Montana Governor Courts Colorado Gun Makers After New Firearm Ban

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has a message for Colorado gun manufacturers: there’s a place to the north where your business is not just tolerated, but downright celebrated.

After Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis signed S.B. 25-003, one of the strictest gun control laws in the country, Gianforte wasted no time launching a video campaign inviting firearm makers to move shop to Montana. The new Colorado law, set to take effect in August 2026, bans the manufacture, sale, or purchase of most semi-automatic firearms that accept detachable magazines—including the ever-controversial AR-15 and AK-47 rifles. Tactical shotguns and select handguns are caught in the net, too.

Gianforte’s pitch? "Do you want to move back to America?" Not exactly subtle, but subtlety isn’t the governor’s brand. He argues the new law is a direct violation of the Second Amendment. "The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," he says, calling the bill an attack on firearms used for both sport and self-defense.

Under Gianforte’s leadership, Montana has doubled down on gun rights. The state now has constitutional carry laws and prohibits law enforcement from enforcing any federal firearm regulations that Montanans believe infringe on their rights. Montana even took aim at those trendy ESG (environmental, social, governance) standards, blocking banks from using them as a reason to snub gun businesses.

But it’s not just about gun rights. Gianforte is dangling Montana’s low taxes and pro-business vibe to sweeten the deal. He claims he personally cold-called six Colorado firearms companies after the bill was announced, and five have already agreed to visit Montana. Apparently, the Colorado exodus is more than just talk.

The governor’s recruitment drive extends beyond phone calls. Montana officials regularly attend what Gianforte boasts is the world’s largest gun trade show, wrangling multiple leads on manufacturers considering a move. Last year, they left with about ten solid prospects. This year, that number is closer to thirty.

Gianforte isn’t shy about Montana’s growing clout in the industry. "We have more firearms and ammunition manufacturers today than any other state in the country per capita," he says proudly. Montana, it seems, is ready to roll out the welcome mat for any gunmaker feeling squeezed by Colorado’s new restrictions.

Meanwhile, Colorado’s Governor Polis has yet to respond to the recruitment campaign. Something tells me his phone isn’t ringing off the hook with thank-yous from the gun industry.