Brownells Best: How Little Things Add Up to Great Results

Last week it was my honor to host NRA Publications’ annual Golden Bullseye Awards breakfast during our Annual Meetings in Indianapolis. The concluding and ultimate presentation-the Pioneer Award-went to Frank Brownell, whose 50+ years in the business of supplying all the gear a gun enthusiast could want epitomize what that particular award stands for. The Golden Bullseye Pioneers are a select group of shooting-industry high-achievers whose life’s work has somehow paved the way for the rest of us and who have also been key supporters of NRA. Preceding Brownell, the following have been so recognized: 2007-John A. Nosler; 2008-Dick and Jim Cabela; 2009-Robert and J.B. Hodgdon; 2010-Ronnie Barrett; 2011-Melvin Forbes; 2012-Bob Morrison; and 2013-Steve Hornady.  It’s always a pleasure to honor someone truly deserving like Frank, and in this case it was just plain fun to be there to hear his acceptance remarks, which, though brief, were meaningful and full of good humor.

Preparing for the big event, I learned quite a lot about how Frank’s family business has served the shooting community for 75 years. In my case, I owe Brownells big time for helping me discover one oft-overlooked product that has helped to rescue several rifles from shameful inaccuracy. As a result, my hands-down favorite Brownells item is J-B Non-Embedding Bore Cleaning Compound, a name that barely fits on the cap of the little canisters it comes in. But don’t be fooled, the minuscule quantity is actually indicative of how good the stuff really is. Just a couple little dabs of the mildly abrasive paste on cleaning patches work wonders in freeing up fire-hardened fouling. According to Brownells, the compound liquefies easily when worked, and is thus easily removed-along with whatever gunk or residue is present to compromise accuracy. I have seen immediate returns on everything from expensive mega-magnum sporters to in-line muzzleloaders to bargain-priced plinkers chambered for low-pressure pistol rounds. In my opinion, this is one cleaning solution every serious shooter needs, and just a small example of what Frank Brownell and company have to offer.