Montana gunmaker moves to West Valley City

A Montana-based gun-making company is relocating to West Valley City this month and plans to employ 125 workers when it reaches full production.

Butler Arms USA is setting up shop in 17,000-square-foot space at Metro Business Park, 2355 S. 1070 West.

Production will begin in November and the company will start filling sales, marketing and manufacturing positions then, according to Scott Smith, vice president of marketing. He said Butler Arms anticipates producing 1,500 guns its first year, then 2,500 the next year.

Butler Arms makes shotguns used for trap, skeet and sporting clay shooting. Its specialized competition guns sell in the $10,000 range. The company — which was based in Columbia Falls, with manufacturing done in nearby Whitefish — has a field/hunting gun in development and expects to begin manufacturing it next year, Smith said.

Jason Fogg, Butler Arms' chief operating officer, said in a written release that the decision to move from Montana was based on the wealth of gun-making expertise and the high-tech manufacturing base in Utah, among other factors.

The company is known for its Butler XX12 semi-automatic target shotgun, which is designed to reduce recoil and increase target accuracy. The XX12 technology is being used in the field version for hunters.

Keith Morey, West Valley's business development manager, said no financial incentives were used to bring Butler Arms to the city. The economic development department worked to make sure the company found a building that met its needs and helped it find temporary office space to use during the transition, he said.

pmanson@sltrib.com

Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC