200,000 square-foot
first catalog in 1947
- 1951 closed gunsmithing shop to providing supplies to gunsmiths
- 1964 Bob’s son Frank rejoined the company
- 1973, Brownells moved into its first purpose-built facility
- 1980s entry into the gun parts market.
- 1983 Bob Chairman of the Board position, and Frank President of Brownells
- 1991 Bob passed
- 1997 Pete joined the company
- 2000 Pete Vice President
- 2008 Pete named President
- 2010 major warehouse expansion
- 2013 large warehouse and office facility expansion in Grinnell, Iowa
Brownells Inc.
3006 Brownells Parkway
Grinnell, Iowa 50112
1-800-741-0015
brownells.com
About Brownells
Brownells is a family-run supplier of firearms parts, accessories, gunsmithing tools and shooting gear headquartered in Grinnell, Iowa. Bob Brownell founded the business in 1939, and it grew from serving professional gunsmiths into a catalog and online retailer that describes itself as the world’s largest supplier of firearms accessories and gunsmithing tools. Brownells was among the first companies to exhibit at the NRA Annual Meetings, beginning in 1949, and its Gunsmith Kinks books, first published in 1969, became a standard reference for working gunsmiths and home builders alike.
Three generations of the family have led the company. Bob’s son Frank R. Brownell III joined full-time in 1964, took over the company catalog in 1965 and served over four decades as president, CEO and chairman; he died on June 18, 2025. Bob’s grandson Pete Brownell, who later led the company, also served as president of the National Rifle Association. For gun owners and builders, Brownells is a major source of replacement parts, AR-15 components and specialized gunsmithing tools, and the company marked its 85th anniversary in 2024. Frank Brownell also founded the Frank Brownell Museum of the Southwest at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, in 2008.
Key Facts
- 1939: Bob Brownell founds the business.
- 1949: Brownells begins exhibiting at the NRA Annual Meetings.
- 1964: Frank R. Brownell III joins the company full-time and takes over the catalog the next year.
- 1969: The first Gunsmith Kinks book is published.
- 2008: Frank Brownell establishes the Frank Brownell Museum of the Southwest at the NRA Whittington Center.
- June 2024: Brownells marks its 85th anniversary from its Grinnell, Iowa, headquarters.
Sources
- In Memoriam: Remembering Frank R. Brownell III (NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum)
- NRA President Pete Brownell: Everyman’s Voice (Shooting Illustrated)
Profiles on Minuteman University.com are editorial content compiled from public sources. Inclusion does not imply endorsement of, sponsorship by, or affiliation with this site or the Gun Websites Firearms Network. Corrections and removal requests are welcome through Contact Us.
