Reporting Focus: Guns and Economics

The owner of the Remington Arms factory in upstate New York has finally made a statement about the state's strict gun control laws, calling them unconstitutional, nearly four months after their enactment.

On Tuesday a message was posted on the company's Facebook page that states while the gun maker is not happy with the New York SAFE Act, the company will not abandon its workers.

"While we are unhappy with the misguided acts of our elected politicians, Remington will not run or abandon its loyal and hard working 1,300 employees without considerable thought and deliberation," the company writes.

A pledge of new investment from its parent company and news of a newly secured military contract have workers at Remington Arms a little more optimistic their jobs will be staying in upstate New York.

Fears that Remington would uproot the factory that's been located in the Mohawk Valley for nearly 200 years heightened over recent months when at least five states invited the gun maker to relocate following New York state's passage of new gun control measures in January.

For 14 years, Harry Jacobs has spent just about every weekend at a gun show, signing up members for the National Rifle Association.

That’s a pretty easy job these days.

With the debate over gun control raging across the country following December’s deadly shooting of 26 people at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., many firearm owners are lining up to join the NRA.

In collaboration with WNYC/New York Public Radio, the Innovation Trail has researched and produced a series of programs on the economics of gun manufacturing and retail in New York state.