Virginia’s New Gun Laws are Already Costing Jobs 

Newly elected Gov. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va, and her Democratic-controlled state legislature set their sights firmly on the Second Amendment after taking office earlier this year.

The Governor signed a litany of bills into law including a ban on the sale and manufacturing of so-called “assault weapons,” including the wildly popular AR-15, and a ban on magazines with a capacity of fifteen or more rounds which criminalized most modern sporting rifle (MSR) magazines and some pistol magazines. The state also banned so-called “ghost guns,” and expanded dangerous “red-flag laws” and background checks, among other flagrant infringements on the Second Amendment rights of Virginians.

It did not take long for the Commonwealth to feel the repercussions of bad policy. Travis and Kelsey Rideout, owners of the Virginia based gun manufacturer Rideout Arsenal recently announced that they are moving their operation to the greener pastures of Georgia. “This relocation was not something we originally planned to pursue. The reality is that recent anti-gun legislation in Virginia created a significant uncertainty for our company and ultimately forced us to look for a state where we could continue operating, investing, and growing with confidence,” the couple said in a press release. “We are excited to bring new jobs and manufacturing investment to Thomas County and are grateful for the warm welcome we have already received.” Rideout Arsenal is investing in a $22 million facility in Thomasville that will add 120 jobs.

“Georgia attracts job creators from all over the country and world because we work with them, not against them,” said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. “Our state’s pro-business approach, skilled workforce, and enduring support for constitutional freedoms make us an ideal home for manufacturers like Rideout Arsenal, and we look forward to their success here in the No. 1 state for business.” GLOCK Inc., Heckler & Koch USA, Daniel Defense, and dozens more arms manufacturers are headquartered in Georgia.

Virginia is not the first state to lose gun companies to more firearm-friendly and business-friendly states. Industry giant Smith & Wesson moved its corporate headquarters and its pistol/long gun assembly operation from Springfield, Massachusetts to Maryville, Tennessee. The move, announced in 2021, was driven by restrictive legislative proposals in MA that threatened their ability to manufacture some products. “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,” said S&W President and CEO Mark Smith.

America’s largest gun manufacturer Sturm, Ruger, and Co. (Ruger) moved its operation from Southport, CT to Mayodan, NC in January. Remington Firearms moved its global headquarters and principal operations from its 200-year historical home in New York to Georgia after the Empire State passed some of the nation’s most restrictive gun laws. Henry Repeating Arms and Kimber Manufacturing both abandoned New York, as well, for Wisconsin and Alabama, respectively. Weatherby Inc. and Stag Arms recently moved their entire operations to Wyoming due to escalating hostilities towards the firearm industry and the corporate tax environments in California and Connecticut, respectively. “They’re going where they’re wanted,” said John Harris, a Nashville attorney and executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, on the decision by Smith & Wesson.

The availability of interstate migration has long advantaged the prospects of Americans. After the 2020 census, Texas and Florida both gained congressional districts, largely at the expense of high-tax states such as California and New York. Of course, it is more difficult to move a corporation with hundreds of employees across state lines, but two dozen and counting arms manufacturers agree with Smith & Wesson’s Mark Smith that they have been left with no other alternative.