Gun Trade World - January 2024

OVER 11,000 

COPIES EVERY 

MONTH IN 

MORE THAN 

120 COUNTRIES 

JANUARY 2024 

DEDICATED TO GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

C O V E R I N G T H E S H O O T I N G B u s i n e s s g l o B A L L Y 

Handguns, often a topic 

of ownership and usage 

debates globally, hold a 

critical place in our industry 

– as this month’s Spotlight 

feature illustrates. 

PAGE 36 

The SHOT Show and IWA 

OutdoorClassics are the 

most important trade fairs 

in our industry and now 

IWA will have a booth at 

this year’s SHOT exhibition. 

PAGE 66 

US halts 

exports 

of 

certain 

firearms 

and 

ammo 

The US Department 

of Commerce 

has temporarily 

suspended the 

issuing of new export licences. 

The halt in export licences will 

take place for around 90 days. 

Below is a release from the 

US Department of Commerce 

regarding its export ban as 

well and answering important 

questions that you may have. 

Effective immediately, the 

US Department of Commerce 

(the Department) is pausing 

for approximately 90 days 

the issuance of new export 

licences involving certain 

firearms, related components, 

and ammunition under its 

jurisdiction and the provision 

of new export assistance 

activities for such products 

to all non-governmental end 

users worldwide, apart from 

those in certain destinations. 

The Department may take 

additional steps to further US 

national security and foreign 

policy interests. 

During this “pause” period, 

the Department will further 

assess current firearm export 

control review policies to 

determine whether any changes 

are warranted to advance US 


policy interests. The review will 

be conducted with urgency and 

will enable the Department 

to more effectively assess 

and mitigate risk of firearms 

being diverted to entities or 

activities that promote regional 

instability, violate human rights, 

or fuel criminal activities. 

This pause applies to the 

Bureau of Industry and 

Security’s (BIS) issuance of 

new licences involving certain 

firearms, related components, 

and ammunition controlled 

on the Commerce Control 

List, Supp. No. 1 to part 774 

of the Export Administration 

Regulations, 15 CFR parts 

730-774 (EAR), specifically, 

the following four Export 

Control Classification Numbers 

(ECCNs): ECCN 0A501, 

ECCN 0A502, ECCN 0A504, 

and ECCN 0A505, that are 

destined for non-governmental 

end users worldwide apart from 

those located in Ukraine, Israel, 

or a country in Country Group 

A:1 (Wassenaar Arrangement 

Participating States), Supp. No. 

1 to part 740 of the EAR. 

Consistent with the above, 

the Department’s International 

Trade Administration (ITA), 

Global Markets and US & 

Foreign Commercial Service 

is pausing acceptance of new 

requests for export assistance 

(fee or non-fee-based) for 

firearms and ammunition to 

non-governmental end users 

worldwide, apart from those 

located in Ukraine, Israel, and 

Country Group A:1. The ITA 

pause applies to semi-automatic 

• Continued on page 8 

sent to more than 11,000 shooting industry 

professionals in over 120 countries every month

JANUARY 2024 

WELCOME 

ROB SMITH 

Editor 

rob.smith@dhpub.co.uk 

Rob has a wealth of knowledge of the international 

trade sector, having worked in B2B publishing since 

2008. A keen outdoorsman, Rob will bring you the 

important news and leads from across the global 

hunting, shooting and tactical sectors. 

JUSTIN FOX 

Publisher 

justin.fox@dhpub.co.uk 

Justin is hugely experienced in publishing and 

oversees the entire David Hall Publishing portfolio 

which, as well as B2B titles, also includes some 

enthusiast consumer brands. Justin’s organisational 

and sales skills are invaluable to the business. 

BART MANGANIELLO 

Business Development Manager – North America 

bartalm@optonline.net 

For more than 35 years Bart has worked with 

international B2B magazines. He specialises in 

providing the best communication programs to 

companies, helping them connect with current and 

prospective trade partners around the world. 

WILLEM BONNEUX 

Business and Content Development 

willem.bonneux@dhpub.co.uk 

Always at the intersection of sales and marketing, 

Willem has served in several roles in the 

international shooting and hunting industry. 

Involved with GTW from the start, his content-first 

approach helps brands go the extra mile. 

PAUL EVANS 

Art Editor 

paul.evans@dhpub.co.uk 

A vital cog in the GTW machine, Paul has worked 

with our publisher since 2008 across all areas 

of Production, Design and Marketing. He makes 

everything we make look even better. 

JON IVERSON 

Web Designer 

jiverson@avtechmediausa.com 

Jon is our wizard of the web – he helped create our 

website and ensures the smooth running of it. 

He’ll make sure our digital content is seen by key 

industry personnel across the globe. 

TRADE SHOW TIPS 

Whether it’s your first ever 

show or you’re a seasoned 

vet, you can always improve 

the experience you have at one of the 

yearly trade shows, held across the 

globe. This issue is our SHOT Show 

Special, and you can turn to page 28 

for an in-depth look at how to get the 

best out of this year’s flagship North 

American trade event. For many 

companies, having your products on 

US shelves is a dream that can herald 

unprecedented increases in profits. 

Therefore, a visit to Las Vegas every 

January is a must. It goes without 

saying, landing in Sin City and 

passing through the SHOT Show 

entrance doesn’t guarantee you fruitful 

business deals. You’ll need to plan well 

and know what your goals are. If you 

have a team, create a dynamic so that 

each member knows their roles and 

responsibilities. Simple actons like 

wearing comfortable shoes, having 

a balanced two shoulder bag and 

planning meetings in order, based on 

their proximity, will all help to reduce 

stress and increase the chances of you 

enjoying a successful show. 

If you’d like to find out how Gun 

Trade World can help to get your 

brand known and respected across 

the globe, be sure to contact one of 

our team to organise a meeting at the 

show. We’ll have a host of options 

– both print and digital – that are 

sure to get you tangible results. From 

firearms and ammunition to tactical 

packs and optics, we are seen by all the 

key decision makers. 

Have a great trading month. 

Rob Smith 

Editor 

/guntradeworld 

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january 2024 

Contents 

contents 

03 News 

All of the latest, breaking news stories from around the global 

industry, including the US’s decision to pause exports. 

28 Give it a SHOT 

Connect with the global industry like never before by visiting the 

2024 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Here is your guide to SHOT – what’s 

new, helpful tips, and why you can’t afford to miss out. 

34 Great Gear Smart Guns 

Innovations in firearm technology have always played a significant 

role in shaping both the market and the user experience, both 

for consumers as well as professional users. Among these 

advancements, “smart guns” represent a revolutionary step. 

36 Spotlight on Handguns 

Handguns, often a topic of ownership and usage debates globally, 

hold a critical place in our industry. They are utilised in numerous 

disciplines ranging from hunting, ISSF and IPSC competitions, 

cowboy action, self-defence, along with associated training, and 

much more. 

40 Biden’s War on Firearm Industry Reaches New Peak 

President Joe Biden is stepping up his effort to cripple the firearm 

industry, the one industry that provides the means for law-abiding 

citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights. 

42 Sightmark in focus: Purpose-Driven Optics 

If we believe walking in purpose affects our destiny, we must also 

believe purpose begets results – in other words, purposeful tools 

lead us to achievements. Firearm optics, shooting and hunting are 

no different. 

44 Streamlight launches Protac® Rail Mount Hl-X Pro 

Lighting experts, Streamlight®, has introduced the ProTac® Rail 

Mount HL-X Pro gun-mounted light, providing up to 1,000 lumens, 

50,000 candela, and an extreme beam reach of 447 metres. 

46 Industry Insight – Thermal & Digital Optics 

Gun Trade World takes a deep dive into the world of Pulsar’s 

thermal and digital optics. This a fast-paced sector that you 

really need to stay on top of in order to sell more stock in this 

competitive industry. 

54 Doing Business with Northeast USA 

An historic region of the United States when it comes to hunting 

tradition, but is the Northeast an area for you to do business in? 

Making Contact 

60 vOrtex 62 CZ 

64 Armament Technology 

66 iwa OutdoorClassics 68 Bergara 

70 Kahr 71 Blaser 72 Steambow 

34 

46 

42 

54 

06 www.guntradeworld.com

MRADELR 

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CHAMBERED IN 

AT LAUNCH 

The MRADELR is a high quality, military tested, off-the-shelf, extreme long-range system 

with user changeable barrels. Designed to deliver precision typically achieved only by 

custom-built rifles, this rifle expands the bolt-action MRAD family to include 416 Barrett 

with additional large caliber options available in the future. 

barrett.net

NEWS 

US halts exports of certain firearms and ammo 

• Continued from page 3 

and non-automatic firearms, 

shotguns, and receivers 

(frames) and ammunition. 

Which items and Export 

Control Classification Numbers 

(ECCNs) are subject to the pause 

in licensing? 

The Bureau of Industry and 

Security (BIS) is pausing 

the issuance of new export 

licences for exports of all items 

controlled under ECCNs 

0A501, 0A502, 0A504, and 

0A505 to non-government end 

users worldwide, apart from 

certain destinations. 

Items controlled under these 

ECCNs that will be exported, 

reexported, or transferred 

(in-country) to destinations 

in Country Group A:1 (see 

supplement no. 1 to part 740 

of the Export Administration 

Regulations (EAR)), Ukraine, 

and Israel are excluded from 

the pause. 

What is the impact of the pause 

on licence applications for 

export to end users in Country 

Group A:1, Ukraine, or Israel 

or government end users 

worldwide? 

BIS will continue its review 

of licence applications for 

exports of covered items to 

any end user in Country 

Group A:1, Israel, or Ukraine, 

or to any government end 

user worldwide. Current BIS 

licensing policies for these 

applications remain in effect, 

and BIS, in coordination with 

its interagency partners, will 

continue to rigorously review 

all licence applications to 

determine whether approving 

such applications is consistent 

with US national security and 

foreign policy interests, such 

as supporting US government 

cooperative programs with 

foreign partners. 

Should exporters continue to 

submit applications? 

Exporters may continue to 

submit licence applications 

to BIS regardless of whether 

the items on the application 

are subject to the pause. 

Applications subject to the 

pause, however, will be placed 

on “Hold Without Action” 

(HWA) and will not be 

processed until the end of the 

pause. 

Are previously issued/received 

licences still valid? 

The pause does not affect 

previously issued/received 

export licences. Exporters 

may continue to export in 

accordance with the terms 

and conditions of a previously 

issued/received licence. 

During this review period, 

the Department may take 

additional steps to further US 


policy interests. 

BIS retains the authority 

to modify, suspend, or revoke 

licences as appropriate. 

Should exporters with valid 

licences violate the terms 

of their licences, or present 

other US national security 

or foreign policy concerns, 

BIS can respond by revoking 

their licence(s) or by pursuing 

criminal or administrative 

action. 

BIS continuously monitors 

export licensing and trade 

data to determine whether 

modification, suspension, 

or revocation of a licence is 

warranted based on these 

considerations. 

Are previously submitted/ 

currently in process licence 

applications affected by the 

pause? 

Yes. Previously submitted/ 

currently in process licence 

applications that include the 

impacted ECCNs are subject 

to the pause, unless otherwise 

exempt. Processing of these 

licence applications will halt 

during the pause. 

Will BIS notify exporters when 

the pause is over? 

Yes. 

During the pause, how will BIS 

treat licence applications that 

contain the covered items (e.g., 

items controlled under ECCNs 

0A501, 0A502, 0A504, and 

0A505) as well as items that are 

not covered? 

Any applications containing 

the covered items will 

be placed on HWA. Any 

impacted application 

submitted prior to the pause 

that was pending as of October 

27, 2023 (the effective date 

of the pause), in addition to 

applications submitted on or 

after October 27, 2023, will be 

marked as HWA. 

Is Licence Exception Limited 

Value Shipments (LE LVS) 

still available for parts and 

components controlled by 

ECCNs subject to the pause? 

Yes. At this time, exporters 

may continue to use LE LVS 

in accordance with Part 740 

of the EAR for any shipment 

that meets the relevant criteria. 

Please note that complete 

firearms and ammunition 

are not and have never been 

eligible for LE LVS. At 

this time, all other licence 

exceptions available for the 

export of the items controlled 

under the specified ECCNs 

remain available. 

Have additional licence 

requirements been put into 

place? 

No. At this time, additional 

licensing requirements have 

not been put into place. 

Licence requirements currently 

in place remain in effect. 

Are exporters required to name 

specif ic end users on a licence 

application? 

Yes. For government end 

users, exporters must name 

specific end users on licence 

applications. An application 

involving unnamed 

government, military, and 

police end users will be 

returned without action 

explaining to the exporter that 

specific named end users are 

required. 

How will applications for 

named government, military, 

and police end users be 

reviewed? 

Applications involving 

named government, military, 

and police end users will 

be reviewed on a case-bycase 

basis consistent with 

existing policies in the EAR 

to determine whether any 

concerns about regional 

stability, human rights or other 

US foreign policy or national 

security concerns exist specific 

to the transaction proposed 

by the application. Applicants 

are encouraged to provide 

documentation including, 

but not limited to, copies of 

contracts or purchase orders 

with the end users identified in 

the applications, government 

tenders, and any other 

documentation confirming 

that the transaction has been 

identified and authorised by 

the importing end user on the 

application. 

How will applications for 

non-government end users in 

Country Group A:1, Israel, and 

Ukraine be reviewed? 

Applications involving exports, 

reexports, or transfers (incountry) 

to non-government 

end users in Country Group 

A:1, Israel, and Ukraine 

will be reviewed on a caseby-case 

basis consistent 

with existing policies in 

the EAR to determine 

whether any concerns about 

regional stability, human 

rights, or other U.S. foreign 

policy or national security 

concerns exist specific to 

the transaction proposed 

in the licence application. 

Exporters are advised to 

exercise due diligence in their 

review and submission of 

such applications particularly 

for exports of firearms for 

commercial resale. Examples 

of due diligence include but 

are not limited to business 

registrations issued by the 

government of the end user’s 

destination and import 

certificates specific to firearms 

issued by the government of 

the end user’s destination. 


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NEWS 

NATIONAL DEER ASSOCIATION PARTNERS WITH 

OUTDOOR INDUSTRY COMMUNICATION COUNCIL 

The 

National 

Deer 

Association 

(NDA) has 

partnered 

with the 

Outdoor 

Industry 

Communication Council (OICC) on its latest 

conservation education campaign. This OICC 

Initiative will produce and release content every 

month which will inform hunters, shooters, 

anglers, and outdoorsmen about the US 

conservation funding model. NDA is thrilled to 

share OICC’s latest illuminating piece Funding 

American Conservation, One Shotgun and Box 

of Ammo at a Time. 

“This article explains how every single 

hunter and shooter directly contributes to US 

conservation efforts,” said Nick Pinizzotto, 

NDA’s President and CEO. “We’re proud to 

support a campaign that aligns so well with our 

values of conservation education, and we look 

forward to sharing the next release.” 

Funding American Conservation, One 

Shotgun and Box of Ammo at a Time breaks 

down the how and why of the excise tax in the 

outdoor industry. This article is a resource for 

those who are interested in learning how taxes 

on hunting and firearm related purchases go 

towards conservationist efforts like improving 

habitats, access, and shooting ranges. 

The NDA is dedicated to ensuring the future 

of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting and 

outlines education as a critical focus area. 

Encouraging the education of hunters and 

shooters is a primary focus. 

www.deerassociation.com 

www.outdoorstewards.org/outdoor-industrycommunication-council-oicc 

About The National 

Deer Association 

The National Deer Association is the 

leading non-profit deer conservation 

group and works to ensure the future of 

wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting. 

Formed by combining the strengths of 

two long-serving, successful organisations, 

the National Deer Association has a 

combined 40 years of action that has 

changed deer management for the 

betterment of hunting and protected 

North America’s most vital and admired 

game species for future generations. 

About the 

Outdoor Industry 

Communication 

Council 

Formed around the commitment to 

educate all Americans about the origins 

of conservation funding in America, the 

Outdoor Industry Communication Council 

(OICC) is managed by Outdoor Stewards 

of Conservation Foundation (OSCF) and 

Wildlife Management Institute (WMI). OICC 

works with outdoor writers to develop 

informative content that is available to 

all outdoor organisations and media at 

no cost. A primary goal of the OICC is to 

better inform and promote the positive 

contributions that wildlife agencies, 

industry manufacturers, NGO’s and end 

users such as hunters, anglers, trappers 

and target shooters make to conservation. 

Outdoor organisations interested in 

conservation are welcome to use any OICC 

content to expand the reach of messages 

created by the OICC. 

Rock Ridge 

Outdoors 

partners with 

Ferguson-Keller 

Rock Ridge Outdoors is pleased 

to announce the company has 

partnered with Ferguson-Keller 

Associates. 

Louisiana-based Rock Ridge 

Outdoors is the parent company 

of several leading hunting 

and outdoor lifestyle brands, 

including Mammoth Coolers, 

Rogue Ridge, Dead Ringer, and 

Cupped Waterfowl. Boasting 

over 50 years of experience 

providing professional sales 

support to partners in the 

outdoor sport and recreation 

industries, Ferguson-Keller 

brings the expertise to help Rock 

Ridge Outdoors expand its 

presence throughout the Upper 

Midwest, Great Lakes, and 

MINK states. 

