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The day after gun control supporters [falsely] claimed that the passage of an “assault weapon” and “high-capacity magazine” ban and increased concealed carry requirements reduced firearms-related crime in Maryland, Italian gunmaker Beretta announced that it’s moving all of its manufacturing out of Maryland and into Tennessee. GM Jeff Cooper left no doubt that The Free State’s post-Newtown push for civilian disarmament (a.k.a., Bill SB281) triggered the move . . .

During the legislative session in Maryland that resulted in passage of the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, the version of the statute that passed the Maryland Senate would have prohibited Beretta U.S.A. from being able to manufacture, store or even import into the State products that we sell to customers throughout the United States and around the world. While we were able in the Maryland House of Delegates to reverse some of those obstructive provisions the possibility that such restrictions might be reinstated in the future leaves us very worried about the wisdom of maintaining a firearm manufacturing factory in the State.

As someone famous once said, elections have consequences. The bifurcation of America continues apace.

Full Press Release:

Beretta U.S.A. Corp., located in Accokeek, Maryland, announced today that it has decided to move its manufacturing capabilities from its existing location to a new production facility that it is building in Gallatin, Tennessee.  The Gallatin facility is scheduled to be opened in mid-2015.  Beretta U.S.A. had previously planned to use the new Gallatin, Tennessee facility for new machinery and production of new products only.

“During the legislative session in Maryland that resulted in passage of the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, the version of the statute that passed the Maryland Senate would have prohibited Beretta U.S.A. from being able to manufacture, store or even import into the State products that we sell to customers throughout the United States and around the world.  While we were able in the Maryland House of Delegates to reverse some of those obstructive provisions, the possibility that such restrictions might be reinstated in the future leaves us very worried about the wisdom of maintaining a firearm manufacturing factory in the State,” stated Jeff Cooper, General Manager for Beretta U.S.A. Corp.

“While we had originally planned to use the Tennessee facility for new equipment and for production of new product lines only, we have decided that it is more prudent from the point of view of our future welfare to move the Maryland production lines in their entirety to the new Tennessee facility,” Cooper added.

The transition of production from Beretta U.S.A.’s Maryland facility to the Tennessee facility will not occur until 2015 and will be managed so as not to disrupt deliveries to Beretta customers.  Beretta U.S.A.’s production of the U.S. Armed Forces M9 9mm pistol will continue at the Accokeek, Maryland facility until all current orders from the U.S. Armed Forces have been filled.

“We have not yet begun groundbreaking on the Tennessee facility and we do not anticipate that that building will be completed until the middle part of 2015,” continued Cooper.  “That timing, combined with our need to plan an orderly transition of production from one facility to the other so that our delivery obligations to customers are not disrupted, means that no Beretta U.S.A. Maryland employee will be impacted by this news for many months.  More importantly, we will use this time to meet with every Beretta U.S.A. employee whose Maryland job might be affected by the move to discuss with them their interest in taking a position at our new facility in Tennessee or, if they are not willing to do so, to lay out a long-term strategy for remaining with the Company while our production in Maryland continues.”

Beretta U.S.A. anticipates that the Gallatin, Tennessee facility will involve $45 million of investment in building and equipment and the employment of around 300 employees during the next five years.

Beretta U.S.A. has no plans to relocate its office, administrative and executive support functions from its Accokeek, Maryland facility.

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122 COMMENTS

      • If you look at the people leaving Texas, it looks like most are going to either other military base states (CA, FL, WA, CO, MD, VA) or energy states (LA, OK).

        Not real surprising since Air Force boot camp, Navy and USAF flight training, Navy and USAF Military Police and Corpsman training, and two of the largest Army bases are there.

    • I understand Steve. I left there seven years ago after living all my life there. Grew up in Howard County. The deteoriation of Maryland into a statist cesspool hastened my departure. Maryland is a beautiful state marred only by its Democrat administration. Martin O’Mally has certainly ruined Maryland but what do you expect from a state that taxes the rain!

      • How many children have any gun restricting law saved? A few perhaps I will admit. How many children will die as a result from their parents who are law-abiding not being able to defend them because they couldn’t have a gun, a lot more than a few.

        How many people will then be violently attacked, raped, robbed? Again a thousand fold more than any child ever killed by a mass shooter.

