Magpul Relocation and Colorado Gun Laws
Magpul announces relocation to Texas and Wyoming in response to gun laws passed in Colorado restricting magazine capacity.
As a clear sign of how knee-jerk legislation can affect not only individual citizens but business as well, one of the tactical industry’s most prominent manufacturers, Magpul Industries has finally made their long-awaited announcement on where they will relocate to after vowing to leave Colorado due to reactionary laws passed by minority law makers in response to a series of gun-related violence in the state. A portion of the law signed in March of this year eliminated the sales of gun magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds, which directly affects Magpul’s product line of polymer AR/M4 magazines and prompted the company to “proceed on an aggressive but deliberate path” towards relocation earlier this year despite clarifications made to the law a few months later.
In following through with their promise to seek out a new home, Magpul announced today that it will move its headquarters to Texas, although the choice is yet to be made between three potential locations. The bulk of Magpul’s operations including manufacturing, distribution and shipping will be moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming where they will ultimately be housed in a 100,000 square foot facility located in the Cheyenne Business Parkway.
The company’s exodus from Colorado is estimated to take 12-16 months and while almost all of the current workforce including operations and corporate administration will be moved to Texas and Wyoming, a small percentage will remain in Colorado engaged in “limited operations”.
Efforts to repeal Colorado Magazine Gun Law
Despite the near-passing of the new gun laws in Colorado, the firearms community was able to score considerable success with the recall of two state senators and the resignation of a third that was facing recall, not primarily because of their personal positions, but because of the misuse of their powers as an example of irresponsible law-making. Add to this the diminishing support for Colorado Governor Hickenlooper as well as the strong opposition to the law expressed by a majority of sheriffs across the state, and there is a chance that the 2014 legislative session might seriously consider a repeal or significant modification of the laws that were just enacted.
Whichever way the legislature swings in Colorado on this specific issue, gun-rights advocates and even moderate gun-control supporters will certainly be looking to this new year as a barometer to gauge the ability to legitimately focus on the effective balance of 2nd Amendment rights and existing as well as newly-introduced gun-control measures across the country. Unfortunately for Magpul, the local economy in Colorado that will see losses due to Magpul’s departure, and others across the nation affected by politicized law-making, the discovery of that balance may come too late and at a high price.
