What Solware does

Solware Ltd. is a UK-based specialty retailer of air rifles, air pistols, shotguns, centrefire and rimfire firearms, ammunition, optics, and related shooting sports accessories, established in 1999 and operating from Tamworth, Staffordshire. The company sells multi-brand inventory from manufacturers including Weihrauch, FX, Brocock, AirForceOne, Artemis/Snowpeak, Umarex, Beretta, Browning, Fabarm, Caesar Guerini, and Colt, spanning entry-level products (from c. £95) to premium shotguns and rifles exceeding £3,250. Beyond traditional firearms, the catalogue extends into thermal imaging, night vision, non-lethal training products, and dog-training equipment, and the company offers ancillary services such as air-weapon repairs, gun fitting, scope mounting, and licensing guidance.

The business runs a dual-channel model: a transactional e-commerce storefront at solware.co.uk plus a physical retail showroom in Tamworth with a 360° virtual tour. For regulated items the company relies on a national Registered Firearms Dealer (RFD) delivery network, requiring photo ID and valid firearms/shotgun certificates for face-to-face verification at collection. The company also operates iOS and Android mobile apps, an active social presence (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram), email newsletter marketing, and educational content/buying guides covering shooting disciplines and UK air-weapon law variations across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. A single "AI-powered" Gun Builder tool supports custom package configuration.

The revenue model is straightforward one-time unit-pricing retail with VAT-inclusive pricing, promotional discounts (up to 30% off via a sale category), and a £5 first-order discount for newsletter subscribers. Operational metrics emphasize same-day dispatch for 99% of orders placed before 2pm. The company is privately held with no disclosed investors, funding events, M&A activity, or management team information; headcount is reported as 1-10 employees.

Name

Solware

Legal name

Solware Ltd.

Website

https://solware.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solware is a UK-based, privately held specialty retailer (founded 1999, Tamworth) selling air rifles, air pistols, shotguns, firearms, optics, ammunition, and accessories through e-commerce, a physical showroom, and a national Registered Firearms Dealer delivery network, serving shooting sports enthusiasts, pest controllers, hunters, and collectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Firearms and Shooting Sports Retail

akta.pro primary industry

Hunting & Shooting Specialty Knife/Tool Retail (CRAMAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Binoculars, Scopes & Sport Optics Retail (CRACAHAI)

Keywords

• Air rifle retail
• Firearms ecommerce
• Shooting sports equipment
• Shotgun retailer
• Air pistol sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Tamworth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail product sales: Solware generates revenue through the one-time sale of air rifles, air pistols, shotguns, firearms, ammunition, optics, accessories, and related equipment. Products are sold at retail prices inclusive of tax. The company also offers services including gun repairs, basic gun fitting, scope mounting, and zero calibration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Solware is a UK specialist retailer selling air rifles, air pistols, shotguns, centrefire and rimfire rifles, optics, ammunition, pellets, accessories, and non-lethal training products from leading brands. The company operates a dual online and in-store sales model with delivery to Registered Firearms Dealers (RFDs) for regulated items, complemented by in-store services such as gun fitting, scope mounting, zero calibration, air weapon repairs, licensing guidance, and an AI-powered Gun Builder configuration tool.

