This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The National Rifle Association has named Utah native and bullet innovator Randy Brooks as the winner of its 2016 Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award.
Brooks is the former president and CEO of Barnes Bullets.
According to the NRA, the Utah native grew up as an avid shooter and hunter. In the 1970s, he took up custom loading ammunition to help support his family.
He acquired Barnes Bullets at the urging of founder Fred Barnes. Randy, wife Coni and daughters Chandra and Jessica seated bullet cores in jackets in the basement of the family home.
Brooks' development of a new dangerous-game solid won favor with gun writers. Even so, the company struggled until Brooks devised the all-copper Barnes X Bullet.
Although it took three years of experimentation with homemade hand and machine tools, Brooks eventually perfected the process for manufacturing X Bullets, improving the design over the next two decades.
Brooks sold the company to Remington Outdoor Corporation in 2010, which operates a plant near Mona. But Brooks continues to develop new products.
As an Army veteran, he is proud that Barnes Bullets are being used by American troops and security officers around the globe.
Brooks is an accomplished big game hunter.