What Boss Shotshells does

Boss Shotshells (operated by Boss Outdoors, LLC, a Michigan LLC founded in 2018) is a direct-to-consumer manufacturer of premium non-toxic shotshells for waterfowl, turkey, and target shooting, headquartered in Berrien County, Michigan with in-house production and choke-tube machining in small-town Michigan. Its core technology platform is centered on CuProX (Corrosion Inhibited Copper shot), a proprietary, trademarked non-toxic shot material paired with the patent-pending TurbuFlow aerodynamic surface treatment; this is the foundation of the Legacy CuProX and Warchief CuProX product lines and is the subject of an active U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service submission for inclusion on the Approved Shot List. Supporting technologies include a Warchief-inspired collapsible "power tower" wad with BioTec EcoPure environmental additive, an in-house machined Boss Factory Performance Choke line (17-4PH stainless steel, H900 heat treatment), and a co-developed BossxMüller choke line with Müller Chokes; the MkIII Shotshell Tester was independently validated by UL Solutions at 100% accuracy across 1,840 tests for USFWS use.

Boss sells almost exclusively through its own e-commerce storefront (bossshotshells.com), shipping via FedEx within the continental United States only (no Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, NYC, Washington DC, or U.S. territories). Pricing spans approximately $15.50 per box for target loads up to $423 for premium 10-gauge and tungsten loads, with free FedEx shipping over $150, bulk case discounts, and a 5% discount program for verified military, law enforcement, and first responders. The product catalog spans gauges .410, 28, 20, 16, 12, and 10 across seven SKU lines (Boss Target, Boss Unleaded, Steel Reserve, Boss Legacy CuProX, Warchief CuProX, Wolfram tungsten, Boss Tom TSS), complemented by choke tubes, accessories, custom shotgun work services ($450), and a branded apparel and gear line. Primary customer segments are waterfowl hunters, turkey hunters, and target/sporting clays shooters; secondary segments include guided hunting outfitters (e.g., Cloud 9 Outfitters Canada) and the military/LE/first-responder discount tier.

The go-to-market motion is community-led and ambassador-driven, leveraging a roster including former NFL quarterback Devlin 'Duck' Hodges, professional bass fisherman Bill Lowen, motivational speaker Jack Zimmerman, and outfitter partners, plus a "Bosstimonials" testimonial page and educational content (Boss Buzz, CuProX, Boss Difference, Boss Media). The company positions itself as American-made with conservation and veteran-support alignment, and engagement with the USFWS for formal non-toxic approval represents its most significant forward-looking regulatory milestone. The firm is privately held, founder-led (Brandon Cerecke), with no disclosed external funding and headcount in the 11-50 range.

Name

Boss Shotshells

Legal name

Boss Outdoors, LLC

Website

https://bossshotshells.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Boss Shotshells (Boss Outdoors, LLC), founded 2018 in Michigan, is a direct-to-consumer manufacturer of premium non-toxic copper, bismuth, and tungsten shotshells for waterfowl, turkey, and target shooters across the continental United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunting Ammunition

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 industries

Firearms & Ammunition Retail (CRAMAKAA), Reloading & Gunsmithing Supplies Retail (CRAMAKAF), Shooting Sports Equipment Retail (Targets, Clay, Range Gear, Hearing/Eye Protection) (CRAMAKAG)

Keywords

• Non-toxic shotgun shells
• Waterfowl hunting ammunition
• Turkey hunting loads
• Shotshell manufacturing
• Custom choke tubes

