Fred Barnes, founder of Barnes Bullets, began selling bullets out of his basement workshop in Bayfield, CO in 1932. Randy and Coni Brooks purchased the company in 1974 and moved the business to American Fork, Utah. 

Fred Barnes stayed on to consult with the couple for several months. Randy and Coni were young in their careers, but what they lacked in experience, they made up with grit and determination. Both passionate hunters, their love of the sport gave them the firsthand experience and knowledge to push Barnes Bullets to success.

In the fall of 1985 while hunting brown bears in Alaska, Randy conceived the idea of an expanding all-copper bullet. Coni was skeptical at the idea of doing away with lead, but after a few successful hunts with Randy’s prototypes, they knew they were on to something that would raise the bar for bullet performance.

Their prototype became the world-renowned X Bullet® and changed the way hunters viewed bullet construction and terminal performance.

In 1989, Barnes launched the X Bullet and became the leader in bullet innovation, forging a reputation for epic knockdowns and devastating on-game performance. Today, Barnes products are highly trusted and respected among hunters and shooters worldwide.