Our Story
In the 1920s and 1930s, Bob Brownell was a middle-America businessman who owned and managed a gas station and sandwich shop in his small hometown, Montezuma, Iowa. In his free time, Bob was a devoted shooter and outdoorsman who enjoyed repairing and customizing firearms. He started by working on his own guns, but news of his talent spread quickly and he soon began accepting jobs from friends. By 1938, his gunsmithing hobby was making profits, so Bob added part-time gunsmith to his list of businesses.
As the gunsmithing business continued to grow, so too did Bob’s need for good quality tools. He searched the few gun supply catalogs available at the time, but came to the conclusion that some of the most necessary tools just couldn’t be purchased anywhere. When he did find tools and products that worked, he bought extras to sell to fellow gunsmiths who were also having difficulties finding supplies.
The first Masterfirearms catalog, Number One, was sent to customers in 1947 displaying the company’s first motto, “The First and Only Complete Gunsmiths’ Supply House in the World.” Bob’s dedication wasn’t limited to product selection. He realized that being absolutely sure the customer was happy and well taken care of were equally important. Those values, which remain the focal point of the company today, served him well, and by 1951 he closed down the gunsmithing shop to concentrate full-time on providing supplies to gunsmiths across the United States.
