John R. Stemple was born July 8th, 1949, in Elkins West Virginia, to the late John W. Stemple Sr. and his German war bride Annemarie L. Stemple (Zchalig). During his early life, he and the young Stemple family traveled across the United States to different Air Bases where his father was stationed.  In 1958 John Sr. received orders for a three year tour of Japan and Korea.

 

 

 

 

 

The family elected to stay in the U.S. and wait for John Sr. to return.  They purchased a seven acre lot in rural Hernando County Florida and started a chicken farm.

 

 

 

 

 

At age 12, his father being away John assumed  the man of the house roll, John  was presented a Winchester Model 37, single shot, .20 gauge shotgun, bought at the local feed store.  This was to protect the farm stock from the various critters that inhabited the area at the time.  Little did they know a life long passion was born.

 

 

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                          Wearing an Uncles war trophy.

 

After his Asian stint, John Sr. returned and a new round of travel followed.  Eventually the family settled outside of Columbus Ohio at Lockbourne Air Force Base (now Rickenbacker), where John Jr. attended The Ohio State University and received a Bachelors degree in business and accounting.  During his college years, John paid his way by serving in the National Guard, working at the Base Commissary, and buying and selling guns at local shows. John also started experimenting with various silencer designs and developing his machine shop  skills.

Shooting his favorite, the BAR

 

 

John became a small arms manufacturer, remanufacturing Sten guns, and other machine guns left over from WWII. In 1985 John designed a tube gun modeled after the Carl Gustav and S&W 76,  in .45 caliber and produced 2000 receivers and parts and licensed them before the 1986 NFA Law was passed.

In 1987 he moved his operation to Utica Ohio and expanded his machine shop facility.  Over the years as John assembled and sold almost 1000 of his Stemple Model 76/45 machine guns, he refined the design and produced a 9mm version, as well as upgraded pistol grip and stocks.                                                       First Maxim

 

 

 

In 2002 he met Brian Poling.  They collaborated on various designs, and came up with the innovative STG (Stemple Takedown Gun) concept.  Today BRP Corporation produces 7 different configurations of the STG.

In 2005 John was diagnosed with Polymyositis, an auto immune disease.  He passed away February 17, 2007 at the young age of 57.

John grew up during the era of HopAlong Cassidy, Jimmy Stewart and Chuck Connors.  He was a huge fan of Elmer Keith and Jack O'Connor.  Although never a hunter (he loved  animals especially dogs), he was an enthusiastic target shooter, shooting long guns, handguns, shotguns, sub guns and machine guns. John was an avid chemist, machinist, reloader, photographer, historian, collector and lover of anything that went bang. He was a huge contributor to the Class III community and many Class III weapons carry his pedigree. This site is dedicated to his life work and the memories of his family and friends.

Tommy gun 1928