Bart Looper, chief financial officer of 17 Design and Manufacturing, and Jared Harrison, local attorney and part owner of the company, were the featured speakers of the Kingfisher Lions Club last Thursday.

Looper said he was raised in the firearms industry, as his grandfather owns and operates Looper Leather Goods in Oklahoma City, which is a longtime supplier of leather and plastic holsters among other items, to law enforcement entities across the nation.

17 Design and Manufacturing is located in Oklahoma City and, Looper said, is a full service manufacturing and engineering business.

He added that the company’s roots are deeply tied to the firearms and defense industries and the company does not manufacture and assemble finished and complete operating firearms, but rather components that are used to assemble firearms.

He said the plant, located at 330 Vermont Ave., next to H&H Shooting Sports Store off Interstate 40, has grown from “a few machines and 25 employees” last year to 75 employees and 24 machines today.

It has expanded into a 40,000 square foot facility, he said.

“We are three years behind on orders, so that tells you how much the business has grown,” he added.

He said the most popular item the company manufactures is the integrated folding lower receiver, which allows AR-15-style rifles to be folded and stored into a smaller space.

He said the company brought the idea back to life in a joint project as a submission and down-selected submission for the U.S. Army’s sub compact weapon system solicitation.

He said it also has been favorably received with gun enthusiasts who build their own rifles, and law enforcement units across the nation who appreciate the smaller space it takes up in patrol vehicles.

Harrison said he, Looper and Dean Brandly, chief executive officer, have patents on the lower receiver.

He said Brandly is a U.S. Army combat veteran and was an Oklahoma State baseball player before entering the service.

“It’s been going extremely well,” Harrison said following the program.

“I wish I could say it was my idea to get involved with the company, but it actually was my wife’s.”

Harrison said it had been a pleasure working with the officers and employees of the company and he said the growth potential was extremely high.

Harrison also provides legal counsel for the business as required.

Doug Hauser arranged for the presentation and introduced the two speakers.