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Like the New York State fiasco, Colorado is trying to shoot itself in the foot.

A package of gun control measures that won initial approval in Colorado's Democratic-controlled House Friday night could result in several hundred jobs lost at the state's largest manufacturer of high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Erie-based Magpul Industries has threatened to leave the state if lawmakers are successful in passing the sweeping gun-control package, which limits the number of rounds a magazine can hold, according to The Denver Post.
"If we're able to stay in Colorado and manufacture a product, but law-abiding citizens of the state were unable to purchase the product, customers around the state and the nation would boycott us for remaining here," Doug Smith, Magpul's chief operating officer, told The Post.
The bill limits magazines to 15 rounds, with a more restrictive eight-round limit for shotguns. The bill makes an exception for magazines that people already have in their possession.
The legislation would require manufacturers to engrave magazines with serial numbers and dates -- a requirement Smith believes is "burdensome and unnecessary," The Post reported.
Magpul, which employs some 200 people directly and supports about 400 jobs through subcontractors, expects to contribute nearly $85 million to Colorado's economy this year, according to The Post.
Testifying before a state House committee Tuesday, Smith said he feared the proposal would hurt his businesses and restrict future expansions and warned the state could lose millions in tax revenues.
Smith said an ammunition limit “will not improve public safety, will not reduce crime, and would endanger the lives of Colorado residents by unduly restricting their ability to defend themselves.” “Arguments to the contrary are based purely on emotion and not facts,” he added.
Although the bill has been amended to exempt manufacturers, Magpul still plans to leave the state if the measure banning high-capacity magazines passes.
"We can't disappoint our customers nor ignore our convictions. Anyone who votes in favor of this bill votes to drive over 600 jobs out of [Colorado]," the company said in a post on its Facebook page Thursday.
Prior to Friday's vote, Vice President Joe Biden personally phoned four lawmakers from his ski vacation in the state to speed along the emotional debate.
Biden phoned three freshmen legislators along with Democratic House Speaker Mark Ferrandino. The calls came amid a long debate over the proposals, including expanded background checks and ammunition limits -- responses to mass shootings, including the killings at a Colorado movie theater.
In all, the House gave the initial OK to four bills after a daylong debate. The preliminary votes set up final actions on the measures Monday.
The Democratic gun-control package that advanced also includes banning concealed weapons on public college campuses, and requiring that gun buyers pay for their background checks.
Colorado's votes capping magazine sizes and expanding required background checks to private sales came amid 12 hours of debate. The votes were preliminary and unrecorded, but they were the first chance for many lawmakers to debate gun control after mass shootings last year in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn.
"These high-capacity weapons have no place outside the fields of war," said Rep. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat who sponsored the ammunition bill.
Republicans spent hours arguing that the limit violates Second Amendment rights.
"We are not safer by limiting the constitutional rights of law-abiding firearm owners," said Republican Rep. Frank McNulty.
A few Democrats appeared to agree Friday, though an exact vote count won't be known until recorded votes are taken Monday. GOP leaders were hoping gun activists would spend the weekend pressuring rural Democrats like Rep. Ed Vigil of southern Colorado, the only Democrat who argued Friday against any ammunition limit.
"We should be going down the path of making mental health available to people who really need it," Vigil argued.
The gun debate was at times emotional and pointed. One gun lobbyist was asked to leave the Capitol after a heated exchange off the floor with a Republican lawmaker who said the lobbyist was falsely accusing her of considering voting for the gun-control measures. The gallery was at times packed with gun-rights activists.
Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper has said favors some of the gun-control measures. Hickenlooper supports expanded background checks and indicated Thursday that he could support a potential amendment on magazine sizes, if the restriction was between 15 and 20 rounds.
He also said he thinks gun purchasers should pay for their background checks, but he had not made up his mind yet about the ban on concealed firearms on colleges.
All of the proposals still need to be considered by Democrat-controlled Senate.
Democrats in the Legislature said the time is right to limit gun access and magazine sizes to prevent more shootings.
"This is about kids who have been shot, over and over and over again," said Democratic Rep. Crisanta Duran said. "I am tired of seeing kids die, year after year, after year, after year."


Read more: Colorado company threatens to leave state if gun bill passes | Fox News
 
You beat me to it - I was just going to post this. Gotta love Magpul - if CO passes a mag ban they will leave and take 200 employee jobs, 400 contracted jobs and $85 million spent in the state annually with them.
 
Well, they don't really have much choice. They aren't threatening the state. They WANT to stay. They are telling the state legislature that they will be forced to move and these are the impacts it will have. If they are forced to move it's lose-lose for Colorado and Magpul, even if it's only a short term loss for Magpul.
 
If I were the owner of Magpul.........Well, I think that Brazil is a beautiful country (if you have money, that is)! You just buy politicos and police protection up front!
If I didn't have grand kids etc here I'd be gone like a rocket and let the libs have the place! Just depressed and old and tired of the mess I guess. This isn't like me most of the time.
 
If I were the owner of Magpul.........Well, I think that Brazil is a beautiful country (if you have money, that is)! You just buy politicos and police protection up front!
If I didn't have grand kids etc here I'd be gone like a rocket and let the libs have the place! Just depressed and old and tired of the mess I guess. This isn't like me most of the time.

"SGT NAMBU" i just turned 64 last wk, and my feelings are just about the same......your right, just getting run down with it ALL !

steven
 
Texas is going to have some competition - we'd love y'all here in Oregon, Magpul. Portland is not Oregon.

It's time for the serious manufacturers to leave Colorado anyway: everybody's too stoned there to build quality hardware any more.
 
If I were the owner of Magpul.........Well, I think that Brazil is a beautiful country (if you have money, that is)! You just buy politicos and police protection up front!
If I didn't have grand kids etc here I'd be gone like a rocket and let the libs have the place! Just depressed and old and tired of the mess I guess. This isn't like me most of the time.

doesn't take a lot of money, comparatively, to be "well off" in brasil... complete with the protection. or just stay the hell away from rio and sao paulo, lay low and fit in. caipirinhas on the beach, hunting in the rainforest, fishing, lovely lovely ladies... falar portugues e tudo bem.
 
While P-Mags are an important and significant part of Magpul's business, they make a lot more, sights, stocks and my favorite iPhone covers. Their problem is that while they move, some will discover or re-discover Magpul's competitors and it will hurt Magpul's market share for some time to come.
 
correct me if i'm wrong.....my son just called me from CO. and made comment (he thinks)the law passed yesterday.......

steven

It passed the State House and they sent it to the Senate. Magpul announced that if it passed in the Senate, even with an amendment to exclude them specifically, they would still be moving. The Dems in CO are backpedaling because they didn't realize they would be killing a major company so they are wanting to basically exempt Magpul and allow them to export mags. Magpul however said, Why would they keep their business in a state where they can't sell all their products to locals.

Hopefully they consider Oregon in their new search as the bills are likely to pass in the Senate.
 
Wow that is really nice of the to excempt Magpul to keep them instate. Obamanomics .
It passed the State House and they sent it to the Senate. Magpul announced that if it passed in the Senate, even with an amendment to exclude them specifically, they would still be moving. The Dems in CO are backpedaling because they didn't realize they would be killing a major company so they are wanting to basically exempt Magpul and allow them to export mags. Magpul however said, Why would they keep their business in a state where they can't sell all their products to locals.

Hopefully they consider Oregon in their new search as the bills are likely to pass in the Senate.
 

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