What Kent Cartridge does

Kent Cartridge, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Kearneysville, West Virginia, manufactures and supplies non-toxic and premium shotgun shells (shotshell ammunition) for waterfowl, upland, turkey, dove, target, and dog training applications. The company is operated under the legal entity Kent-Gamebore Corporation, maintains a manufacturing facility at 727 Hite Road, and runs a sales and distribution office in Ontario, Canada. Kent's product portfolio spans ten dedicated product lines including Fasteel 2.0, Fasteel+, Fasteel+ Bayou Blend, TealSteel, Kent Bismuth, Ultimate Turkey, Ultimate FastLead, Upland Fasteel, Steel Dove, Kent Elite, and ProTrial Field Blanks, plus branded merchandise. Product pricing ranges from approximately $159.99 per case (Ultimate Turkey 12GA 2.75-inch) to $464.99 per box (Kent Bismuth 20GA 3-inch), sold by the case or box on a pay-as-you-go basis with all sales final and a 30-day merchandise return window.

Kent's technical differentiation rests on a suite of proprietary shot and propellant technologies: Diamond Shot lead pellets that retain roundness under pressure for tighter patterns; Precision Plated Steel (zinc-plated) for corrosion resistance in wet environments; a layered or "binary" shot configuration combining two pellet sizes in a single payload for improved pattern density and knockdown; 9.6g/cc high-density bismuth shot that mimics lead ballistics while meeting non-toxic regulations and remaining safe for vintage shotguns; the CX2000 primer; and a custom double-base powder for stable velocity with reduced felt recoil. All ammunition is loaded in the USA, and the company holds registered trademarks across each named technology and product line.

Name

Kent Cartridge

Legal name

Kent-Gamebore Corporation

Website

https://kentcartridge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kent Cartridge, founded in 1997 and based in Kearneysville, West Virginia, manufactures premium shotgun shells for waterfowl, upland, turkey, dove, target, and dog training applications. The privately held company sells through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and a dealer network across the USA and Canada, leveraging proprietary shot technologies including Diamond Shot, Precision Plated Steel, and 9.6g/cc Bismuth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Shotshell Ammunition

NAICS

Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing (332992)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Firearms & Ammunition Retail (CRAMAKAA), Hunting, Shooting Sports & Archery Retail (CRAMABAK), Hunt, Fish & Shooting Sports Distribution (CRAOAJAC)

Keywords

• Shotshell ammunition
• Non-toxic shotgun shells
• Hunting ammunition
• Waterfowl shotshells
• Target shooting loads

Headquarters

HQ city

Kearneysville

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, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Shotshell Ammunition Sales: One-time product sales of shotgun shells across waterfowl, upland, turkey, target, and training categories. Products sold in boxes and cases with per-unit pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kent Cartridge manufactures and supplies a wide range of non-toxic and lead shotgun shells (shotshell ammunition) for hunting, clay shooting, and target training. Product lines cover waterfowl, upland game birds, turkey, dove, target shooting, and dog training categories, with the company operating both a direct e-commerce storefront and an independent dealer network across the USA and Canada.

Product overview

Kent Cartridge is a manufacturer of high-performance shotgun shells (ammunition) for hunting and sport shooting, not a software platform. The company operates as a single-product business (ammunition manufacturing) organized into distinct product lines rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Their shotshell portfolio includes steel shotshells for waterfowl (Fasteel 2.0, Fasteel+, Fasteel+ Bayou Blend, TealSteel, All-Purpose Steel, Steel Dove), bismuth non-toxic shotshells for waterfowl and upland hunting, lead shotshells for turkey hunting (Ultimate Turkey with Diamond Shot) and upland hunting (Ultimate FastLead with Diamond Shot, Upland Fasteel), target ammunition (Kent Elite), training blanks (ProTrial Field Blanks), and dog training shotshells. They also sell branded merchandise. The company has no software, API, or SaaS products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fasteel 2.0: Precision plated steel waterfowl shotshells with zinc-plated components for corrosion resistance.
• Fasteel Plus
• Fasteel Plus Bayou Blend
• TealSteel
• Ultimate FastLead
• Ultimate Turkey
• Kent Bismuth
• Upland Fasteel
• Steel Dove
• All-Purpose Steel
• Kent Elite
• ProTrial Field Blanks