Headquarters

HQ city

Stevensville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Shotshell Sales: One-time purchase of physical shotshell ammunition products (Legacy CuProX, Warchief CuProX, Steel Reserve, Boss Target, Unleaded, Wolfram TSS, Boss Tom turkey loads, and 10/12/16/20/28/.410 gauge variants) sold via the company's own e-commerce storefront. Pricing varies by SKU from ~$15.50 per box up to $423; case/quantity discounts available; FREE FedEx shipping on orders over $150 in continental USA.
2. Accessories and Apparel Sales: Direct one-time sales of branded accessories and apparel: BossxMüller and Boss Factory Performance choke tubes ($80-$150), Boss Moneybags ($25-$30), Ricardo Gun Bag ($135), hats ($30), beanies ($35), tees ($15-$30), stickers/patches ($5-$27), JJ Lares Hybrid Duck Call ($225), and bowtie banners ($60).
3. Custom Gun Work Services: Professional services revenue from custom shotgun work priced at $450 per service, offered through the Boss Custom Gun Work product page.
4. Military/Law Enforcement/First Responders Discount Program: Discount-based acquisition program offering 5% off all products to verified U.S. military, law enforcement, and first responders who register and submit documentation (DD-214 or active military/LE ID).
5. Donations and Sponsorships: Annual donations and sponsorships program for aligned 501(c)(3) missions, with applications reviewed and fulfilled by July 1 of each calendar year — used as a brand/GTM lever rather than direct revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Boss Shotshells manufactures and sells American-made, non-toxic shotgun shells (shotshells) for waterfowl, turkey, and target shooting across 10, 12, 16, 20, 28, and .410 bore gauges under product lines including Boss Legacy with CuProX, Warchief with CuProX/TurbuFlow, Wolfram tungsten, Boss Tom TSS, Steel Reserve, Boss Unleaded, and Boss Target. The company complements its ammunition with custom-engineered choke tubes (BossxMüller and Boss Factory Performance lines), branded apparel and accessories (moneybags, gun bags, hats, tees), the JJ Lares Hybrid Duck Call, reloading supplies, and an in-house custom shotgun gunsmithing service, sold direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce storefront.

Product overview

Boss Shotshells is a single-brand e-commerce product line — not a multi-product platform — engineered around high-performance non-toxic shotgun shells for waterfowl, turkey, and target shooting. The core offering is the "Boss Shells" family, which is split into distinct product lines by payload material and use case: Boss Target (steel target loads), Boss Unleaded (upland non-toxic), Steel Reserve (steel waterfowl), Boss Legacy with CuProX copper shot, Warchief with CuProX and TurbuFlow (flagship long-range copper), Wolfram (copper-plated tungsten), and Boss Tom (TSS turkey). Complementing the shells are two custom-engineered choke tube product families — BossxMüller Chokes (co-developed with Jimmy Müller for Legacy, Warchief, Steel Reserve, and Wolfram) and the Boss Factory Performance Chokes (tuned for CuProX/TurbuFlow) — plus supporting categories including Reloading Supplies, Custom Shotgun Work services, the JJ Lares Hybrid Duck Call, BOSS Moneybags, and a branded apparel/gear line (tees, hats, beanies, stickers, and "The Ricardo" gun bag). The MkIII Shotshell Tester rounds out the system as a USFWS/UL-validated field device for verifying non-toxic shot material. All shotshells are American-made in small-town Michigan, established 2018, and the entire CuProX ammunition system is designed to integrate tightly with the company's choke and tester products as one engineering platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CuProX: Boss's proprietary corrosion-inhibited copper shot technology with TurbuFlow surface engineering, positioned as the new standard of performance and used across Legacy and Warchief product lines.
• Warchief
• Wolfram
• Boss Unleaded
• Steel Reserve
• Boss Tom
• Boss Target
• BossxMüller

