Terminal Ballistics Research

What Terminal Ballistics Research does

Terminal Ballistics Research is a privately held, family-run business founded in 2004 by Nathan Foster in Taranaki, New Zealand. The company operates ballisticstudies.com as the central hub for its work, which spans three integrated lines: an extensive free online knowledgebase documenting 20+ years of field-tested rifle accuracy, cartridge, and wound ballistics research; an e-commerce storefront selling the Practical Guide book series, book bundles, and accessories to a global audience; and bespoke professional services including rifle accurizing, shooting tutorials, and military/police/film consulting.

The company's proprietary technology centers on two distinct domains: (1) a methodology and dataset for cartridge, projectile, and terminal performance research built through thousands of hours of field testing across hundreds of species and bullet combinations, and (2) the MatchGrade product line — a metal-filled epoxy bedding compound and a synthetic stock stabilizer co-developed with a New Zealand epoxy resin manufacturer specifically for rifle accurizing applications.

Revenue is generated through unit-priced book sales (individual titles and discounted bundles ranging from 10–25% off), MatchGrade hardware sales (bedding compounds, stabilizers, release agents, accessories), professional services (accurizing, coaching, consulting), and voluntary donations. The business is self-funded, with no institutional investment or external parent, and reaches customers worldwide through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront supporting six currencies (AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, NZD, USD).

Name

Terminal Ballistics Research

Legal name

Terminal Ballistics Research Ltd

Website

https://ballisticstudies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Terminal Ballistics Research is a New Zealand family-run business that sells rifle and cartridge research, educational books, MatchGrade bedding compounds, and shooting coaching to civilian hunters, competitive shooters, and military/police clients worldwide via its ballisticstudies.com storefront.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Firearms ballistics research and rifle accurizing education

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)

akta.pro primary industry

Firearms, Range Safety & Less-Lethal Weapons Training (EDAOAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Firearms & Ammunition Retail (CRAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Ballistics research
• Rifle accurizing
• Hunting cartridges
• Bedding compounds
• Firearms education

Headquarters

HQ city

New Plymouth

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sale of educational books on rifle accuracy, ballistics, cartridge selection, and reloading. Includes The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Rifles, The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Cartridges, The Practical Guide to Reloading, The Practical Guide to Bolt Action Rifle Accurizing & Maintenance, and The Practical Guide to Long Range Shooting. Books are sold individually or in discounted bundles.
2. MatchGrade Products: Sale of proprietary bedding compounds and accessories including MatchGrade Bedding Compound (Part A and B), MatchGrade Synthetic Stock Stabilizer, MatchGrade release agent, and related supplies needed for rifle accurizing.
3. Services and Consulting: Rifle accurizing services, firearms and shooting tutorials, consultation with Nathan Foster, military and police consulting, and film and author consulting services.
4. Donations: Website accepts donations to help cover costs and assist with continued research and testing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Terminal Ballistics Research sells educational books on long-range hunting, rifle accurizing, reloading, and wound ballistics, alongside proprietary MatchGrade epoxy bedding compounds and synthetic stock stabilizers designed for rifle accurizing. It also provides rifle accurizing services, firearms/shooting tutorials, and specialized consulting for civilian, military, police, film, and author clients. The company operates the ballisticstudies.com knowledgebase and storefront, monetizing two decades of field-tested ballistics research.

Product overview

Terminal Ballistics Research operates a content and ecommerce platform offering educational books on rifle accuracy, ballistics, and long-range hunting authored by Nathan Foster, alongside proprietary MatchGrade bedding products (epoxy compound and synthetic stock stabilizer) for rifle accurizing. The company provides consulting services for military, police, film, and individual clients, as well as rifle accurizing services. The book series includes titles covering long-range hunting rifles, cartridges, reloading, bolt action accurizing, long-range shooting techniques, and wound ballistics, available individually or as discounted bundles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MatchGrade: MatchGrade bedding compounds and synthetic stock stabilizers - products specifically designed and tested by Terminal Ballistics Research Ltd for rifle accurizing applications.

