Ronnie Barrett

Ronnie G. Barrett (born 1954) is the founder of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing of Christiana, Tennessee, board member of the National Rifle Association of America, and the designer of the Barrett M82.

Life and career

Barrett was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in 1954, and graduated from Murfreesboro Central High School. He started his career in 1972 as a professional photographer for a studio in the same town.

With no engineering background, Barrett hand-sketched plans at home for a .50BMG repeating semi-automatic rifle. Later, he found a partner in tool and die maker Bob Mitchell and an employee at a sheet metal fabricator in Smyrna, Tennessee. Four months later a prototype was finished. A second prototype shown off at a gun show in Houston would garner starting capital for Barrett from three investors, necessary for the Barrett Firearms Manufacturing company and production of the first 30 rifles for private use.

Barrett is an advocate for the private ownership of firearms. Barrett has headed fundraising campaigns for the National Rifle Association, sits on its board of directors, and makes occasional appearances on the Cam & Company podcast where he speaks on gun laws.

Barrett married former Tennessee State Rep. Donna Rowland in 2010.