“We’re thrilled to join forces 

with the seasoned experts at 

Ferguson-Keller to continue 

to grow our business in these 

critical regions,” said Janette 

Palmer, VP of Sales at Rock 

Ridge Outdoors. “We look 

forward to incredible results 

working together into the 

future.” 

www.rockridgeoutdoors.com 

Quality for 

professionals 

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A MODERN 

AMERICAN-STYLE 

CENTERFIRE 

HUNTING RIFLE 

NEW 

CZ 600 

AMERICAN

NEWS 

NSSF REJECTS 

USFWS RULE 

BANNING 

TRADITIONAL 

AMMUNITION 

AND FISHING 

TACKLE ON 

NEW REFUGE 

OPENINGS 

NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade 

Association, rejects the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (USFWS) Final Rule 

that bans the use of traditional lead 

ammunition on eight National Wildlife 

Refuges (NWRs) and fishing tackle on 

seven NWRs in exchange for opening 

hunting and fishing opportunities on 

public lands. 

The NSSF says that the 

announcement banning the use of 

traditional ammunition and fishing 

tackle is devoid of any scientific 

evidence that traditional ammunition 

causes detrimental population impacts. 

These efforts only appease anti-hunting 

special interest groups and are harmful 

to the long-term conservation gains 

subsidized by Pittman-Robertson 

excise taxes paid by the firearm and 

ammunition industry. 

USFWS announced 48 new 

distinct hunting opportunities across 

approximately 3,000 acres of NWRs, 

in a Proposed Rule in June. NSSF 

condemned the proposal then and urged 

USFWS to reconsider. This is another 

illustration of the Biden administration’s 

Department of the Interior (DOI) and 

USFWS kowtowing to anti-hunting 

activists by promulgating policies that 

lack sound scientific data. 

“This administration claimed it would 

follow the science, yet at every turn 

they have outright ignored it to appease 

anti-hunting activists,” said Lawrence 

G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president 

and general counsel. “These policies are 

detrimental to hunters and anglers as 

they unnecessarily create price barriers 

to participation. We have pleaded with 

USFWS to follow the science as they 

promised, yet they are not acting in the 

best interest of the public or evidencebased 

wildlife conservation. The need 

for Congress to pass the Protecting 

Access for Hunters and Anglers Act has 

never been more urgent.” 

Requiring the use of alternative 

ammunition would put a significant 

cost barrier to participation in hunting 

and fishing on lands. Alternative 

ammunition is, on average, 25 per 

cent more expensive than traditional 

lead ammunition and less available. 

That barrier would “price out” many 

hunters and anglers and decrease the 

excise tax funding paid by firearm and 

ammunition manufacturers they support. 

NSSF believes hunters should be free to 

decide to use traditional or alternative 

ammunition that best suits their needs 

when the scientific evidence does not 

support restrictions. 

The USFWS announced three NWRs 

are proposing to expand opportunities 

for hunting. These refuges are Cahaba 

River NWR in Alabama, Everglades 

Headwaters NWR in Florida and 

Minnesota Valley NWR in Minnesota. 

The proposed rule, appearing in the 

Federal Register, includes proposals to 

phase out lead ammunition and tackle 

at eight NWRs. The Final Rule is to be 

posted in days. 

NSSF urges Congress to quickly pass 

US Rep. Robert Wittman’s (R-Va.) 

Protecting Access for Hunters and 

Anglers Act, H.R. 615, which would 

ensure America’s number one resource 

of conservation funding remains in 

place and that hunters, recreational 

shooters and anglers throughout the 

nation can continue to enjoy America’s 

sporting heritage. Excise taxes paid by 

firearm and ammunition manufacturers 

have contributed over $16 billion since 

1937, or $25 billion when adjusted 

for inflation, for wildlife and habitat 

conservation. It is the leading funding 

source for wildlife restoration. Over 

$1.6 billion was apportioned to the 

states for wildlife conservation projects 

last year, with $1.19 billion of that 

sourced to excise taxes paid by firearm 

and ammunition manufacturers. The bill 

passed the US House Natural Resources 

Committee on a bipartisan vote earlier 

this year. 

Rep. Wittman’s legislation, 

along with US Sen. Steve Daines’s 

(R-Mont.) companion legislation 

S. 1185 of the same name, would 

require the Secretaries of the Interior 

and Agriculture to provide sitespecific 

peer-reviewed scientific data 

in cooperation with state agencies 

that demonstrates traditional lead 

ammunition or fishing tackle is causing 

detrimental wildlife population impacts 

before prohibiting their use by hunters 

and anglers. 

The Final Rule published last year to 

similarly ban traditional ammunition 

and fishing tackle while opening 

hunting and fishing opportunities was 

part of a “sue and settle” litigation 

between the Center for Biological 

Diversity and the USFWS and was 

implemented without scientific evidence 

or consultation of state agencies. 

www.nssf.org 

12 WWW.GUNTRADEWORLD.COM

THIS IS 

The SHOT Show ® is all about fostering 

global commerce for the sport shooting, 

hunting, law enforcement and armed 

forces industries. This is your opportunity 

to connect with the industry’s top 

manufacturers, distributors and experts 

from around the world. Explore the latest 

products from 2,500+ exhibits. 

THIS IS YOUR SHOT. DON’T MISS IT! 

Customized services and special amenities 

are available for international visitors. 

SHOTShow.org/gtw 

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NEWS 

GSM OUTDOORS 

ACQUIRES CAMILLUS 

For over 140 years, Camillus 

Cutlery has supplied highquality 

knives throughout the 

world. Known for its reliability 

and innovation, the company 

is one of the oldest knife 

manufacturers in the industry, 

withstanding the test of time. 

“Camillus is no stranger 

to innovation, reliability and 

high-quality manufacturing,” 

says Zach Henderson, 

chief sales officer at GSM 

Outdoors. “This acquisition 

adds another pillar to our 

already premier line up of 

cutlery brands. We are thrilled 

to be the stewards of the next 

chapter in Camillus’ rich 

history and adding them to 

the GSM family.” 

“We have a strategic vision 

for the Camillus brand,” says 

Edward Castro, CEO of 

GSM Outdoors. “By engaging 

our customer relationships, 

utilising our best engineering 

practices, and maintaining 

superior manufacturing, we 

are confident in GSM’s ability 

to continue growing Camillus 

into a brand that everyone 

knows, trusts and depends on 

for years to come.” 

www.gsmoutdoors.com 

About 

Few American outdoor companies enjoy a mutually respected 

relationship with their customers that spans over five 

generations. GSM Outdoors is among those few. For over 70 

years, the GSM family of brands has been helping passionate 

hunters and shooters succeed through innovation and the 

manufacture of high-quality, reliable products that continue 

to prove themselves in the field and on the range to this day. 

GSM Outdoors continues to leverage the latest technology 

and provide customers with the best products on the market. 

Tradition, heritage, and loyalty to outdoor enthusiasts of 

generations past and generations to come... that’s the GSM 

Outdoors guarantee. 

Brownells appoints Bryan Stuntebeck 

as chief revenue officer 

Brownells, a leading provider of firearms 

accessories, gunsmithing tools, and firearm 

parts, has announced the promotion of 

Bryan Stuntebeck to chief revenue officer. 

In this role, Brownells says Bryan will 

spearhead an exceptionally talented team, 

driving growth and innovation across 

Brownells Direct Marketing and Crow 

Wholesale business divisions. 

With a distinguished history spanning over eight decades, 

Brownells has upheld its reputation for excellence in the firearms 

industry. Bryan Stuntebeck’s elevation to CRO represents a 

significant milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to 

delivering quality products and services to customers. 

Bryan brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having 

served in various leadership capacities within Brownells. He 

has consistently demonstrated a keen understanding of market 

dynamics, a profound appreciation for customer needs, and an 

unwavering dedication to nurturing a culture of excellence within 

the organisation. 

Under Bryan’s leadership, the Direct Marketing business and 

Crow Wholesale business divisions are poised for continued 

growth and success. “We are thrilled to appoint Bryan Stuntebeck 

as our Chief Revenue Officer,” said Pete Brownell, CEO & 

chairman of Brownells. “Bryan’s leadership has been instrumental 

in our company’s success, and we have full confidence in his 

ability to steer our revenue-generating efforts. With his guidance, 

we are excited to embark on a new era of growth and innovation.” 

+1 800 741 0015 ww.brownells.com 

About 

Serious About Firearms Since 1939, Brownells is the world’s 

leading source for guns, gun parts and accessories, ammunition, 

gunsmithing tools and survival gear. With a large selection 

of both common and hard-to-find items, and an extensive 

collection of videos, articles, and gun schematics, Brownells 

is the expert for everything shooting-related. Committed to 

maintaining its great traditions, Brownells has more, does more 

and knows more – and guarantees it all, forever. 

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news 

Meprolight announces 

South American sales 

Meprolight Ltd, a member of the SK 

Group and a leading manufacturer of 

electro-optical systems, thermal and 

night vision equipment, as well as 

self-illuminated sights for military, law 

enforcement and civilian applications, 

has announced the sale of tens of 

thousands of its MEPRO MOR sights 

to “a South American country.” 

The MEPRO MOR sights effectively 

address three distinct needs within 

a single, sophisticated product – 

functioning as a battery-free passive 

reflector sight, a visible pointer, and an 

invisible IR pointer. Consequently, this 

advanced solution yields substantial 

cost savings, enveloping operational 

and maintenance expenses that would 

otherwise be incurred by deploying 

three separate sights. Additionally, the 

MEPRO MOR sights enhances mission 

flexibility, further elevating its utility 

and adaptability. 

The sight’s battery-free reticle system 

enables accurate, fast, and instinctive 

firing at all times without the need to 

turn the sight on; even if the sight is 

switched to off or has no batteries, its 

light-collecting fibre optic and a tritium 

capsule ensure full day and night reticle 

availability. 

Developed based on IDF 

requirements, the MEPRO sights has 

been designed with a 30mm diameter 

lens to ensure easy and rapid target 

acquisition with both eyes open; 

it effectively supports instinctive 

close-range firing in urban and CQB 

conditions, as well as shooting at longer 

distances in open-terrain operations, 

while under harsh environmental 

conditions and combat stress. 

The MEPRO MOR sights features a 

unique simultaneous zeroing mechanism 

for all its aiming devices; zeroing can 

be conveniently performed day or night 

while saving time and ammunition. 

Golan Kalimi, S.V.P. Sales & 

Marketing – Defense stated: “The 

MEPRO MOR sight is a result of 

successful collaboration with the 

IDF and has been actively utilised 

by diverse forces globally, including 

India, for several years. In this vast 

country, the system’s ability to endure 

challenging conditions, such as extreme 

heat and humidity, and support users 

in remote locations holds tremendous 

significance. We take immense pride in 

its continued operational deployment 

by the IDF, where it has consistently 

demonstrated outstanding performance 

in all environmental conditions. The 

recently secured contract with the 

South American state serves as further 

validation of the MEPRO MOR sights 

unwavering reliability, as it continues to 

garner trust from various armed forces 

across the world.” 

www.meprolight.com 

www.sk-g.net 

About Meprolight 

Meprolight, a member of the SK Group and a leading international electro-optics company, has been developing, manufacturing, 

and marketing systems for armed forces, law enforcement agencies and civilian markets since 1990. The company provides 

comprehensive solutions in a wide array of combat-proven products: self-illuminated, illuminated, electro-optical and optical sights 

and devices, night vision sights and observation systems, laser pointers, and thermal sights. Meprolight is among the largest OEM 

manufacturers of day/night illuminated sights for pistols and rifles worldwide. The company’s solutions are currently operational in 

defence, security & safety, and recreation applications for military, law enforcement, and civilian communities worldwide. 

About The SK Group 

The SK Group, founded by Mr. Samy Katsav, is a privately held technology and innovation holding company, specialising in global 

frontline defence, law enforcement solutions, marine infrastructure, and property development solutions. The SK Group provides 

small arms systems, electro-optic and laser solutions, imaging systems, naval solutions and more. Drawing on Israel’s innovation and 

field-proven solutions, The SK Group offers a powerful track record of technology, experience, and excellence. 


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SHOT SHOW 

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NEWS 

FALCO HOLSTERS 

COMMITS TO 

ECO-FRIENDLY 

BIODEGRADABLE 

LEATHER IN 

ALL LEATHER 

PRODUCTS 

FALCO Holsters, a globally 

renowned name in bespoke 

leather holsters, has expressed its 

commitment to sustainability by 

incorporating officially certified 

biodegradable leather into its 

entire leather holster collection. 

“At FALCO Holsters, we 

are committed to eco-friendly 

practices,” stated CEO Róbert 

Kováč. “This means that every 

leather holster, accessory, and 

product, boasts the mark of 

certified biodegradability. Our 

commitment is not limited to 

select items but extends across our 

entire range of leather products, 

providing a comprehensive choice 

for environmentally conscious 

consumers.” 

While traditional leather 

is inherently biodegradable, 

FALCO’s leather undergoes a 

process that ensures minimal 

ecological impact, reflecting a 

balance between both luxury 

and environmental preservation. 

Rigorous certification assures 

that every 

leather product 

is genuinely 

biodegradable. 

“Utilising environmentally friendly 

processes and materials is an 

integral part of the craftsmanship 

we are known for,” said Kováč. 

Adherence to ISO 14001 

standards signifies a profound 

dedication to aligning with 

eco-friendly standards and 

manufacturing processes. “This 

certification is a testament to the 

meticulous care we incorporate 

into every stitch, cut, and polish of 

our leather products,” Kováč added, 

“and it reaffirms our long-standing 

tradition of incorporating materials 

and processes that minimise 

environmental impact. 

“When selecting our suppliers, 

the ISO 14001 certification is a 

requirement we consider crucial to 

ensuring the highest standards are 

met.” 

www.falcoholsters.com 

Popticals eyewear to partner with Mossy Oak 

Mossy Oak, a leader in 

camouflage patterns and 

outdoor lifestyle, has 

revealed a new partnership 

with Popticals, the 

innovative eyewear brand 

that prioritises quality, 

durability, and portability. 

The collaboration 

introduces an exciting 

range of compact sunglasses 

featuring Mossy Oak’s iconic 

Break-Up Country pattern. 

The popular camouflage 

pattern will be showcased 

on four compact frame 

styles offered by Popticals: 

PopGear, PopH20, 

PopSign, and PopStar. 

This partnership combines 

Mossy Oak’s outdoor 

expertise with Popticals’ 

commitment to quality and 

innovation, making for an 

excellent and easy-to-pack 

pair of sunglasses for the 

outdoorsman or woman. 

“We are grateful for the 

opportunity to partner 

with Mossy Oak, whose 

passion for the outdoors 

and commitment to quality 

About 

FALCO Holsters delivers a unique combination 

of modern techniques and old-world, traditional 

craftsmanship to our portfolio of custom handgun 

holsters. Since 1989, the FALCO brand has grown 

from a small garage in rural Slovakia making leather 

falconry gloves to a state-of-the-art workshop 

producing an extensive variety of holsters we supply 

to individuals, police forces, and military units 

worldwide. Using only the highest quality European 

and U.S. materials available, FALCO Holsters 

continues to thrive while proudly maintaining a 

personal approach. All products are handmade 

in Slovakia, in the heart of the beautiful Stiavnica 

Mountains, rich with history, and appreciated as 

a World Heritage Site (UNESCO). We are proud of 

the precision of our skilled artisans and our ability 

to design and manufacture products according to 

any customer’s exacting needs and requirements. 

Our commitment to customer service and premium 

quality extends through our endless customisation 

options, the FALCO Holsters limited lifetime 

warranty, and fast, international FedEx shipping. 

align so perfectly with 

Popticals’ focus on creating 

a breakthrough in premium 

sunglasses specifically for 

active people who love 

the outdoors,” said Gary 

DiSalvo, owner and CEO 

of Popticals. “In addition to 

adopting America’s number 

one camo pattern in Break- 

Up Country, our sunglasses 

provide exceptional 

quality and one-of-a-kind 

portability that we hope 

makes them indispensable 

to Mossy Oak’s ultra-loyal 

www.umarex.fr 

consumers.” 

The Popticals x Mossy 

Oak collection offers 

customers a range of options 

to suit their individual style 

and needs, whether they are 

hiking, hunting, or fishing. 

With durable construction 

and polarised lenses, these 

sunglasses are designed 

to withstand the rigors of 

outdoor adventures while 

providing optimal clarity and 

protection. 

www.popticals.com 


NEWS 

NASGW announces annual donations 

The National Association of 

Sporting Goods Wholesalers 

(NASGW), the association 

representing US shooting sports 

wholesalers, manufacturers, and 

their trade partners, announced last 

week, at the annual NASGW Expo, 

donations to six shooting sports 

industry organisations, including The 

National Shooting Sports Foundation 

(NSSF), Congressional Sportsmen’s 

Foundation (CSF), Walk The Talk 

America (WTTA), the Youth Shooting 

Sports Alliance (YSSA), the American 

Suppressor Association (ASA), and The 

Second Amendment Foundation (SAF). 

“In this industry it is important that 

you stand with strong partners,” said 

Kenyon Gleason, NASGW president. 

“NASGW, our members, and this 

industry rely on these organisations 

to advocate for us now and for the 

future. We are proud to support these 

organisations in the amount of $25,000 

each, to help them do great work for our 

industry.” 

Primary Arms promotes Özge Cumberland 

to chief business development officer 

Primary Arms, a leading 

manufacturer and retailer 

of firearms accessories, 

has appointed Özge 

Cumberland to chief 

business development 

officer. 