Products and services

• Boss Target Non-toxic precision-built steel target loads for clays, sporting clays, trap, skeet, and upland shooting, with a Warchief-inspired wad containing BioTec EcoPure® additive; available in 12 and 20 gauge.
• Boss Unleaded Non-toxic upland-game shotshell positioned for hunters who trust their dogs and want clean kills without compromising results; marketed around one-mile days in the field.
• Steel Reserve Steel waterfowl shotshell line available in 12 GA 3" 1-1/8 oz and 1-3/8 oz, and 20 GA 3" 7/8 oz configurations.
• Boss Legacy (CuProX) Shotshells The original Boss shell now loaded with proprietary CuProX copper shot, engineered for lethal performance inside 40–45 yards; available across 12, 16, 20, 28, and .410 bore gauges at ~1350 fps.
• Warchief (CuProX with TurbuFlow) Shotshells Flagship tight-patterning long-range copper shotshell using CuProX with TurbuFlow surface technology, marketed at 1475–1500 fps with claimed ~60% pattern density at 60 yards and significantly higher retained energy versus steel and bismuth.
• Wolfram Tungsten Waterfowl Shotshells Premium copper-plated tungsten waterfowl shotshell at 18.1 g/cc density, designed for maximum lethality at long range using a "power tower" collapsing wad; available in 12, 20, and 28 gauge.
• Boss Tom Turkey Loads Copper-plated tungsten TSS turkey load available in .410 Bore 3" with 294 pellets per shell at 1050 fps; designed for sub-gauge turkey hunting with deep penetration.
• BossxMüller Custom Choke Tubes Custom-engineered choke tubes co-developed with Jimmy Müller (Müller Chokes), with internal geometries tailored to Legacy, Warchief, Steel Reserve, and Wolfram ballistics; available in 12/20/28 gauge at $150 each.
• Boss Factory Performance Chokes CuProX- and TurbuFlow-tuned choke tubes precision-machined from USA-made 17-4PH stainless steel, heat-treated to H900 spec, with final in-house reaming. Pre-order priced at $80, expected Summer 2026.
• Custom Shotgun Work Boss in-house custom shotgun gunsmithing service priced at $450 per service, supporting the brand's complete waterfowl shooting system.
• BOSS Moneybags Made-in-USA 8" x 10" waxed-cotton-canvas shotshell carry bags with drawstring closure holding ~3 boxes of shells; available in Charcoal, Brush Brown, Sage, and Boss Target variants at $25–$30.
• JJ Lares Hybrid Duck Call JJ Lares hybrid duck call retailed by Boss for $225; currently sold out and on waitlist.
• "The Ricardo" Gun Bag 10" x 50" double-lined Martexin 10.10 waxed cotton canvas gun bag with integrated pouches, muzzle-end grommet, reinforced loop/buckle closure, and removable gauge/brand patches; $135.
• Boss Apparel and Gear Branded apparel and accessories including The OG Shop Tees, Native Duck Tee, Warchief Shotgun Tee, OG Full Monty Tee, Leather Patch Beanie, Black Hole Hat, Warchief Hat, Unleaded Hat, sticker packs, velcro patches, and banners — all made and printed in the USA.
• Boss MkIII Shotshell Tester Independent-validated (UL Solutions, for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) shotshell tester delivering 100% accuracy across 1,840 tests identifying steel, tungsten, lead, bismuth, and copper shot — a fast, non-destructive field method for verifying non-toxic shotshell materials.
• Gift Cards Boss Shotshells gift cards available for online redemption across the product catalog.
• BossxMüller Warchief Choke Tube Warchief-tuned custom choke tube engineered with Jimmy Müller for 12, 20, and 28 gauge shotguns in CRIO+, MOBIL, OPTIMA HP, and INVECTOR+ choke styles; $150.
• BossxMüller Wolfram Choke Tube Wolfram-tuned custom choke tube engineered with Jimmy Müller to complement tungsten ballistics and deliver increased pattern percentages and uniformity; $150.
• BossxMüller Steel Reserve Choke Tube Steel Reserve-tuned custom choke tube engineered with Jimmy Müller; internal geometries complement Steel Reserve ballistics for improved pattern percentages and uniformity; $150.

