Does American Made still MATTER? (ft. WatchTower Firearms)

State of the Second sits down with Jason, the CEO of Watchtower Firearms, to answer a simple question with a complicated answer: does American made still matter? Jason traces his path from small-town Moss Bluff, Louisiana, through the Marines and a recon battalion, to work in Washington on foreign military sales and the Pentagon, then an executive role at Raytheon. When what he calls the wokeness of corporate America crept in, he walked away and went looking for a way back into firearms. His research turned up a hard truth. Browning, Winchester, Colt and other names he grew up calling American had been sold off to European conglomerates. He saw sadness in that, and a business opportunity. That search led him to F1 Firearms in Spring, Texas, a maker of high-tolerance competition ARs running at about 10 percent capacity. Jason's group acquired the company last May and rebranded it Watchtower, named after Operation Watchtower, the World War II invasion of Guadalcanal. Every product carries a touch point in American history: serial numbers start at 1775, the Jedburgh suppressor honors OSS commandos, and the Apache double stack 1911 nods to Operation Apache Snow. Jason walks through what makes the Apache different, including a fully PVD-coated build, why everything is made in America, and a roadmap that runs from a full AR refresh to a fall bolt gun, then concealed carry. Brand ambassadors include Nick Johnson (PewView), Nina Johnson, Rob O'Neill and Mark D'Ambrosio. The back half turns to culture. Jason and hosts Kaylee and John argue the Second Amendment is fundamentally about stopping a tyrannical government, not hunting, and that a lack of education has let the anti-gun left erode gun culture. They cover blaming inanimate objects for crime, the role of mainstream media and Hollywood in pushing victimhood, and the growth of constitutional carry. Kaylee ties it back to college outreach through 2A Defenders and the 340-woman National Women's Range Day in Dallas. Jason closes on his goal: build something lasting for Americans, by Americans, and never sell off to a European conglomerate. The episode ends with a tour of the Watchtower factory floor philosophy and a lighter run through firearm-naming ideas. Linkswatchtowerfirearms.comQuestions this episode answers Who is Jason and how did he get into the firearms business after the Marines, the Pentagon, and Raytheon? Jason is the CEO of Watchtower Firearms. He grew up in Moss Bluff, Louisiana, served in the Marines and a recon battalion, then worked on foreign military sales and at the Pentagon before an executive role at Raytheon. He left over the wokeness he saw in corporate America and looked for a way back into firearms. How did Watchtower Firearms come about, and what company did it acquire and rebrand? Jason's group acquired F1 Firearms, a maker of high-tolerance competition ARs in Spring, Texas, last May while it was running at about 10 percent capacity. They rebranded it Watchtower. Where does the name Watchtower come from, and how does American history show up in the products? Watchtower is named after Operation Watchtower, the World War II invasion of Guadalcanal. Every product carries a touch point in American history, with serial numbers starting at 1775, the Jedburgh suppressor honoring OSS commandos, and the Apache double stack 1911 nodding to Operation Apache Snow. What makes the Apache double stack 1911 different, and why is it priced as a premium product? The Apache is a double stack 1911 built with a fully PVD-coated finish and made entirely in America, which Jason points to as what sets it apart and justifies its premium positioning. How much of a Watchtower firearm is made in house, and is anything sourced from overseas? Jason says every single thing Watchtower does is made in America, in house, with nothing sourced from overseas. Building domestically is central to the brand's identity and its pitch on why American made still matters. What is on Watchtower's product roadmap, including the bolt gun and concealed carry? Watchtower's roadmap runs from a full AR refresh to a fall bolt gun and then into concealed carry, alongside its move into 1911s like the Apache. Who are Watchtower's brand ambassadors? Watchtower's brand ambassadors include Nick Johnson of PewView, Nina Johnson, Rob O'Neill, and Mark D'Ambrosio. What do the hosts and Jason say the Second Amendment is really about? Jason and the hosts argue the Second Amendment is fundamentally about stopping a tyrannical government, not hunting, and that a lack of education has let the anti-gun left erode gun culture. They frame the right as constitutionally protected rather than government granted. Chapters 00:00 — Welcome and meeting Jason of Watchtower 00:33 — From Moss Bluff to the Marines, Pentagon, and Raytheon 02:14 — Great American gun names sold to European owners 03:24 — Finding and acquiring F1 Firearms 06:10 — Where the name Watchtower comes from 07:46 — The brand ambassadors 09:10 — Building the board and leadership team 11:23 — Reception of the rebrand from F1 13:50 — Diversifying into 1911s and a bolt gun 15:47 — The Apache, PVD coating, and pricing 20:08 — Made in America, in house 23:37 — Culture, the Second Amendment, and education 30:38 — Armed communities, the militia clause, and Billy the Kid 42:49 — Range days, new gun owners, and victimhood 49:53 — A lighter run through firearm-naming ideas 52:56 — Legacy, the factory floor, and your dollar as a vote About the guest Jason is the CEO of Watchtower Firearms. He grew up in Moss Bluff, Louisiana, served in the Marines and spent years in a recon battalion, then worked in Washington, D.C. on foreign military sales and at the Pentagon, where he ran two major geographical divisions. He was later recruited by Raytheon and moved to Texas to run one of its business units. He left over what he describes as the wokeness creeping into corporate America and set out to acquire a mid-tier firearms company, which led to the purchase and rebrand of F1 Firearms into Watchtower. His last name is not stated in this episode. Key quotes "So everything we do at Watchtower has a touch point in American history." — Jason "It's to become the next great American firearms company." — Jason "Every single thing we do is made in America." — Jason "It's fundamentally about stopping a tyrannical government." — Jason "Our rights are constitutionally protected. They're not government granted." — Kaylee "The aspirational goal is to build something lasting for Americans, by Americans." — Jason