NRA Family has learned of the passing of Brownells family patriarch Frank Brownell, who successively held the positions of President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board at Brownells.
Frank passed away in Grinnell, Iowa on June 18, 2025, after a lengthy illness. He was six days shy of his 86th birthday.
For nearly six decades, Frank’s passion, vision, and generosity shaped not only Brownells, but the entire firearms community. Friends and customers alike remember him greeting “long lines of friends” at SHOT Show and the NRA Annual Meetings, championing gunsmithing, and driving industry innovation.
“Frank was the kind of person who made you better just by being around him,” said Pete Brownell, CEO of Brownells and Frank’s son.
A Life of Service and Contribution
Born June 24, 1939, in Montezuma, Iowa, the second child and only son of Brownells founder Bob and his wife Lois, Frank grew up in Iowa and became involved in both the family business and the American gun industry at an early age. Frank graduated magna-cum-laude with a degree in Advertising from the University of Iowa in 1961 before serving aboard the USS Caliente (AO-53) as a U.S. Navy reservist.
In 1965, he joined Brownells full-time, laying out Big Book Catalog #18, and soon helped publish the first Gunsmith Kinks book in 1969 under the name F. Brownell and Son.
Frank became President in 1983, CEO in 2007, and Chairman of the Board in 2012, guiding Brownells for more than 40 years.
From marketing the now-iconic Latigo Sling at the 1964 NRA convention to elevating gunsmithing as a respected profession, his influence can be seen in countless shops, ranges, and workbenches across America.
A Legacy of Character
Beyond titles and accolades, Frank was cherished for his kindness, integrity, and infectious enthusiasm. Frank Brownell was a Navy veteran, a business leader, and a stalwart supporter of our unique American rights guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment.
An industry innovator, he helped establish Brownells as a nationwide legacy retailer in the gunsmithing, gun parts, and firearms space. He helped advance the best model for working with and developing endemic industry media. He advocated for elevating gunsmithing to a respected profession and created new ways to support and develop the growth of gunsmithing, gun ownership, and gun culture.
A Life Remembered
Frank is survived by his three sons, Bob, Pete, and Matt Brownell, and their families. Service details will be shared once arrangements are finalized.
Friends, colleagues, and customers are encouraged to honor Frank by sharing memories, supporting aspiring gunsmiths, or simply spending time at the bench, just as he loved to do.
