Magpul to Give Away 1,500 PMAGs in Colorado Before Ban
OutdoorHub Reporters 06.28.13
Magpul Industries and Free Colorado are throwing one last party before Colorado’s strict new gun laws kick in on July 1, and the first 1,500 guests to arrive will get a free rifle magazine.
Colorado’s new laws would make Magpul’s signature product, the famed PMAG 5.56 NATO magazine for the M16 rifle and its civilian counterpart the AR-15, illegal to purchase. The new regulations include an expansion of background checks to private sales, requiring gun owners to foot the bill on these checks, and a 15-round limit on magazine capacity (HB 1224). As a manufacturer of 30-round magazines, Magpul had been at the forefront of fight against HB 1224 and accompanying legislation. When Governor John Hickenlooper signed the bills into law in March, the company confirmed that they will be leaving the state.
Magpul did not, however, give up on opposing the new laws. Shortly after the announcement of their exodus, Magpul started the “Boulder Airlift” campaign to supply as many Colorado customers as possible before moving. With the July 1 deadline approaching fast, Magpul has decided to speed up this process.
The “A Farewell to Arms” festival hosted by the non-profit Free Colorado organization is one last hurrah before the state’s new laws take effect. The festival will take place in Infinity Park Village in Glendale, Colorado on June 29. General admission is $5 but premium tickets ranging from $15 to $35 include discounted PMAGs with purchase. Magpul will also be gifting the first 1,500 people to arrive with a 30-round GEN M2 MOE PMAG. Known for their flair in showmanship, Magpul will be flying in the magazines on helicopters.
The festival will not be the last of Magpul’s efforts in Colorado. The proceeds from the festival’s PMAG and ticket sales will go towards legislative action to reverse Colorado’s looming gun laws. Last month Magpul joined 53 Colorado sheriffs and other plaintiffs in bringing a lawsuit against the gun control package, claiming that the laws are unconstitutional.
“If this suit can get a mag ban struck down as unconstitutional, the nation may see a ripple effect across other states who choose not to trust their citizens with their natural rights,” Magpul stated on their Facebook page. “That makes this fight worth fighting even more than just the implications for CO, which would have been enough to get us involved.”
The company has already begun production outside of Colorado but the future of Magpul’s headquarters is still up for speculation. Magpul expects to make a public announcement in late July.
