrett Rifles, Jackson, SC
36) American Tactical, Summerville, SC
37) Glock, Smyrna, GA
38) Core Rifle Systems, Ocala, FL
39) SCCY, Daytona Beach, FL
40) Ares Defense, Melbourne, FL
41) Serbu, Tampa, FL
42) Colt Competition, Breckenridge, TX

1 reply

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. […] Florida in particular, and Southern states in general, have become safe havens for gun manufacturers. In response to anti-gun legislation, labor issues and  […]

Comments are closed.