Products and services

• MatchGrade Bedding Compound Metal-filled epoxy resin bedding compound developed by Terminal Ballistics Research Ltd with a leading New Zealand epoxy resin manufacturer, used by shooters and gunsmiths to create a stable, vibration-consistent fit between the barreled rifle action and the rifle stock to optimize long-term rifle accuracy.
• MatchGrade Synthetic Stock Stabilizer Lightweight polymer resin compound designed to eliminate flexing in plastic synthetic rifle stocks, poured into stock cavities to stabilize the stock and optimize rifle accuracy.
• The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Rifles Book by Nathan Foster covering basic rifle engineering and physics involved in accurate shooting across 31 topics, from foundational principles through to building the ultimate long range hunting rifle.
• The Practical Guide to Long Range Hunting Cartridges Book by Nathan Foster guiding readers through the process of choosing a cartridge and projectile that fits their hunting goals, teaching them how to evaluate and select rather than prescribing a single best option.
• The Practical Guide to Reloading Book by Nathan Foster covering the handloading process from top to bottom, explaining equipment types and the step-by-step process of making ammunition tailored to an individual rifle.
• The Practical Guide to Bolt Action Rifle Accurizing & Maintenance Book by Nathan Foster covering how to fine-tune a bolt action rifle into a highly accurate tool, diagnosing issues, deciding between rectification and parts replacement, and providing long-term barrel care guidance.
• The Practical Guide To Long Range Shooting Book by Nathan Foster providing step-by-step shooting technique guidance from beginner through seasoned marksman level, with emphasis on forend control and precision shooting.
• Small Arms Wound Ballistics Educational book covering wound ballistics in small arms, drawing on the company's wound research database and anatomical illustrations.
• Book Bundles Pre-configured multi-book bundles offering progressive discounts: The Tools Bundle (10% off), The Skills Bundle (15% off), and The Entire Collection (25% off).
• Hunting and shooting accessories Hunting and shooting accessories including packs, slings, and rests sold alongside the company's core products.
• Rifle Accurizing Services Professional rifle accurizing service performed by Terminal Ballistics Research to bring customer rifles to a higher level of accuracy, leveraging the company's MatchGrade bedding products and methodologies.
• Firearms and Shooting Tutorials Instructional tutorials on firearms handling and shooting techniques, delivered as part of the company's educational service offering.
• Consultation with Nathan Foster One-on-one personal consultation with Nathan Foster covering rifle accuracy, cartridge selection, and shooting topics for individual clients.
• Military and Police Consulting Specialized consulting services for military and police organizations covering rifle accuracy, ballistics, and sniper/marksman-related expertise beyond standard training curricula.
• Film and Author Consulting Consulting services for film production companies and authors of firearms-related content, providing technical firearms expertise for authenticity in media and published works.

Quantifiable outcome

• Field-tested data spanning 20+ years covering hundreds of cartridge and bullet combinations on real game animals

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Graf & Sons: US-based reloading, shooting, and firearms retailer with a strong content library covering reloading, ballistics, and shooting techniques. Comparable for combining reloading and shooting products with detailed educational content, similar to Terminal Ballistics Research's Practical Guide book series and MatchGrade product line.
• Midsouth Shooters Supply: US firearms and shooting supplies retailer with a strong catalog of reloading, gunsmithing, and competition equipment, paired with educational guides and how-tos. Comparable as a retailer that pairs niche firearms products with educational content for the shooting community.
• SnipersHide: Long-standing online community, forum, and content platform focused on precision rifle, sniper, and tactical shooting, including classifieds, gear reviews, and detailed technical discussion. Comparable as a niche firearms community with educational content, reviews, and an active forum, mirroring Terminal Ballistics Research's community-led model around rifle accuracy.
• Accurate Shooter: Specialized online publication covering precision rifle, sniper competition, and long-range shooting with reviews, ballistics articles, and equipment tests targeted at serious shooters. Comparable as a content-led niche site for the precision rifle community, similar to Terminal Ballistics Research's educational focus on rifle accurizing and long-range performance.
• LuckyGunner: Online US ammunition and firearms accessories retailer recognized for its in-house educational content covering ammunition performance, concealed carry, and shooting fundamentals. Comparable for combining firearms retail with detailed educational content, similar to Terminal Ballistics Research's book-plus-product-plus-knowledgebase model.
• Varmint Al: Long-running independent online resource covering varmint hunting, cartridges, and small arms ballistics with extensive technical articles authored by a recognised hobbyist expert. Comparable as an independent niche content site focused on hunting cartridges and ballistics, in the same genre of niche ballistics publishing that Terminal Ballistics Research occupies at greater depth.

Broad incumbents

• Brownells: Major US firearms retailer offering an extensive catalog of shooting accessories, reloading supplies, and gunsmithing tools, paired with one of the largest libraries of educational articles and videos in the industry. Comparable because it combines a deep firearms products catalog with proprietary educational content, the same content-plus-products structure Terminal Ballistics Research operates at a smaller, more specialized scale.
• Midway USA: Large US firearms, shooting, and reloading retailer backed by a substantial knowledge base of articles, videos, and how-to content. Comparable as a firearms retailer that pairs product sales with educational content for shooting enthusiasts, similar to Terminal Ballistics Research's combination of books, MatchGrade products, and free knowledgebase.
• Hornady: Major US ammunition and bullet manufacturer with a large product catalog and an extensive library of educational content on reloading, ballistics, and shooting. Comparable as a manufacturer combining branded firearms products with detailed ballistics educational resources, conceptually similar to Terminal Ballistics Research's content-plus-products model.
• Berger Bullets: Premier US bullet manufacturer that also publishes extensive technical content on ballistics, reloading, and precision shooting through its website and sponsored content. Comparable as a manufacturer that pairs branded products with proprietary technical content on external and terminal ballistics, paralleling Terminal Ballistics Research's authoritative content-led approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzdn5tW2i6oqLg6_yE0J4vw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terminal-ballistics-research

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 Terminal Ballistics Research