Desert Tech is an American munitions manufacturer.[1] The company is financed and owned by members of the polygamous Kingston family and primarily produces bullpup rifles.
They are located in West Valley City, Utah.[1] The company is owned by members of the Kingston family, the founders of the Latter Day Church of Christ, a fundamentalist denomination of the Latter Day Saint Movement.[2] Its CEO, Nick Young is a member of the Numbered Men who are privileged within the religious group.[2] As of May 2018 all of their firearms are rifles with a bullpup design.[3] Desert Tech's motto is "Tomorrow's Weapons". They make three different styles of rifle, the SRS, HTI, and MDRx. Desert Tech's claim to fame is that all of their chassis are multi caliber and easily changeable from one caliber to another.[citation needed]
The company has a subsidiary in India named Neco Desert Tech Defence.[2]
Desert Tech was founded in 2007 as Desert Tactical Arms[4] and later re-branded as Desert Tech in 2013.[4]
In July 2019, federal prosecutors gave notice that they intend to seize a building Desert Tech is renting for some of their operations. However, Desert Tech is not the owner of the building, and no official attempt has ever materialized.[5][6]
Donald Trump Jr was shown in a promotion for Desert Tech on July 24, 2020, with the company's founder, Nicholas Young, and firing the company's sniper rifles.[7] A marketing video on YouTube also includes an image of Trump Jr.[2] Former members of the Latter Day Church of Christ criticized Trump for associating with the company.[7]
