Friday, February 15, 2013

Magpul Draws Their LIne In The Sand


Magpul has made it more than just talk. If the Colorado legislature passes the mag ban law, they will be moving. Going with them will be one of their major subcontractors Alfred Manufacturing. They made the official announcement a couple of hours ago on Facebook.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
MAGPUL INDUSTRIES ANNOUNCES IT WILL LEAVE COLORADO IF GUN BILL PASSES

MOVE WOULD COST STATE 600 JOBS, $85 MILLION


Denver, Colorado – February 15th, 2013 - Magpul Industries, an Erie, Colorado, based manufacturer of firearms accessories, announced today that it will be forced to leave the state if House Bill 1224, which would ban standard capacity magazines, becomes law. The announcement was made to Governor Hickenlooper, state legislators, members of the media, and in a full-page advertisement to appear in the Denver Post on Sunday.

Richard Fitzpatrick, Founder, President, and CEO of Magpul Industries, said that regardless of any amendments that may be worked into the bill, he will no longer be able to continue to do business in Colorado if his core product is made illegal.

“Our company could not, in good conscience, continue to manufacture our products in a state where law-abiding citizens are prohibited from purchasing and owning them. ” Fitzpatrick said. “The passage of this bill will do nothing to enhance public safety, but will force us to immediately begin taking our business to another state.”

A proponent of the bill argued that with the amendment language, the choice to stay or leave was up to Magpul. Fitzpatrick responded, "Our relationship with our customers across the country would be severely damaged if this bill passes and we stay. We've already heard word of potential boycotts if that happens. They (legislators) really need to understand that our customer base is as passionate about freedoms as we are, and staying here if this bill passes would cripple the company. Make no doubt about it...we have no choice, and would be forced to leave in order to save the business."

Magpul cited the example of the Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show, which was canceled earlier this year after the organizers announced that it would not permit a popular category of firearm, like the ones Magpul makes accessories for, in the show. Public outcry from the customer base forced exhibitors to withdraw from participation, causing the cancellation of the show, and an estimated loss of $70 million of show revenue for hotels, restaurants, merchants, and other businesses in Pennsylvania, where the show was to be held.

Magpul Industries directly employs 200 people, supports another 400 supply-chain jobs, and contributes over $85 million annually to Colorado’s economy. Doug Smith, Chief Operating Officer for Magpul, says that it is a difficult position to be in. "We could choose to stay in a state that wants our jobs and revenue, but not our products, and lose half the jobs we are fighting to save, or potentially the entire business, when our customers stop buying. Or, we can take the company and those 600 jobs out of Colorado to continue our growth and the growth of American manufacturing in a state that shares our values. This is not really a choice. It's an unfortunate and inevitable result of the actions of the Legislature if this bill passes."

Magpul was started over a decade ago by Fitzpatrick, a former U.S. Marine. It has become one of Colorado’s fastest growing businesses, successfully marketing its products to American and allied military forces, police departments, sporting goods stores, and thousands of responsible private citizens. Fitzpatrick says that the rich western culture and strong values of individual freedom and responsibility, traditionally found in Colorado, were one of the reasons the company chose to remain in the state.

“It is heartbreaking to me, my employees, and their families, to think that we will be forced to leave,” Fitzpatrick said. “But if HB13-1224 passes, we will simply have no choice.”
 See this earlier post on ways to contact Gov. John Hickenlooper. On his Twitter feed, Hickenlooper keeps talking about growing the economy and adding jobs. Losing 600 jobs due to ineffectual, liberal feel-good legislation will give Colorado negative job growth. I'd emphasize that among other things.

8 comments:

  1. First Beretta threatening to take their ball and leave Maryland, now Magpul. Keep it up, manufacturers! :)

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    1. Olympic Arms and a few others are now refusing to sell their products to State Govts. The gun manufacturers are fighting back. Kudos!!

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  2. Good on ya Magpul! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Yesterday I called Olympic Arms to thank them.
    _revjen45

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  3. There is a cure for liberalism and stupidity...it comes in a small brass cartridge.
    Looks like we're going to end up with armed states and disarmed states.
    They do realize that Blue states don't grow their own food, don't they?
    At my age, I'm looking forward to the 2nd American Revolution. It's the only way we're going to rid the Nation of the Marxist scum that has taken over the government.
    Every Politician that participated in creating this disaster should be watching over his/her shoulder.
    The Constitution will prevail.
    III/0317

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    1. Errr, that's not entirely true, Colorado produces more than a little as well as Minnesota (and Wisconsin next door of cheese fame used to be Blue), and California and Illinois are famous agricultural giants. That's just counting the states under serious gun grabbing threats off the top of my head.

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    2. I hope you mean it-but remember this NO FORT SUMTERS! Do you understand. The side that shoots first loses.

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  4. Born and grew up in Illinois and know for a fact that it's really two very different states. Mostly it's a quiet conservative rural place to live focused on agriculture and small independent manufacturing plants. Then you have that cancerous boil on the backside of the state up in the northeast corner over by the lake.
    Moved to Alabama 30 years ago and never looked back. Best move I ever made.

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  5. The Colorado mag bill is beyond a joke. With a grandfather clause, and no way to determine the date of manufacture, they have absolutely no way of enforcing the law, with the exception of pulling product off of shelves in CO. Take a nice weekend trip to Montana, SD, Nebraska, etc, etc, and do mag shopping there. Feel good, bullshit legislation at it's finest.

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