    • We don’t need those jobs. The gubernia of Maryland will decide what jobs we need for glorious future! The free market is a lie, weakness is strength!

      … F*** Maryland. I’m here right now. Its creepy as heck. I swear, this place looks exactly like a slightly greener Texas. Rural as heck. How could a place like this be a progressive paradise? There’s is a weird disconnect, like the government doesn’t actually represent the people.

      • Because all the folks in the rural majority of MD don’t outnumber the parasites in 4 counties and Baltimore City.

        • Exactly right, unfortunately. This is the trend in most of the larger blue states, NY etc.

        • YUP! And it’s a shame the good country folk don’t FLOCK to the polls instead of whining about secession. With very little individual effort they could completely overwhelm the welfare suckers and limousine liberals in the four ghettos and Bawlmer in the General Election this Fall. But it’s easier to bitch and do nothing.

          Remember: YOU GET THE GOVERNMENT YOU DESERVE.

        • Exactly. 8 counties in PA determine the state’s future as does the NYC metro area. If you slice off these areas these states look remarkably like middle America.
          Of course they claim to pay all the bills and that is probably true. But at what cost?

        • Which would be why the electoral college needs to consist of one elector for each county or county equivalent (about 3400-ish, last count.) whose vote is tied to the outcome of the popular vote in their jurisdiction. Time for steaming mounds of blue filth to no longer be able to wag the dog.

      • I left 14 years ago – it was a Libtard haven then, and has only gotten MUCH worse since.

        The gov’t DOES represent the feeling of most of the progs.

  6. This is awesome. They could have kept quiet and done it when possible, since that is over a year away, but, instead, they make it absolutely obvious that the government has thrown jobs and taxes away, along, I bet, with a bunch of taxpayers who will move to TN to keep their jobs. And end up WAY happier.

  7. I lived for 3 decades in Maryland … I will visit friends there now but will never move back.

      • Who do you think you are kidding? Maryland does not recognize any other states concealed carry permit. Learn the Law, or are you one of the ones who was able to move? I can’t get my handgun until we can move out of Md.

        • Did you see me add j/k? No.

          The “Tunnel Rats” use license plate readers and automation to identify and harass non-locals they don’t like. And locals they don’t like. Like the poor slob from Florida not too long ago.

      • LOL … temporary Maryland CC permit … that’s a good one …

        I actually do know one person who lives in Maryland that has a genuine state of Maryland concealed carry permit. It’s because he’s a business owner. He can basically carry concealed when he’s doing business activities.

        My conclusion is that essentially, Maryland cares more about business owners protecting their money than it cares about parents protecting their children (or women protecting their bodies, or basically anyone protecting their lives).

        • I know someone in the same boat. People with specific threats against their lives have a harder time getting a permit than someone who owns a business.

        • Can’t tax dead evil capitalist pigs oppressors of the proletariat yadda yadda yadda. See also jizyah

  8. This seems like a mixed victory in a way. It is good because Beretta is putting their money where their mouth is and taking the jobs away from a state that doesn’t respect what they do. But at the same time, it adds fuel to the antis’ fire, in that they will be like “Look, we passed laws and the evil gun makers had to leave!!!”

    • That claim will backfire. Most people are far more concerned about jobs than about gun control

    • If the elected representatives and their constituents of a given state are dense enough to cheer the flight of an industry heavyweight (in a time when said industry is experiencing above-average growth and profit), I see nothing wrong with allowing them to make that particular bed.
      Eventually, we’ll have disarmed, anti-A states and firearm-producing, pro-A ones. I can live with that, and the anti states will have to as well.

      • More like disarmed, bankrupt anti-2A states, IMO. Maryland is headed that way fast. And the Feds can’t move enough Government jobs here to make up the difference.

  9. Good for Beretta. Sorry about the lost jobs. Hey my son lives in Maryland. Maybe these folks can get gubmint jobs like my son. Yep-elections have consequences. I guess I’ll have to buy a Beretta now…

  10. This is great news for TN and a great message from Beretta to other gun and gun-related manufacturers in blue states. However, as a very pro 2 amendment and captive Maryland resident (job, house underwater), it won’t make a difference to the Maryland Dimocrats and libtards including O’Malley.