Since joining Primary 

Arms in 2013, Özge 

has spearheaded vital 

projects across multiple 

divisions. As director 

of merchandising 

and senior director of 

business development, 

she delivered expertise 

critical to the company’s 

success. 

More recently, as the 

senior vice president of 

business development, 

Özge Cumberland led 

the Sales, Marketing, and 

Government divisions 

to new heights, building 

a strong core strategy 

that established Primary 

Arms as a leading name 

throughout the firearms 

industry. 

As chief business 

development officer, 

Özge will 

drive strategic 

business 

initiatives, 

fostering 

partnerships, 

and identifying 

new growth 

opportunities. 

Her wealth of 

experience and 

exceptional 

leadership skills 

will continue to 

propel Primary Arms to 

further successes. 

“We are delighted 

to appoint Özge 

Cumberland as our 

new chief business 

development officer,” 

said Marshall Lerner, 

CEO of Primary Arms. 

“Her outstanding 

leadership abilities, 

commercial insight, and 

passion for our business 

make her the ideal fit 

for this crucial executive 

role. We are confident 

Özge will skilfully guide 

our strategic growth and 

Donations were chosen by the 

NASGW board of directors and 

announced during the Annual 

Appreciation Dinner, an event that 

kicks off the NASGW Expo and 

celebrates the top manufacturers and 

products for the past year. 

“As our industry continues to come 

under attack, these organisations 

have been a great voice for us,” said 

NASGW chairman Chris Means. “They 

continue to do great work on our behalf, 

and we are happy to support their 

missions to strengthen the shootings 

sports industry.” 

www.nasgw.org 

About 

The National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers is comprised of wholesalers, manufacturers, independent sales reps, media, 

and service providers – both national and international – all of whom are primarily focused on shooting sports equipment and 

accessories. As a trade association representing the business interests of its members, NASGW’s mission is to bring shooting sports 

buyers and sellers together. 

FRANCHI HIRES 

ROBERT KALETA 

AS NEW PRODUCT 

MANAGER 

Franchi has hired Robert (Bob) Kaleta as 

Product Manager. In this role, Bob will 

oversee the Franchi firearms product line 

as well as manage gear and accessories 

across all Benelli USA brands. 

Bob’s professional background carries 

a strong product management history, 

having worked as a product manager 

for Remington, Zeiss Optics, Vanguard 

and Summit Outdoors. In these roles, 

he was responsible for processes related 

to new product introduction, strategic 

planning, SKU rationalisation, market 

evaluation and research, and product 

brand alignment. Being an end user, Bob 

is an avid hunter and shooter and has 

extensive experience with both rifles and 

shotguns. 

Timothy Joseph, VP of marketing, 

commented: “Bob brings another 

layer of experience to our seasoned 

team, including a strong knowledge 

in rifles and a deep understanding of 

process disciplines that support product 

management. We’re excited to have 

Bob join us and know that he will make 

positive contributions to the Franchi 

brand.” 

www.FranchiUSA.com 

partnerships. 

“This promotion 

reflects Primary Arms’ 

commitment to elevating 

top talent. Özge’s 

deep knowledge and 

visionary approach 

position her well to lead 

the company into even 

greater innovation and 

achievement. Please join 

us in congratulating 

Özge Cumberland 

on her well-deserved 

appointment.” 

www.primaryarms.com 


OUTSTANDING IN EVERY DISCIPLINE. 

WALTHER POWERED PERFORMANCE. 

WALTHER GSP500. 

WALTHER LP500. 

WALTHER LG500 itec. 

WALTHER KK500. 

www.carl-walther.de /WALTHERWAFFEN CARLWALTHERTV @CARL_WALTHER_GERMANY

NEWS 

SAFETY RECALL 

NOTICE FOR 28 

NOSLER 175GR 

ACCUBOND 

LONG-RANGE 

TROPHY GRADE 

AMMUNITION 

Nosler has received reports 

from customers experiencing 

excessive chamber pressures 

while using 28 Nosler 175gr 

AccuBond Long-Range 

Trophy Grade Ammunition 

(Part #60155). 

Excessive chamber 

pressures may result in 

firearm damage and/or 

personal injury. 

The reported excessive 

chamber pressures are limited 

to three production lots of 

28 Nosler 175gr AccuBond 

Long-Range Trophy Grade 

Ammunition (Part #60155). 

These lots were shipped 

between October 7, 2022 

and December 28, 2022. No 

issues have been reported 

with other lots of this 

ammunition manufactured 

outside of this timeframe. If 

you have ammunition with 

lot numbers that differ from 

Hornady mourns 

following fatal incident 

Hornady is devastated 

following a fatal incident 

that took the life of an 

employee in the primer 

manufacturing facility. 

Steve and Jason Hornady 

commented: “We are 

devastated for our employee, 

their family and loved 

ones, as well as the entire 

Hornady team. We are 

working with all agencies 

to investigate the cause. 

This production incident 

was isolated to our primer 

facility and did not impact any of the manufacturing 

facilities. We appreciate the outreach we have 

received while we grieve the loss of one of our own.” 

www.hornady.com 

About 

Founded in 1949, Hornady® Manufacturing 

Company is a family-owned business 

headquartered in Grand Island, Nebraska. Proudly 

manufacturing products that are made in the USA, 

Hornady® Manufacturing is a world leader in bullet, 

ammunition, reloading tool, accessory and security 

product design and manufacturing. 

those listed below, no action 

is required. 

The lot number can be 

found on the box above the 

SKU barcode. 

Recalled Lot Numbers: 

·1837082 

·1837701 

·1838813 

All customers should 

cease using this ammunition 

immediately and contact 

Nosler customer service 

directly for a free 

replacement, by phone 

at (800) 285-3701 x1046 

or by email. Customers 

should include a reference 

to 28 Nosler Recall in their 

communication. 

+1 800 285 3701 

info@nosler.com 

www.nosler.com 

LARGE MILITARY SUPPLIER 

CHOOSES GI-6V AND VISIONLAB 

FOR AMMUNITION INSPECTION 

General Inspection, LLC recently 

installed another Gi-6V for 100 

per cent inspection of cases, 

projectiles, and loaded cartridges 

to a large ammo manufacturer in 

Mid-West, USA. 

The system is equipped with 

multiple, hi-res sensors including 

Vision Cameras, Lasers, and Eddy- 

Current to detect all critical defects 

in accordance with MIL-STD-636. 

A centrifugal feeder provides 

extremely quick changeover for 

various calibres. And an automatic 

5 cu ft bucket, elevator hopper 

provides continuous operation. The 

Gi-6v replaces inspection machines 

from other suppliers that failed to 

meet the customer’s specifications. 

The Gi-6v sorting machine 

provides the ultimate performance 

for complete dimensional 

inspection and visual defect 

detection for cases, cartridges, and 

projectiles. By utilising the fast 

changeover, the manufacturer can 

inspect their entire small calibre 

rifle line of ammunition. 

In addition to the Gi-6v, 

the end user also purchased a 

VisionLab-150 for first piece 

inspection, SPC sampling, and final 

audits. Using the VisionLab-150 

saves valuable time with machine 

set-ups, receives much more 

accurate data by eliminating error 

inherent with manual gauges. 

Companies searching for a 

complete, 3D gauging solution 

should contact Gi to set up 

a demonstration. Gi will 

accommodate on-site or online/web 

demonstrations. Gi is 

the world’s leading supplier of 

automated inspection equipment 

for ammo makers and suppliers. 

sales@generalinspection.com 

www.geninsp.com 


M10 TACTICAL 

A CROSSBOW DELIVERING 10 SHOTS, 

FAST, FROM DETACHABLE MAGAZINES 

Super strong 

adjustable 

cheek pad 

Quick-detach frame, 

now with a push-button 

assembly release 

Two M10 magazines 

(AR-15 mag pouchcompatible), 

2 strings, 

and 10 arrows included 

Exchangable front modules 

allowing the quick exchange 

of different sights, e.g. red 

dot sights and scopes. 

Tuning trigger 

for a supersmooth 

trigger 

action 

PRE- 

ORDER 

TODAY 

Integral string 

dampeners 

BEAT THE RUSH AND STOCK THE AR-SERIES M10 TACTICAL: 

THE MOST CAPABLE REPEATING CROSSBOW ON THE MARKET. 

Pre-order today (no minimum order) to reserve yours. Contact us at sales@steambow.com 

Light, tough, and accurate: The AR-Series M10 Tactical is the 

only modular repeating crossbow offering your customers this 

much versatility, firepower AND value. The obvious choice for 

customers in the competitive crossbow shooting scene or anyone 

who wants uncomplicated firepower. And the obvious 

choice for you: the AR-Series M10 Tactical offers amazing performance. 

It will sell fast and give you a very tidy profit. 

The AR-Series modular design means lots of spares and upgrades 

like spare M10 magazines, arrows, strings and limbs to 

name a few. Don’t wait: pre-order today. 

Pre-order now for delivery in February 2024 and 

be among the first to have the Steambow AR- 

Series M10 Tactical on your shelves. Order with 

confidence: no minimum order. 

For a portfolio of webshop-ready image files, a 

full spec sheet, and price list, write ”AR-Series 

M10 Tactical images“ to nick@steambow.com 

www.steambow.com

LAW ENFORCEMENT & MILITARY NEWS 

LIEUTENANT GENERAL (R) JOHN DEEDRICK, FORMER US 

MILITARY REPRESENTATIVE TO NATO, JOINS SIG SAUER 

Sig Sauer is pleased to 

announce that former 

United States Military 

Representative to the 

NATO Military Committee 

Lieutenant General E. John 

Deedrick has joined Sig 

Sauer as advisor to CEO, 

Ron Cohen. 

Lt. General E. John 

Deedrick served 35-years in 

the United State Army as an 

Infantry and Special Forces 

Officer; he has commanded 

units at every level 

through multiple combat 

tours including Special 

Operations Command – 

Korea, Combined Special 

Operations Task Force- 

Operation Inherent Resolve, 

the 1st Special Forces 

Command (Airborne), 

the Combined Security 

Transition Command- 

Afghanistan, and 

culminated his career as 

the United States Military 

Representative to the NATO 

Military Committee in 

Brussels, Belgium where he 

represented the US military 

position on all aspects of 

military advice and policy to 

NATO. 

“Lt. General Deedrick is 

an exceptional addition to our 

global defence team and joins 

us as we expand the depth of 

our defence portfolio,” said 

Ron Cohen, CEO, Sig Sauer, 

Inc. “Having worked his way 

through the ranks of the US 

Army to top NATO advisor 

Lt. General Deerick’s keen 

understanding and expertise 

for the complexities of global 

defence is invaluable to 

broadening our worldwide 

reach.” 

Lt. General E. John 

Deedrick is a graduate of The 

Citadel, holds a Master of 

Science in Management from 

Central Michigan University, 

a Master of Art in Strategic 

Studies from the Air War 

College, and completed 

the Executive Leadership 

Program from Kenan Flagler 

Business School at the 

University of North Carolina. 

“It is an honour to join the 

team at Sig Sauer and help 

to shape the future of their 

strategic global endeavours,” 

added Deedrick. 

www.sigsauer.com 

Federal Ammunition awarded 

5.56mm duty ammo contract with the 

DHS, Customs and Border Protection 

The Department 

of Homeland 

Security (DHS), 

US Customs and 

Border Protection 

(CBP) has selected 

the Federal Premium 

Law Enforcement 

Ammunition brand 

as the contract 

awardee for their 

5.56x45mm rifle ammunition. 

CBP is one of the world’s 

largest law enforcement 

agencies and is charged 

with border security while 

also overseeing lawful 

international trade and travel. 

“We are proud to provide 

the highest quality duty 

ammunition to CBP officers 

charged with the monumental 

task of border security,” 

said Federal Ammunition 

president and CEO Jason 

Vanderbrink. “We know they 

require the best ammunition 

in their mission to protect 

our borders and keep the 

homeland safe. This large 

duty contract win solidifies 

Federal Ammunition as a top 

choice for law enforcement.” 

The cartridge selected was 

the Tactical Bonded 64-grain 

soft point. This single-award, 

Indefinite Delivery Indefinite 

Quantity contract is a 

Strategically Sourced contract 

for all DHS components with 

a maximum quantity of 143 

million rounds. The ordering 

period is for a total of five 

years. 

“Federal’s Tactical Bonded 

line is a trusted partner for 

some of the most intense 

conditions,” said VP of law 

enforcement sales Dave 

Leis. “Made exclusively for 

law enforcement and at our 

Anoka, MN headquarters, 

it achieves accuracy and 

terminal performance that 

defeats tough barriers 

with minimal change to 

its superior performance 

attributes.” 

www.federalpremium.com 

ACCURACY INTERNATIONAL 

NORTH AMERICA, INC. 

AWARDED THE US CUSTOMS 

AND BORDER PROTECTION 

(CBP) CONTRACT 

Accuracy International of North America, Inc., has been selected 

to supply the Modular Precision Weapon Platform (MPWP). 

This was in response to a solicitation from US Customs and 

Border Protection (CBP). The MPWP is a multi-calibre, bolt 

action, AT-X with short forend, folding stock, AI trigger and 

other accessories. 

This is a single-award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity 

(IDIQ) contract. 

sales@accuracyinternationalusa.com 

www.accuracyinternationalusa.com 

About 

Accuracy International (AI) manufactures the leading lines 

of finest sniper and target shooting rifles and its list includes 

AX rifles, AT rifles, AICS Chassis System, AX50, and associated 

rifle accessories. The original design of AI rifles included 

performance enhancing features, learned during international 

target shooting and Olympic games that exhibited complete 

military ruggedness. The current AI sniper rifles that are 

exhibited for sale also have the performance enhancing 

features found in the original design. But in addition to that, 

they now incorporate the manufacturing advancements learnt 

over the last 35 years, meeting the needs of the highly trained 

professional users globally. Demand for precision sniper rifles 

have increased in the last ten years, unforeseen since World 

War II. To satiate the increasing varied needs, engineers of 

AI have strived to carve the ultimate sniper rifle without 

compromising on the ideals. Varied AI rifles are now available 

to complement the requirements of different shooters. AI has 

manufactured what the company describes as “the best 50 cal 

rifle in the world” – the AX50 rifle, along with the AI AX338, built 

for taking precise extreme long-range shots. 


ULTRALIGHT RIFLE FOR 

EXTREME HUNTERS 

B14 2 CREST CARBON RIFLE 

Designed for the highest standard of mountain hunting 

adventures, the B-14 Squared Crest Carbon comes now with our 

Cure Carbon barrel. Inspired to meet the needs of the most 

demanding backcountry hunters who needs top performance 

without sacrificing weight. 

Scan the code to learn more or visit 

www.bergara.online

LAW ENFORCEMENT & MILITARY NEWS 

BEAR & SON 

CUTLERY 

ANNOUNCES 

LICENSING 

AGREEMENT 

WITH 

BLACKHAWK 

Bear & Son Cutlery, manufacturer of 

premium knives, has entered into a 

licensing agreement with Blackhawk, 

manufacturer of duty-grade gear for 

military and law enforcement personnel 

serving at home and across the globe. 

With this brand licensing partnership, 

Bear & Son Cutlery is now producing 

Blackhawk branded entry, survival, and 

cutting tools – some of which are made 

in the USA at the company’s Jacksonville, 

Alabama, manufacturing facility. These 

new Blackhawk licensed tools are 

currently available online and through 

Bear & Son’s nationwide dealer network. 

Caracal USA signs KROLL International, LLC 

Caracal USA, a leading 

international manufacturer 

of small arms for the law 

enforcement and defence 

markets, proudly announces 

a strategic partnership with 

an industry leader in the 

law enforcement, public 

safety, military, homeland 

security, and shooting sports 

marketplace: KROLL 

International, LLC. With over 

35 years of experience and deep 

relationship-building within 

the public safety community, 

KROLL is committed to 

“This agreement will allow us to 

strategically develop Bear & Son 

Cutlery’s personal defense and tactical 

knife program, providing dealers with 

even more premium knife choices that 

meet customer applications,” said Matt 

Griffey, Vice-President Bear and Son 

Cutlery. “This is one of the most exciting 

licensing agreements ever for Bear & Son 

Cutlery. The name Blackhawk is trusted 

by countless military members, veterans, 

government agencies, and first responders 

of this great country. Bringing this brand 

into the Bear & Son Cutlery family 

matches our goals of providing the best 

increasing its market share for 

Caracal products. 

“We are delighted to 

welcome KROLL as our 

newest Caracal Distribution 

Partner,” Bill Silver, VP of 

sales for Caracal, said. “For 

many years KROLL has been 

a strong supplier to the law 

enforcement community, and 

we are proud to bring them on 

board so they may offer some 

of the world’s finest firearms 

to the departments, agencies, 

and individual officers they 

service. They also have a strong 

commercial presence, and that 

dealer base will benefit as well.” 

“KROLL is excited to add 

Caracal USA to our extensive 

list of over 200 world-class 

manufacturers,” commented 

Aaron Vanslambrouck, 

marketing manager for 

KROLL. “From enhanced 

pistols to patrol rifles, Caracal 

provides a unique product 

offering that is high quality 

and engineered for duty. 

Furthermore, KROLL’s dealer 

network will benefit from 

stocking Caracal and providing 

their products to their 

customers.” 

KROLL will be marketing 

Caracal’s CAR816 A2 

5.56x45 NATO gas operated 

short stroke piston rifles, the 

CAR814 A2 Patrol and MOE 

rifles, the built-for-combat 

Enhanced F 9mm pistol, the 

new CSR sniper rifles, CMP9 

9x19mm and the Lynx-DS 

pistols. 

cutlery products that they can depend on.” 

