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The Connecticut Valley's oldest and most historically significant industry, the firearms manufacturing industry, is undergoing a tentative recovery after experiencing a downturn in business in the 1980s. The industry's problems can be traced to marketing mistakes, overproduction, and a shift in consumer tastes towards product lines characterized by significant market penetration by foreign competitors. The restructuring of many companies produced smaller, more productive firms. Representatives of the manufacturers claim that the industry has not been hurt by the gun control movement, but gun manufacturers remain concerned that gun control will further depress their business. Connecticut Valley's gun manufacturers are hoping to sell products targeted toward women and other groups that have not traditionally bought firearms. more...