Colorado’s Loss is Wyoming’s Gain as Magpul Rakes in the Moolah!

Authors Current Events S.H. Blannelberry
Colorado’s Loss is Wyoming’s Gain as Magpul Rakes in the Moolah!

(Photo: AP/Brennan Linsley)

SMH (“Shaking my head”). That’s really what comes to my mind when I think about Colorado’s decision to push Magpul Industries out of the state because of its gun-control agenda — especially in light of how well the magazine and firearm accessories manufacturer is doing since it vacated the Centennial State circa 2014.

You’ll recall that back in 2013 the state’s Legislature opted to ban magazines with a capacity greater than 15 rounds in response to a shooting at an Aurora theater that left 12 people dead and more than 70 others wounded.

Foolishly, instead of blaming the individual responsible for the tragedy, lawmakers targeted the state’s gun laws indicating that they weren’t tough enough and that if they banned certain magazines they’d “save lives” and prevent future mass killings.

Anyone with a brain knows the folly of this approach. We can literally destroy every firearm and magazine in this country (which would render every good guy defenseless in the face of evil) and yet bad people will still find a way to take innocent lives. Whether it’s with a kitchen knife, a semi truck, or even a pressure cooker bomb there are numerous ways for bad people to do bad things to good people. Gun bans and mag bans do nothing to stop evil. They only impair a law-abiding citizen’s ability to defend himself or herself.

See Also: The Colorado Recall that Worked

Yet, Colorado lawmakers refused to acknowledge the significant flaws with their approach and rolled out the new law that was a direct slap in the face to Magpul, which set up shop in Erie, Colorado, in 1999.

Although the executives of Magpul have great affinity for Colorado, they knew they had to get out of Dodge. The political class was hellbent on creating an environment that was growing increasingly hostile to one’s Second Amendment rights (It should be noted that this anti-gun crusade had serious repercussions for several lawmakers.  On the grassroots level, pro-gun activists worked to recall two senators, former State Senate President John Morse and State Senator Angela Giron, and forced another one, State Sen. Evie Hudak, to resign.  Turns out that their antipathy for the Second Amendment cost them all their political livelihood).

So, Magpul announced its departure and, whaddayaknow, they had more than a few suitors willing to give them a warm welcome. Ultimately, Magpul decided to move its headquarters to Texas and its operations to Wyoming.

The Wyoming deal was great, as the state offered up $8.3 million to Magpul, only $3.7 of which would have to be paid back. In exchange, Wyoming expected to see gains in excess of $14.3 million from tax revenue, leasing agreements and job creation.

Today its 185,000-square-foot facility in Cheyenne employees 380 people, which is about 180 more than were employed at the 100,000-square-foot facility in Erie.

That payroll number may grow even more though now that Magpul has announced a lucrative deal with the Marine Corps. Moving forward, Marines going into combat will exclusively carry Magpul magazines.

SEE ALSO: Magpul Microaggression, Demolition Ranch Tees and So Much More

On Tuesday, Colorado Senate President Kevin Grantham, who opposed the magazine ban, lamented what his state has lost.

“My take is there is no big surprise here,” the Republican leader from Canon City told the Gazette. “You tell a company they can’t sell a product in your state, when it’s a good product and a popular product. They move across the state line, they get a lot of support and they get a big contract. We lost not only the jobs they had when they were here, we lost the jobs they’ve grown into since and we’re losing all the jobs they’re going to grow into in future years with this contract.”

“Once you have the Marine contract, I don’t see how the other branches won’t follow suit eventually,” he added. “That’s a massive, massive contract just a short distance down the road. We lost that.”

As to whether there was any material benefit from the magazine ban, Grantham said, “What good did this gun law do? Not a blasted bit.”

Amen. Colorado’s loss is Wyoming’s gain. Hopefully, other anti-gun states will learn from Colorado’s mistake.

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  • Joseph Vanchieri December 31, 2016, 4:53 am

    My son and I just moved to Wyoming a couple of months ago. Not only is it a State with breathtaking landscape it is very very Constitutional friendly State. I hope and pray every day that those who use the Constitution to limit rights rather than expand them see the error in their ways. Yet I know that the thirst for power and control is a disease. Until the public realizes that any unconstitutional laws permitted to pass and stay on the books are almost impossible to undo. So any or all laws that limit the ability for a citizen to own a weapon of their choice need to be repealed and all permit laws need to be repealed. The 2nd amendment is the simplest one to read and understand. The part that states ” shall not be infringed” says exactly what it is meant to say. Stay away. No one can make a law or regulate this right. No one. State or federal.