Along with distributing original 

Blackhawk knives, Bear and Son Cutlery 

will have the opportunity to manufacture 

and influence the design process of new 

knives under the Blackhawk brand. 

Among the tools currently available 

through the Bear & Son website that 

are under the Blackhawk banner is a 

new butterfly knife, new automatics, a 

fixed-blade dagger, a tactical pry tool, a 

modified Karambit knife, and numerous 

assisted-opening knives. 

www.bearandsoncutlery.com 

About 

Caracal USA 

Caracal USA is a wholly 

owned subsidiary of Caracal 

International and the exclusive 

importer and manufacturer of 

Caracal products in the United 

States. Located in Nampa, 

Idaho, the new center of stateof-the-art 

firearms technology 

and manufacturing, Caracal 

USA produces high-quality 

solutions for the commercial, 

law enforcement, and defense 

industries. 

About KROLL 

International, 

LLC 

Kroll International, LLC has 

been the leading wholesaleonly 

distributor of Law 

Enforcement, Public Safety, 

Military, Homeland Security, 

and Shooting Sports products 

for over 35 years. 


MEET US! 

SHOT SHOW 

23–26.01.2024 

at booth 20221 

TT MEDIC MASCAL 

PACK 

The TT MEDIC MASCAL PACK emergency backpack is designed for 

the primary care of many injured persons if they cannot be treated 

individually immediately. It is also used to classify injured persons 

into transport categories and to mark them for further rescue by 

the arriving emergency services. 

EFFICIENT 

INTERIOR LAYOUT 

FOR PRIMARY 

MEDICAL CARE 

HOOK-AND-LOOP 

STRIPS FOR 

LABELING: 

(TAG / ATM) 

FOUR 

IFAK POCKETS 

ON THE FRONT

feature 

Give it 

a SHOT! 

Connect with the global industry like never before 

by visiting the 2024 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. 

Here is your guide to SHOT – what’s new, helpful 

tips, and why you can’t afford to miss out. 

Once the leaves start turning 

from green to brown and the 

air chills, excitement builds 

towards SHOT Show – the 

must attend North American global 

trade show. 

The show is large. Only recently it 

was announced that the exhibition is 

now the eighth largest in America. A 

staggering achievement when you think 

of the many events and huge industries 

operating across the US. 

“The SHOT Show was the only 

trade show in America to grow by 

20-plus percent in 2022, which was 

quite the feat after having to cancel 

the 2021 event,” said Chris Dolnack, 

NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief 

Customer Officer. 

Due to the shows’ size, it is 

imperative that you plan your visit 

like a military operation in order to 

get the best from the exhibition. If it’s 

your first time at SHOT, it’s easy to be 

overawed by the events’ size and status 

but with preplanning you can enjoy a 

successful visit. 


WHAT: SHOT Show 

WHERE: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 

WHEN: January 23-26, 2024 

LEARN MORE: www.shotshow.org 

NEW ARCHERY AREA 

NSSF and Grand View Outdoors partner to create new archery area 

at SHOT Show. 

shot show 2024 

Tuesday–Friday 8:30 AM–5:30 PM 

Caesars Forum Academy Ballroom 

For the first time, the 2024 SHOT Show will feature a new archery 

area, branded the Archery Business Pavilion. The show area will 

be designed to provide a comprehensive look at the industry, from 

traditional archery equipment to cutting-edge technology in compound 

bows, trail cams and other gear. 

Who Exhibits 

The Archery Business Pavilion will feature exhibits from leading 

manufacturers and suppliers in the archery industry, along with 

hunting and outdoor products used in the pursuit of bowhunting, 

offering attendees the opportunity to see and experience the latest 

in archery technology and products. 

Gun Trade World Top Tip 1 

If you’re visiting SHOT over several days, try to 

assign halls to each day and book your meetings 

accordingly. You certainly won’t want to be, after 

a few late evenings, walking from one end of the 

exhibition to the other, numerous times during the 

day. These events are huge, and you can end up 

hiking over 30km a day, all due to a poorly planned 

meeting schedule. 


Book your meetings pre-show. Don’t expect to rock up 

to a booth and be able to speak to who you want to 

when you want to. Shows like SHOT and Iwa are very 

busy and it’s likely the person you’ll want to speak to 

will have a full schedule. If they ask you to come back 

later this can have a knock-on effect and, if you’re not 

careful, can snowball your day out of control. 


SHOT is the place to be to facilitate the growth 

for your business. However, a verbal agreement 

at a trade show can quickly fizzle out if not acted 

upon. Try to follow up as quickly as possible, “strike 

while the iron is hot”, or better still, attain written 

confirmation at the show. 

Gun Trade World Tip 4 

Pace yourself. If you’re not lucky enough to have a 

booth and are walking the halls for four days, you’ll 

soon become tired. This can affect the quality of your 

meetings (and your knees). Take regular breaks, wear 

sensible footwear, and use a rucksack rather than a 

single shoulder bag. Trust us, your back will thank 

you. 

LAW ENFORCEMENT & ARMED FORCES 

The SHOT Show connects law enforcement agencies with the 

industry’s top manufacturers, distributors, and experts. 

This is your agency’s opportunity to view the latest equipment, 

share knowledge and find solutions that will help keep your officers 

and communities safe. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your 

firearms, improve your defensive tactics, or enhance your training 

programs, the SHOT Show has everything you need to succeed. 

Nearly one-third of the SHOT Show’s exhibit halls are dedicated 

to protection equipment and tactical accessories needed by law 

enforcement, SWAT teams, private security and the armed forces. 

INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE 

The SHOT Show welcomes international buyers and sellers from 

more than 100 countries. 

With more than 2,500 exhibits, the SHOT Show is your best opportunity 

to view manufacturers from around the world. Talk to 

suppliers about your business, your customers and your needs. 

Walk away with the knowledge to drive sales for your business. 

Establish connections with the world’s leading manufacturers 

of cutlery, firearms, ammunition, outdoor apparel, optics, safety 

equipment and tactical gear. Meet with industry professionals 

from around the world. 

Benefits for INTERNATIONAL Attendees 

International Trade Center Access 

Amenities to include complimentary WiFi access, conference 

rooms for private meetings and hostesses to assist with scheduling 

and translation. 

Education Programs 

Learn more about important industry challenges and better 

management practices. SHOT University caters to retailer and 

range businesses. The Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP) 

focuses on protection measures and tactical execution. You can 

select and pay for individual events based on your attendance 

category assigned during the application process. 

Future Show Dates 

2024: Jan 23–26, 2024 

2025: Jan 21–24, 2025 

www.guntradeworld.com 29

feature 

Networking & schedule 

Tuesday, 

January 23rd 

All Star Jam Concert 

Great Outdoors Plaza 

Some of the most well-known 

names in rock and country 

music will take the stage for an 

unforgettable night out on the 

Great Outdoors Plaza. 

Wednesday, 

January 24th 

Industry Networking Reception 


Relax after the SHOT Show floor 

closes and connect with the 

industry on the Great Outdoors 

Plaza. Open to all 2024 SHOT 

Show badge holders. 

Thursday, 

January 25th 

Industry Happy Hour 


The conversations continue 

as the SHOT Show closes and 

everyone moves out to the 

Great Outdoors Plaza for a 

productive happy hour. Open 

to all 2024 SHOT Show badge 

holders. 

MONDAY, JAN 16th 

Daniel Defense Presents: 

Law Enforcement 

Networking Reception 

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM 

Canaletto Restaurant 

LE01 

Sunday, Jan 21st 

NSSF/HAVA Golf Classic 

8:00 AM–4:30 PM 

(Charity golf event to raise 

funds for disabled combat 

veterans) 

Monday, Jan 22nd 

SHOT Week TM Supplier 

Showcase 

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM 

Law Enforcement and Armed 

Forces Kickoff Meet & Greet 

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM 

(Separate fees apply. Must 

be registered for Law 

Enforcement Education 

Program) 

Tuesday, Jan 23rd 

New Product Center, 

Protected by USCCA, Open 

8:00 AM - 5:30 PM 

SHOT University and Law 


Program 

8:15 AM - 4:00 PM 

(Separate fees apply) 

Exhibit Floor/Product 

Viewing Open 

SHOT Week Supplier 

Showcase 

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM 

All Star Jam Concert 

5:30 PM - TBD 

Presented by Outdoor 

Sportsman 

Supported by Glock and 

Remington 

Wednesday, Jan 24th 



8:00 AM - 5:30 PM 

SHOT University TM , Law 


Program and Export Training 

Sessions 

8:15 AM - 4:00 PM 



Viewing Open 

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM 

Industry Networking 

Reception, Great Outdoors 

Plaza 

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM 

Thursday, Jan 25th 



8:00 AM - 5:30 PM 

SHOT University TM , Law 


Program 

8:15 AM - 4:00 PM 



Viewing Open 

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM 

Industry Happy Hour, Great 

Outdoors Plaza 

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM 

Friday, Jan 26th 



8:30 AM - 4:00 PM 


Viewing Open 

8:30 AM - 4:00 PM 


Come and visit us at 

Stand 11468 

Venetian Expo. 

Level 2. 

23-26 JAN 2024. 

THE NEW PROTAC ® 

2.0 SERIES 

USB RECHARGEABLE, FEATURING 2,000 LUMENS 

WITH NO REDUCTION IN RUN TIME 

HANDHELD 

PROTAC ® 2.0 

TACTICAL FLASHLIGHT 

HANDS FREE 

PROTAC ® 2.0 

HEADLAMP 

WEAPON MOUNT 

PROTAC ® 2.0 RAIL MOUNT 

LONG GUN LIGHT 

POWERED BY THE 

NEW SL-B50 ® 

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RECHARGEABLE 

LITHIUM-ION 

BATTERY PACK 

Made for situations when failure is not worth contemplating, Streamlight® has created the broadest 

range of professional torches and lighting tools that can be trusted for a lifetime. streamlight.com

feature 

StatiSticS 

Each year, the industry’s latest and greatest products 

are on full display at the show, aracting industry 

professionals from around the world to Las Vegas. 

Here are some nuggets of information to demonstrate 

just how big the SHOT Show is… 

2,200+ 

Media 

representatives 

Exhibitors, buyers and media come from 

115+ 

countries 

2,500+ 

Exhibitors 

$247,000 

Average anticipated 

value of sales 

21.3 

Average number of 

hours each attendee 

spends on exhibit 

floor 

100,000 

Products 

800,000 

net sq/ft 

81% 

Attendees coming 

to the SHOT Show 

with buying plans 

96% 

Net buying 

influence 

52,000+ 

Professional 

Attendees 

$1,000,000 

Average planned 

attendee expenditure 


PDP F-SERIES. 

The first ever Duty-Pistol designed for compact ergonomics. 

Developed to be uncompromising for female and smaller grip shooters. 

Revolutionary design incorporating reduced trigger reach, 

optimised grip circumferance and effortless slide operation. 

Innovation and performance is our DNA. 

Info: https://carl-walther.com/defense/products/pistols

GREAT GEAR 

smart 

guns 

A revolution in firearm safety 

and ownership 

Innovations in firearm technology have always played a significant role 

in shaping the market and the user experience, both for consumers as 

well as professional users. Among these advancements, “smart guns” 

represent a revolutionary step. By integrating cutting-edge safety 

features, these firearms aim to enhance security, reduce accidents and 

potentially transform the gun industry. 


Understanding Smart Gun Technology 

Smart guns, also known as personalised 

or user-authenticated firearms, employ 

technology to ensure that they can only 

be fired by authorised users. This is 

typically achieved through biometric 

sensors, RFID (Radio Frequency 

Identification) technology, or PIN 

code systems. Biometrics can include 

fingerprint recognition, while RFID 

usually involves a ring or bracelet that 

sends a signal to the gun. PIN 

code systems require a code to 

be entered before the weapon 

can be used. 

The Case for Enhanced Safety 

The primary appeal of smart 

guns lies in their potential to 

drastically reduce accidental 

shootings and unauthorised 

use. For instance, they could 

prevent tragic incidents where 

children accidentally discharge 

unsecured firearms. They also 

offer an extra layer of security 

for law enforcement officers 

and military personnel, making 

it far more difficult for their weapons to 

be used against them if they are disarmed 

in high-risk situations. For homeowners 

who keep firearms for personal 

protection, a smart gun can ensure that 

the weapon is usable only by authorised 

members of the household. This is 

crucial in situations where an intruder 

might attempt to use the homeowner’s 

firearm against them. Gun ranges and 

training facilities meanwhile could 

benefit from smart guns by ensuring that 

only qualified individuals can use certain 

firearms. This could be particularly useful 

for novice shooters or in situations where 

strict supervision is required. Last but not 

least, smart guns can deter theft as they 

would be less valuable to thieves given 

that they won’t be able to use or resell 

these firearms easily. These different 

use cases demonstrate the potential of 

smart gun technologies to enhance gun 

safety in a wide range of environments 

and situations, contributing to a more 

responsible and secure approach to 

firearm ownership and usage. 

Concerns and Challenges 

Despite the clear safety benefits, smart 

guns have sparked debate among gun 

owners, manufacturers, and legislators. 

Key concerns include reliability, 

technical concerns, cost, and legislation. 

The number one concern is the 

reliability of smart technology, especially 

under adverse conditions. Users question 

whether these guns will function as 

reliably as traditional firearms in critical 

situations, such as in extreme weather 

or when immediate reaction is required. 

You don’t want this technology failing 

on you in a life-or-death situation. 

Through the added layer of technology, 

smart guns are expected to be more 

expensive than traditional firearms, 

which could limit their accessibility. 

There’s also concern about the cost of 

retrofitting existing guns with smart 

technology. Legislation regarding smart 

guns is also a complex issue. In the USA 

for example, some argue that mandating 

smart gun technology could infringe on 

Second Amendment rights. Conversely, 

others advocate for laws encouraging 

or requiring the use of smart guns for 

safety reasons. Issues like battery life, 

the potential for hacking, and the time 

it takes for user authentication are 

significant technological concerns that 

need addressing as well. 

Market Potential and Industry Impact 

Despite the challenges, the potential 

market for smart guns is vast. They 

could appeal to new shooters concerned 

about safety, parents looking for 

safer home defence options, and law 

enforcement agencies interested in 

advanced security measures. This could 

open new segments in the market, 

driving both innovation as well as 

competition. 

Smart guns could attract new 

demographics, such as technology 

enthusiasts and individuals who 

previously avoided gun ownership due to 

safety concerns. This opens an entirely 

new customer base for the firearms 

industry. Firearm manufacturers might 

form partnerships with tech companies 

to leverage their expertise in software, 

sensors, and security. These collaborations 

could further spur technological 

innovations in the gun industry. With 

the advent of smart guns, there will be a 

need for training and education services 

to help users understand and operate 

these new technologies effectively. This 

presents opportunities for training 

programs and educational materials. 

Companies that pioneer in smart gun 

technology could gain a competitive 

advantage. Early adopters and innovators 

in this space might set industry standards 

and capture significant market share. 

The rise of smart guns could also 

stimulate secondary markets, such as 

secure storage solutions tailored to 

smart gun technology, maintenance 

services, and specialised accessories. 

Internationally, markets 

that have been traditionally 

restrictive about gun 

ownership might be more 

open to smart guns due 

to their enhanced safety 

features. This could open 

new international markets 

for the firearms industry. 

Future Prospects 

The future of smart 

guns largely depends on 

technological advancements 

and societal attitudes. 

As technology improves, 

making smart guns 

more reliable and affordable, they 

could become more widely accepted. 

Additionally, if legislative bodies find a 

balance between encouraging smart gun 

use and respecting gun rights, it could 

lead to broader adoption. Smart guns 

represent a significant innovation in 

firearm technology, with the potential 

to enhance safety and redefine gun 

ownership. However, their success 

hinges on overcoming technological, 

legislative, and market challenges. As the 

technology evolves and becomes more 

reliable and accessible, smart guns could 

see increased acceptance among both 

traditional gun enthusiasts and a new 

generation of firearm users. 

The key to the successful integration 

of smart guns lies in a collaborative 

approach that involves manufacturers, 

technology experts, legislators, and the 

gun-owning community. Through open 

dialogue and shared goals of safety and 

rights preservation, smart guns could 

become a valuable part of the firearms 

landscape. 

Ultimately, smart guns hold the 

promise of a future where firearm 

safety is significantly enhanced without 

compromising the rights and needs of 

gun owners. It is a future that requires 

careful navigation but offers tremendous 

potential for innovation, safety, and 

industry growth. As we stand at the 

crossroads of tradition and technological 

advancement, the firearms community 

has the opportunity to lead the way in 

embracing and shaping this new era of 

gun technology. GTW 

smart guns 


spotlight 

trIGGerInG 

trendS 

A deep dive into the evolving 

handgun market 

Few pursuits possess the enduring fascination of archery. This ancient 

art, which finds its roots in the annals of history, is experiencing a modern 

resurgence, captivating enthusiasts from every corner of the globe. 

Handguns, often a topic of 

ownership and usage debates 

globally, hold a critical 

place in our industry. They 

are utilised in numerous disciplines 

ranging from hunting, ISSF and IPSC 

competitions, cowboy action, selfdefence, 

along with associated training, 

and much more. Consequently, there’s 

a wide variety of handgun types, such 

as semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, 

and single-shot firearms, featuring 

cartridges from .17 HMR to .500 S&W 

and everything in between, including 

those chambered for rifle cartridges. 

