Frank Barnes

An American lawyer, cartridge designer, and author, Frank C. Barnes was born in Chicago on June 25, 1918, and died in Templeton, California, on December 17, 1992. He also served in the military from 1945 to 1947 and later worked in higher education, including as chairman of a criminal justice department.

Barnes is best remembered for writing Cartridges of the World, a long-running reference work that became especially well known among firearms historians, collectors, and shooters. He also designed several cartridges, including the.308×1.5" Barnes, the.458×1.5in, and the.458×2" American.

His reputation rests on making a specialized subject practical and readable. For listeners interested in technical history, firearms development, or classic reference writing, his work remains the reason he is still remembered today.