What Atlas Gunworks does

Atlas Gunworks is a privately held, founder-led US firearms manufacturer headquartered in Shelburne, Vermont (with an additional operations support site in Essex Junction), founded by Adam Nilson (a USPSA shooter) and Tod West (a master machinist). The company designs, manufactures, and sells premium, hand-fitted 1911/2011-style double-stack competition and carry pistols under its Perfect Zero™ platform, with seven current v3 models (Apollo, Artemis, Athena, EOS, Erebus, NYX, Titan) priced between $6,395 and $8,595. Core technology centers on a tightly integrated platform architecture: in-house Vermont billet slide manufacturing, patent-pending angled grip bushings, redesigned optic plates, interchangeable Glock-style front sights, tuned barrels with optimized feed-ramp and bore geometry, and a proprietary magazine ecosystem (Classic at $74.99, Premium from $99.99) with one-piece stamped-and-welded stainless tubes and Duty Followers.

The business operates across three go-to-market motions: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via atlasgunworks.com for pistols and service, a sister storefront at perfectzero.co for parts, tools, magazines, optics, and accessories, and an authorized US dealer network surfaced via a Gunmade-powered Dealer Finder embedded on every product page. Revenue is generated primarily through unit-priced hardware sales (pistols, magazines, parts, accessories), supplemented by a first-party Pistol Service program offering a $300 Standard Maintenance tier with 15-day shop turnaround, modifications, and warranty work. Distribution is domestic only and is constrained by state-level high-capacity magazine regulations.

The company is supported by a broad content-and-community marketing engine: a multi-category blog, a YouTube channel with EP1–EP9 Gun Safety series, an Instagram and LinkedIn presence, podcast appearances (Bangin Brass, Conversations I Wanted to Have Anyway), earned media in outlets such as Action Gunner, Loadout Magazine, and Texas Gun Vault, and competition sponsorship at the Dragons Cup via a named pro-shooter roster. A flagship co-development partnership with Agency Arms (Project Alias) was unveiled in January 2026, and the company cites "unprecedented growth and success" alongside active hiring. There is no public revenue disclosure, no investor funding rounds on record, and no AI/ML technology stack evidenced in the data.

Name

Atlas Gunworks

Legal name

Atlas Gunworks

Website

https://atlasgunworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Atlas Gunworks designs and manufactures hand-fitted premium 1911/2011-style double-stack competition and carry pistols at its Vermont facility, serving competitive shooters, professionals, and collectors via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, an authorized US dealer network, and an in-house service program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Competition Pistols / Firearms Manufacturing

NAICS

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

SIC

Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480), Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420), Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Competition pistols
• 1911 double-stack
• Handgun manufacturing
• Firearms magazines
• Custom gunsmithing

Headquarters

HQ city

Shelburne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pistol Sales (v3 Perfect Zero Pistols): Sale of high-performance double-stack 1911/2011 pistols: Apollo ($6,995), Artemis ($8,495), Athena ($6,595), EOS ($6,995), Erebus ($8,595), NYX ($6,395.95), Titan ($6,395). One-time hardware sale to consumers and dealers.
2. Magazine Sales (Classic & Premium): Sale of double-stack 1911/2011 magazines under Classic ($74.99) and Premium (starting at $99.99) lines via the Perfect Zero storefront. SKUs span 120mm, 126mm, 140mm, and 170mm lengths; 9mm and 40SW calibers.
3. Parts, Tools, and Accessories (Perfect Zero storefront): E-commerce retail across optics (red dots, scopes, mounts), 1911 DS parts (frame/lower, slide/upper, barrels, triggers, ignition, springs), AR-15 parts, armorers tools, holsters, lights, belts, mag pouches, and apparel.
4. Pistol Service & Maintenance: Factory service work including paid Standard Maintenance ($300), modifications, warranty service, and magazine warranty (in first 30 days — repair/replace plus complimentary spare spring and follower). Labor, parts, and shipping billed per engagement.
5. Dealer/Distribution Sales: Wholesale and dealer-channel sales through an authorized dealer network surfaced via the Gunmade-powered dealer finder.
6. Co-Developed Limited Products: Strategic co-developed products such as the Agency Arms × Atlas Gunworks "Project Alias" — a flagship, hand-fit 2011 built by a single master gunsmith, positioned as a heirloom-grade firearm.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Atlas Gunworks designs and manufactures hand-fitted, factory-tuned 1911/2011-style double-stack competition and carry pistols, currently the seven-model v3 Perfect Zero line (Apollo, Artemis, Athena, EOS, Erebus, NYX, Titan). The company also produces its own double-stack magazines (Classic and Premium tiers), parts and accessories sold via the Perfect Zero storefront, and a factory-direct Pistol Service program with magazine warranty.

