Gun rights supporters gather at Capitol

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Gun owners and gun manufacturers crowded the State Capitol Complex on Monday in what was called 'Gun Lobby Day.' It came as legislative leaders said they hope to be ready to vote on a package of gun control bills sometime next week.

There were no official estimates but the crowd was clearly way in excess of five hundred and they all had a message for lawmakers.

"I'm a single issue voter and I'm here today, missing a day's pay, because I want to speak to my elected officials," said Dom Basile of Oakville.

Basile and hundreds and hundreds of more gun owners from around the state crowded every floor of the ornate Legislative Office Building with a singular message, no further restrictions on gun ownership are needed.

"When the situation in Cheshire with the Petits arose, that hit a lot of us in that area very hard and I feel that if they had had the tools that they needed that perhaps that situation would have had a different outcome," said Elizabeth Drysdale of Waterbury.

There was also a large contingent at the Capital from the Connecticut companies that manufacture the AR-15, the rifle used in the Sandy Hook shooting.

"The firearms industry is an integral part of the economy in the State of Connecticut. It's a booming industry at this time and it would be detrimental to the industry and to employment to ban people out of a job," said Stag Arms employee Nick Discenza.

In fact, Stag Arms in New Britain that manufactures 300 AR-15 rifles everyday closed down so that their 200 employees could come to the Capitol.

"Changing some cosmetic feature to a firearm isn't going to do anything to make any of the residents safer and it's going to make it almost impossible for us to operate here," said the President of Stag Arms Mark Malowski.

"Jumping on the hype about the cosmetic issues associated with this product is really getting away from that key point, which is, to make the state a safer place," said Dennis Veilleux, Colt's Manufacturing Co.

And the New Britain company that makes those high capacity ammunition magazines was also at the Capitol saying a ban would force them out of the state because it's all they make.

"It would necessitate a move to a state where such restrictions are not in place," said Jonathan Scalise, Ammunition Storage Components.

"Have you had offers from other states," asked News 8's Mark Davis.

"Yes, we've been contacted by numerous states," said Scalise.

On Wednesday, the Newtown Action Alliance is planning it's own lobby day to demand changes in gun laws.

Legislative leaders continued to meet on Monday on crafting a bipartisan bill to address the tragedy at Sandy Hook.