Century Arms

What Century Arms does

Century Arms, Inc. is a privately held U.S. firearms importer and manufacturer headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, with a manufacturing and distribution facility in Vermont. The company describes itself as "North America's premier AK manufacturer" and operates as the exclusive U.S. importer for Canik handguns (manufactured in Turkey), as well as Red Army Standard ammunition. Its product portfolio spans AK-pattern rifles (VSKA, BFT47, WASR-10, PSL 54, AES 10B), AK-pattern pistols (Draco, Micro Draco, VSKA Draco), the AP Series of MP5-pattern clones, Centurion 1911-style pistols, ATA modern sporting rifles, and BP-12 shotguns, supplemented by an accessories and apparel line. Technical differentiators include S7 tool-steel machined components on the VSKA line, bulged-and-forged trunnions on the BFT47, and the proprietary RAK-1 enhanced trigger group for the AK platform.

Century Arms makes money through wholesale hardware sales of firearms, ammunition, and accessories via a B2B network of licensed FFL dealers (its primary channel, with a dedicated dealer portal at store.centuryarms.com), supplemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce for accessories and apparel through centuryarms.com. MSRPs on its catalog span from roughly $299.99 (Canik TP9SF ONE Series) to $1,699.99 (MB47 AK rifle), with most core products in the $399.99–$1,359.95 range. Its go-to-market combines dealer distribution, industry events (NRA Annual Meeting, ILEETA), sponsored competitive shooting events and pro-shooter teams, and a YouTube/video content presence.

The company serves three principal customer segments: licensed firearms dealers (primary B2B channel), shooting-sports enthusiasts and competitive shooters (B2C), and law enforcement/military accounts (specialty SBRs and select pistols). It also supports veterans through a partnership with The Josh Pallotta Fund tied to the BFT47 Veteran AK rifle. Distribution is domestic-only in disclosed scope, though the import flow pulls from Romania and Turkey.

Name

Century Arms

Legal name

Century Arms, Inc.

Website

https://centuryarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Century Arms is a privately held U.S. firearms importer and manufacturer and exclusive U.S. distributor for Canik pistols, selling AK-pattern rifles, MP5 clones, 1911 pistols, and shotguns primarily through a licensed FFL dealer network, with a Vermont manufacturing facility and Florida headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Firearms Manufacturing and Importing

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Firearms manufacturing
• AK rifles
• Handgun importing
• Ammunition distribution
• Firearm accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Delray Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Firearms Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and importing firearms including AK rifles, AK pistols, AP series (MP5 clones), shotguns, and pistols. Products sold through licensed dealer network.
2. Ammunition Sales: Red Army Standard branded ammunition including 7.62x39mm, 7.62x54R, 5.45x39mm, 9mm, .45 Auto, .223 Remington, and .308 Winchester.
3. Accessories and Gear: Sales of firearms accessories including muzzle brakes, grips, optics, holsters, and branded apparel including hats and patches.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Century Arms manufactures and imports firearms, specializing in AK-pattern rifles and pistols, MP5-pattern clones (AP Series), shotguns, and 1911-style pistols. The company is the exclusive U.S. importer of Canik handguns and accessories, and distributes Red Army Standard ammunition. Firearms are domestically manufactured in Vermont and imported from Romania and Turkey, then sold through licensed dealers and direct-to-consumer e-commerce for accessories.

Product overview

Century Arms is North America's premier AK manufacturer offering a diverse firearms portfolio centered around AK-pattern rifles and pistols, MP5 clones (AP Series), shotguns, and 1911-style pistols. The company operates both as a manufacturer of American-made firearms (VSKA, BFT47) and exclusive importer for Turkish Canik pistols and Red Army Standard ammunition. Product lines include AK rifles (VSKA, BFT47, WASR-10, PSL 54, AES 10B), AK pistols (Draco, Micro Draco, VSKA Draco), AP Series MP5 clones, Centurion 1911 pistols, ATA sporting rifles, BP-12 shotguns, and Canik TP9 handgun series. The company also distributes partner brands including US Palm grips/magazines and Red Army Standard ammunition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Canik: Turkish handgun brand imported exclusively to the U.S. by Century Arms
• Red Army Standard
• US Palm