Product overview

Atlas Gunworks offers a single tightly integrated product portfolio centered on high-end, hand-fitted 2011/1911 double-stack competition and carry pistols (rather than a platform-plus-modules software architecture). The current production line is the v3 Perfect Zero pistol family, comprising seven purpose-built models — Apollo (4.6" ported open-class), Athena (4.6" bull, duty/competition flexible), Artemis (4.6" bull with barrel-block compensator, IPSC standard), EOS (4.25" ported steel-frame carry), Erebus (4.6" bull threaded open-class 3-gun), Nyx (4.25" bull, carry/slide-ride optic), and Titan (5" bull, the original foundation/limited-class set model) — all sharing v3 updates such as billet slides manufactured in Vermont, redesigned optics plates with additional mounting holes, Glock-style interchangeable front sights, redesigned grips, new patent-pending angled grip bushings, and revised feed ramps. Complementing the pistols are the Perfect Zero retail store (parts, tools, magazines, optics and accessories, including Classic and Premium magazine tiers), an in-house Pistol Service program with standard maintenance plans, a Magazine Warranty program, and a dealer network supported through the Gunmade distribution platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Perfect Zero: Atlas Gunworks' retail storefront for curated shooting parts, tools, optics, holsters, magazines, and accessories, marketed with the tagline 'Expert Advice Comes Standard' and operating at perfectzero.co.
• Perfect Zero Pistol

Products and services

• Apollo v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 4.6" ported bull barrel, double-stack 1911/2011-style open-class competition pistol billed as the brand's "fire-breathing Perfect Zero Machine," engineered for high-speed, flat-shooting performance and fusing elements of the Athena and Erebus. Base price $6,995.
• Athena v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 4.6" bull barrel, 9lb recoil spring; described as the most flexible, purpose-built, high-cap 9mm available for duty or competition. Base price $6,595.
• Artemis v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 4.6" bull barrel, IPSC Standard competition platform with a barrel-block compensator design aimed at providing compensator advantages while preserving non-compensated purity; positioned as the softest-shooting Atlas Gunworks pistol. Base price $8,495.
• EOS v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 4.25" ported bull barrel, steel frame, 13lb recoil spring; steel-frame evolution of the Ares 4.25 designed for daily carry with additional weight for shootability. Base price $6,995.
• Erebus v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 4.6" bull threaded barrel, 5" 7lb recoil spring, compensated slide-ride optic handgun for open class 3-gun use; lightweight and wieldable in a retention holster. Base price $8,595.
• Nyx v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 4.25" bull barrel, 12lb recoil spring; carry-oriented 1911/2011-style pistol with slide-ride red-dot optic capability; retains the original Nyx lineage of match-grade performance, ergonomics, and aesthetics. Base price $6,395.95.
• Titan v3 Perfect Zero Pistol 9mm, 5" bull barrel, 5" 9lb recoil spring, 19lb main spring; the original Atlas Gunworks set-model pistol — a robust, high-capacity double-stack 1911 platform tuned for the purist demanding reliability and heavyweight performance. Base price $6,395.
• Atlas Gunworks Hades (Limited Edition V2) Limited-edition V2-platform 2011 pistol — ported and compensated, designed for flat shooting and fast follow-ups — released as the final V2-platform model before the transition to V3.
• Project Alias (Agency Arms × Atlas Gunworks) Co-developed flagship 2011 collaboration pistol with Agency Arms; each unit hand-fit and assembled by a single master gunsmith, positioned as an heirloom-grade, ultimate-expression 2011 platform build.
• Classic Magazines Economy tier of Atlas Gunworks 1911 double-stack magazines sharing core tubes, springs, and "Duty Followers" with the Premium line. Available in 140mm and 126mm lengths (20 and 17 round capacities), 9mm only, stainless steel tube with black basepad. Priced at $74.99.
• Premium Magazines Premium tier of Atlas Gunworks 1911 double-stack magazines designed after 24 months of R&D to solve lockback, jamming, fit, and spec-retention issues for Springfield Prodigy, Staccato, and other 2011/DS 1911 pistols. Available in 170mm, 140mm, 126mm, and 120mm lengths with 29/23/21/20/18/16/10-round capacities in 9mm or 40SW; multiple colors and toolless basepads; starting at $99.99.
• Atlas Gunworks Pistol Service Factory-level handgun service program offering expert gunsmiths, purpose-built diagnostics, and genuine Atlas parts. Standard Maintenance priced at $300 covers shipping both ways, comprehensive inspection, full detail/strip/clean, trigger and extractor retune, spring replacement as needed, chamber and feed ramp polish, and repair recommendations (expected 15 days at the shop).
• Perfect Zero (Parts, Tools, Magazines & Accessories Storefront) Atlas Gunworks' sister retail storefront ("Expert Advice Comes Standard") stocking parts, tools, magazines (Classic and Premium lines), optics, and accessories the company endorses, with curated content for competition, carry, and duty shooters; free shipping on orders $150+.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-day magazine warranty with free return shipping and a complimentary spare spring and follower (a $20 value) added per warranty claim
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature14 records

