Winchester

What Winchester does

Winchester Ammunition, founded in 1866 and operated as a division of Olin Corporation (NYSE: OLN) since 1931, is one of the most recognized small caliber ammunition manufacturers in the United States. The company designs, engineers, and produces shotshells, centerfire rifle and handgun ammunition, and rimfire ammunition at a multi-plant U.S. manufacturing network spanning East Alton, Illinois (historic headquarters), Oxford, Manitowoc, and the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri, which it operates under contract with the U.S. Army. Winchester's product portfolio is organized around sub-brands including USA (white box), Super-X, AA, AA Diamond Grade, Power-Point, Long Beard XR/TSS, Wildcat, Supreme Long Range, American Lever Range, and Deer Season XP (including the proprietary 350 Legend and 400 Legend straight-wall cartridges), supported by digital tools such as the Ballistics Calculator and Pattern Board applications.

The company sells through a hybrid model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce at winchester.com, distribution via major outdoor retailers (Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, local gun shops), online ammunition retailers (Brownells, MidwayUSA, Sportsman's Guide), dedicated law enforcement (winchesterle.com) and military (winchestermilitary.com) channels, and government contracts. Winchester targets four end-markets: U.S. military (largest supplier of small caliber ammunition), law enforcement, competitive shooters (NSCA Championship Tour, ATA Grand American, SCTP, Team Winchester athletes including six-time Olympic medalist Kim Rhode), and a long tail of consumer hunters and recreational shooters. The brand is reinforced through content marketing (Winchester Life podcast and TV show, blog), conservation partnerships (NWTF since 1973, with over $2 million contributed), event sponsorships, and athlete endorsements. In June 2026, Olin Corporation announced an all-stock merger of equals with Huntsman Corporation to form OlinHuntsman Corporation, expected to close in the first half of 2027, which will reshape Winchester's corporate parent structure.

Name

Winchester

Legal name

Winchester Ammunition (Division of Olin Corporation)

Website

https://winchester.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Winchester Ammunition, a division of Olin Corporation since 1931, manufactures small caliber ammunition — shotshells, centerfire, and rimfire — at U.S. plants in Illinois, Mississippi, Wisconsin, and Missouri (Lake City), serving the U.S. military, law enforcement, competitive shooters, and consumer hunters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ammunition Manufacturing

NAICS

Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing (332992), Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing (332994)

SIC

Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)

akta.pro primary industry

Ammunition Manufacturing (Small-, Medium- & Large-Caliber) (IMABAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ordnance Components & Subassemblies (Casings, Liners, Guidance Sections) (IMABAHAL)

Keywords

• Small caliber ammunition
• Hunting ammunition
• Shotshell ammunition
• Centerfire ammunition
• Rimfire cartridges

Headquarters

HQ city

East Alton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ammunition Sales: Winchester generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of small caliber ammunition products including shotshells, centerfire rifle ammunition, centerfire handgun ammunition, and rimfire ammunition. Products are sold through retail distribution channels, e-commerce, and law enforcement/military contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Winchester manufactures and sells a comprehensive portfolio of small caliber ammunition products including shotshells, centerfire rifle ammunition, centerfire handgun ammunition, and rimfire cartridges under iconic sub-brands such as USA, Super-X, AA, AA Diamond Grade, Power-Point, Long Beard, Wildcat, Supreme Long Range, Deer Season XP, and American Lever Range. The company serves hunting, recreational shooting, competitive shooting sports, law enforcement, and U.S. military markets through retail distribution, e-commerce, and direct government contracts.

Product overview

Winchester Ammunition is a leading small caliber ammunition manufacturer producing ammunition for hunting, recreational shooting, competitive shooting sports, and law enforcement, as well as being the largest supplier to the U.S. military. The company operates as a division of Olin Corporation and offers a comprehensive ammunition portfolio organized across five core categories: Handgun (USA, Personal Defense), Rifle (Big Game, Deer Season XP including 350/400 Legend, Supreme Long Range, American Lever Range, Power-Point), Rimfire (22 LR, 17 HMR, 17 WSM, 21 Sharp, Wildcat, Super X, Xpert), Shotshell (AA, AA Diamond Grade, Super X, Long Beard XR/TSS, waterfowl loads like Final Pass/Last Call/Xpert Waterfowl, upland loads like Magnum Pheasant/Magnum Dove, and the Autobuck buckshot line), plus Components (shotshell components, bullets, wads). Supporting products include Ballistics Calculator and Pattern Board online tools, plus merchandise and firearms through partner brands. The company celebrated its 160th anniversary in 2026 alongside America's 250th birthday with special USA 250th Anniversary Edition products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AA Shotshells: Iconic shotshell introduced in 1965, known as 'The Choice of Champions' for trap, skeet, and sporting clays competition.
• Super-X
• USA (White Box)
• Power-Point
• Wildcat
• Long Beard
• Supreme Long Range
• American Lever Range

