(Photo Source: Paul Markel)

MagPul Industries has taken the socialists and cowards in the People’s Republic of Colorado to school. Since making good on their promise to leave the state after it’s recent anti-liberty campaign, MagPul landed a prestigious military contract.

Our SWAT Fuel Warrior of the Week has a question about slings for rifles. With all of the different makes, models and designs available, the decision of which sling to purchase can be more complicated than one might think.

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Topics Covered During This Episode:

• Warrior of the Week brought to you by SWAT Fuel: Rifle Slings Explained – Holster for a Long Gun
• Colorado Update: Marine Corps signs exclusive deal with Magpul, which left Colorado in protest of gun laws

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From popularmilitary.com:

An exclusive contract with the U.S. Marine Corps is just the latest success for Magpul Industries Corp. since it moved from Colorado to Cheyenne last year.

The U.S. Marine Corps has selected Magpul as the exclusive maker of ammunition magazines that Marines will use in combat.

Magpul is a private company that makes accessories for firearms, including magazines, grips, sights and slings. The company also recently started selling soft goods like hats, belts, shirts and gloves.

The operations, shipping and manufacturing portion of Magpul is based in Cheyenne, while its headquarters is located in Austin, Texas.

The Marine Corps selected Magpul’s GEN M3 PMAG series of magazines after several years of testing, according to a press release from Magpul. The magazines — which store and release ammunition — performed better than every other magazine in tests conducted at government facilities, based on information from Magpul.

They “easily surpassed” other magazines in durability and being able to withstand various temperatures.

“This is great news to everyone at Magpul, and it validates years of hard work by our entire team, perfecting and producing the most reliable magazines in the world,” Duane Liptak said in the news release. He is the director of product management and marketing for Magpul Industries.

Liptak could not be reached Wednesday or Thursday at his office in Texas. Also, a call to the U.S. Marine Corps about the criteria for selection was not returned Thursday.

Nephi Cole, a policy adviser with Gov. Matt Mead’s office, said the selection “is absolutely deserved. It is well-earned, and it reflects highly on the professionalism, integrity and quality of the men and women” who work there.

“Every product they make, they make with the understanding that a soldier’s life depends on it,” Cole said. “We could not be prouder to be the home of that company.”

Magpul opened its Cheyenne facility in January 2015 in a warehouse at the east Cheyenne Business Parkway off Interstate 80.

The company started with 102 employees, said Carey Ryerson, Magpul’s director of operations in Cheyenne. Now, 380 people work at the local plant, he said, noting a second shift has been added to help handle the demand.

Magpul originally was located in Erie, Colorado, but moved its manufacturing, distribution and shipping services to Cheyenne.

In 2013, Magpul leaders promised to leave Colorado if its state Legislature passed sweeping gun control laws. Company leaders lived up to their promise when the Colorado Legislature approved such measures, including a bill to limit magazines to 15 rounds.

Magpul leaders received invitations from many states to move there, including Alaska, Ryerson said. “We looked all over the United States.”

The company chose to locate in a warehouse building at 7201 Commerce Circle in the Cheyenne Business Parkway.

Wyoming was selected largely because of its cultural perspective and financial assistance.

“This state has been incredibly welcoming,” Ryerson said Thursday. Support came from Gov. Mead’s office, Cheyenne LEADS and the Business Council, and such support has never stopped, he said.

Wyoming residents have been friendly to the company, too, he said.

In Cheyenne, Magpul started operations in 70,000 square feet. Since July, it has been using a total of 185,000 square feet as a result of an expansion project.

“The assembly area has tripled in size,” Ryerson said.

A new conveyor system is located in the shipping area, and the company has added motion-sensitive LED lights throughout.

Magpul once shared warehouse space with Sierra Trading Post, until Sierra’s new expansion was completed, and then Magpul occupied the whole building.

Magpul’s workforce is made up of mostly of employees from Laramie County. Employees are “strong, proud and dedicated,” Ryerson said.

At its Colorado facility, Magpul experienced an employee turnover of about 15 percent per year. But in Cheyenne, the turnover in 2015 was 7.5 percent, far below the national average of 40 to 50 percent, he said.

The University of Wyoming’s Manufacturing Works program has been a great resource and help, as are the training classes offered through Laramie County Community College, he added.

Magpul has helped with several community-based projects as well, Ryerson said.

Cheyenne LEADS provided the building for Magpul with some of its own money and a grant from the Wyoming Business Council, some of which it is paying back.

“They’ve been great,” said Randy Bruns, president and chief executive officer of Cheyenne LEADS. “They’ve more than exceeded any commitment they made by triple. And they are just doing very well — excellent tenants.”

Magpul has made a substantial investment in expansion that amounts to the low seven figures, Ryerson said.

Company officials are happy they decided to come here, Ryerson said.

“We are not leaving Cheyenne. We’re staying,” he said.