Partnerships

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

• BattleHawk ArmorycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 January 2026BattleHawk Armory is a featured Atlas Gunworks dealer and SHOT Show partner, with joint content ("BattleHawk Armory - New Atlas Gunworks V3 Pistols - SHOT Show 2026," 25.01.2026) and product listings for the Titan v3 lineup.
• Agency ArmsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2026Project Alias is a co-developed flagship 2011 between Agency Arms and Atlas Gunworks. Each Project Alias pistol is hand fit and assembled start-to-finish by a single master gunsmith, with the explicit positioning of "ultimate expression of the 2011 platform." Announced and unveiled 12.01.2026 with a Loadout Magazine feature on 13.01.2026.
• Perfect Zero (sister brand)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 December 2025Perfect Zero is Atlas Gunworks' sister e-commerce and brand for parts, tools, magazines, and accessories. Operated from 3 Bushey Lane, Essex Junction, VT 05452 with Free Shipping on orders $150+. Functions as Atlas Gunworks' parts/accessories storefront under a separate label.
• Dissident ArmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlas Gunworks markets its color-coded recoil springs as a "perfect match" for Dissident Arms VEPR shotguns. Cross-product compatibility and co-promotion in blog content (post: "AGW Recoil Springs for Dissident Arms Shotguns").
• Geppert (X-Line VARIO Triggers)minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerAtlas Gunworks holds exclusivity on the Geppert X-Line VARIO triggers, sold via the Atlas Gunworks blog/part ecosystem ("Atlas Gunworks Exclusive - Geppert X-Line VARIO Triggers," 17.06.2020).
• Allan "Al" ZittaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAllan Zitta (IPSC World Champion, 30-year veteran 1911 gunsmith) was the foundational technical mentor for Atlas Gunworks. His pistol designs, high standards, and willingness to teach Adam Nilson and Tod West were described as "the quantum leap needed to take the young upstart from run of the mill(literally) to Atlas Gunworks."
• GunmadecoreTechnology or IntegrationAtlas Gunworks uses Gunmade to power the "Locate your pistol — In Stock at Premium Dealers" experience on each v3 pistol product page, displaying real-time dealer inventory, location, contact info, and pricing.
• Mike Pan (pro shooter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMike Pan is a sponsored/featured Atlas Gunworks team shooter and co-creator of extractor-tuning educational content ("Extractor Tuning with Mike Pan," 26.02.2022). Top-10 finisher at the 2025 Dragons Cup representing Atlas.
• David Wampler (pro shooter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDavid Wampler is a featured Atlas Gunworks team shooter, top-10 finisher at the 2025 Dragons Cup, and presenter of cleaning-your-comp educational content ("Cleaning Your Comp with David Wampler").
• Kevin Gorospe (pro shooter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKevin Gorospe is a featured Atlas Gunworks team shooter; top-10 finisher at the 2025 Dragons Cup.
• Hawkeye OrdnanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHawkeye Ordnance is a co-producer of Atlas Gunworks' EP1–EP9 Gun Safety educational video series and partner in firearms-related content ("Conversations I Wanted to Have Anyway Podcast" reference).
• Big Panda Performance (Charlie Perez)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharlie Perez of Big Panda Performance co-presents Atlas Gunworks' Gun Safety EP4 (Sight Alignment and Focus) and is referenced as a content collaborator.