Products and services

• Fasteel 2.0 Premium precision-plated steel waterfowl shotshells featuring zinc-plated steel shot and nickel-plated heads for corrosion resistance, optimized for semi-automatic shotguns with consistent patterns.
• Fasteel+ Advanced waterfowl shotshells using layered (binary) shot technology combining two precision-plated steel shot sizes for improved pattern density and downrange energy.
• Fasteel+ Bayou Blend Special Fasteel+ variant featuring 2x4 and 3x5 layered shot combinations with Mossy Oak GameKeeper camouflage, supporting wetland conservation projects.
• TealSteel High-velocity precision steel shotshells designed specifically for early-season teal hunting with corrosion-resistant components and consistent patterns.
• Kent Bismuth Waterfowl & Upland Non-toxic shotshells loaded with proprietary 9.6g/cc high-density bismuth shot that mimics lead ballistics while remaining environmentally safe for vintage and modern shotguns.
• Ultimate Turkey High-performance turkey hunting shotshells engineered with proprietary Diamond Shot for tight patterns, hard-hitting payloads, and extended range accuracy.
• Ultimate FastLead Premium lead upland hunting shotshells featuring Diamond Shot for tighter patterns, increased penetration, and maximum lethality on game birds.
• Upland Fasteel Non-toxic steel shotshells for upland bird hunting in lead-restricted areas, featuring precision steel shot and smooth cycling performance.
• Steel Dove Steel shotshells designed for dove hunting applications.
• Kent Elite Premium target shotshells designed for competitive shooters requiring consistent performance and tight patterns.
• ProTrial Field Blanks Field blank shotshells for dog training purposes.
• All-Purpose Steel General purpose steel shotshells for versatile waterfowl hunting applications.
• Training Shotshells Dog training shotshells designed for keeping dogs in mid-season form through practice sessions.
• Kent Cartridge Merchandise Branded apparel and gear including hats, hoodies, t-shirts, shell bags, and limited edition signature series items.
• 2026 Shotshell Lineup (17 new loads) 17 new shotshell products released for the 2026 season across waterfowl, upland, and dog training categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ultimate Turkey 12GA 3.5-inch delivers 382 pellets of #5 shot at 1200 fps for maximum knockdown power
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mossy Oak GameKeeper GrantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Mossy Oak GameKeeper Grants to support wetland restoration projects, youth hunting initiatives, and sustainable land management efforts. Every purchase of Fasteel+ Bayou Blend helps fund conservation efforts, aligning the company's commitment to conservation with habitat stewardship.
• National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual participation in NWTF Convention & Sport Show at booth 1753, celebrating conservation, hunting tradition, and community building with turkey hunters.
• National Pheasant Fest & Quail ClassiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual participation in National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic celebrating upland hunting, conservation, bird dogs, and hunting communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Federal Premium Ammunition: Federal Premium (a Vista Outdoor brand) is one of the largest U.S. shotshell manufacturers, with deep waterfowl, upland, and turkey product lines directly competing with Kent's Fasteel, TealSteel, and Ultimate Turkey series.
• Winchester Ammunition: Winchester (Olin Corporation) is a leading mass-market shotshell brand (Super-X, Xpert, Blind Side) that competes head-to-head with Kent in waterfowl, upland, and target categories at sporting goods retail.
• Remington Ammunition: Remington (Vista Outdoor) produces Premier, Nitro Steel, and STS shotshells that overlap directly with Kent's premium waterfowl, target, and upland product lines.
• HEVI-Shot: HEVI-Shot is a specialty non-toxic shotshell brand (HEVI-Metal, HEVI-XII, HEVI-Hammer) that competes most directly with Kent's bismuth and steel waterfowl and turkey offerings in the premium non-toxic niche.
• Estate Cartridge: Estate Cartridge (part of the Fiocchi group) is a value-tier shotshell brand targeting upland and target shooters, the same segments Kent serves with its value-priced steel and training loads.
• Rio Ammunition: Royal Intercal/Rio is a UK-based shotshell manufacturer with a U.S. presence (Rio Royal Game, Star Team) that competes in the value and mid-tier waterfowl and clay-target markets.
• Fiocchi of America: Fiocchi is an Italian-origin ammunition manufacturer with a strong U.S. shotshell presence (Golden Pheasant, Steel Waterfowl) that directly competes with Kent in hunting and target segments.
• Browning Ammunition: Browning's BPT, Wicked Wing, and Dove & Squirrel shotshells cover waterfowl, upland, and target segments that overlap with Kent's full product portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Gamebore: Gamebore is a UK shotshell specialist and, per the legal entity 'Kent-Gamebore Corporation,' is the corporate parent or sister brand to Kent Cartridge; product development and shotshell technology overlap extensively.

Emerging players

• Apex Ammunition: Apex is a small, premium-focused U.S. non-toxic shotshell maker (tungsten and bismuth) targeting turkey and waterfowl hunters — the same premium niche Kent Bismuth and Ultimate Turkey compete in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KentCartridge
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KentCartridge
• Facebookfacebook.com/KentCartridge
• Instagraminstagram.com/kent_cartridge

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 Kent Cartridge