Product overview

Solware is a UK-based specialist retailer of air guns, firearms, and shooting equipment operating both physical store and e-commerce platform. The product portfolio centers on air rifles and air pistols (including PCP, CO2, and spring-powered models) complemented by shotguns, centrefire/rimfire rifles, optics (thermal scopes, night vision, traditional scopes), ammunition, accessories, and none-lethal training products. Key product brands include Weihrauch, FX, AirForceOne, Artemis/Snowpeak, Umarex, Colt, Browning, Beretta, and Reximex. Solware also offers services including gun fitting, air weapon repairs, licensing guidance, and an AI-powered Gun Builder tool for custom package creation. The company positions itself as having one of the UK's largest selections of air rifles and shooting equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Air Rifles Comprehensive range of air rifles including PCP, spring-powered, and CO2 models from brands such as Weihrauch, FX, Brocock, Reximex, and Artemis. Categories include standard, bullpup, and FAC/high-power variants for target shooting, pest control, and recreational use.
• Air Pistols Wide selection of air pistols including CO2, spring-powered, and PCP models from brands such as AirForceOne, Cybergun, Umarex, Artemis, and Colt. Available in .177 and .22 calibres with multi-shot and sound suppression features.
• Shotguns Extensive range of shotguns from manufacturers including Beretta, Browning, Fabarm, Caesar Guerini, Miroku, ATA, and Kofs. Available in over/under, semi-automatic, pump action, and side-by-side configurations for game and clay target shooting.
• Firearms/Rifles Selection of centrefire and rimfire rifles for sporting and target shooting applications, including 17HMR and .22 rimfire rifles, with licensing guidance provided.
• Optics & Thermal Scopes Range of scopes, thermal imaging optics, and night vision products from brands including Hawke, Element, Zerotech, HikMicro, Infiray-Nocpix, MTC, Optisan, and Pard. Includes daytime scopes, thermal scopes with built-in LRF, and dedicated night vision devices.
• Night Vision Night vision optics and thermal imaging devices for shooting applications, including scopes and dedicated night vision units.
• Air Weapon Accessories Wide range of accessories including moderators/silencers, magazines, bipods, gun cases, cleaning equipment, and maintenance supplies for air rifles and air pistols.
• None Lethal Products Non-lethal self-defence and training products including rubber ball pistols, paintball markers, and training ammunition from brands such as Umarex T4E, Borner, and APS.
• Dog Training Equipment Products for dog training including training dummies and accessories for working dogs.
• Gun Builder AI-powered online tool to assist customers in creating custom gun packages tailored to their specific requirements and budget.
• Air Weapon Repairs Professional repair services for air weapons, maintaining and servicing air rifles and air pistols.
• Solware Services Additional services including gun fitting, licensing guidance, and expert advice on product selection and compliance for firearms and shotguns.
• Used Products Pre-owned and second-hand air rifles, air pistols, and shooting equipment with verified quality.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pellpax: Pellpax is a long-established UK online specialist in air rifles, air pistols, pellets, and shooting accessories. It directly competes with Solware on the same core assortment, UK consumer target market, and e-commerce-led retail model.
• The Sportsman Gun Centre: The Sportsman Gun Centre is one of the UK's largest firearms and shooting equipment retailers, stocking shotguns, rifles, air weapons, and ammunition from major brands. It competes directly with Solware for UK shooting sports buyers across rifles, shotguns, and accessories.
• Highland Outdoors: Highland Outdoors is a major UK shooting sports retailer offering rifles, shotguns, optics, and country clothing. It serves the same UK shooting enthusiast customer base with overlapping brand portfolio and similar showroom-plus-online distribution.
• Henry Krank: Henry Krank is a UK-based specialist retailer of air guns, rifles, shotguns, and shooting accessories with a comparable e-commerce-plus-physical-store model. It targets the same recreational shooters and hunters as Solware.

Broad incumbents

• Bisley UK: Bisley is an established UK shooting sports brand and distributor covering rifles, shotguns, optics, clothing, and accessories. While broader in scope than Solware, it sits in the same UK shooting sports retail and distribution channel and overlaps on core product categories.

Emerging players

• Gunstar UK: Gunstar is a UK online firearms and shooting equipment marketplace/new-launch platform. It targets the same UK shooting enthusiast buyer Solware serves but does so via listings rather than direct retail, representing a different but adjacent go-to-market in the same category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/solwareltd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMbzKxM7hWcKDbDNqfxPhbw
• Facebookfacebook.com/solware.tamworth
• Instagraminstagram.com/solwareltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Solware