    • deanbob December 31, 2016, 2:53 pm

      Just a FYI, the founding fathers used the constitution to limit the federal government to specific tasks and powers, with the remainder left to the states and “We The People”, knowing the more the control, the less the liberty.

  • RoninDallas December 31, 2016, 4:09 am

    So Colorado screwed the pooch on this driving a growing major manufacturer out of the ste with their unconstitutional law then make it so every pothead within 200 miles will come to the state and now they’ll never be able to even buy a firearm since pot is still federally illegal and they’d have to lie on the 4473 forms. Lying on the 4473 form is a Federal Felony so if you want pot, give up your guns. You can’t legally own them.

    • Robert January 3, 2017, 4:44 pm

      Its likely legalizing pot is an anti gun idea

      stoners will trade weed for guns, weed for rights, weed for your rights etc

      so long as the ganja burns, they simply do not care

      “What good did this gun law do? Not a blasted bit.”

      what good will legal weed do? not a blazed bit

  • Russ H. December 30, 2016, 9:42 pm

    Wow! Colorado – so misguided and with imbeciles that govern. Magpul, you should have come to Arizona! We’ll always welcome you!

  • Rides A Pale Horse December 30, 2016, 3:53 pm

    Does anyone really think that by banning things such as STANDARD CAPACITY magazines is going to stop anyone from obtaining them? These morons in our Colorado legislature obviously haven’t realized that there is a thing called the internet.

    If one really wants a STANDARD CAPACITY magazine for his/her firearm, all they need to do is contact a friend that lives in a Second Amendment friendly state and have THEM order whatever they need and just send it to them.

    Oh! “You didn’t have that magazine before the ban went into effect?”

    PROVE IT.

    • deanbob December 31, 2016, 2:56 pm

      The serial numbers may be the proof?

      The number of rounds in the magazine is not necessarily as important as the ability to drop and replace a new magazine – as has been very effectively demonstrated on You Tube!

  • mike December 30, 2016, 3:14 pm

    The SCUMBAGS running the State of Colorado would rather PUSH DRUGS TO CHILDREN than let them do WHOLESOME OUTDOOR SPORTS!

    • Chris cole January 1, 2017, 11:02 pm

      That’s a bit crazy. The pushing drugs to children and it’s pretty much a blatant lie. As for the magazine ban, I lived there when it went into effect. Was there for the recall vote and all that. So I ask, since 2013 where has the NRA been? I’m glad Magpul left Colorado. Matter of fact, Magpul will be used exclusively in our glocks and ar’s. but colorados stupidity ain’t even news.

  • Patrick December 30, 2016, 1:00 pm

    Colorado has now become another California…. (not just in gun control, but in manufacturing, in construction, etc.)

    • deanbob December 31, 2016, 2:58 pm

      After driving up the cost to live in California with a mass and maze of regulations, these same people have left for Oregon, Colorado and Texas to perpetrate the same BS on us! Stand tall and stand strong.

  • Dick Kelso December 30, 2016, 12:37 pm

    I grew up in Cheyenne and had to leave after college in the early ’70s because my dad didn’t own a ranch or a hardware store. Had to go where the jobs were. I am delighted MagPul is in Cheyenne now, and wish I could have waited 40 years to get a job there. And to have generated more than twice as many jobs as they anticipated is fantastic news.

  • Kirk December 30, 2016, 12:10 pm

    CO bans manufacturing of gun related products, but legalizes marijuana and its products for consumption…… go figure.

  • Larry December 30, 2016, 11:33 am

    Elections have consequences as the jug eared beige bozo told us after we foolishly elected him POTUS & he was correct. (This is possibly the only time he has been correct in the last eight years.) So, Colorado voters, you need to correct your mistake & start electing pro-America, pro-Constitution candidates.

    • Boss December 31, 2016, 1:15 pm

      “On some glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their harts desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” -H.L. Mencken Journalist

      2/4 3rd Mar Div Fox co VN 67-69

  • Texan December 30, 2016, 11:22 am

    Thanks, Colorado, for sending the HQ to Texas! You still haven’t learned your lesson though. Look how you voted in the recent election. I refuse to travel to OR spend any personal funds on Colorado-based businesses. This philosophy also applies in my professional life as a buyer for a very large company.

