Gun Guru

Dean Batchelder Sr. Gun Tech at Brownells

I went to gunsmithing school and graduated in 1992. I had been interested in and tinkered with guns all my life and hung out with a local gunsmith when I could, but one day a good friend of mine told me, "If I were single like you, I would go to a gunsmith school and learn it firsthand." So, I did at the age of 42 and I have not regretted that decision. It has been over 30 years since I attended gunsmith school and I have been with Brownells for over 20. That is my background when I am helping customers – experience and knowledge, but I don't know it all. At Brownells, there have been quite a few tools in the catalog/line-up, that I originated the concept and helped develop, but I think the one thing that Brownells allowed me to do that meant the most to me was that they sent me to the different gunsmith schools across the U.S. where I taught the students' classes on the AR-15, and the Brownells Alternate Finishes. I was honored to be able to do that and represent Brownells to the gunsmithing schools in that capacity.

Kyle "Red" Bingham Gun Tech at Brownells

The first firearm I ever shot was my dad's Remington 552 "Speedmaster" 22lr semi-automatic Rifle, I would later go on to completely refinish the firearm as a project for my gunsmithing degree from Montgomery community college and go on to learn from my time working at Remington Arm's that it was built in 1971. From there I started gunsmithing in 2010. At Brownells I have recently been promoted to Level 3 tech which is a noteworthy accomplishment in the industry. I have also Really enjoyed my work with the marketing and video teams. As a Gun Tech the most common question I receive is "I'm looking to do my first build; can you help me and walk me through my choices?" and I answer: Yes! I would love to!" because I genuinely still get excited about helping people arm themselves and build neat guns.

Kasey Fisch Gun Tech at Brownells

I was drawn to the Gunsmithing industry because growing up on a farm I was in our farm shop almost every day fixing machinery and working with a multitude of different tools, so it was just kind of an outgrowth of that. I was originally hired to handle only reloading inquiries, but as I gained knowledge of more and more of our products I was asked by my supervisor if I wanted to branch out and handle the Gun Tech role. I was grateful that he had the confidence in my abilities to give me the opportunity. Being good at working with my hands and problem solving is essential. I also enjoy many types of shooting and hunting as well as customizing my firearms. I also reload ammunition for every firearm in my gun safe, so I have a wide variety of interests that help to answer customer questions.

Bart Hansen Gun Tech at Brownells

I grew up on a Marlin Model 60, shooting at cans out in the woods. Since then, I have grown to love the world of firearms, which led me to attend college for gunsmithing. Since graduating Magna Cum Laude from the Sonoran Desert Institute, I have been with Brownell’s for almost two years now, and by working with the Gun Tech Team here, my knowledge in the trade has only grown. I thoroughly enjoy the opportunities given to me here at Brownells, including the certifications from Remington and Springfield Armory. In my spare time, I enjoy building various firearms, like AR-15s, AR-.308s, and Glocks, plus building up my own tools and equipment to start refinishing using Gunkote and Cerakote products.

Steve Ostrem Sr. Gun Tech at Brownells

My journey began with service in the US Army Military Police, stationed in West Germany. Following my military tenure, I pursued higher education at the University of Wisconsin, earning degrees in French and German. An enriching year at the University of Trier further expanded my cultural and linguistic knowledge. After transitioning to civilian life, I embarked on a career as a gunsmith in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and eventually became a Class A machinist, contributing my skills in both Oklahoma and Kansas. My path led me to Brownells in 2004, where I initially joined as a Guntech. In 2019, I made the shift to focus entirely on video content creation. Although the first firearm I acquired was a Browning High Power, I have developed a fondness for revolvers over time.

Ken Piccoli Gun Tech at Brownells

The first firearm I ever shot was when I was about 7 or 8 with a Remington 513-T match master. I first started gunsmithing in the mid 1980's because I didn't like how long it would take to have some work done. Then I got my education 2007 ~2009 and opened my gunsmithing business in 2009. Having been a gunsmith for 14 years and having firsthand experience in the shooting sports since the late 1960's (when I first started shooting with my father), gives me a lot of experience to pull from. And a customer always like it when you say I have done that. During my time at Brownells, a contribution I am most proud of is having the opportunity to teach at Pine Technical where I taught how to build 1911's.