Products and services

• USA (White Box) Handgun Ammunition Budget-friendly handgun ammunition line with consistent performance for target shooting and range training, iconic in its white box packaging.
• Super-X Ammunition Legacy ammunition brand celebrating 100 years of manufacturing, offering reliable target and hunting loads across rifle and shotshell categories.
• AA Shotshells Industry-standard target shotshell introduced in 1965, known as 'The Choice of Champions' for trap, skeet, and sporting clays competitions. Features hard antimony-alloyed lead shot for uniform patterns, high-strength reloadable hulls, premium wads, and clean-burning powders for consistent velocity, reduced recoil, and dense patterns.
• AA Diamond Grade Shotshells Premium target shotshell featuring copper-plated shot with four times more antimony than standard lead, precision sorted for maximum velocity and energy on target in sporting clays competition.
• Power-Point Rifle Ammunition Centerfire rifle ammunition with Power-Point bullet design for controlled expansion, rapid energy transfer, and deep penetration on big game animals such as deer, moose, and bear.
• Long Beard XR/XR Plus Turkey Shotshells Turkey hunting shotshell with extended range capability and precision patterns designed for taking turkeys at longer distances.
• Long Beard TSS Turkey Shotshells Premium turkey hunting shotshell featuring 17g/cc Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) for devastating lethality and tight patterns at extended ranges.
• Wildcat Rimfire Ammunition Rimfire ammunition designed for plinking and recreational target shooting, paired with the Winchester Wildcat rifle platform.
• Supreme Long Range Rifle Ammunition Precision rifle ammunition engineered for long-range shooting and hunting applications requiring accuracy at extended distances.
• American Lever Range Ammunition Ammunition designed for lever-action rifles, featuring cleaner-burning propellants and tighter groupings.
• Deer Season XP Rifle Ammunition Dedicated deer hunting ammunition line featuring the 350 Legend and 400 Legend straight-wall cartridges designed for state-regulated deer hunting.
• 350 Legend Straight-Wall Rifle Cartridge Straight-wall rifle cartridge introduced in 2019 for deer hunting in states restricting straight-wall cartridge use.
• 400 Legend Straight-Wall Rifle Cartridge Straight-wall rifle cartridge introduced in 2023 for deer hunting, complementing the 350 Legend in states with straight-wall cartridge regulations.
• 21 Sharp Rimfire Cartridge Mid-power rimfire cartridge offering a balance between 22 LR power and cost for plinking and training applications.
• Autobuck Buckshot Shotshells All-purpose buckshot load designed to function reliably in semi-automatic shotguns, pump action, break action, and other shotgun types.
• Magnum Pheasant Shotshells Upland hunting shotshell with magnum payloads of batch-blended lead shot for tight, dense patterns for pheasant hunting.
• Magnum Dove Shotshells Dove hunting shotshell loaded with magnum payloads of batch-blended lead shot for extremely dense patterns.
• Final Pass Waterfowl Shotshells Waterfowl ammunition combining innovation and tradition with superior manufacturing quality for waterfowl hunting.
• Last Call TSS Waterfowl Shotshells Premium waterfowl shotshell featuring TSS (Tungsten Super Shot) for unmatched lethality in demanding waterfowl hunting scenarios.
• Xpert Rimfire Ammunition Rimfire ammunition with copper-plated hollow point bullets for accurate target shooting and plinking.
• AA 60th Anniversary Edition Shotshells Limited edition commemorative AA shotshell celebrating 60 years since the introduction of the AA shotshell in 1965, sold under the AA Shotshell product line.
• USA 250th Anniversary Edition Commemorative Ammunition Commemorative USA ammunition line celebrating America's 250th anniversary of independence, released as part of Winchester's 160th anniversary commemoration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 159 years of continuous operation and brand excellence
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinchester works with NSSF on industry initiatives including training and education programs, Gun Owners Care campaign, and Project ChildSafe firearm safety programs. Partnership supports responsible firearm use and shooting sports advocacy.
• National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinchester has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with NWTF since its founding in 1973. As NWTF's first million-dollar sponsor, Winchester has contributed over $2 million to the organization's mission, earning Corporate Achievement Award and Pinnacle Partner status. Partnership focuses on wild turkey conservation and preservation of America's hunting heritage.