Given the extensive range of shooting 

styles, cartridges, and firearm types, it’s 

unsurprising that handguns are a highly 

popular market segment, produced 

by many renowned manufacturers. 

Prominent brands in the handgun 

domain include CZ, Smith & Wesson, 

Glock, Beretta, Sig Sauer, Walther, 

Ruger, Springfield, Chiappa, Taurus, 

Heckler & Koch, Steyr, and many others. 

ACtioN tYpEs 

The diversity of handgun models and 

types is astonishing. Just considering the 

action types is remarkable. Among the 

various actions, including niche ones like 

bolt-action and single-shot, revolvers 

and semi-automatic pistols dominate. In 

revolvers, the action involves a rotating 

cylinder with several chambers for 

individual cartridges. Revolver actions 

are of two kinds: single and double 

action. Single action revolvers require 

manual hammer cocking before each 

shot. Double action revolvers allow the 

trigger pull to cock the hammer and 

fire simultaneously, leading to a longer, 

heavier trigger pull compared to single 

action revolvers. However, double action 

revolvers with an exposed hammer can 


also be manually cocked for a lighter, 

shorter trigger pull like single action 

revolvers. 

While revolvers were dominant in the 

handgun world for over a hundred years, 

semi-automatic pistols have surged in 

market dominance over the past three 

to four decades. These autoloaders 

don’t have a cylinder but use a stacked 

magazine. Their action automatically 

chambers the next round after each shot, 

as the slide moves back and forth, also 

cocking the hammer. Generally, there are 

three types of semi-automatic actions: 

single action, double action, and striker 

fired. Single-action semi-automatics 

require manual cocking of the hammer 

for the first round. Double action pistols 

eliminate the need for manual cocking 

before the first shot, relying on trigger 

pull. Striker-fired autoloaders, a variation 

of double-action-only, lack an exposed 

hammer. Instead, each trigger pull 

compresses and releases a spring with a 

striker firing pin. 

sMARt gUNs 

The current talk-of-the-town in 

the handgun market are smart guns. 

These smart guns employ biometrics 

(fingerprint recognition for example) 

or RFID technology to ensure use only 

by authorized users, aiming to reduce 

accidents and unauthorised use. Key 

challenges include reliability, cost, and 

legislative hurdles. Despite this, they 

present significant market potential, 

attracting new users and spurring 

industry innovation. These firearms 

could lead to legislative changes, new 

training needs, and partnerships between 

tech and gun companies. Their global 

market appeal and impact on secondary 

markets like secure storage are notable. 

Smart guns represent a promising blend 

of safety and traditional gun ownership, 

poised to redefine the firearms landscape. 

Read more about these smart guns in this 

month’s Great Gear article on page 34. 

BEst-sElliNg CARtRiDgEs 

Year after year, the classic 9x19 Luger or 

Parabellum cartridge consistently outsells 

other handgun ammunition, maintaining 

its top position in the market. While 

recognisable cartridges like the .357 

Magnum and .40 Smith & Wesson have 

decent sales, they fall significantly short 

of the 9mm Para’s sales figures. This 

indirectly highlights the popularity of 

semi-automatic pistols over traditional 

revolvers. The modest .22 long rifle 

remains a cost-effective option, making it 

suitable for a variety of uses from casual 

backyard shooting to target practice, 

precision target shooting, and small game 

hunting. Sales data clearly demonstrates 

Handgun 

Survey Results 

over tHe lASt 12 MontHS… 

BeSt-SellInG 

cAlIBre 

9x19 Parabellum 48% 

.22lr 16% 

38 Special 6% 

357 Magnum 8% 

Other 22% 

AGe GrouP oF 

cuStoMerS 

26-40 32% 

41-55 40% 

56+ 28% 

WHIcH do you 

Sell MoSt oF? 

SAleS oF HAndGun oPtIcS, 

red dot SIGHtS: 

HoW do HAndGun SAleS coMPAre 

WItH tHe PrevIouS 12 MontHS: 

UP 55% DOWN 30% SAME 15% 

nuMBer oF lAdIeS PurcHASInG HAndGunS: 

UP 66% DOWN 23% SAME 11% 

do tHe lAWS reStrIct HAndGun oWnerSHIP 

And uSe In your country/StAte? 

YES 90% NO 10% 

Competition Shooting 23% 

Target Shooting 24% 

Self-defence 44% 

Hunting 9% 

Up 49% 

Down 19% 

Same 32% 

hANDgUNs 


spotlight 

the enduring market presence of this 

small rimfire calibre. 

SELF-DEFENCE SALES ON THE UP 

It is interesting to see the retailers in 

our survey indicating how the market 

for handguns has evolved during the last 

twelve months. According to nearly 55 

per cent of these retailers, their handgun 

sales were up in the last year compared 

to the previous period with about 30 per 

cent of retailers stating sales stabilised. 

In terms of handgun types sold, 23 

per cent of the retailers in our survey 

sold competition shooting models 

while another 24 per cent is made up 

by handguns for target shooting. With 

a combined market share of 47 per 

cent for both categories, there is an 

unmistakable appetite for target and 

competition handguns. There is another 

category that took first place in our 

bestseller list though. With a market 

share of 44 per cent, handguns for selfdefence 

experienced a noticeable leap 

forward in sales with the retailers in our 

survey. Hunting accounts for a smaller, 

yet steady market share of about 9 per 

cent. 

WOMEN AND MIDDLE-AGED 

BUYERS 

For several years, ladies continue to be 

the fastest-growing demographic of new 

gun owners. This year’s survey shows 

this trend is not exactly coming to a 

halt, on the contrary. Getting ladies into 

the sport not only adds diversification 

to your footfall, as well as your profit 

sources, but can also encourage the rest 

of the family, especially youngsters, to 

take an interest into the sport as well. 

Handguns generally attract younger 

punters, with sales to the age group 26 

to 40 accounting for 32 per cent of sales. 

The share of buyers aged 41 to 55 is the 

clear majority in this year’s survey with 

a clean 40 per cent market share. Buyers 

aged over 55 traditionally account for a 

smaller share of the market, taking about 

28 per cent this year. 

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND 

The global handgun market is 

multifaceted, with usage spanning from 

competitive sports and recreational 

activities to personal defence. Despite 

the varied legal landscapes across 

different countries, including strict 

regulations and outright prohibitions 

in places like the United Kingdom, 

the worldwide ownership of handguns 

continues to grow. This trend 

underscores the importance of handguns 

as a significant sector in the firearms 

industry. 

Gun dealers, recognising this trend, 

typically offer a wide selection of 

handguns, encompassing various makes, 

models, and types. Some dealers even 

choose to specialise in specific areas of 

the handgun market, catering to niche 

demands. The geographical location of a 

dealership plays a crucial role in shaping 

its inventory. Proximity to facilities such 

as shooting clubs, ranges, and hunting 

areas can dictate the types of handguns 

and related accessories that are likely to 

be in demand in that area. 

For businesses already established in 

the handgun market, generating new 

business requires innovative strategies. 

One effective approach is to offer 

incentives that appeal particularly to new 

customers. These incentives can include 

free accessories, attractive package deals, 

and basic handgun training sessions. 

Such offerings not only provide added 

value to the customer but also serve as a 

draw for first-time buyers who might be 

looking for guidance and added benefits 

when entering the world of handgun 

ownership. 

In summary, the handgun market 

presents diverse opportunities for 

businesses, driven by the increasing 

global interest in handgun ownership 

for various purposes. Adapting to 

local market needs, expanding product 

offerings to include reloading supplies, 

and employing customer-centric 

strategies for new business generation 

are key to thriving in this dynamic 

sector. 


Matrix Of Suppliers 

HANDGUNS 

handguns 

ARGENTINA 

BerSA FIREARMS 

via website 

www.bersa.com 

AUSTRIA 

Glock GmbH 

impressum@glock.com 

www.glock.com 

ISSC 

office@issc.at 

www.issc.at 

Steyr Mannlicher GmbH 

office@steyr-mannlicher.com 

www.steyr-mannlicher.com 

BELGIUM 

FN Herstal 

info@fnherstal.com 

www.fnherstal.com 

CZECH REPUBLIC 

AlFA-Proj 

jaroslav.tabery@alfa-proj.cz 

www.alfa-proj.cz 

Ceská Zbrojovka as 

info@czub.cz 

www.czub.cz 

FRANCE 

Manurhin 

via website 

www.chapuis-armes.com 

GERMANY 

Carl Walther 

via website 

www.carl-walther.de 

German Sport Guns 

info@germansportguns.de 

www.german-sport-guns.com 

Heckler & Koch GmbH 

sales@heckler-koch.de 

www.heckler-koch-de.com 

Korth 

via website 

www.korth-waffen.de 

Steyr Sport 

office@steyr-sport.com 

www.steyr-sport.com 

stp 

info@stpgun.de 

www.stpgun.de 

ISRAEL 

bul armory 

info@bultransmark.com 

www.bularmory.com 

Israel Weapon Industries 

info@iwi.net 

www.israel-weapon.com 

ITALY 

Armi Sport 

info@armichiappa.com 

www.chiappafirearms.com 

Arsenal Firearms 

info@arsenalfirearms.com 

www.arsenalfirearms.com 

Benelli Armi SpA 

partners@benelli.it 

www.benelli.it 

Bernardelli LuIGI 

info@giuliobernardelli.it 

www.giuliobernardelli.it 

Beretta Group 

via website 

www.beretta.com 

cHIAPPA Firearms 

cinzia.pinzoni@chiappafirearms.com 

www.chiappafirearms.com 

Fratelli Tanfoglio snc 

info@tanfoglio.it 

www.tanfoglio.it 

Vincenzo Bernardelli 

bernardelli@bernardelli.com 

www.bernardelli.com 

PHILIPPINES 

Arms Corporation 

info@armscor.com.ph 

www.armscor.com.ph 

SLOVENIA 

AreX 

info@arex.si 

www.arex.si 

SPAIN 

SPS 

via website 

www.spsguns.es 

Turkey 

Retay Arms 

info@retayarms.com 

www.retayarms.com 

Sarsilmaz Silah Sanayi 

sarsilmaz@sarsilmaz.com 

www.sarsilmaz.com 

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 

Caracal International llc 

info@caracal.ae 

www.caracal.ae 

UK 

Wilson Custom Guns 

rw.engineering@btinternet.com 

www.wilsoncustomguns.com 

USA 

ACCU-TEK 

via website 

accu-tekfirearms.com 

AMERICAN derrINGER 

via website 

www.amderringer.com 

Auto Ordnance 

sales@kahr.com 

www.auto-ordnance.com 

Bond ARMS 

via website 

www.bondarms.com 

Cabot Guns CoMPAny 

info@cabotguns.com 

www.cabotguns.com 

CaSPIAN ARMS 

sales@caspianarms.com 

www.caspianarms.com 

Charter Arms/Hi-Point Arms 

lissa.mccarthy@charterfirearms.com 

www.charterfirearms.com 

Cimarron Firearms 

via website 

www.cimarron-fireams.com 

Cobra Enterprises Of Utah 

via website 

www.cobrapistols.net 

Colt ManuFActuring Co 

via website 

www.colt.com 

CZ-USA 

via website 

www.cz-usa.com 

Dan WeSSon Firearms 

via website 

www.danwessonfirearms.com 

FIMEGroup 

via website 

www.FIMEGroup.com 

FNH USA 

sales@fnhusa.com 

http://fnhusa.com 

Freedom Arms Inc 

freedom@freedomarms.com 

www.freedomarms.com 

Heritage ManuFActuring Inc. 

via website 

www.heritagemfg.com 

HI-Point Firearms 

via website 

www.hi-pointfirearms.com 

High Standard Mfg 

via website 

www.highstandard.com 

Kahr FIREArms GROUP 

sales@kahr.com 

www.kahr.com 

Kimber 

ccrane@kimberamerica.com 

www.kimberamerica.com 

Les Baer 

info@lesbaer.com 

www.lesbaer.com 

L.W. Seecamp Co. 

via website 

www.seecamp.com 

MAGnum Research, Inc 

info@magnumresearch.com 

www.magnumresearch.com 

Navy Arms/Old Western 

Scrounger 

via website 

www.navyarms.com 

O.F. Mossberg 

via website 

www.mossberg.com 

Olympic Arms 

tom@olyarms.com 

www.olyarms.com 

Para USA Inc 

via website 

www.para-usa.com 

PrecISIon Small Arms 

sales@precisionsmallarms.com 

www.precisionsmallarms.com 

Remington 

via website 

www.remington.com 

sar usa 

via website 

www.sarusa.com 

Sccy Industries 

sales@sccy.com 

www.sccy.com 

Smith & WeSSon 

qa@smith-wesson.com 

www.smith-wesson.com 

Springfield, Inc 

sales@springfield-armory.com 

www.springfield-armory.com 

STACCACO 

via website 

www.staccaco211.com 

Sturm, Ruger & Co 

via website 

www.ruger.com 

Taurus Int. Firearms 

via website 

www.taurususa.com 

Walther America 

customerservice@waltherarms.com 

www.waltherarms.com 

ZrodeltA 

www.zrodelta.com 

info@zrodelta.com 

USA/EUROPE 

Browning 

www.browning.com 

www.browning.eu 


PRESIDENT BIDEN’S 

WAR ON FIREARM 

INDUSTRY REACHES 

NEW PEAK 

President Joe Biden is stepping up his effort to cripple the firearm industry, 

the one industry that provides the means for law-abiding citizens to 

exercise their Second Amendment rights. 

By Larry Keane 

President Biden’s Commerce 

Department issued a new 

and unprecedented edict that 

bans the export of firearms, 

ammunition and certain accessories to 

most overseas markets. The Commerce 

Department’s Bureau of Industry and 

Security posted a notice of a 90- 

day “pause” for the exports – on the 

Frequently Asked Questions Section 

that’s listed on the bottom the BIS 

website. The “Friday news dump” 

was apparently an attempt to slip the 

kneecapping of the industry under the 

radar. However, this appears to be a 

coordinated event and more evidence 

of gun control groups steering domestic 

and foreign policy for the Biden 

administration. 

The Biden administration slipped in 

this “pause” on firearm exports. That’s 

significant for several reasons. 

First, President Biden campaigned 

on reversing the U.S. Munitions List to 

Commerce Control List (USML-CCL) 

export reforms that were begun under 

the Obama-Biden administration and 

completed by the Trump administration. 

Those reforms reduced regulatory 

costs and streamlined exports while 

strengthening end-to-end user checks 

to ensure firearm exports weren’t being 

sent overseas to bad actors. Opponents of 

these reforms include disgraced US Sen. 

Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who coveted 

his Senate oversight role to bless or 

block any firearm exports under the old 

rules. 

It is now apparent why he so zealously 

wanted that oversight back. The longtime 

ally of President Biden was 

recently indicted on federal corruption 


and bribery charges that stem from 

him greasing the skids for small-arms 

shipments to companies in Egypt. FBI 

officials raided his home and found 

hundreds of thousands of dollars 

wadded up and stuffed in his jacket 

pockets, along with stacks of gold bars. 

The twice-indicted senator has also 

been charged with illegally acting as an 

agent for the Egyptian government. 

The “pause” of firearm exports 

is unprecedented and the timing is 

suspect. The Biden administration’s new 

Office of Gun Violence Prevention, 

which is staffed by gun control 

lobbyists and activists, just concluded 

a roundtable meeting with Democratic 

lieutenant governors to explore new 

ways they could collaborate on more 

gun control. It was also in the wake of 

successive Bloomberg 

News features that called 

into question exports 

to foreign countries, 

falsely alleging that 

US manufacturers are 

complicit in stoking 

crime. One was an 

attack on SIG Sauer 

over crime in Thailand 

and a later article 

focused on Central 

and South America. 

Another attacked the 

Commerce Department’s 

role in assisting US 

manufacturers at NSSF’s 

SHOT Show®, held 

annually in Las Vegas. 

That’s something the 

Commerce Department 

does for all industries. 

Bloomberg News is 

owned, of course, by 

Michael Bloomberg. 

He’s the billionaire 

former New York City 

mayor who flamed out 

on his own attempt to 

occupy the Oval Office, 

ran an undercover sting 

to uncover illegal gun 

trafficking in other states 

without notifying the 

ATF or FBI that put the 

lives of federal agents 

in jeopardy and was 

subsequently chastised 

by his own police chief 

and the US Department 

of Justice. He’s also the 

financier of Everytown 

for Gun Safety and their 

mouthpiece The Trace, 

the gun control group 

that now has office space 

in The White House, 

along with other gun 

control projects he funds, such as Moms 

Demand Action, Students Demand 

Action and the Center for Gun Violence 

Solutions at Johns Hopkins University’s 

Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

When you pay that much money to fund 

gun control, universities name an entire 

school after you. 

During this so-called “pause,” the 

Commerce Department will conduct a 

“policy review to determine if changes 

are warranted to advance US national 

security and policy interests. Of 

course, this raises concerns that under 

the guise of human rights, the Biden 

administration will attempt to undo 

the USML-CCL reforms, extend the 

“pause” indefinitely, impose unwarranted 

regulatory burdens to increase costs to 

exporters and close off overseas markets. 

Purely Political 

All firearm and ammunition exports 

are subject to Defense and State 

Department review, which can halt the 

export if there are concerns. Firearm 

and ammunition license applications 

undergo a 100 percent end-user 

check by the BIS Office of Export 

Enforcement, regardless of how long a 

company has been doing business with 

that customer, regardless of how many 

times the buyer was subjected to an enduser 

check and regardless of whether 

BIS has no derogatory information on 

that customer, even if the end-user was 

recently approved. At present, no other 

commodity is subject to the same 100 

percent check. 

