My Hometown Just Got a Lot Cooler: Kel-Tec Opens in Rock Springs
Growing up in Rock Springs, Wyoming, I never imagined I’d be writing about my hometown becoming a firearms manufacturing hub. But here we are—and honestly, I couldn’t be more excited about it.
Kel-Tec just fired up their new factory on Blairtown Road, and they’re cranking out 1,000 of their innovative PR57 pistols every week. For a kid who grew up watching the coal mines and oil rigs define the economy, seeing precision manufacturing move into a former energy facility feels pretty special.
Why Wyoming? The Executives Spell It Out
What I love most about this story is how straight-up honest Kel-Tec’s leadership has been about why they chose Wyoming. Chris Williams, their plant operations manager, didn’t sugarcoat it when he told Cowboy State Daily: “At the time (2022), Florida was teetering purple. Wyoming is a solid red state, and it looks like it’s going to stay solid for decades to come.”
George Kellgren, the company’s founder and CEO, really nailed what makes Wyoming special: “The future of our company is tied to the future of the American free spirit. Wyoming has been a leading example of liberty and freedom for America, and it is right that we become part of it.”
That frontier spirit? Yeah, that’s the Wyoming I grew up in.
More Than Just Another Factory
What’s really cool is that Kel-Tec isn’t just setting up shop—they’re hiring locally and training everyone from scratch. Williams mentioned that “Everyone here is new to building firearms.” They’ve got 26 employees now and they’re looking to grow, which is fantastic news for Rock Springs families.
The company chose that 33,000-square-foot building that was originally built for oil and gas back in 2005. Seeing it get new life as a high-tech manufacturing facility feels like the perfect metaphor for how the town keeps evolving.
Wyoming’s Firearms Boom
Here’s what gets me really excited: Rock Springs isn’t alone in this. Wyoming has become the go-to destination for firearms companies looking for a business-friendly home. They’ve got Magpul, Weatherby up in Sheridan, HiViz, Stag Arms, Gunwerks—the list keeps growing.
These aren’t just random relocations either. These companies are specifically choosing Wyoming for the same reasons Kel-Tec did: the values, business environment, and frankly, the promise to stay that way for the long haul.
What They’re Making
The PR57 pistol they’re producing is pretty innovative too. Instead of the typical detachable magazines, it uses stripper clips—kind of a throwback design but engineered for modern self-defense. It’s chambered in 5.7x28mm, which gives you less recoil and better accuracy than traditional rounds. Classic Kel-Tec innovation.
Looking Forward
As someone who grew up watching Rock Springs weather boom and bust cycles in energy, seeing diversification into precision manufacturing feels like exactly what we needed. It’s jobs that can’t be easily shipped overseas, it’s high-tech work that builds real skills, and it’s happening in a building that might have otherwise sat empty.
Plus, let’s be honest—having a firearms manufacturer in your hometown in Wyoming just feels right. It’s like the perfect marriage of what we’ve always been about and where we’re heading.
Wyoming’s bet on being the most business-friendly, freedom-loving state in the union is paying off, and Rock Springs is right in the middle of it. Not bad for a little coal town in the high desert.