    Maryland has the highest per capita income in the country, and that’s largely due to the huge amount of federal dollars pouring into the state for federal agencies and jobs located here, federal contractors, federal funded bio research, one of the biggest military installations on the east coast (NSA) etc. The loss of Beretta and the 300 jobs means nothing to the Maryland gun grabbers. In fact, their attitude is good riddance. They see this as win.

  11. “Beretta U.S.A. has no plans to relocate its office, administrative and executive support functions from its Accokeek, Maryland facility.”

    So they’re going to continue to feed MD’s tax base…

    • That’s what I was wondering. Are taxes paid based on where production takes place, or based on where a company headquarters? I think it’s the latter, explaining why Delaware houses so many corporations.

      • Delaware doesn’t actually “house” many corporations. Many companies are organized under the Delaware corporation law — not the Delaware tax law — because it is very favorable to business organizations.

        • Delaware treats companies like citizens and takes a small percentage of IPOs. There are a number of reasons why over 200000 companies are incorporated there. Nevada is trying to lure them with the same deals but DE is still tops.

        • One of the reasons why DE still has the draw for incorporation over NV and WY is that DE has a chancery court, which the other states lack.

    • So the two dozen or so people left will move out of the plant (which will be abandoned and/or used to house illegal immigrants) and into a storefront in Waldorf. Just watch.

    • honestly, in a way, this is a good thing, because it may still give them a reason to speak up in MD. they’ve been a strong 2nd Amendment advocate here, and it’s a shame to lose that (although understandable)

  12. Maryland is trying everything is can to be worst in the nation in job creation, and freedom. And, succeeding.

    • You’ll get your money back when you decide to sell all your other pistols after shooting the 92.

      • I know someone who went through not less than FIVE jam-a-matic 1911s who saw me never having a malf with my Beretta 92. He finally bought one.

        And had the same trouble-free shooting, until…

        What soured him on the Beretta was when both of our firing pins broke (in different ways, no less) and it took hours of effort to get at them and replace them, then reassemble the gun. The AGI video on the Beretta, by the way, covers the Taurus clone with the frame mounted cock-and-lock safety (actually a better idea IMHO) and was worthless for this.

        • First I’ve heard of any problem with firing pins breaking. I suppose no gun is immune to a breakage, but the army tests were no joke, and the 92 outperformed everything out at the time (yes Sig did pretty good too). They don’t jam. I asked a friend of mine who spent 26 years in the army and spent some time as armorer and he said the only time he ever saw an M9 jam was once when a casing got stuck in the chamber and had to be driven out with a screwdriver (bad case not a bad gun).

          Personally I prefer the slide mount safety but to each his own. It’s easy enough to reach when you want to but out of the way when you don’t. I don’t want to have to be concerned with holding the safety down so it doesn’t engage under recoil like the 1911 guys.

        • “They don’t jam.”

          Exactly. I’d unhesitatingly take one over a 1911 if the feces were about to go ballistic. Just to be clear on that.

          I’ve seen too many 1911s jam up, oftentimes within minutes of their owners bragging about how they have never had any “issues” with them. (Makes me wonder how many of them think the occasional feed ramp jam is just normal and not considered an issue. “That word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” And I wonder how many of them continue to insist their precious baby has been “flawless” after that happens. The upshot: When I see that claim, I just smile and think to myself, “sure, if you say so.”)

          Even with my firing pin broken, mine worked. I didn’t realize there was a problem and that it was abnormal for the pin to, due to gravity, poke out of the breechface when the gun was pointed downwards. I don’t remember what happened with my friend’s but it made the gun inop.

          I switched to the CZ-75 (safety version, not decocker) because I decided I did not want a DA first shot any more. It has been *almost* as reliable as the Beretta was. It has so far choked three times on my filthy-powder reloads after lots of shooting, and twice on that nylon jacketed Herter’s aluminum cased stuff. It’s possible my compact would be more reliable than my full size under those circumstances. As for having to hold the safety down… I didn’t even realize 1911 guys do that. My CZ’s safety is similarly placed and it has never done that. Maybe those 1911 guys should all switch to CZ-97s (if they really just gotta have the .45) and learn what “no issues” actually means.

