How Massachusetts plays a part in America's 'Gun Machine'

On the surface, Massachusetts and gun culture don't seem to go together.

The state is consistently ranked as having some of the nation's toughest gun laws, which could get even stronger if legislation passed state House of Representatives advances. The commonwealth also has the lowest rate of gun-related deaths in the United States according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But a WBUR podcast called "The Gun Machine" says the state has long fed America's obsession with guns, and the gun manufacturer Smith and Wesson's decision to move its headquarters from Springfield to Tennessee mirrors the city's recent upticks of poverty and gun violence.

Podcast host Alain Stephens and producer Grace Tatter join us to talk about Massachusetts' past, present and future with gun culture.