The kicker is that The White House 

has complete authority to regulate 

the export of firearms. That’s what 

exposes this “pause” as nothing less than 

politically motivated. In July, the Biden 

administration sought to create a new 

division within BIS called “Embargoes 

and Human Rights.” With the assistance 

of the U.S. House of Representatives 

Committee on Commerce, Justice and 

Science, this division was stopped. It 

could be that this “pause” for a “policy 

review” is political payback. There is no 

right to export and the decision to grant 

or deny a license is purely a function 

of the national security and foreign 

policy assessment of those in charge. 

The USML-CCL reforms give the 

administration complete and essential 

unfettered discretion. BIS invoked 

national security and foreign affairs as 

the reason for the pause. 

Congressional reaction comes through 

the power of the purse. Congress can – 

and must – act through appropriations 

to ensure that the Biden administration 

is held accountable for its attempt to 

kneecap the industry through their 

unprecedented export “pause.” This is 

a naked attempt to hobble the firearm 

industry, which President Biden made 

clear that he despises. It is also a 

shameless favour to the gun control 

special interest groups that have bought 

their way into The White House that are 

now using foreign policy to exert their 

influence over domestic policy. 

The American firearm industry has 

been called the “arsenal of democracy” 

because a strong and robust small arms 

manufacturing base has armed and 

equipped our law enforcement at home 

and our military and allies abroad. 

President Biden’s “pause” is an attempt 

to weaken that arsenal and diminish 

the industry that provides the means 

for Americans to exercise their Second 

Amendment rights. 

www.nssf.org 

nssf 


FEATURE 

Sightmark In Focus: 

Purpose-driven optics 

By Kevin Reese 

I don’t know who Ralph Buchanan is or was, but his simple words have been impactful 

through many aspects of my life – “When you walk in purpose, you collide with destiny.” 

While there is an obvious 

lesson on character 

built into his simple 

statement, there is 

certainly more marrow 

in the bone. If we do believe walking 

in purpose affects our destiny, we must 

also believe purpose begets results – in 

other words, purposeful tools lead us to 

achievements. Firearm optics, shooting 

and hunting are no different. 

All optics are purpose driven – as 

purpose driven as the product developers 

who design and produce them. Even 

before pencils are put to paper, so to 

speak, designers determine solutions 

to problems. As examples, a 1x red-dot 

sight like the Sightmark Volta is a great 

solution for close-quarter shooting while a 

variable-magnification-powered riflescope 

is designed for longer-distance shooting. 

Even then, a low variable powered optic 

(LVPO) like the Presidio 1-6x24 is great 

out to a couple hundred yards or so 

while a more robust 3-18x riflescope like 

the Presidion 2.5-15x50 or 3-18x50 is 

purpose-built for longer-range shooting, 

perhaps 1,000 metres. 

An Optic Lesson Learned the Hard Way 

Today, I spend quite a bit of time shooting 

out to 1,800 metres; however, learning the 

skillset required some time, effort, sweat 

and humility; after all, most of my selfconstructed 

efforts were misguided, even 

futile – the first mistake being my choice 

in a riflescope for shooting at unknown 

distances out to 600 metres. While the 

variable magnification range was more 

than enough at 4-16x, the reticle was on 

the second focal plane. Worse, the reticle 

was mil-dot and the windage and elevation 

turret adjustments were MOA. The 

moment I tried to dial in my first windage 

adjustment, I understood the problem. Not 

only did the scope have a fundamental 

MRAD (Mil) vs. MOA conflict that 

made the math incredibly difficult, the 

subtension values were only consistent at 

the highest level of magnification. To get 

on steel, I had to get target distances from 

the range officer and doing so defeated the 

purpose and the challenge of the course. 

My second trip to the range, using 

the same rifle with a first-focal-plane 

riflescope, mil-dash reticle and .1 mil 

(MRAD) per click windage and elevation 

turret adjustability, delivered opposite 

results. With the first focal plane reticle, 

subtension values were consistent 

throughout the range of magnification, 

making it easy to determine target 

distances. 


On the Hunt: More to Learn 

Hunting vast expanses leaves room 

for multiple variables to work for 

or against a hunter. Some of these 

variables include a hunter’s physical 

attributes and knowledge, equipment 

capabilities and environmental 

conditions. The hunter may know 

and understand their prey and 

environmental conditions but may 

not have the proper equipment. 

The hunter may have the proper 

equipment but knowledge of the 

animals or complex environmental 

conditions like elevation and wind. 

Over decades of field experience, I 

have amassed quite a bit of hunting 

knowledge and experience, but it still 

doesn’t stop me from struggling on 

occasions and learning from them. 

Like you, I make mistakes, including 

with equipment – as a writer, I work 

with a lot of new products, often with 

success; however, sometimes those 

product experiences are lacklustre at 

best. An optic issue I experienced on a 

deer hunt is a perfect example. 

Frost bit at my cheeks long after 

ice had clumped on my facial hair. 

Simply trekking over a high-elevation 

landscape in -23 °C was draining and 

I had walked a great distance before 

spotting a herd of deer down a steep 

draw. I estimated the herd to be 400 

meters away, further than I prefer to 

shoot; however, there was no cover 

between myself and the herd, thus no 

chance to close the distance. With 

several years of long-range shooting 

under my belt and knowledge of 

both my rifle and my chosen bullet’s 

ballistic performance, I was confident 

I could make an ethical shot. 

I slid down onto my rifle, settled my 

cheek onto the stock, peered through 

my scope… and sighed – my objective 

lens was fogged over. I slipped my 

hand forward and wiped the lens with 

my glove to no avail. The fog was 

inside my scope. After a year of prep, 

miles of trekking and days of hunting 

in extreme weather, my hunt was over 

before I could take the shot. 

Volta Solar Red Dot 

Wraith Mini 2-16×35 

Thermal 

Wraith 4K Mini 

First focal plane reticle 

Second focal plane reticle 

Presidio 1-6×24 

sellmark 

Making Purpose-Driven Purchases 

Ensure you consider the purposes 

intended for your firearms setup and 

research the best types of optics to 

meet your needs. Just like the optics 

were designed, your purchasing 

decisions should always be purpose 

driven. You should also be able to 

rely on your equipment. Sightmark’s 

traditional glass optics include a 

lifetime warranty. 

Presidio 3-18×50 

www.sightmark.com 

www.sightmark.eu 


FEATURE 

STREAMLIGHT 

LAUNCHES PROTAC® 

RAIL MOUNT HL-X PRO 

Lighting expert Streamlight ® has introduced the ProTac ® Rail Mount 

HL-X Pro gun-mounted light, providing up to 1,000 lumens, 50,000 candelas, 

and an extreme beam reach of 447 metres. 

The new light 

features an 

innovative Jack- 

Cap tail cap 

switch that offers 

both push-button or remote 

pressure switch operation and 

also offers battery versatility, 

allowing users to choose 

between two different battery 

types. 

The lightweight, lowprofile 

ProTac Rail Mount 

HL-X Pro features a 

rugged, integrated rail 

clamp designed to rapidly 

and securely attach to rifles, 

carbines and sub-machine 

guns with a MIL-STD 1913 

(Picatinny) or, by using the 

included M-LOK® mount, 

to M-LOK or M-LOKcompatible 

rail systems. It is 

powered by either two 3-volt 

CR123 lithium batteries or 

one Streamlight rechargeable 

SL-B26® lithium-ion battery 

pack. This multi-fuel option 

allows for use of primary 

disposable batteries if the 

rechargeable cell is out of 

power. 

“This newest addition 

to the ProTac family of 

weapon-mounted lights is 

the ‘whole package,’” said 

Streamlight President and 

Chief Executive Officer 

Ray Sharrah. “It not 

only functions as a high 

lumen light, but with its 

50,000 candela and long 

beam reach, it also puts 

more light on a target at a 

distance. This makes it a 

powerful tactical tool for law 

enforcement professionals, 

military personnel, and 

other first responders as 

they perform room clearing, 

search operations and other 

manoeuvres under low-light 

conditions. Its innovative tail 

cap switch provides switch 

redundancy, offering both 

a push-button switch and a 

port for a remote pressure 

switch. And users can 

choose between rechargeable 

and disposable batteries, 

depending on preference or 

availability.” 

The new light mounts to 

a broad range of weapons 

safely and securely by means 

of a one-handed, snap-on and 

tighten interface that permits 

users to keep their hands 

away from the gun muzzle. 

The light’s multi-function, 

push-button tail switch offers 

momentary and latching 


STREAMLIGHT 

“The new light mounts to a broad range 

of weapons safely and securely.” 

constant on operation; the 

optional remote switch is 

available in momentary only 

and momentary/latching 

versions. Both allow for 

one-handed operation of the 

light’s momentary, constant 

on or strobe modes. The 

light is also TEN-TAP® 

programmable to allow for 

selection of three different 

programs: high/strobe 

(factory default), high only, or 

low/high. 

The ProTac Rail Mount 

HL-X Pro uses the latest in 

power LED technology for 

extreme brightness. When 

using the SL-B26 battery, 

the light delivers 1,000 

lumens, 50,000 candela and a 

447-metre beam distance on 

high. On low, it provides 60 

lumens, 3,100 candelas, and a 

beam distance of 111 metres. 

When using CR123A 

batteries, the new light runs 

for up to 1.25 hours on high 

and 21 hours on low. With 

an SL-B26 battery pack 

inserted, the light’s run time 

is up to 1.75 hours on high 

and 24 hours on low. The run 

time for the strobe feature is 

up to 3.5 hours depending on 

the type of battery used. 

The new light is fabricated 

from 6000 series machined 

aircraft aluminium with 

Type II MIL-Spec anodised 

finish. It measures 13.79cm 

in length and weighs 187.11g 

with two CR123 batteries 

and 204.12g with the 

SL-B26 rechargeable 

battery. When using the 

standard push-button 

switch, it is IP67-rated for 

waterproof operation to one 

metre for 30 minutes and 

is IP54-rated for waterresistant 

operation with 

the remote pressure switch 

installed. Extensively live-fire 

tested, the light is impactresistance 

tested t two metres. 

The ProTac Rail Mount 

HL-X Pro is available as a 

Light Only or as a System, 

which includes a remote 

pressure switch, Jack-Cap tail 

switch, remote retaining clips, 

double-sided tape, zip ties 

and a M-LOK® mount. 

About 

Based in Eagleville, PA, 

Streamlight, Inc. is marking 

50 years of manufacturing 

high-quality, durable 

flashlights designed to serve 

the specialised needs of 

professionals and consumers 

alike. Since 1973, the 

company has designed, 

manufactured, and marketed 

high-performance flashlight 

products, and today offers a 

broad array of lights, lanterns, 

weapon light/laser sighting 

devices, and scene lighting 

solutions for professional 

law enforcement, military, 

firefighting, industrial, 

automotive, and outdoor 

applications. Streamlight is 

an ISO 9001:2015 certified 

company. 

+1 800 523 7488 

www.streamlight.com 

WWW.GUNTRADEWORLD.COM 45

I N D U S T R Y I N S I G H T 

thermal & 

digital optics 


I N A S S O C I A T I O N W I T H 

Gun Trade World takes a deep dive into the world of 

Pulsar’s thermal and digital optics. This a fast-paced 

sector that you really need to stay on top of to sell 

more stock in this competitive industry. 

MODERN WAY OF HUNTING 

When we seem to reach the limits of our 

vision capabilities, the developers of thermal 

and night vision technology continue to 

surprise us, time and again. For instance, 

Pulsar – the Vilnius based manufacturer 

of thermal and digital optics with 

manufacturing facilities in Lithuania, Latvia, 

and the UK – is one of the few European 

brands drawing inspiration from the rich 

hunting traditions of the old continent and 

turning them into inimitable modern devices 

that serve the most selective hunters on 

their outdoor adventures. 

TELOS – 

THE THERMAL MONOCULAR FOR LIFE 

Leading the race in thermal innovation is 

in Pulsar’s DNA. And that’s based on clear 

facts. Even through challenging times such 

as the Covid pandemic, the global economic 

crisis, the passing away of the company’s 

main shareholder and CEO – you name the 

challenges, Pulsar has met them head on in 

2023. 

Pulsar closed the year with a big bang, 

presenting the market with a future-proof 

concept of the first ever upgradeable thermal 

monocular line – Telos. First in this line 

comes the Telos LRF XP50 and the Telos 

XP50, two monoculars with many notable 

features, including a European-made 

Lynred sensor with truly incredible thermal 

sensitivity and the possibility to upgrade the 

device to an even more powerful one. 

No matter how cool it is to have a new 

device every season, it’s truly challenging 

(and financially painful) to keep up to date 

with ever-changing technology. And that 

is why the new concept by Pulsar looks so 

attractive from many perspectives. On the 

one hand, the chance to upgrade your device 

means cost-efficiency, on the other hand, it 

adds to being socially responsible. In other 

words, Telos might become your thermal 

monocular for life. 



telos 

lrf xp50 

“Monoculars are 

certainly the most 

popular devices in 

the UK. They suit 

many people’s needs 

– from the stalker to 

the pest controller.” 

PHIL TAYLOR, 

BRITISH HUNTER 

Pulsar plans to launch the Telos 

upgradeability program this year. It 

will offer the options of upgrading the 

device sensor, its optics, and electronic 

parts, and even add a laser rangefinder 

to the non-LRF models. 

And to give you a hint at what’s 

coming next, let’s say that a variety 

of different sensor devices are in the 

pipeline: from the XQ and XG to the 

most powerful XL which will offer 

impeccable 1024x768 pixel resolution 

and HD quality. 

PICTURE PERFECT IN POOR 

WEATHER CONDITIONS 

For now, let’s focus on the Telos LRF 

XP50, just recently introduced. As a 

premium device, it comes with the Pulsar 

signature 640x480 pixel resolution, 

17-micron pixel pitch sensor. Add an 

NETD below 18 millikelvin, and you’ll 

have a more sensitive device than any 

other monocular, not only in the Pulsar 

range but on the market too. 

In case those numbers don’t mean 

much to you, we asked several European 

hunters to share their firsthand 

experience with the Telos. 

British hunter Phil Taylor notes that 

the sensitivity of the Telos LRF XP50 

truly shines in poor weather, day and 

night. His counterpart from Sweden, 

Stefan Orman, adds that lower NETD 

means more detailed terrain. Producing 

a high range of midtones and with the 

ability to capture temperature differences 

as small as 18 millikelvins (and as little 

as 0.018 degrees Celsius), the Telos 

clearly displays grass, leaves, stones and, 

of course, all the minute yet important 

details of your target. 

Those who tried the Telos on the field 

mention ergonomics as one of its key 

features as well as its stunning image 

quality. Comfortable to hold and easy 

to operate, it’s probably Pulsar’s most 

intuitive monocular so far. 

One of the biggest advantages is the 

objective zoom ring control mimicking 

that of professional cameras. It’s as 

intuitive as it is convenient. Moreover, 



Telos is fully ambidextrous. The ring 

controls are easy to access with both 

hands. So are the buttons, which are 

placed in a single row on top of the 

device. Even the hand strap is attached 

in a way that allows you to move it from 

one side to the other. 

Obviously, when creating a new device, 

Pulsar has a particular type of hunter in 

mind. It would be accurate to say that 

Telos is designed to serve those on the 

move. 

“For stalk hunting in the field or doing 

damage control on wild boar, this unit 

being a monocular with an LRF gives 

me agility and range, and the insane 

NETD value provides me with excellent, 

unrivaled awareness of my surroundings,” 

says the Swede, Stefan Orman. 

Taylor is convinced that Telos is 

likely to gain a huge fan base in the 

UK: “Monoculars are certainly the most 

popular devices out there. They suit 

many people’s needs – from the stalker 

to the pest controller and especially the 

mobile hunter who doesn’t want the extra 

weight of a pair of thermal binoculars 

swinging around their neck.” 

EVERY DETAIL MATTERS 

Taylor happens to be one of the hunters 

who lobbied for rubber-coated housing 

on monoculars for years. Now, he finally 

has it. “It gives the unit a nice, soft 

touch and feel, and on a wet day, it will 

certainly give you more grip,” reasons the 

British hunter. 

While Pulsar users won’t be surprised 

to receive a specially designed case when 

they purchase a new device, Telos takes 

a step further with its highly ergonomic 

holster. “I, like most people, would buy 

a unit, take it out of the box, take it out 

of the case, then put the case back in 

the box and never see it again. But the 

3-point harness of the new case makes it 

really usable out in the field. Sitting just 

off the center of your chest, it’s easy to 

take the Telos in and out,” Taylor notes. 

Speaking of its use in the field, the 

new case is also good for protection, fast 

access to the unit, and even crawling on 

all fours. 

And that’s still not the end of the 

Telos story. Pulsar covers the whole 

manufacturing process and by ‘whole’ 

we mean from sewing its own cases to 

producing batteries for the devices to 

ensuring their safety and efficiency. But 

with Telos, Pulsar took a step further 

and introduced a whole new battery 

system. Powering the monocular for 

more than eight hours, it can now be 

charged directly via any USB Type-C 

cable or, in most cases, wirelessly – no 

special chargers required. 