• Joe Farewell (Farwell Firearms)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoe Farewell is a featured Atlas Gunworks content collaborator, presenting the Gun Safety EP series and authoring multi-part review content including "Atlas Apollo: The First 1000 Rounds," "Apollo vs. Erebus," and "Apollo vs. Athena."
• Trevor Cotter (pro shooter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrevor Cotter is identified as Atlas Gunworks Team Captain ("AGW Team Captain Trevor Cotter," 25.04.2021) and host of the Bangin Brass Podcast.
• Adam Nilson (co-founder)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdam Nilson is a USPSA Shooter and co-founder of Atlas Gunworks. Drives product/process, customer service, business operations, and on-camera educational content.
• Tod West (co-founder)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTod West is a Master Machinist and co-founder of Atlas Gunworks. Drives product design, machining, and shooter-driven innovation systems.
• James Tate (pro shooter)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJames Tate is featured as a presenter of Atlas Gunworks content ("Perfect Zero™ Technology with James Tate" — recoil springs, feed ramps, magazines; co-presents EP3).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Agency Arms: Premium 2011/1911 manufacturer and Atlas's co-development partner on Project Alias. Comparable as a high-end, custom-grade 2011 builder serving competition and carry customers at similar price points.
• Springfield Armory: Major competitor via the Prodigy 1911 DS line, which has driven mass adoption of the 2011 platform. Atlas's Premium magazine line was specifically designed to upgrade Springfield Prodigy owners, making Springfield both a competitor and a feeder audience.
• Dan Wesson: Premium 1911/2011 pistol maker with a comparable specialty-positioning strategy around competition and defensive shooters. Overlaps directly with Atlas on target customer, price tier, and dealer channel.
• Ed Brown: Hand-built premium 1911 manufacturer comparable to Atlas in custom-fit, high-MSRP positioning, and competitive shooter focus. Direct competitor for upgrade buyers in the premium 1911 segment.
• Guncrafter Industries: Boutique 1911/2011 manufacturer competing in the same ultra-premium price band as Atlas's v3 lineup. Comparable on hand-fitting philosophy and small-batch production model.
• Staccato: Direct competitor in the premium 2011/1911 double-stack pistol category with a broad lineup including C, XL, CS, and P models. Staccato is the category-defining brand and Atlas's primary benchmark on product, pricing, and lead times.
• Wilson Combat: Long-established premium 1911 manufacturer with deep dealer penetration and a broader parts/accessories ecosystem. Comparable in build quality, brand recognition, and customer overlap with Atlas's carry and competition segments.
• Mec-Gar: Established pistol magazine manufacturer supplying 1911 and 2011 magazines across the industry. Direct competitor to Atlas's Classic and Premium magazine lines and a useful benchmark for magazine aftermarket economics.
• Nighthawk Custom: Premium 1911/2011 manufacturer with comparable hand-fit quality, dealer network, and competition shooter focus. Operates as a direct benchmark for Atlas's pricing and quality positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Kimber: Larger 1911 manufacturer with broader product portfolio and mass-market distribution. Comparable as a 1911 competitor and adjacent premium-pistol alternative for the same buyer persona, though not Atlas's direct niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AtlasGunworks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlasgunworks
• Instagraminstagram.com/atlasgunworks
• Xx.com/AtlasGunworks
• Facebookfacebook.com/atlasgunworks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Atlas Gunworks