Henry is moving all manufacturing operations to Wisconsin:

Henry Commits 100% of Its Operations to the State of Wisconsin | Henry Repeating Arms

Whoa. This seems like good news for the Great lakes manufacturing region and bringing economic growth to a rural region.

Seems like many companies like S&W and Remington moved to more gun friendly states. Believe Weatherby moved to Wyoming from California.

Who can blame them? Pay all those taxes to people who hate you?

Bout time

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

Why make firearms in a state where hollowpoints are illegal? I would have left too.

Good for them. This is what voting with your feet looks like.

Should have been gone.

Don't understand the move to Wisconsin. 50/50 on gun rights, high taxes, etc. Not to get into politics but mist firearms manufacturers are moving to the SE.

I presume there's a Henry AR 15 in our future?

Likely a good move overall, like S & W to TN. But not so easy to relocate or recruit the skilled labor needed to run the factory, especially when many of them may have worked in the old location for 10-20 years or more.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

The company has always been run by old Yankees.
Maybe they don’t like hot, steamy, humid weather.
I know I don’t.

I thought they moved a couple of years ago.

Any other firearms firms that wish to evacuate gun-unfriendly states please strongly consider moving to SC.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

just like Remington leaving NY and Kahr Arms leaving NY. Their official statement was, we aren’t welcome here so we’ll leave……. It’s funny because NY claims to be pro union and pro labor. Yet they chased good paying skilled labor jobs out of state. They also just got done screwing over NY Corrections officers. They gave $58m to illegals but wouldn’t take care of the officers that do the most miserable job imaginable.

Here's the official statement...a business decision, plain and simple. But that's OK, I know job loss, pain and suffering of fellow gun owners that live in the hated states makes many here feel good...so enjoy your celebration.

Henry Commits 100% of Its Operations to the State of Wisconsin | Henry Repeating Arms

No celebration here, as I don’t live in WI. But I’m sure a 50 year old company tried everything possible to stay, including negotiating with state officials, and decided they had to leave. S & W had over 170 years in MA.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Politically, is WI that much better than NJ to justify the move? Guess so.

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213th FBINA

Moving to WI this year, in my research Wisconsin is very 2A friendly. Can’t speak to the politics of the state as a whole.

As a part time resident of Wisconsin, I can say its very much a purple state that could lean further left as time goes on. I fear it could go the way of formerly gun friendly states like CO, WA and OR. Such is happening as we speak in neighboring Minnesota.

Would have thought that they would have moved to a more firearm friendly state and one with lower taxes. But I guess most anywhere is better than New Jersey. Better than out of the country.......

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Waited too long. I escaped New Jersey in 2021

I used to work with a guy from NJ . Hard left ...

I’m guessing the owner tried hard to stay put. He’s a NY/NJ boy. That accent he has won’t work anywhere else. But NJ’s treatment of residents both residential and commercial is well known. They even tried to create an exit tax for people moving out. I mean who comes up with that? I feel horrible for the workers who can’t or won’t relocate. Breaks my heart to see the Remington plant decaying on the Mohawk River.

Yeah so many have fled Connecticut and N.Y. High corporate taxes and anti gun. A shame for the old Winchester and Marlin plants. Too many financial woes too I wonder?

I had occasion today to phone Henry Firearms customer service regarding a minor issue I had regarding a storage box...it seemed like a very long time till anyone called me back...the lady I talked to explained to me the turmoil the workers there are going through right now...many have quit, some hanging on till the end, not many willing to relocate...they are way short on staff now so everything customer service takes longer...as we were talking she sounded like she was crying and told me she is going to stay till the end but there are not any jobs in the area...I felt very sorry for her...I went through a "closing" situation years ago and it is NOT a nice thing to go through...

Didn't California attempt an Exit Tax also ?

Dey got da Green Bay Packers. That's enough for me.

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Forum consigliere

But if SC is to far south for you, come up one state, NC welcome's you with open arms.....No pun intended

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Hipcocked & Locked

Boeing moved a large part of their manufacturing to SC. I think mostly to avoid union strikes. WI is a right-to-work state so no prolonged strikes. The big Japanese auto companies build plants in RTW states for that reason.

Has very little to with state anti-gun laws. Has to do with corporate taxes, union labor and the ability to turn a profit. Evidently NJ isn't that place.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Some of us “old Yankees” are not so keen on the snow, ice, and cold temperatures, too!

Pharman’s phone call sounds pretty sad. I feel sorry for the old employees who don’t feel they can move, for whatever reason. I can understand the company’s decision, too. It’s never fun to be somewhere when it’s plain that you’re not wanted and more handwriting keeps showing up on the wall what seems like almost every day.

Maybe because they already have a factory in Rice Lake, Wi. Their operation is only a couple of blocks from an indoor range i get memberships at. The blue parts of the State are nearer to the population centers.

This. The cold, heartless, lack of empathy displayed by so many here simply because the people live in a state they despise was predictable.