“Merger 

LRF XL50 feels 

like watching 

a Full HD TV 

in your living 

room.” 

merger 

lrf xl50 

DIMITRI HULLEBOREK, 

BELGIAN HUNTER 

FIRST THERMAL HD QUALITY BINOS 

If you prefer the comfort of observation 

with both eyes for less eye fatigue than 

you get from using a monocular, Pulsar 

has great news. The brand has been 

actively expanding its line of Merger 

binoculars, adding a variety of new 

models throughout the year. 

The line starts with: 

• The very first Merger LRF XP50 

features a high-sensitivity 640x480 

pixel resolution Lynred sensor with a 

17-micron pixel pitch and an NETD 

under 25 millikelvins. 

• Then Pulsar offers a compact and 

lightweight yet powerful XQ version in 

the body of the Merger LRF XQ35. Its 

sensor resolution of 384x288 pixels and 

the 17 microns pixel size guarantee a 

highly detailed and precise image. 

• The star of the current line is the 

Merger LRF XL50, which has arguably 

become the most asked-about thermal 

product of the year and with good reason. 

Let’s dive deeper into the ‘why’… 

All the Mergers have something in 

common: a significant design update 

compared to its predecessor, the Pulsar 

Accolade. Aside from the aesthetics of 

the classic design, the ergonomics of the 

Merger are first class. The control buttons 

are intuitive and scrolling through the 

menu feels user-friendly. 

What makes the Merger LRF XL50 

so special 

is its 

extended 

sensor 

power 

capabilities. 

It’s the 

first Pulsar 

device to 

feature an HD 

thermal sensor with 

a staggering 1024x768 pixel 

resolution. As you can imagine, this huge 

number of pixels provides an incredibly 

informative image, even when you zoom 

in on it 20 times. 

LET THE HUNTERS SPEAK 

But let’s focus on what hunters have 

to say about this device. Dimitri 

Hullebroek, a hunter from Belgium, 

describes the experience with the Pulsar 

Merger LFR XL50 as “like watching 

a Full HD TV in your living room. 

It renders sharp images with great 

reflection of the surroundings of the 

animal.” 

Phil Taylor, an avid Pulsar product 

tester from the UK, seconds that: “The 

new HD sensor, with its 12-micron pixel 

pitch, has taken the Merger to the next 

level of thermal imaging – the image 

quality is insane.” 

As well as the excellent quality, the 

large sensor has two very positive side 

effects that are slightly less obvious yet 

just as beneficial – a wide field of view 

and high-level image detail at any level 

of zoom. In the Merger XL case it ranges 

from 2.5x 

to 20x. Dimitri 

Hullebroek proves 

the point: “It’s the 

first time that the 

image stays clear with a 

device. Others lose sharpness 

quite fast, but not this one.” 

The Merger LRF XL50 was obviously 

created for long distances – as we 

see from the hunters’ feedback, that’s 

exactly where it shines the most. “I 

don’t often use digital magnification for 

target identification – I prefer the pixel 

density and clarity a device offers at base 

magnification. And with the Merger XL, 

I have legitimately identified a fox at 800 

metres in an open field as it pounced on 

rodents,” says Australian hunter Nathan 

Stuart. 

“Laser rangefinder is good with precise 

measurements and fairly easy to get a 

good fixpoint at the game – head and 

back sticking out of the crops – or at 

least in the near vicinity,” adds Christian 

Rysgaard, a Danish hunter, who recently 

had the opportunity to test the Merger 

XL in real hunt conditions. 

Obviously, Merger LRF XL50 thermal 

imaging binoculars are ideal for longdistance 

observation be it scouting for 

wild boar or deer from a high vantage 

point. If observation is your main goal, 

this is your go-to device. 



THE MAGIC OF 

MULTISPECTRAL 

Pulsar has one last surprise 

for binoculars fans. You could 

describe it as ‘the cherry on top’ 

of the entire Merger line cake. 

Launching just about now is 

the new concept multispectral 

binoculars Merger Duo NXP50. 

Imagine a device equipped with 

the best of both technologies – 

thermal and digital. With this 

device you’ll be able to uncover 

night scenes like never before 

despite ever-changing weather 

conditions. 

To sum up the versatility of 

this device let’s put it this way: 

under usual circumstances the 

Merger DUO allows you to 

detect the target through the 

thermal channel and evaluate its 

peculiarities and the surroundings 

through the digital one. Moreover, 

you can use the Picture-inpicture 

mode to have both 

options displayed before your 

eyes. Switching between the two 

channels is simple and requires 

only the touch of a button. 

The extra low-light full-HD 

digital night vision offers a 

never-before-seen rendering of 

the image. Silhouettes, anatomical 

differences, and behavioral 

peculiarities of the animal provide 

just as much information as is 

needed for a precise decision. 

And if it happens to be a very 

dark night, use the attachable 

invisible 940 nm IR illuminator 

with adjustable spot positioning. 

This will allow you to increase 

the image detail in the digital 

channel. 

Meanwhile the highly sensitive 

640x480-pixel resolution, 

17-micron pixel pitch thermal 

sensor with NETD less than 25 

millikelvins ensures stunning 

thermal image quality under any 

weather conditions. 

It’s worth mentioning that the 

Merger DUO binoculars feature 

outstanding detection capabilities. 

Due to the high-quality optics 

and sensitive sensor, these 

binoculars can detect a 1.8m high 

object at a 1800-metre distance in 

complete darkness. 

merger duo 

nxp50 

“Merger Duo 

NXP50 – a 

device equipped 

with the best that 

both technologies 

– thermal and 

digital – have to 

o ff e r. ” 



thermion 2 

lfr xl50 

“For someone who 

needs maximum 

versatility, from close 

range to long range, 

the Thermion 2 LRF 

XL50 outshines 

everything.” 

STEFAN ORMAN, 

SWEDISH HUNTER 

THE NEW STANDARD 

OF RIFLESCOPES 

Now let’s look at your favourite 

section – riflescopes. Pulsar has great 

news here too. The end of last year 

marked the release of the Thermion 

2 LRF XL50, the first premium class 

riflescope by Pulsar featuring an HDquality 

thermal sensor. 

From the outside it looks like any 

other Thermion LRF, but on the 

inside is where the fun starts. This 

new riflescope stands out from the 

crowd primarily with its revolutionary 

HD image quality and powerful sensor 

capabilities. It’s perfect for longdistance 

shooters and for observation 

with a wide field of view. 

Moreover, the HD sensor resolution 

maintains optimal image quality even 

at high zoom levels. And the internal 

ballistic calculations make it much 

easier to shoot straight at the target. 

The image generated with the new 

1024x768-pixel resolution European 

made Lynred sensor with less than 

35 millikelvin NETD is crystal clear 

and features high definition and 

rich detail. All this makes this scope 

unbeatable for trophy identification. 

FROM PEST CONTROL 

TO WILD BOAR HUNTS 

For British hunter Phil Taylor, 

the massive thermal sensor of the 

Thermion XL is the biggest benefit. 

He also cites its magnification range 

and wide field of view as two other 

major advantages: “With any digital 

zoom, you are always going to get 

pixelation, but the HD sensor seems 

to hold the image stable and minimise 

the pixelation, which, when you are 

taking it to 14x mag, really helps. The 

massive 14-degree field of view is also 

fantastic on the base mag.” 

As Taylor notes, the real efficiency 

of the HD sensor is uncovered when 

hunting at significant distances. 

Variable 1.75-14x magnification (x8 

digital zoom) provides improved focus 

and better overall recognition. Imagine 

exceptional image detail quality across 

the entire magnification range! 

Swedish hunter and shooting 

instructor Stefan Orman praises the 

new Thermion 2 LRF XL50 for its 

intuitive capabilities and the overall 

versatility of the scope. He adds: “It’s 

well known, there are no surprises in 

operating it. The real impression, or 



“The ballistics 

calculator is a 

fantastic addition 

if used correctly. 

You need to spend 

time making sure 

the information 

you add is correct.” 

PHIL TAYLOR, 

BRITISH HUNTER 

the wow factor, is when you look through 

it. First, the wide field of view is very, very 

usable. We, in Sweden, mostly hunt wild 

boar, and it can be very close range. But 

the high resolution of the 12-micron pixel 

pitch and the long detection range that it 

offers through a 50mm lens gives you a 

much, much further identification range.” 

Taylor predicts that the new Pulsar 

scope will be used mostly for pest control 

in his homeland, the UK. While his 

Swedish counterpart Stefan Orman’s 

guess is that due to Swedish regulations, 

the Thermion XL will be the perfect 

tool for wild boar hunts. “There are, 

occasionally, people with special permits 

who can hunt fallow deer and other 

game with thermals. This is a very good 

optic because of its great identification 

possibilities. As it is HD, it gives you 

more detail, a better image, and more 

information about the animal to see if it’s 

the right size, the right gender, and all the 

other things.” 

A CHOICE FOR A 

VERSATILE SHOOTER 

If you own a device with a laser 

rangefinder, you know the importance 

of understanding the target distance. 

Undoubtedly, this is the essential factor 

in making the right decision. The 

compact built-in LRF with a range of 

up to 800 meters is seamlessly integrated 

into the slim design, ensuring shooting 

accuracy at greater distances. 

Using the proprietary Stream Vision 

Ballistics application by Pulsar, you can 

now upload various ballistic profiles 

directly to the Thermion’s memory and 

turn your riflescope into a high-accuracy 

and efficiency long-range aiming tool. 

“The ballistics calculator is a fantastic 

addition if used correctly. You need to 

spend time making sure the information 

you add is correct,” says Phil Taylor. “The 

Thermion 2 LRF XL50 is certainly a 

scope for the professional shooter and 

serious pest controller. With the laws 

changing in the UK, specifically in 

Scotland, allowing thermal to be used for 

deer management, this will certainly be a 

scope for that job. Especially with the aid 

of the ballistics calculator, I can see this 

being an advantage on the open hill.” 

“For someone who needs maximum 

versatility, from close range to long 

range, the XL50 outshines everything,” 

according to Stefan Orman. He’s 

convinced the Thermion 2 LRF XL50 

is a brilliant choice for those with a 

dedicated rifle with a dedicated scope for 

various situations: “Because of the wide 

field of view and long detection range, 

it’s by far the most versatile scope. You’re 

basically buying everything that Pulsar 

can offer you in one scope.” 

BALLISTICS CALCULATIONS: 

MADE FOR ACCURACY 

More good news – all the Pulsar Thermion 

LRF riflescopes (and that’s a large 

family of riflescopes!) now come with an 

integrated ballistic calculator. As Pulsar 

states, it’s a must-have part of any modern 

riflescope. 

Liudas Abišala, head of marketing 

at Pulsar, is directly responsible for 

Stream Vision Ballistics, the new mobile 

application designed for improved longdistance 

shooting accuracy. 

He says the goal of his team has always 

been to create the best user experiences 

for the customer. “We want our devices 

to be as simple and pleasing to use as 

possible. Ballistics is basically a science 

that’s not accessible to everyone because it 

can be quite complicated. It might sound 

funny to those who understand it well, but 

essentially, it’s an additional skill you need 

to develop. Of course, the importance of 

ballistics depends on the type of hunt. If 

you’re aiming for less than 100 meters, it’s 

not as crucial because at such distances, 

the bullet goes fairly straight, and most 

of the time, your point of impact will 

match your aim. But when we’re talking 

about shooting from greater distances, and 

especially at smaller targets – like foxes, 

coyotes, and even hares – any shift to the 

point of impact can be crucial.” 

The benefit to the user is that you 

don’t have to manually calculate how 

many clicks you need to make to hit the 

target where you want to. Stream Vision 

Ballistics does this for you, so you can be 

sure that the math that you did is correct. 

It gives you more accuracy in a shorter 

amount of time – which can be crucial in 

hunting. 

What makes the Pulsar Stream Vision 

Ballistics app stand out is that it’s the 

only calculator that allows creating a 

profile and then uploading it directly to 

your riflescope, and the firmware does 

the calculations – meanwhile, you get 

information about what adjustments you 

need to make directly on your screen. GTW 

www.pulsar-nv.com 


USineSS 

noRTHeAsT 

usA 

D O I N G B U S I N E S S W I T H . . . 

A historic region of the United States when it comes to hunting 

tradition, but is the Northeast an area for you to do business in? 

Read on to find out all you need to know about trading in this region. 

Gun Trade World 

caught up with 

Mossberg Regional 

Sales Manager for 

New York and Pennsylvania, 

Wes O’Connor, to find out 

some detail on the areas he 

works and hunts in. 

Wes told us that some of 

the top gun stores in New 

York include Coliseum Gun 

Traders on Long Island, 

Capital Gun Group (seven 

stores in Albany Capital 

District) and Thruway Sporting 

Goods located in Walden, NY. 

Amchar Wholesale is also 

prominent in the area, dealing 

with commercial and law 

enforcement products. 

In Pennsylvania popular gun 

stores include Sports Shack 

Sportsmans Supply located 

in Butler, PA just north of 

Pittsburgh. Elk County Ammo 

& Arms located in central PA 

just outside of Benezette where 

the historical free ranging 

wild elk roam, and Tall Tales 

Outfitters located conveniently 

near PA/NY border just 

outside of Bradford, PA. Wes 

works with three commercial 

distributors in PA: Kinsey’s, 

Grice Wholesale and Ron 

Shirks Shooting Supplies. He 

also has two law enforcement 

distributors: Witmer 

Public Safety and Phoenix 

Distributors. 

NY & PA offers a wide 

variety of game species to 

pursue. Wes informed us 

that the whitetail deer is 

undoubtedly the most popular 

and both states offer great 

opportunities to harvest 

America’s favourite game 

animal. The wild turkey 

population on the eastern 

portion of NY (Catskill 

Region) is arguably some of 

the best turkey hunting in the 

country currently and hunters 

can harvest two male turkeys 

each spring. NY & PA fall 

right in the heart of waterfowl 

migratory routes and offer 

excellent hunting outings for 

ducks and geese. Central PA 

has a healthy population of free 

ranging elk and those lucky 

enough to draw a coveted tag 

have the opportunity to go after 

world class bulls. 

“NY has so many wonderful 

areas to hunt,” Wes tells us. 

“I’m slightly biased but I reside 

in the Finger Lakes Region 

of NY and I think there’s 

no better place in the state 

for sportsmen.” Montezuma 

Wildlife Refuge lies on the 

northern end of Cayuga Lake 

(second largest finger lakes) 

and has thousands of acres for 

waterfowl, whitetail and small 

game hunters to hunt. This area 

is also very popular for bird 

watchers and photographers as 

it is a breeding ground for some 

of the coolest birds and animals 

in North America. 

PA has a plethora of state 

game lands to hunt and the 

most notable would be the 

Alleghany National Forest, 

which encompasses thousands 

of acres across the northern and 

central part of the state. 

PA has the largest hunting 

population in the country and 

centrefire rifles remain the 

dominant category for retailers. 

Wes says that the Mossberg 

walnut Patriot rifle is hands 

down the best-selling rifle for 

retailers and distributors in 

PA. More populated areas near 

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh 

see more tactical/home defence 

purchases over hunting. 

NY is heavily geared 

around tactical/home defence, 


economy 

focus 

& fact file 

northeast usa 

19.87% of total US GDP 

3.5% unemployment rate 

States: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, 

Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 

Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine. 

Sub regions: New England; Mid-Atlantic 

Area: 469,627 km² Dialling code: +1 

Population: 55.98 million (2019) 

Currency: US Dollar President: Joe Biden 

Official language: English 

especially downstate near Long 

Island. That part of the state also 

enjoys some of the best sporting 

clays courses in the country and 

there’s a strong presence of highend 

sporting clay dealers that sell 

high-end over/unders. 

Wes says that business and been 

up and down recently, coming off 

the back of a three-year run of 

“craziness”. 

“Just recently my dealers on 

the eastern side saw a big spike in 

business due to the current Israeli 

situation. Eastern New York has 

the largest Jewish population in 

the country and after the attacks 

retailers saw members of this 

community coming into their 

shops purchasing primarily home 

protection shotguns (Mavericks & 

Mossberg’s).” 

In September, NY put into law a 

background check on ammunition 

purchases, and this has been a 

major hurdle for retailers to deal 

New York. 

with. In addition to having to 

wait for a background check to 

purchase ammo, there’s also a 

state tax added on for each box of 

ammo. 

“The state knows it’s impossible 

to take away guns so now their end 

game is to go after ammunition 

and make it so hard for retailers 

to do business that eventually they 

are forced to give up and close 

shop. NY has never been a gun 

friendly state and unfortunately 

never will,” says Wes. 

PA on the other hand has 

benefited from NY’s ammunition 

law as groves and groves of NY 

residents have come over the 

border to purchase ammunition 

without any hassle. Those dealers 

located close to the NY border are 

reaping the benefits of this. 

Wes continues, “There’re so 

many unknowns with NY on 

where the hunting/shooting 

industry will be in the next five 

Up until the late 2000s, the economy of the 

northeast US (consisting of Connecticut, Delaware, 

Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, 

New York, Rhode Island and Vermont) experienced 

consistent growth. Regional GDP increased steadily 

between 1997 and 2008 before dropping by 1.5 per 

cent in 2009 in the fallout from the global financial 

crisis. The economy recovered promptly, exceeding 

pre-recession levels in 2010. 

In the years that followed, regional GDP continued 

to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) 

of 3.4 per cent between 2010 and 2019. In 2020, 

the economy contracted by 2.3 per cent due to the 

economic impact of Covid-19 – its first decrease in 

11 years. 