        • Never had a chance to try out a CZ but I’ve always heard good things about them. One thing I like about the 92 is the balance. The locking block allows for the lighter open slide and that places the center of gravity back toward the grip. It just points more naturally than other full size pistols I’ve tried.

          I’ve mostly moved on to revolvers because they offer a whole new level of accuracy and range.

  15. Have kin that still live in Maryland. They love to come South. I keep inviting them to sell their highly appreciated real estate and move south for a much larger place for less money and if TN, FL, or TX, no state income tax and some other burdensome taxes.

    Congratulations to Beretta at making a wise decision. Maryland may even try to declare Berettas illegal in the near future.

  16. Hm, certainly makes Beretta worth looking at.
    Hopefully this helps kick Brown to the curb but with this state who knows.
    Another fortune 500 company gone.
    or mostly gone. One wonders why they left their main office here, unless it’s to be close to DC.

    • “Executive support” in the DC area is Wall Street speak for “Federal Marketing.” Probably out of a storefront.

  19. Leave it to Beretta to move to a state just out of my reach for a tour or anything for my b-day.

  21. They need to be in Maryland to sell and market to the federal agencies. Otherwise they would probably pull out.

  23. Ouch!!!

    Enjoy losing that revenue, Maryland! Feel the burn, baby! Just remember, for every action, there’s a reaction 🙂

    I do believe that I will be adding a Beretta to my stable. I also believe I will NOT be visiting Maryland anytime soon.

  24. Jeff Cooper? How funny is that….guess Maryland must not have known who they were dealing with LOL.

  25. Any coincidence army announced they were going to go to a new gun to replace M9? Think about it. Have to attack Beretta’s reputation to take the shine off the new penny and then use that to argue about why they are leaving

  26. Good for Beretta. I’d love to buy a Beretta shotgun, but I’ve got all these dang bills I’ve got to take care of first.

  29. Hell yes keep em coming south! I’m gonna have to go buy a Beretta to show my support!

  30. My son’s job is very safe jus bill…he speaks Arabic and ( supposedly) fights terrorism at DOD. And he told me his job was safe. He’s also happy with Maryland & the awful laws. He’s about to turn 40 so I tend to not interfere with his life. There’s a weird government bubble when you live there.

      • Yeah maybe you’re right…he could always sell used cars on Devon Ave. in Chicago with his language skills..or run for PRESIDENT.

  31. Looks like I will be buying the boy an A400 Explore Light for the 1st day of rabbit season this year.

  32. I love it! It also looks like they are talking with their employees about potential relocation to TN, even better, leaves no one for the crooks… erm… I mean duly elected public servants to parade around saying “those selfish gun nuts shipped your jobs off to another state.” Unless you enjoy terrible weather and generally un-friendly people, I fail to see why you wouldn’t want to head to Tennessee, one of the few truly beautiful parts of this country. An added bonus will be the “pay raise” from moving to somewhere with lower taxes and cost of living.

  35. Personally, I like seeing blue states lose their firearms manufacturing capacity to free states. Who knows where this tyranny thing will take us, but in the end, winning our freedom may come down to which side has a better supply chain.

  36. What does at least one person in MD have to say about this? Let’s surf over to the Baltimore Sun’s website, and check out the comments under this story!

    Tweezer25
    Rank 546

    I don’t think you can place blame on O’Malley too much entirely. Everyone hems & haws about gun violence and when something is done about it, people are complaining about something like this. I think their reason of moving is more to it than what they’re saying-they wouldn’t do it unless it was a good business decision-and there is more to that than this particular gun law. It sucks seeing any jobs leave Md, but hopefully this creates an opportunity for another company to come into that space to replace them. 160 jobs doesn’t even move the needle compared to the violence that is ongoing.

    Check out the other comments here:
    http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bs-md-beretta-moving-20140722,0,6922810.story

    • Of course that’s in the Bawlteemoron Sun. The commenter is probably a Freshman PoliSci major at UMBC.

  38. When chicago crime goes down after concealed carry is allowed, it’s unrelated and just momentum from other downward crime trends. Yet when they pass a gun control bill during a downward crime trend, it’s clearly the cause of the trend.
    And yet when people promote gun control they say that we live in more violent times than ever before, which could not be possibly more incorrect when looking at actual crime statistics… Sickening.

