Renowned gun maker Smith & Wesson announced Thursday they will be trading gun-controlled Massachusetts to relocate to Maryville, Tennessee.
WWLP reports that the move includes Smith & Wesson headquarters and “a large amount of their operations.”
Smith & Wesson President and CEO Mark Smith said, “This has been an extremely difficult and emotional decision for us, but after an exhaustive and thorough analysis, for the continued health and strength of our iconic company, we feel that we have been left with no other alternative.”
He noted proposed Massachusetts’ gun control would actually prevent Smith & Wesson from making products from which they drew over half their revenue last year:
These bills would prevent Smith & Wesson from manufacturing firearms that are legal in almost every state in America and that are safely used by tens of millions of law-abiding citizens every day exercising their Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights, protecting themselves and their families, and enjoying the shooting sports. While we are hopeful that this arbitrary and damaging legislation will be defeated in this session, these products made up over 60 percent of our revenue last year, and the unfortunate likelihood that such restrictions would be raised again led to a review of the best path forward for Smith & Wesson.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) noted the Smith & Wesson’s move to Tennessee will add “750 jobs to the state” and “over $125 million to build a new state of the art facility.”
Law enforcement officers stand near an entrance to the headquarters of gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, August 26, 2018, in Springfield, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
The NSSF observed that Smith & Wesson’s move is a continuation of the migration to more gun-friendly states that has marked the gun industry during the past 15 years.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.
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