Montana governor courts Colorado gunmakers after new state law

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte is asking gun makers in Colorado if they want to move to his state after Colorado's Governor Jared Polis signed new gun restrictions into law

Gianforte calls Colorado's new laws the most restrictive gun bans in the country in a video campaign on his official X account

To all gun manufacturers in Colorado, my question for you is simple. Do you want to move back to America

Colorado's new law prohibits the manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale and purchase of specific semi-automatic firearms

It goes into effect in August 2026. Michael Meyer, the CEO of Colorado-based M&M Industries, told local MTN News the new law is going to be devastating to our industry in general

It makes no sense to be punishing us, the manufacturers of the products, over the end use of something that somebody was careless on, he said

Gianforte also reached out to Phoenix Weaponry another gun manufacturer based in Colorado and at risk of going out of business according to MTN Owner Aaron Case told MTN his company is interested in finding a new home

and leaving Colorado at the earliest convenience. Gun manufacturing companies in other states with

restrictive gun laws are also moving their operations to other states. Henry Repeating

Arms announced last month it was leaving New Jersey for Wisconsin. This transition allows us

to double down on what we do best, making world-class rifles, shotguns, and revolvers

right here in the heart of America. Our Wisconsin operations have been essential to our success for

a long time, and now it is the cornerstone of our bright future, Andrew Wickstrom, president of

Henry Repeating Arms, said in a statement. Magpul Industries Corporation left Colorado back in 2014

and set up its headquarters in Austin, Texas. Colorado Governor Jared Polis has not responded

to news of gun makers leaving his state. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan

For more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com