Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Tired of tough regulations, California gun shop moves to Nevada

A shotgun accessory shop recently moved its operations from Southern California to Nevada, citing the state's tough gun control laws, high cost of living and worsening traffic.

Mesa Tactical, which opened in 2003, has been operating out of its new Reno location since last week. The company left their Costa Mesa, Calif., space July 15.

Owner Mitch Barrie said he loves Costa Mesa, but stringent gun control laws have made doing business increasingly problematic.

"The California Legislature has been on a rampage with gun control laws," he said. "It's gotten increasingly difficult to do business in this climate."

Barrie recounted that in order to show how accessories look on a shotgun, both needed to be shipped to photographers in Arizona or Oregon where it could be assembled and photographed. On his way to trade shows out of state, Barrie packs the guns separate from folding stocks he's designed.

"Outside of California, I could just put the thing on," he said. "I always made sure I take it off (the firearm) before packing to come back."

Separately, both products are legal, but when attached, it can result in a felony charge.

Mesa Tactical marketing manager Zuly Rivera said the company wants to expand into offering rifle accessories, which would be too troublesome had they stayed in California.

"The (gun) laws here are a little more liberal," she said.

Recent mass shootings have intensified the gun control debate, with some calling for stricter measures against assault rifles. Barrie cited assault weapons laws that define the configurations of firearms.

"There are a lot of gun owners in California who just put up with it," Barrie said.

The company now operates out of a 10,000-square-foot space around 35 miles north of Lake Tahoe with six employees, who also made the move. At one point, the company had 15 employees, but harsh gun laws made doing business burdensome and some were let go, Rivera said.

They hope to hire more people.

Moving to Reno was better from a lifestyle and financial perspective for him and his employees, Barrie said.

Nicknamed the biggest little city in the world, the city was recently listed as the most affordable city for financially strapped singles.

"I'm an outdoorsy guy," he said, referring to the scenic mountains and miles of open space nearby. "I'm kind of paternalistic with my employees. I think they could probably be able to afford a home out here ... and the wages they make here are more here."

A Costa Mesa resident for nearly 30 years, Barrie said he hated to leave but had to do what's best for his business.

"I love Costa Mesa. If I could pick it up and drop it in Reno, I would," he said.

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