BusinessTN

In January 2005, California became the first state to ban the .50-calibre Browning, or BMG, machine gun rifle. At that time, Ronnie Barrett, president and founder of Murfreesboro-based Barrett Firearms Manufacturing and creator of the 30-pound rifle capable of shooting a five-and-a-half inch bullet half a mile, worried that his business would be hurt by the ban, particularly if other states followed suit.

Thirteen months later, Barrett’s fear that the Violence Policy Center—the group that lobbied the California government for the ban—would spawn bans in other states, hasn’t materialized.

“Business has been great,” says former photographer Barrett, 51, who designed and built his first rifle without any prior formal engineering or gunsmithing background at age 26. “It’s been a very good year, and it should remain very good for the next several years.”

Immensely popular with the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies and foreign militaries the world over, Barrett’s rifle system was recently named one of the “Top Ten Inventions” by the U.S. Army at the Soldier’s Choice Awards. (Though Barrett’s rifles are vital to the war against terror, they remain a target for critics like the Violence Policy Center who blast them for their ability in the hands of a terrorist to potentially shoot down an airliner as it takes off or lands.)

Barrett credits new contracts with various international military clients for the $6 million in growth in company revenue over the past year. The U.S. Department of Defense alone spent $8 million with Barrett last year. Steady interest among gun enthusiasts also drives sales of his rifle, which retail beginning at $3,500. And of course the fact that legislators have not passed any further restrictions on the sale of his weapons has also helped the bottom line.

“The only ridiculous legislation has been the one in California,” Barrett says. “Legislators have done their homework and have turned down this sinister plot of further frivolous firearm restrictions.” As a result of his company’s ongoing success, Barrett is adding nearly 90 employees—doubling his work force—alongside another 20,000 square feet of manufacturing space. In addition, Barrett has formed Barrett Optics, a new division to build telescopes for Barrett rifles, previously an outsourced function. They’ll come with on-board mini- computers for accuracy.

Such developments are sure to provide ever-fresh powder for the lobbying effort against the commercial sale of Barrett’s rifles. But for now, he has growth in his sights.