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

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

• Müller Chokes (Jimmy Müller)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed "BossxMüller" choke tube line, including Warchief, Wolfram, and Steel Reserve choke tubes. Custom-engineered internal choke geometries complement Boss Legacy, Warchief, Wolfram, and Steel Reserve product ballistics, delivering increased pattern percentages and uniformity. Chokes are listed at $150 each and sold across the Boss storefront.
• JJ Lares Hybrid Duck CallcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerBoss distributes the JJ Lares Hybrid Duck Call through its own e-commerce storefront under the "Boss Calls" category at $225. The call is currently on waitlist due to inventory but sold through Boss's own site, indicating a product partnership with the call's manufacturer (JJ Lares).
• Cloud 9 Outfitters Canada (Ben Commodore)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured outfitter partner (Canada). Owner Ben Commodore provides a customer testimonial on the Bosstimonials page highlighting Boss shells' knockdown power on late-season geese, and is featured in the Boss Outfitters ecosystem to recommend Boss ammunition to guided-hunt clients.
• Pacific Calls (Trevor Austin)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCalls brand ambassador; provides a customer testimonial on the Bosstimonials page describing Boss shot as harder-hitting and more reliable than other shots used, supporting joint marketing within the waterfowl community.
• Devlin 'Duck' Hodges (Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand ambassador featured on the Bosstimonials page; provides a public testimonial citing Boss shells' impact among hunting peers and supports brand visibility within the waterfowl-hunting and broader sports communities.
• Bill Lowen (Professional Bass Fisherman)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand ambassador and Bosstimonials featured endorser; provides a public testimonial aligning the brand with heritage, ethics, and conservation of waterfowl.
• Jack Zimmerman (Motivational Speaker)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand ambassador and Bosstimonials featured endorser; testimonial cites American-made product and veteran-supporting brand as key purchase drivers.
• UL SolutionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent third-party testing partner. UL Solutions conducted the independent validation of Boss's MkIII Shotshell Tester for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, confirming 100% accuracy across 1,840 tests in identifying steel, tungsten, lead, bismuth, and copper shot.
• FedEx / UPScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoss uses FedEx (Ground) as primary carrier within the contiguous United States, with UPS as an alternate carrier where FedEx service is unavailable. Provides FREE FedEx shipping on orders over $150; expedited (Air) shipping is NOT available for shotshells. Shipping holidays and rates are listed on the company's shipping policy page.
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)coreOthersBoss has engaged the USFWS in pursuit of formal non-toxic shot approval for its CuProX Corrosion Inhibited Copper shot. The MkIII Shotshell Tester was independently validated by UL Solutions specifically for USFWS use in verifying non-toxic shotshell materials in the field.
• Glendale DesignsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite footer credits Glendale Designs as the e-commerce development partner for the bossshotshells.com online store.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Trulock Chokes: Trulock is an established specialty choke manufacturer with ported and turkey-specific tubes for non-toxic shot, overlapping with the Boss choke product family at lower price points.
• Patternmaster Chokes: Patternmaster designs specialty choke tubes (Code Black, Anaconda Long Range) marketed for non-toxic tungsten/bismuth loads, directly overlapping with Boss's BossxMüller and Boss Factory Performance choke lines.
• Carlson's Choke Tubes: Carlson's is one of the largest U.S. specialty choke-tube manufacturers with broad gauge coverage (CRIO, Invector Plus, Mobilchoke), competing with BossxMüller on selection and price.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Premium (Vista Outdoor): Federal Premium is a mass-market ammunition incumbent with Black Cloud and Speed-Shok waterfowl lines plus choke tubes; competes with Boss across all gauges and dwarfs it on retail distribution.
• Fiocchi of America: Fiocchi manufactures and imports a full shotgun-shell lineup (Golden Pheasant, Exacta, Steel) into the U.S., overlapping with Boss Target, Steel Reserve, and Unleaded on price-sensitive target/upland SKUs.
• Remington Ammunition: Remington is a legacy ammunition incumbent with Sportsman and Premier STS lines covering waterfowl, turkey, and target shooting; competes broadly with Boss across price tiers and gauges.
• Winchester Ammunition: Winchester is a legacy ammunition incumbent with its own non-toxic waterfowl (Xpert, Blind Side) and turkey (Supreme) loads, plus Browning-branded choke tubes; competes on price, shelf placement, and brand.

Direct peers

• HEVI-Shot: HEVI-Shot is the leading independent non-toxic shotshell specialist (HEVI-Metal tungsten, HEVI-Bismuth, HEVI-XII), directly competing with Boss CuProX and Wolfram in the premium waterfowl and turkey segments.
• Apex Ammunition: Apex is an emerging premium shotshell maker focused on turkey TSS and waterfowl tungsten/copper-plated loads, with comparable price points and gauge matrix to Boss Tom and Wolfram.
• Kent Cartridge: Kent Cartridge manufactures premium non-toxic waterfowl and upland shotshells (bismuth, tungsten, steel) under Kent and Bismuth Impact labels, directly competing with Boss in the federally-regulated non-toxic waterfowl category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BOSS_UNMUZZLED
• Facebookfacebook.com/bossshotshells
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boss-outdoors

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Boss Shotshells