Kahr Arms leaving New York State due to new gun control law

[presence]

Thanks to New York State’s new gun control law, Kahr Firearms Group of Pearl River has decided to call it a day and take its business – and employees – elsewhere. Although many gun companies nationwide – including PTR Industries and Magpul - have already either left their home state or plan to because of new gun control laws, Kahr Firearms is the first to leave the Empire State since the law was passed in January.
When the company finishes its move to Pennsylvania over the next few years, it also plans on expanding, according to a press release posted on the company’s website. According to the Associated Press, Kahr had planned on building new offices for its 10-person corporate staff and a new factory with 80 to 100 jobs in New York, but scrapped that plan after the law was passed.
The company also plans on keeping its manufacturing sites in Worcester, Mass. and Pillager, Minn. open despite the move.
“We’re looking for a more friendly environment for our business,” Frank Harris, Kahr’s vice president for sales and marketing told the AP. “Maybe we could have stayed here and built a plant, but the way the bill was passed left us feeling there were a lot of uncertainties going forward.”
New York’s gun control law bans military-style weapons, limits magazines to seven bullets, taxes bullets and creates a registry. But the while the gun control law was the first to be passed in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December, it has apparently done little to curb local robberies. Gun sales in Newtown, Conn. – the site of the Sandy Hook shooting – have actually risen after the shooting as well.
“We’re all for stopping criminals, but this act is not going to do that,” Harris said. “This will only hurt the responsible law-abiding citizens.”
By Kaitlyn Schallhorn /// August 7, 2013

http://redalertpolitics.com/2013/08...ng-new-york-state-due-to-new-gun-control-law/

 

[nobody's_hero]

Not much into pistols but if I were I'd probably buy a Kahr.

 

[phill4paul]

Good.

 

[Christian Liberty]

Good for them, let's hope the whole country doesn't become as hostile as NYS.

 

[Darguth]

I am in the market for an EDC. I hadn't given Kahr much consideration up until now. This principled decision has me reevaluating their product line.

 

[pmbug]

What took them so long to publicize this decision? They should have got this ball rolling in January.

 

[Seraphim]

More evidence that politicians take jobs - not immigrants.

 

[jtap]

I am in the market for an EDC. I hadn't given Kahr much consideration up until now. This principled decision has me reevaluating their product line.

Kahr makes some good guns. Hopefully once they move their prices will fall a bit. If their prices weren't a bit higher than their competitors I would get one now that they make all black (don't like their usual two-tone scheme).

 

[roho76]

I own their CM40. I like to carry it in the summer because of its small profile. It's a vicious little animal without the pinky extension but its accurate as hell.

 

[Keith and stuff]

It moved to PA so the move was pretty much pointless. Oh well.

 

[Lindsey]

It moved to PA so the move was pretty much pointless. Oh well.

Compared to NY/NJ, PA is significantly better as far as gun laws go, and as far as I know, there are no serious talks to implement new gun control measures here. The move is about an hour from their current facilities, with Pike county already being comprised of many NY commuters, PA has the likely advantage that the will not have to pay to relocate most of their current employees. I can see that the move would make sense for them.

 

[jdcole]

Good for them.

 

[Quark]

It moved to PA so the move was pretty much pointless. Oh well.

"Pennsylvania’s gun control laws are roughly average for the entire country. " at #33 for gun control versus.

http://freedominthe50states.org/gun-control/new-york

"On personal freedoms, gun control laws are extremely restrictive," New York at #48 (or higher since these new ones were enacted in 2013) for gun control.

Considering they'd have to move to a state where there is some type of easily accessible large market, it makes a lot of sense to choose Pennsylvania (for its position as a middle-state and its close proximity to New York.) They could've moved to Vermont (#5) or New Hampshire (#6) but then they'd limit their market since both states are bordered either by low populations or gun-unfriendly states. Pennsylvania on the other-hand is bordered by other medium regulation -> little regulation states: West Virginia (#13), and Ohio (#27) which in turn border even more lower regulation states: Kentucky (#4), Indiana (#23), etc. It gives them more room to grow in more states.

So if we compare: New Hampshire + Maine + Vermont = 3.273 million people < Pennsylvania + Ohio + West Virginia = 26.14 million people.

Of course New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine have other advantages, like fewer regulations and lower taxes.