Products and services

• AK Rifles Complete lineup of AK-pattern rifles including American-made and imported models chambered in various calibers (7.62x39mm, 5.56 NATO, 5.45x39mm), featuring the VSKA series with S7 tool steel construction, BFT47 with bulged and forged trunnion, and Romanian-imported WASR-10. Targeted at recreational shooters, competitors, and collectors.
• AK Pistols (Draco, Micro Draco, VSKA Draco, BFT47 Pistol) Compact AK-pattern pistols chambered in 7.62x39mm including the Draco (12.25-inch barrel), Micro Draco (6.25-inch barrel), VSKA Draco (US-made 10.625-inch barrel), and BFT47 Pistol. Built in Romania and the US, including US Palm 30-round magazines. Targeted at consumer firearms enthusiasts.
• AP Series (MP5 Clones) MP5-pattern pistol and rifle clones including AP5, AP5-P, AP5-N Navy, AP5-SD, AP51, and AP53 models in various configurations. HK MP5-pattern platform imported and manufactured for civilian and specialty markets.
• ATA ALR Sporting Rifles Modern sporting rifles including ATA ALR 308 WIN and ATA ALR 6.5 CM models, expanding the company's rifle lineup beyond AK-pattern platforms.
• Shotguns (BP-12 Series, Centurion Survivor, Centurion A4) Bullpup shotgun series including the BP-12 and Centurion Survivor models, plus the Centurion A4 shotgun, expanding the company's product range to include shotgun platforms.
• 1911 Pistols (Centurion 11, Centurion 14) Single-action .45 ACP pistols including Centurion 11 (with 5-inch barrel, 8-round magazine, imported from Turkey) and Centurion 14. Priced at $399.99 MSRP for the Centurion 11.
• Canik Pistols (Imported) Turkish-made handguns imported exclusively by Century Arms including the TP9 series (TP9SFx, TP9SF Elite, TP9SFT, TP9SA Mod.2, TP9DA, TP9 Elite SC), known for polymer frames, striker-fired design, and competitive pricing. Includes performance variants developed with Salient Arms International and Taran Tactical Innovations.
• Red Army Standard Ammunition Premium Russian ammunition line including 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, 5.45x39, 9mm, .45 Auto, .223 Remington, and .308 Winchester. Features boat tail bullets and weather-resistant sealed neck and primer designs. Includes White Box budget line for range use.
• Firearms Accessories and Apparel Firearms accessories including muzzle brakes (e.g., DRACO AK Muzzle Brake for 14x1 left-hand threaded 7.62x39/9mm), RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group, optics, holsters, and branded apparel (hats, patches). US Palm partner brand grips and magazines also distributed.
• BFT47 Veteran AK (Special Edition) Special edition BFT47 rifle created in partnership with The Josh Pallotta Fund, with a portion of proceeds supporting veteran mental wellness. All-American made AK rifle with bulged and forged trunnion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Limited Lifetime Warranty on VSKA, BFT47, and other major product lines
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Taran Tactical InnovationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2024Historic collaboration between Canik and Taran Tactical Innovations (founded by world champion shooter and master gunsmith Taran Butler). The partnership produced the Canik TTI Combat pistol featuring out-of-the-box custom features designed by Taran Butler.
• Salient Arms InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2019Performance upgrade partnership for Canik pistols. Salient Arms International designed upgrades for the TP9 Elite Combat Executive including fluted match-grade PVD-over-nitride coated gold barrel, aluminum speed funnel magazine well, and custom sight set. This collaboration produced the TP9 Elite Combat Executive model.
• CanikcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCentury Arms is the exclusive importer of Canik handguns and accessories to the United States. This partnership gives Century Arms exclusive access to Canik's full line of pistols including the TP9 series, Elite series, and various tactical models. Canik manufactures in Turkey and Century Arms handles all US distribution through their dealer network.
• The Josh Pallotta FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support veteran mental wellness. The collaboration produced the BFT47 Veteran AK rifle, with a portion of proceeds from each rifle sold going to the Josh Pallotta Fund non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Veterans and Service Members.
• US PalmminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS Palm is a manufacturer of AK grips and magazines featured alongside Century Arms products at events and featured in product bundles. Products like Draco pistols include US Palm 30-round magazines.
• Red Army StandardcoreOthersCentury Arms imports and distributes Red Army Standard ammunition, a premium Russian ammunition brand. Products include boat tail versions for improved accuracy and weather resistance, with White Box budget line for range use. William Sucher serves as VP of Business Development for Red Army Standard.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aero Precision: US-based firearms and components manufacturer with strong AK and AR-platform offerings. Comparable on US-manufactured AK-pattern SKUs and dealer-direct wholesale distribution.
• Springfield Armory: Closely comparable US firearms company with broad rifle (M1A, Hellion), pistol (XD, 1911), and imported/domestic hybrid manufacturing model. Sells through identical FFL dealer channels with mid-tier MSRPs overlapping Century Arms' core SKUs.
• Palmetto State Armory: Direct competitor in the budget-to-mid AR and AK-pattern rifle market, with a strong direct-to-consumer e-commerce model. Most comparable to Century Arms on AK-platform SKUs and the consumer value-pricing strategy.
• PSA Imports / Kalashnikov USA: Direct AK-pattern rifle and pistol competitor with US manufacturing focus, competing head-to-head with Century Arms' VSKA and BFT47 lines for the American-made AK market.

Broad incumbents

• SIG Sauer: Large US-based firearms and ammunition manufacturer with broad military, law enforcement, and civilian channels. Comparable on premium pistol SKUs (P320/M18 family competing against Canik TP9 line) and exclusive importer-style product positioning.
• Daniel Defense: Premium US rifle manufacturer with strong military/law enforcement channels. Comparable through ATA-style modern sporting rifle positioning and shared FFL dealer/wholesale distribution model.
• Smith & Wesson Brands: Major US firearms manufacturer with broad handgun, rifle, and shotgun lineup. Closely comparable on consumer firearms distribution through FFL dealers and competing in the same MSRP tiers as Century Arms' mid-priced offerings.
• Ruger Firearms: Established US firearms manufacturer with deep portfolio spanning rifles, pistols, and revolvers. Comparable through overlapping price points, FFL dealer distribution, and domestic manufacturing footprint that competes with Century Arms' VSKA/BFT47 line.
• Colt's Manufacturing: Historic US firearms manufacturer with deep rifle and 1911 pistol lines. Comparable on 1911 product overlap with Century Arms' Centurion 11/14 and on FFL dealer wholesale distribution.
• Beretta USA: Italian-owned US firearms and shotguns manufacturer. Comparable on imported-and-domestic hybrid model, broad product range including 1911-style and shotgun SKUs that compete with Century Arms' Centurion and BP-12 lines.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/centuryarms

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Century Arms