US' Oldest Gunmaker Leaving a Blue State for a Red One

Remington began in the blue-collar village of Ilion two centuries ago, and generations have turned out rifles and shotguns at the massive firearms factory in the heart of New York's Mohawk Valley. Now, residents are bracing for Remington's exit, ending an era that began when Eliphalet Remington forged his first rifle barrel nearby in 1816. The US' oldest gunmaker is closing the factory in its original home next month, citing the steep cost of running the plant. Remington's recent history has been marked by a lawsuit after the Sandy Hook massacre and bankruptcy filings that led to new ownership of Ilion's plant, where the workforce has dwindled from about 1,300 workers more than a decade ago to around 300.

Remington is consolidating operations in Georgia, a state friendlier to the firearms industry, per the AP. The current owners of Remington Firearms, RemArms said that Georgia offered an environment that better "supports and welcomes the firearms industry." CEO Ken D'Arcy added that the industry was concerned about New York's "legislative environment." Remington isn't the first: Smith & Wesson opened its new Tennessee headquarters in October after being based in Springfield, Massachusetts, since 1852.

But the move stings for the village of 7,600 people, who face dramatic revenue loss and a vacant, sprawling factory. "When Remington leaves, it's ... going to be like part of your family has moved off," says Jim Conover, who started at Remington in 1964 packing guns and retired 40 years later. Ilion officials hope the Remington plant site can host a mix of manufacturing, retail, and residential units, but its fate remains unclear. It was listed for sale last month for $10 million. For some families, jobs there are practically a birthright. "My mom worked there. My dad worked there," says furnace operator and technician Frank "Rusty" Brown. "My wife works there with me now." So do his two daughters and son-in-law. "So it's a double hit for me and my wife: two of us out of a job." Much more here.

(More Remington stories.)