One of the brightest bulbs in the 1911 game over the past half-century has gone dim following a battle with liver cancer. 

Ed Brown was born on Dec. 13, 1946, and at age 21 opened his part-time gunsmith concern under the name "Brown's Gun Shop" in Perry, Missouri. As detailed this week by the company that bears his name, "For 20 years on evenings and weekends, he honed his skill, experience, and reputation as one of the world's finest pistol-smiths, while during the day he worked as a tool and die maker, CNC programmer, and CAD/CAM designer."

Brown was also a top-notch pistol competitor in his day. In the 1983 IPSC World Championship, Brown placed in the top 15 behind such names as Rob Leatham, Mike Plaxco, Brian Enos, Bill Wilson, and Chip McCormick. 

As a competitor, he recognized the need for a variety of custom parts such as beavertails, magwells, and hammers and soon, after beta testing them himself in competition, would specialize in marketing them via a series of small ads in the back of gun magazines. 

By 1988, he took the plunge and took his shop and parts company full-time, later incorporating to produce all-up firearms in 1992. The company continued to grow, with sons Travis and Wade at his side, and he stepped away at age 65 in 2010, leaving the family business in their hands. 

It has remained with a quality-over-quantity flavor ever since. As detailed by Federal regulators, Ed Brown Products, Inc. of Perry, Missouri produced just 990 pistols across all calibers in 2022, the latest year data is available. 

His company notes that Brown is survived by his wife of 59 years, three children, and six grandchildren.