  • CalGlen December 30, 2016, 10:34 am

    Ah, the Californication of Colorado. It’s been happening for a long time.

    • D0itnstyle1 December 30, 2016, 11:29 am

      You are right. Those Kalifornians have screwed up their state and now they are out to ruin everybody else’s. I wish we could force them back somehow.

    • AK December 30, 2016, 1:19 pm

      This is a good state. I am staying, and fighting back. We as gunowners and patriots can\’t let them have every decent place in America. California was a big enough loss, and happened before any of us really realized what was happening. I didn\’t escape from New Jersey to see this piece of the West turned into another Newark or Sacramento.Colorado is worth fighting for.

  • DRAINO December 29, 2016, 9:30 am

    This is how it should work. Now let’s get all the other gun and related companies to move out of Kalifornia, New York, and like states. Hurt them financially!! Show them the Liberal mindset is a dead-end game. It’s the path straight to self-annihilation. Freedom is the path to prosperity….and dare I say it……Making America GREAT AGAIN!!!

    AMERICANISM!!! NOT Globalism!!!!!!

    • Blasted Cap December 30, 2016, 8:50 am

      Wonder how much The People’s Republic of Maryland is loosing with Beretta leaving.

    • Abby Normal December 30, 2016, 9:30 am

      You got that right. “We, The People” (the deplorables) will grow in prosperity.

    • Glenn December 30, 2016, 10:57 am

      What does CO care? They’re raking in tax moolah hand over fist from selling dope!

      • DRAINO December 30, 2016, 11:29 am

        Even at the state level…..$14+ million is still a lot of money (plus many more millions in future earnings) to watch walk across the state line…..just because they were stupid. And the money from the dope is going right back to taking care of the homeless that are coming in from out of state and abusing it and ending up in the emergency rooms with frostbite covering amputations and prosthetics.

        AMERICANISM!!!! NOT Globalism!!!!!

      • D0itnstyle1 December 30, 2016, 11:35 am

        Unfortunately there are a lot more costs that deplete those incomes, we are finding out. Mental Health costs are rising because of the “medicinal” properties marijuana has and the deep attraction people with mental health issues have for it because of it’s “calming effect”

        Police departmental costs are rising because we have a lot more criminal element moving to the state. Let us not forget every goat smoking chiba monkey thinks they can just move here and “work at 7-eleven” and smoke dope all day because the streets are just paved with weed. Him and 70 million others like him. That put a huge strain on our social services sector. It drains the coffers just as fast as they are filled.

        Not to mention all the pork project that the money is being used for just because they have to justify having it or the TABOR laws will in effect have them return the money. Yet all those pork project amount to nothing because the infrastructure in many of the cities are beign ignored still. So I wonder where all the money is going to?

  • Will Drider December 28, 2016, 10:12 pm

    Well they can take solace smoking pot, making cash profits that can’t be kept in a bank, which can’t be accurately taxed and the Feds could still come in and take it all, including what was bought with the profits. How many jobs did pot create? Which creates broader harm?

    • Frundsberg December 30, 2016, 4:02 am

      Lame.

      • Altoid December 30, 2016, 8:46 am

        Not lame. True.
        What’s lame is the numerous problems that ‘legalized’ pot has caused and will cause, as in lame brained individuals laying around, useless for anything but consuming copious amounts of pizza.

        • Robert January 5, 2017, 9:34 am

          a dope smoker would call it lame

          its called dope for a reason

    • FALPhil December 30, 2016, 8:51 am

      Actually, the weed industry created several hundred jobs statewide. But the unintended consequence was twofold. Drunk driving cases went down, and the roads are marginally safer. But the number of homeless skyrocketed. It wasn\’t Coloradans the were becoming homeless, but out-of-staters coming for the legal pot. Now there is nonstop panhandling.Back on topic. We need an aspiring economics grad student to use this situation for his dissertation, and publish it far and wide. Not only should government stay out of the firearms economy, this case is an illustration for why government should never be involved in economic regulation except to enable easier transaction.

  • American USMC December 28, 2016, 8:12 pm

    I have family from Colorado but, I haven’t been there for years.I haven’t liked Colorado’s politics for years either. I’ll be buying some Magpul mags soon.

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