My Company was bought out by another, and they came in like gang busters telling us how they plan on expanding, wanting to grow us more it was awesome!!!! Then they got a clue and thought since they had operations on the east coast and west coast, they didn't need to have a company in the " middle of the country" direct quote by the president of operations. He was a true idiot. Though I was able to get a job with a sister company that they sold back to the original owner and kept my seniority. Some employees went back to the new owner's headquarters. they reported back that they had lost a major account worth 100 million a year. It was my acct. that when I 1st started 31yrs ago and was only worth $500,000 a year. I grew the product from day 1. I was so happy to hear that they screwed it up after my boss and I warned them of their mistake that this kind of move wouldn't work. They lost the account in less than 1 yr! I have kept in touch with several of my core friends from the original company. Some had families and were not as lucky as me ... they lost everything Some ended up in divorce. Their kids fell into the drug scene turned to crime. I feel so bad for them. I'm sure most of that may not be caused by loss of a job, but we were making bank with plenty of OT everyone was doing well. I'm hoping to retire in a few yrs with my current company fingers crossed. In Short LOL.... Most companies that move probably really don't or want to know the impact or toll it puts on employees who end up losing jobs. It just proves the point Profits above all!!!

Cities

He's retired with an honorary title and one way ticket out the door. All that's left for him is a move to Florida or the Carolinas and life with expats from the NYC area. The new guy in charge is probably doing this so they have room for new plastic injection molding machines so unskilled labor and one computer programmer can run the show and pump out a new product line on the cheap.

Business friendly state, NC

It’s apparent who has the real State Derangement Syndrome.

Move where you please, ‘Murica.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

Can't blame Henry for wanting to move the company to a state where the company's products are welcome. Not sure if Wisconsin is the place I would move to but at least it is better than New Jersey.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

If these corporations will come and look at Texas I believe they may like what they see. Most of the liberal idiots are ensconced in Austin( the capital). But we have a good governor and a junkyard dog AG. Plus if a company will move to the oilfields of West Texas- we have manufacturing on a scale that is not to be believed. Just look out for Cuban drivers.

It’s naive to think companies don’t know what impact , their moving or closing has. They absolutely know. And they absolutely don’t care.

Why all the hate for NJ? It's a republic and they're part of it. The inhabitants that live there are real people trying to make a living.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Not the first time they moved. They had the only NYC firearms manufacturing location.

John Jovino Gun Shop - Wikipedia.

Ruger has a plant in NC. I guess they found capable workers here, eh?

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

To add. Their customer service center is now in Prescott, AZ.

Training. You can do that effectively. If Boeing can find enough employees to train in SC to build aircraft, then any company should be able to train a work force. If the work force doesn't exist people can move there for the jobs. Happens every day.

I'm not saying everyone that worked for Henry in NJ needs to move to WI. I'm saying that maybe they need to consider their employment options. I moved from AZ to WA for a job. It isn't that difficult.

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That's just somebody talkin.

Actually for some people it is VERY difficult. Spouse has a career. Kids in school. Family. Perhaps an elderly family member you care for. Bad time to sell your house. Perhaps you own several houses. There are tons of reasons people can not relocate.

I live just a few miles from the new S&W HQ. I’ve been here in ET since 1951 and love the states. Our cost of living is low, quality of living high, no state income tax and it beautiful here. TN has Smith just a few miles from my home, Beretta in Gallatin near Nashville and Barrett here as well. The old Storm Lake barrel mfg is now owned by another company and is located in the county I live in.

Just a few miles away the DOE manufactures nuclear warheads employing the finest machinists anywhere. Also in the region we have a large German company who manufactures Formula 1 pistons, heads and also components for Porsche engines. No lack of skilled machining here. We also have the US distribution for Glock. Although not gun related we have one of the world’s largest super computing centers in construction near Memphis, the xAI super computing center. We also have the second fastest research computer in the world here in East TN.

Our politics is very conservative and pro 2A. We have a very skilled workforce and great people that want to fill those positions.

It’s been difficult overcoming the hillbilly image but we now have shoes, inside toilets and no longer marry our sisters.

38Superman, my son has lived in Winchester TN (south of Nashville) for a little over a yr. Him and my DIL love it. He’s bounced around a lot with work and says he thinks he likes TN better than Texas. He says it has all the same benefits as Texas without the heat.

I agree with getting out of New Jersey, but I would have stayed on the East Coast. NC, SC or GA. Wisconsin has 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad skiing

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

It does stink that the house, senate, and high potentate were able to do some late night hocus-pocus here, and make simple, accurate sporting rifles illegal to purchase or sell here on the grand prairie...

and yes, I do have to transport mine to the shooting range on the farm, disgusting....

but I have renewed my love affair with Smith and Wesson revolvers, so some good may have come out of it...

Hopefully at some point the US Supreme Court will take up the case and flush this mess down the toilet where it belongs, but they don't seem anxious to help their fellow citizens continue to exercise their rights.

I was in Nashville Tuesday. That city is amazing! I go over several times a year on business and to visit my son and have been going over regularly since the mid 60’s. I can not believe how it’s growing. Every time I go over, there’s another huge building downtown and the city keeps expanding to the east. I think it was Oracle that just relocated to Nashville and many other corporations are moving in. I have to say Governor Lee and our legislature are doing a great job in expanding the states business.

I don't know about Texas. I left Dallas because the taxes were eating my lunch - I wrote a $15,000 dollar check for property taxes on my Dallas house the last time in 2020. As a retiree I could not afford that. The democrat mayor fired the chief of police because he was doing a great job.

Maybe your experience is better but mine isn't.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

New York got some kind of exit tax through the legislature a year or two ago I thought.
Maybe it didn’t happen.