  41. Every thug in Baltimore that can afford street price for a gun is carrying.

    Good thing they have effectively eliminated lawful concealed carry. Wouldn’t want law abiding citizens defending themselves – they ought to be “spreading the wealth around”.

  43. Good for them. Unfortunately the Statist pols will see this as a win as it will mean more former workers on the government tit.

  44. Boss, I would not leave Maryland with so much as a post office box to claim that Beretta is still there. I would even take the used thumb tacks as well.

    Addendum: Neither would I allow any weapon manufactured by Beretta to be purchased, serviced, repaired or replaced for anyone who works for any State govt. agency or any government agency within the State of Maryland.

  45. I had told Beretta that I would buy a 455 series double rifle if they left Maryland. Since the 455 has been discontinued, I will buy an SSO6 EELL in 458 Winchester by the time they are ready to start operations in Tennessee. Thank you, Beretta! Well done!

  46. What a strange state. The only one, I think, to have been a slave state in the 19th century and again in the 21st. Even New Jersey can’t claim that.

  47. The politicians in Maryland don’t give a shit what Beretta does. Remember, for liberals, it is all about the idea, not about results. If it looks good and feels good, that is all that matters. The constitution only matters when they say it does.

  48. Notice how Beretta is unwilling to move management personnel from Maryland to Tennessee. Just like Magpul didn’t want to move to its management personnel to their new manufacturing site in Texas. The cities where these new manufacturing plants will be built are not attractive to white collar personnel. Just sayin…

    • Yes, this strikes me as a hollow and hypocritical statement by Beretta executives. They’re so upset by MD laws they’re making a few factory drones choose between their job and uprooting their families. Notice the executives don’t need to sell homes, their children don’t need to change schools and their spouses won’t need to find new jobs. Besides, I’m sure Beretta employees with government connections have no problem getting gun permits or affording private security. So, the new restrictions won’t have any meaningful impact on their personal security.

      I’ll risk making an a** of myself and assume they probably already planned to shut the MD factories to trim production costs anyway. They make the announcement 6 months ahead of time and get some free press and perhaps some sympathy sales.

      • Welp, rather then rake them over their imputed motives as a good little jackwagon of the left would do, keep your eye on the results. The manufacturing is didimauing.

  49. “Born on a mountain top in Tennessee
    Greenest state in the Land of the Free
    Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree
    Kilt him a b’ar when he was only three.
    Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier!”

    • Was a .45 fanboy on active duty, but when we got the M9’s my guys got a lot better at hitting stuff. Always felt that was a function mostly of the sights (service 1911 sights sucked). But hey, we were tankers, if we’re slapping leather/ripstop something has gone way beyond snafu level.

      • Seeing how some of my officers shot at our last M9 range, I shudder to think how they could handle a .45.

  51. “The bi-furcation of America continues.”

    As I remember it, the last time America was bi-furcated, one of the biggest reasons the South lost was because all the good cannon foundries were in the North. Now the North is running all the gun makers South….

  52. Uhh RF Maryland is called The Old Line State… and the antigun bullsh1t is mainly the big towns out in the mountains that opinion changes.

    • I hate to break this to you, but Maryland is also called “The Free State.” That name predates the “Old Line State” nickname by a long shot. The state was founded by escaping Catholics who desired freedom from England and the King’s Church there. Hence the “Free State” nickname. Their ghosts weep in bitter disappointment and frustration nightly these days, mourning their wasted sacrifices.

      The “Old Line” refers to the Mason-Dixon Line, which forms the northern border of the state. That nickname came into vogue just prior to the Civil War. See also “Baltimore Draft Riots.”

  53. Hot Dang, My hometown, the site where their breaking ground is less than 5 minutes from my house.

  54. When, and if, the poop ever hits the fan. I find it interesting that all the arms manufactures will be located in the south instead of the north this time. History has a way of turning itself around.

  56. It’s a good move. Slowly but surely the disease that calls itself DC-Maryland-New Jersey-New York-Connecticut-Massachusetts is being quarantined. I wish all of the firearms manufacturers and importers would move to the South, to Texas (different from the South), and Montana. There should be “special pricing” for the five states (and one city) in the Quarantine Zone. Nothing except for single-shot rifles and pistols should be sold to stores in those states (and one city.) The prices should be doubled too, just for them.

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