In October, representatives from Viper International met with BRTC leaders to discuss a partnership with BRTC’s gunsmithing program. Viper International is best known for its Viper Bench Rest gun shooting rests.
BRTC Gunsmithing Instructor Chuck Coe, President Eggensperger, and BRTC Dean of Business and Technical Programs Phillip Dickson met with Rod Weber, president of Viper International, and Hope Thompson, vice president of Viper International to discuss arrangements for a research and development process that would include BRTC gunsmithing students and its program. As Viper designs new items for the distance shooter, BRTC gunsmithing students will have the opportunity to test the new products and provide feedback on the product design. In return, students will have access to significant discounts on Viper products including receiving products with BRTC’s logo on them.
Viper’s research and development partnership is exclusive to BRTC. Weber explained that he wanted feedback on his products from a gunsmithing program that was affiliated with a college. He learned of BRTC at the Shot Show in Law Vegas in 2021 and was impressed with the program’s support and success. In particular, he was impressed by instructor Chuck Coe’s 30 years of gunsmithing history and extensive knowledge of the field.
While many products exist for distance shooters, Viper’s products are exceptionally well made. During their presentation, they compared their products to the industry standards. In every instance, they worked diligently to exceed the standard and produce an exceptionally well made product. While this excellence makes their product more expensive than others, they are proud of their products’ quality, longevity, and safety.
For more information about BRTC’s gunsmithing program, visit https://blackrivertech.org/academics/technical-programs/gunsmithing or contact instructor Chuck Coe at (870) 248-4188 or at Chuck.coe@blackrivertech.edu.