Tommy Thompson Gun Tech at Brownells

I got started early as a practicing gunsmith for most of my adult life in one form or another prior to joining the Brownells team. I have always been fascinated with custom firearms and the amount of meticulous attention to detail that goes into each masterpiece which has led to a vast background in many of the gunsmithing disciplines. This includes complete restorations, custom stock builds, decretive metal engraving, decretive stock carving, chambering, mill and lathe work and repairs of countless guns over the years. I have built several custom firearms throughout my life honing my skills while balancing the lifestyle of a 20-year military career. After my military service, I decided to take my lifelong gunsmithing passion to the next level and achieve my Gunsmithing Degree from Iowa Valley Grinnell Community College.  Since that time, I have had the privilege of sharing my vast knowledge through the multitude of resources Brownells offers to our customers. I thoroughly enjoy connecting with like-minded firearm enthusiasts, sharing experiences and enhancing our customers’ experience with Brownells.

Caleb Savant Senior Video & Studio Supervisor / Gunsmith at Brownells

Before becoming a part of the Brownells team, my career started in South Louisiana, where I specialized as a gunsmith. There, I managed warranty tasks for major companies alongside helping out locals with everything from building custom guns to simple repairs. Prior to my career in the gun world, I served time in the Army, where I worked as a Combat Engineer. It's been awesome turning my love for teaching, guns, fixing them up, and tactical shooting into a job. Every day, I have the privilege of connecting with amazing people, sharing knowledge, and learning from each other.

Justin Prior Gun Tech at Brownells

I grew up around firearms my whole life, mainly hunting. My dad taught me how to shoot and clean the guns we used. I joined the United States Army in April 2001 and served until June 2013. During that time, I learned to disassemble various firearms as the acting armorer for my unit, and it was then that I realized I had developed a skill that I enjoyed. After the military, I would always tinker with guns, disassembling them and paying attention to how each part functioned in relation to the next, working through the cyclic functions step by step. I was also a certified NRA instructor for concealed carry classes with Absolute Personal Protection Training here in Iowa for about four years. There, I taught beginners shooting fundamentals. After a couple of years, I decided to get my certification in gunsmithing through Sonoran Desert Institute, then went on to get my Associate of Science in firearms technology, where I graduated in March of 2025.

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James Tietjens Gun Tech at Brownells

I first started gunsmithing in 1992 attending the Colorado School of Trades Gunsmithing School, after serving 4.5 years in the Army. I always enjoyed shooting and hunting and liked seeing how guns really worked. When assisting customers, it's great to be able to relate with someone who enjoys what I like to do. It makes it much easier to help them with their issue. Working at Brownells I have enjoyed many things including the Gunsmith career fair that Brownells used to do. You got to meet a lot of vendors and the different gunsmithing schools that attended the fair, it was very rewarding.

Colton Naill Gun Tech at Brownells

I have been an avid collector of firearms for many years. A few years ago, I decided to take my passion for firearms to the next level and enrolled in the Associate's Program at The Sonoran Desert Institute. I graduated top of my class and have been working towards setting up my own gunsmithing shop while not operating on the tech line, assisting my local high school shooting sports team or working on my next build. The first firearm I shot was a Thompson Center Muzzleloader around when I was around 8 years old. Since enrolling at SDI, I have found myself exploring every aspect of the firearm industry. Most recently, I have gotten really interested in configuring various custom loads for my personal firearms and casting bullets.

Chris Bartee Gun Tech at Brownells

I grew up hunting and fishing with my father and the first gun I shot was a Remington 870 20 gauge getting ready for turkey season. In the process of target practicing, I almost dropped the shotgun. With my brother getting into trapshooting during high school, he made me learn how to clean and repair the shotguns that we used. As a competitive trap shooter, I knew that there was a need for Gunsmiths to travel from shoot to shoot providing services. At the end of the 2021 trap shooting season a family friend suggested that I should go to school for Gunsmithing. I enrolled at Iowa Valley Community College in the spring of ’23 and have since graduated from the program with an Associates of Applied Science degree (AAS) in May 2025. I am currently the President of the Iowa Hunter Education Instructor board and work closely with the Iowa DNR. As being the president of the Iowa Hunter Ed Board, we many partnerships with other agencies and departments across the US. I enjoy learning and doing new things. Being a part of the Gun Tech team at Brownells I have learned to slow down when helping customers and while working at the Retail Store Pro Shop.