What started in a basement with boxes of ammunition and a commitment to serving local shooters has grown into one of New England’s top firearms facilities. White Birch Armory, co-founded by Marine Corps veterans Sean Manning and David Guard, is now a full-service range and retail destination drawing customers that range from first-time shooters to law enforcement and military personnel.

“One of the fastest-growing groups we see is women,” Manning says. “We offer women-only classes and ladies’ nights to create a comfortable environment.”

Located in Dover, the facility features a 16-lane indoor range, a 4,200-square-foot retail showroom, and training classrooms. Just two years after opening its range in 2020, White Birch received the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s prestigious 5-Star Range Award.

“Only a handful of the roughly 18,000 indoor ranges in the U.S. get that designation,” says Manning. “It’s a reflection of our commitment to safety, quality training, and customer service.”

Manning, a former Recon Marine and scout sniper who served two tours in Iraq, earned a mechanical engineering degree after leaving the service. He went on to work at Colt Defense and SIG Sauer before launching White Birch Ammo in 2014, focused on wholesale ammunition. A year later, Guard, a fellow Marine veteran, joined as director of operations.

Early success came by word of mouth, as customers discovered the pair’s product knowledge and reliable service. As demand grew, they moved through several warehouse spaces before designing and building their current facility with support from Primary Bank, the Small Business Administration, and the Rockingham Economic Development Corporation. It opened in August 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

“We grew fast, and it wasn’t without challenges,” Manning says. “Inventory was hard to get. We had to make sure our new members weren’t left without ammo.”

Today, White Birch employs 45 staff and serves more than 750 members, with thousands more visiting for events like the “Live Free Shoot Suppressed” day, where participants could learn about sound suppression technology.

The retail floor offers a wide selection of firearms, from carry pistols to hunting and tactical weapons, along with optics, protective gear, accessories, and a 40-foot wall of ammunition. They also buy and sell used guns and serve as a Fish and Game weigh station during hunting season for bear, turkey, and deer.

White Birch also has training contracts with police and military units, offering private use of the facility during off-hours or in dedicated bays.

Looking ahead, the company is scouting locations for a second facility in NH or southern Maine, potentially including an outdoor range. “We’re ready to expand,” Manning says. “But it has to be done right.” For more information, visit wbarmory.com.

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