Posted on 01/17/2012 7:20:07 PM PST by smokingfrog
Firearms manufacturers looking for a favorable, pro-gun political climate are moving to Montana. The Flathead Valley in the northwest corner of the state has had a steady gun manufacturing industry for decades, and it's now looking to expand. Despite 10 percent unemployment in the area, gun industry jobs have increased during the economic downturn. Manufacturers now say they can't find enough trained machinists for all the jobs they have to offer.
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.
The firearms industry is booming in Montana. Throughout the economic downturn, the state's gun manufacturers have added jobs. Part of the reason is a pro-gun political climate.
As Montana Public Radio's Katrin Frye reports, gun makers say they'd be hiring even more if they could find the right workers.
KATRIN FRYE, BYLINE: Montana Rifleman produces 1,000 rifle barrels per day in its Flathead Valley shop in northwest Montana. It sells the barrels to gun manufacturers like Remington and Winchester. President Brian Sipe founded the company more than two decades ago.
BRIAN SIPE: I started with $200. My father-in-law had a dairy farm up on Whitefish Stage. And I cleaned out the milk house and started gun-smithing and making barrels in that milk house.
FRYE: In the late 1990s, he expanded his business and created another company selling custom rifles to consumers. The two companies combined employ about 100 people. With the unemployment rate here stubbornly hovering around 10 percent, Sipe says there are plenty of workers, but he still struggles to fill certain jobs.
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
They have .300 Blackout barrels for your AR-15.
“Guns Boom In Montana” (patting self on back for cleverness)
Trucks, tractors, guns and chainsaws. And a cheap energy supply.
What else could a country boy need?
3 cheers for Montana!
To prove they were “fair and balanced” NPR followed the report with a five hour special promoting gun control.
Ya know, there’s a couple guys coming out with 300 saum & 300 wsm on AR platforms.
As I’ve remarked in other threads on FR, there’s tons of jobs available in the dirty trades. Machining here, but also welding, pipefitting, electrical work, mine/gasfield/oilfield support, drilling, you name it.
Somehow, some way, people are going to realize that there are jobs in the US economy. They’re just not going to be in posh addresses in NYC, and the highly over-rated BA in liberal arts ain’t going to mean jack for these jobs.
Beer?
.300 AAC Blackout looks like the bee’s knees to me. Just a barrel change-out and you’re shooting a .30 cal.
Plus, it’s got the Advanced Armament Corp. name behind it.
Daniel Defense, Spikes Tactical, Noveske and others have also jumped on the band wagon.
I keep seeing it mentioned, but never checked one out. We have a bunch or Ar’s; hunt caribou with them off snowmachines; 2 point team slings make it nice; why I now hunt with ar’s. I have a 6.8 & 338 fed and several 556’s. After seeing the 300 saum & wsm; I’m lookin. What’s the 300 AAC Blackout leaving the barrel at? My 30-378 with 168 grain & 107 grains RL-22 is around 3700.
Barrel | Cartridge | Velocity | Energy |
---|---|---|---|
9 in (230 mm) barrel | 300 AAC Blackout, 115 gr UMC | 2,120 ft/s (650 m/s) | 1,136 ft·lbf (1,540 J) |
16 in (410 mm) barrel | 300 AAC Blackout, 115 gr UMC | 2,295 ft/s (700 m/s) | 1,344 ft·lbf (1,822 J) |
9 in (230 mm) barrel | 300 AAC Blackout, 125 gr OTM | 2,030 ft/s (620 m/s) | 1,143 ft·lbf (1,550 J) |
16 in (410 mm) barrel | 300 AAC Blackout, 125 gr OTM | 2,215 ft/s (675 m/s) | 1,360 ft·lbf (1,840 J) |
The 220 gr. subsonic round has a velocity of around 1,100 fps or less. |
What really had me scratching my head was a while back [a year and a half, maybe 2 years?] Henry Repeating Arms moved out of their Brooklyn NY digs.
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Across the river into
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[wait for it]
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New Jersey!
Ummm...OK, that makes sense. Not.
Some things are so obvious as to be overlooked! I’ll drink a cold one to ya, FRiend.
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