• National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial ammunition and title sponsor of the NSCA Championship Tour, Powered by Winchester, including Winchester Ladies Cup and Top Shot Sub-Junior Program. Partnership supports competitive clay target shooting at all levels from grassroots to elite competition.
• Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial ammunition of the ATA including the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships, the largest trapshooting event in the world. Partnership with ATA dates back decades supporting the trapshooting community.
• Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial ammunition sponsor of SCTP, supporting youth development in shooting sports. Program introduces young people to competitive shooting and provides pathway for future competitive shooters.
• White Flyer TargetscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsorship relationship with White Flyer Targets at major competitive shooting events. Teams Winchester and White Flyer often compete together at NSCA and ATA events, providing top-tier target and ammunition consistency.
• Shoot UnitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWinchester supports Shoot United initiative focused on promoting shooting sports and responsible firearm use. Partnership appears on Winchester's supplier/partner pages.
• NILO FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier wingshooting and clay target facility spanning over 650 acres in Brighton, Illinois. Recognized as an Orvis-Endorsed Wingshooting Grounds, NILO is tied to Winchester heritage and serves as a destination for Winchester-sponsored events and content creation.
• OrvisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNILO Farms holds Orvis-Endorsed Wingshooting Grounds designation, creating indirect partnership connection through Winchester's relationship with NILO.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Federal Premium Ammunition: Vista Outdoor brand manufacturing shotshells, centerfire, and rimfire ammunition across hunting, target, and law enforcement segments. Direct competitor to Winchester with overlapping product categories and similar retail and government distribution channels.
• Hornady Manufacturing: Private manufacturer of premium hunting, target, and law enforcement ammunition known for ELD match bullets and SST projectiles. Directly competes with Winchester in premium rifle ammunition and shotshell segments including turkey (TSS) and big game.
• CCI/Speer: Vista Outdoor brands producing rimfire ammunition (CCI) and pistol/handgun projectiles (Speer). Direct competitor in rimfire hunting/training and handgun ammunition segments where Winchester competes with Wildcat, Super-X, and USA lines.
• Remington Ammunition: Historic American ammunition brand (now under Roundhill Group following bankruptcy) producing shotshells, centerfire, and rimfire products. Competes directly with Winchester across hunting, target, and personal defense categories with comparable legacy brand positioning.
• Sig Sauer (Ammunition Division): Manufactures premium pistol ammunition (Elite Performance, V-Crown) and rifle offerings. Competes with Winchester's Personal Defense and centerfire rifle lines, particularly in law enforcement and defensive shooting segments.
• PMC Ammunition: Korean ammunition manufacturer serving U.S. commercial market with handgun, rifle, and rimfire products. Competes primarily on price in commodity training/target segments where Winchester USA White Box and Wildcat are positioned.
• Fiocchi Ammunition: Italian-founded ammunition manufacturer with U.S. production serving hunting, target, and law enforcement markets. Competes with Winchester across shotshell and centerfire categories with comparable quality positioning and sporting clays offerings.
• Magtech Ammunition: Brazilian manufacturer of handgun, rifle, and shotshell ammunition distributed in U.S. sporting goods channels. Competes with Winchester USA and Super-X lines in price-sensitive recreational shooting segments.

Broad incumbents

• Browning Ammunition: Browning (owned by FN Herstal/Vista Outdoor distribution) offers shotgun shells and rifle ammunition under the Browning brand name. Overlaps with Winchester's shotshell and rifle segments in hunting channels, leveraging parent firearms brand equity.
• Vista Outdoor (The Kinetic Group): Parent of Federal, CCI, Speer, Remington, and HEVI-Shot ammunition brands, Vista Outdoor's ammunition segment is the largest direct competitor portfolio to Winchester. The combined brands compete across every price tier and product category where Winchester operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/winchester
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WinchesterAmmunition
• Facebookfacebook.com/WinchesterOfficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/winchesterammunition

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Winchester