For the most part, you couldn’t pay me to live in the Northeast. No offense to those of you who live there, but it’s a deep blue corridor where pro-gun sentiment tends to be pounded into the pavement by larger urban areas. Yet New Hampshire seems to be something of an exception.

To start with, their state motto is, “Live free or die.” What’s not to love about that?

For another, they’re the little red island surrounded by blue. Plus, they like their guns up that way, having been permitless carry since 2017.

However, even if you don’t live there, you’ve got a reason to celebrate New Hampshire. They made more guns than anyone else in 2019.

Based on data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which analyzed five categories of firearm production (pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns and others), the report identified the states where most firearms are manufactured. In 2019, New Hampshire accounted for the most firearm production of any state, with 1.2 million guns, followed by Missouri, Florida, North Carolina and Mississippi. Those five states made up more than half of all licensed firearms produced in the country.

New Hampshire produced the most rifles, at nearly 328,000, and pistols, with more than 700,000, in 2019, while Florida manufactured the most revolvers: nearly 190,000. Texas produced the most shotguns, at about 191,000, while Mississippi followed closely behind with 188,000. The two states made up 79% of all shotgun production in 2019.

Not too shabby, folks. Not too shabby at all.

Of course, the article couldn’t help but mention mass shootings which have absolutely nothing at all to do with firearm manufacturing, but what do you expect from the American media? They have to try and undermine the gun industry everywhere they can. Heaven forbid that an industry produce products people want or anything.

It’s interesting how the firearm industry used to be so focused in the Northeast for ages, but since that region when die-hard anti-gun, the industry has left for friendlier climates. Only one of the top producing states is in the Northeast (New Hampshire) while the rest are scattered among the rest of pro-gun country.

Hell, arguably, the most anti-gun state on that list in North Carolina and that’s all because of a permit requirement to purchase a handgun. The rest of the state’s laws are fairly decent.

Now, let’s think about what that means from a financial standpoint.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume an average price per firearm of $500. Now, that’s not the average cost, but with that kind of money, you could get a rifle, a shotgun, or a handgun. It’s low for some items but not for others, yet it makes the math easier. The actual average is probably a fair bit higher.

The 1.2 million firearms made in New Hampshire represent $600 million in sales. That’s a hefty bit of economic impact. Much of that goes for salaries, utilities, and other things that benefit the state and local communities.

Texas with its 191,000 shotguns got a boost of about $95.5 million from just that firearm type. Florida got $95 million just for making revolvers.

That’s a huge economic boost for almost any state, and yet so many anti-gun states seem intent on running those industries out. Let’s remember that most firearm manufacturers were in the Northeast at one time. Back then, most industry was located there, so it was a logical place for them to set up shop.

While manufacturing spread out, gun companies didn’t need 50 facilities across the country. They stayed in place.

At least, they did until states like Massachusetts decided they were the devil.

Now, they’ve ventured out into the rest of the nation to find friendlier environments for their people. I don’t blame them. Yet let’s also note that while New Hampshire is in that same part of the nation, they didn’t turn on the firearm industry. As a result, they’re getting a nice economic boost from it.