New York is by far the richest state in the 

north-east US. At $1.7trn, it accounted for almost half 

of the region’s GDP in 2020. New York was also the 

state with the highest GDP per capita at $85,575. 

Across the US, New York had the third-largest 

GDP in 2020 behind California and Texas. If it was an 

independent country, it would be the ninth-largest 

economy in the world ahead of Canada, South 

Korea and Russia. The state’s GDP grew consistently 

between 2010 and 2019 at a CAGR of 4.2 per cent 

– the highest of all the states analysed. It then 

contracted by three per cent in 2020 in the fallout 

from the Covid-19 pandemic. 

New York City, the largest regional urban economy 

in the US, is a global hub for the banking, finance 

and communications sectors. The city has a labour 

force of more than four million – the largest in the 

US – as well as more than 100 higher education 

institutions. It is also home to the second-largest 

start-up ecosystem in the world, estimated at 

$71bn, with more than 9,000 start-ups and 120 

incubators. The wider state is also a thriving centre 

for manufacturing, shipping and technology. 


usiness 

“Five years ago, hunter 

participation was on a rapid 

decline and now it’s heading in 

a positive direction again.” 

DOING BUSINESS WITH... northeast united STATES 

Whitetail Deer 

Emily Kanter, writing for Realtree, had 

this to say about whitetail deer hunting 

in the north east, “From urban parcels 

to the North Woods, Northeast hunters 

are primarily chasing whitetails on 

either relatively small tracts of land or 

sprawling big woods. Either way, it’s a 

completely different game than posting 

up in a ladder stand on a 3,000-acre farm 

in the Midwest. 

“I’ve been hunting whitetails in 

Pennsylvania and neighbouring states, 

both on public and private land, for over 

20 years. I’ve experienced the frustrations 

and joys that come from weeks on stand 

in a region where a deer sighting is 

considered a great sit. It takes a special 

set of tactics to kill mature bucks here.” 

years due to the state’s liberal 

mindset to destroy the second 

amendment. With so much 

civil unrest and an election year 

right around the corner I’m 

anticipating strong sales in my 

region. 

“On the hunting side, we 

saw a huge spike of first-time 

hunters from Covid and it’s 

evident by the number of 

hunters you see while out 

driving around state game 

lands. Five years ago, hunter 

participation was on a rapid 

decline and now it’s heading in 

a positive direction again.” 

A New England perspective 

Over in New England (New 

England is a region comprising 

six states in the Northeastern 

United States: Connecticut, 

Maine, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, Rhode Island, and 

Vermont.) Drew Dombkowski, 

Mossberg’s Regional Sales 

Manager for the area, paints a 

picture of what he’s seeing out 

on the ground. 

“Popular guns stores include 

D&L Shooting supplies in 

RI, Four Seasons Firearms in 

MA, and the iconic Kittery 

Trading Post in ME. The only 

distributor I have left in New 

England is Camfour located in 

Westfield MA.,” says Drew. 

Drew told us that New 

England offers a wide variety of 

game species to pursue. White 

tailed deer would be the most 

popular, however the northeast 

also has an excellent population 

of turkeys as well as some of 

the best sea duck hunting along 

the coast. Also, if you are lucky 

enough to draw a tag, states 

such as Vermont, Maine, and 

New Hampshire have moose 

hunting. 

The region has plenty of 

State Forests and Wildlife 

Management areas that offer 

diverse hunting habitat. With 

these areas being so expansive 

in size with relatively low deer 

densities, New England is 

known to be one of the most 

challenging regions to harvest a 

mature buck. 

Also unique to the region is 

the fact that a trophy buck is 

measured not by the inches of 

antler but by the field dressed 

body weight, with a goal of 

200lb. In most states you still 

are required to check your buck 

at a state certified checking 

station where the weight is 

recorded. A 200lb + six pointer 

will turn more heads than a 

150lb 10 point. 

The southern part of New 

England is still slug only with 

no hope for straight wall in 

sight for deer, so shotguns 

remain a strong category. 

Patriot rifles continue to do 

well in the northern states, and 

home defence guns remain 

strong across the region. 

Business ebbs and flows as 

can be imagined in any region 

currently. Dealer activity 

increases in the fall and spring 

and slows in the summer. 

“Obviously, the tragic 

shooting in Maine has a lot of 

residents concerned for more 

gun control legislation, which 

has caused an uptick in sales,” 

says Drew. 

“Also, MA has a new 

gun control bill up for vote 

(HD4420) that would 

essentially make gun ownership 

impossible and trample the 

2nd amendment. HD4420 is 

currently a major concern for 

everyone in MA. 

“I strongly encourage you to 

read up on it and join the fight 

against it,” continues Drew. 

“Hunting and shooting 

sports in New England remain 

a tradition that is passed 

down from generations in 

the more rural areas of the 

region. Unfortunately, cities 

like Boston and more liberal 

areas actively work to bring that 

to an end. I’d like to say that 

the shooting sports are okay 

but with new gun legislation 

seemingly on the horizon every 

day as well as bogus hunting 

regulations (no Sunday hunting, 

no straight wall allowed), the 

future is not bright.” 


northeast usa 

Sea Duck 

East coast sea duck hunting is very popular, and many companies take guided trips for paying customers. One such company is 

UWC Adventures, and they describe a typical trip as follows: 

“On this trip we offer three types of hunting for your desire and enjoyment. We can set up a rock ledge decoy hunt on solid 

ground for sea ducks and puddle ducks. We can also offer the opportunity to hunt out of the largest manufactured duck boat 

ever made- a 32ft Duckwater boat with a 350 horsepower motor. This luxurious hunt is just like hunting out of a platform blind 

on the ocean for sea ducks. Or for those more adventurous spirits, we have a two-man layout boat option for an in-your-face 

sea duck hunting adventure. 

“Expect to have ample opportunities to harvest the following birds (all over decoys): Atlantic (common) eiders, all three 

species of scoters, old squaws and two different species of mergansers, including the red breasted merganser and common 

mergansers. there are also several species of diver ducks and the best black duck hunting in the country! With the daily limit of 

two black ducks per hunter, this is a huge bonus for this hunt.” 

Wild Turkey 

The Eastern wild turkey is a large and truly 

magnificent bird. Adult males, also called “toms” 

or “gobblers”, have red, blue, and white skin on 

the head during the spring breeding display. They 

have a long beard of hair-like feathers on their 

chests and spurs on their legs that can be from 0.5 

inches to 1.5 inches in length. Their call is a gobble. 

The tom has a dark black-brown body. Mature 

males are about 2.5 feet tall and weigh up to 25 

pounds. The average weight is 18 to 20 pounds. The 

females (hens) are smaller than toms and weigh 9 

to 12 pounds. Hens have a rusty-brown body and a 

blue-gray head. Less than 10 percent of the female 

population have a beard, and less than 1 percent 

have spurs. The hen makes a yelp or clucking noise. 

The team at Huntstand, maker of an innovative 

hunting mapping app, says: “Turkey hunting in the 

Northeast is fast and furious, with the ability to 

hunt in multiple states within a short distance. 

“All rabid turkey hunters need to check out the 

hunting in New England. With plenty of birds and 

plenty of opportunities to hunt them, it’s an almost 

idyllic spring adventure. Come May, the Vermont, 

New Hampshire and Maine spring turkey seasons 

are open. In addition, tags for all three states are 

available over the counter. No draws. No uncertain 

wait. For non-residents, that’s a little slice of turkey 

hunting heaven.” 


USineSS 

ManUfactUrer focUS 

o.f. mossBeRG 

& sons, Inc. 

7 GRASSO AVENUE, NORTH HAVEN, CT 06473, 

UNITED STATES 

WWW.MOSSBERG.COM 

KeY ManUfactUerS 

ADco ARms co., Inc. 

WOBURN, MA 01801 

WWW.ADCOFIREARMS.COM 

LymAn PRoDucTs coRP. 

MIDDLETOWN, CT 06457 

WWW.LYMANPRODUCTS.COM 

ReDDInG ReLoADInG 

CORTLAND, NEW YORK 13045 

WWW.REDDING-RELOADING.COM 

iMPortant 

orGaniSation 

What they say: 

“Since 1919, Mossberg has been the leader in introducing 

important design breakthroughs to the firearm industry. 

Many product features pioneered by Mossberg® are now 

the standards by which all modern firearms are judged. 

Never content with the status quo, our men and women 

constantly strive to improve and update the capabilities 

of all Mossberg products. In accomplishing this goal, we 

recognise that each improvement is a part of the “Shooting 

System” approach, and most are designed to fit the shotgun 

you bought years ago. 

Our design and innovative edge is truly changing the 

way shooters use shotguns and rifles. We are particularly 

proud that our Mossberg® pump shotguns are the only 

shotguns purchased by the United States government that 

meet or exceed Mil-S-3443 specifications. It is this basis 

of unquestionable quality that drives Mossberg® to bring 

reliable, well-built shooting systems to you at an affordable 

price.” 

6 CORPORATE DR STE 650 SHELTON, CT, 

06484-6271 UNITED STATES 

WWW.NSSF.ORG 

What they say: 

“The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is 

the trade association for the firearms industry. Since 

its founding in 1961, the NSSF has sought to represent 

the broad scope of the hunting and shooting sports 

industry. Members include manufacturers of sporting 

firearms and ammunition, a wide array of accessory 

and equipment manufacturers as well as distributors, 

retailers, shooting ranges and many other companies 

and organisations in the hunting and shooting sports 

community. Today, membership includes thousands 

of manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, 

shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organisations and 

publishers nationwide.” 


MAKING CONTACT 

VORTEX 

Vortex has your 

customers covered for 

the cold 

Known best for its top-level optics, Vortex also produces a popular apparel range, keeping 

your customers protected through the winter with technical and fashionable lines. 

Heavyweight Hoodie 

Take the broken-in feel of your favourite 

pullover, add heavy-duty stitching for 

durability, a thicker weave for warmth, and 

you have the perfect hoodie built for life 

outdoors. Designed with a relaxed fit for 

superior comfort, it’s the perfect hoodie 

for frigid morning camp chores, checking 

trail cams, or taking the chill off a Friday 

night football game. 

Features: 

- 15.5oz fabric for warmth (43 per cent 

heavier than our Comfort Hoodie) 

- Relaxed fit for comfort 

- Underarm gusset for added mobility 

- Durable double-needle stitched stress 

points 

- Kangaroo-style handwarmer pocket 

Comfort Crewneck 

Smack dab in the sweet spot of comfort 

and versatility, this everyday crew is made 

for kicking back at the cabin, casual day 

hikes, tailgate cookouts, and just about 

any other shoulder-season activity. Stack it 

under a jacket for added warmth whenever 

the air goes from crisp to cold. 

Features: 

- Rib-knit cuff, hem & collar 

Trail Call Tech Flannel 

Heavy enough to beat the chill, but light 

enough to rock year-round, the Trail Call 

tech flannel is the perfect shirt for outdoor 

adventure. Lightweight, moisture wicking 

fabric keeps you comfortable and dry, and 

the Trail Call tech flannel is designed 

to move with you without pinching or 

bunching. Impact- and scratch-resistant 

rubber coated snaps make the Trail Call 

tech flannel a cinch to wear, and a zip 

chest pocket means you can keep your keys 

or other valuables locked up. 

Features: 

- Lightweight fabric 

- Moisture wicking 

- Impact and scratch resistant rubber 

coated snaps 

- Chamois cloth on hem 

- Underarm gusset 

Arctic Trail Heavyweight Sock 

When the temperature drops lower 

than your shoe size, you need socks with 

warming power that doesn’t stop a foot 

short. Premium Merino wool blend 

construction keeps your feet toasty while 

delivering natural odour resistance, 

wicking capability, and just the right 

amount of support. Reinforced heels and 

toes provide for longer sock life. The full 

terry lining helps deliver extra padded 

comfort for long hours on your feet when 

standing or trekking. 

Features: 

- Moisture wicking 

- Antimicrobial 

- Reinforced toe, sole, & heel 

- Spandex compression arch for added 

support 

- Asymmetrical Fit 

- Smooth comfort toe seam 

About 

American owned, veteran-owned, 

Wisconsin-based Vortex Optics designs, 

engineers, produces, and distributes a 

complete line of premium sport optics, 

accessories and apparel. Dedicated to 

providing unrivalled customer service 

and exceptional quality, Vortex backs 

its products with the unconditional, 

transferrable, lifetime VIP warranty. Built 

on over 30 years of experience in the 

optics industry, Vortex has emerged as a 

leader in the optics market. 

www.VortexOptics.com 


THE EVOLUTION OF ELCAN 

SpecterDR 1x/4x and SpecterDR 1.5x/6x NEW for 2024 

New for 2024 the ELCAN SpecterDR 1x/4x and 1.5x/6x Dual Role Optical Sights, the world’s first truly dual field of view combat optics, 

come equipped with Integrated Picatinny Rails, Ambidextrous Magnification Throw Levers, Improved Battery Covers and hard wearing 

CERAKOTE ® performance finishes in Black or Flat Dark Earth. See the Evolution of ELCAN at your Dealer or online at Armament.com 

For dealer opportunites contact: sales@armament.com


cz 

Features: 

- Guaranteed sub-MOA accuracy (three-shot groups at 100m 

with match-grade ammunition) 

- User-adjustable trigger pull weight (CZ patent) 

- All metal components treated with CZ’s patented, extremely 

durable anti-corrosion finish 

- Symmetrical AMERICAN-style stock made of Turkish walnut 

- Steel receiver with a Remington 700-type mounting interface 

- The bolt can be safely removed without manipulating the 

trigger and disengaging the safety - Thin profile, cold hammer 

forged barrel - 60° bolt handle angle allows for fast reloads 

- Locking, double stack magazine - Unique bolt system ensures 

reliable feeding, even during rapid. 

Technical Specifications: 

- Calibres: 223 Rem., 243 Win., 270 Win., 30-06 Spring., 

300 Win. Mag., 308 Win., 6,5 Creedmoor 

- Magazine capacity: 5 (3 in 300 Win. Mag.) 

- Weight: 3.2 to 3.7 kg - Overall length: 949 to 1140mm 

- Barrel length: 457, 508 or 610mm - Barrel profile: Thin 

- Sights: No - M15 × 1 muzzle thread 

- Stock: Walnut - Finish: Varnish 

- Cheekpiece: No - LOP: 355mm 

- Trigger: Single-stage, Adjustable 

- Trigger pull: 6–13,5 N 

CZ introduces the 

new CZ 600 American 

The CZ 600 American is a modern, American-style bolt-action centrefire rifle that’s equipped 

with a beautifully crafted Turkish walnut stock with a fleur-de-lis on the grip. 

Available in a wide range of calibres, 

from 223 Rem. to 300 Win. Mag., 

the CZ 600 American is ready to 

meet the needs of a wide range of hunters 

and sport shooters. 

The CZ 600 American centrefire 

rifle is equipped with a thin profile, 

cold hammer forged barrel without iron 

sights, which comes in lengths 18 to 24 

inches (457-610 mm) long, depending 

on the calibre. The single-stage trigger 

features smooth operation and easy user 

adjustment of pull weight. A locking 

five-round magazine allows for quick 

changeovers from fixed to removable 

operation and vice versa. 

Like most centrefire rifles in the CZ 

600 series, the CZ 600 American features 

a patented vertical safety with intuitive, 

and virtually noiseless, operation. The 

bolt can be removed by pressing a springloaded 

button on the right side of the 

receiver without having to disengage 

the safety and manipulate the trigger. 

The controlled feed system with short 

extractor ensures reliable delivery of 

cartridges in any position, even during 

rapid reloads. 

The new CZ 600 American centrefire 

rifle is the latest addition to the popular 

CZ 600 family, which includes the 

hunting, sport, and hobby models – 

Alpha, Ergo, Lux, Range and Trail. 

Matthew D. Emmons 

(Born April 5, 1981 in Mount Holly, New 

Jersey) is one of the best sport shooters on 

the planet. He is a junior world champion 

and won gold at Athens 2004, silver at 

Beijing 2008 and bronze at London 2012 

in rimfire rifle shooting. Sport shooting 

and hunting are his lifelong passions. 

Matt works as a professional precision 

sport shooting coach for the Czech 

biathlon teams and a few ISSF shooters. 

He has also been working with CZ for 

many years in the development and testing 

of firearms. 

Matt says about the new CZ 600 

American centrefire rifle: 

“The new CZ 600 American centrefire 

rifle has all of the impressive benefits 

found in the CZ 600 series, plus an 

American-style walnut stock that fits my 

shooting style perfectly. It feels good in 

your hand, the grip is comfortable, and I 

can acquire targets as soon as I bring it 

up to my shoulder. I give this model two 

thumbs up!” 

www.czub.cz 


MAKING contact 

armament technology 

‘Simply brilliant’ SAI6 

LPVO now in black with 

MRAD reticles 

SAI Optics has added to its SAI 6 line of Low Power Variable Optics (LPVO), for sport 

shooters and hunters in the premium LPVO category, with the release of the SAI 6 in black 

with an MRAD reticle and MRAD reticle with SAI’s exclusive Rapid Aiming Feature. 

Designed for brilliant optical 

performance by the engineering 

team behind Tangent Theta, with 

reticle options including its cutting-edge 

Rapid Aiming Feature, the SAI 6 

builds on its reputation as a rugged and 

versatile 1-6x24mm FFP Rifle Telescope 

made for a variety of competitive sighting 

requirements and backed by the SAI 

Optics Limited Lifetime Warranty. 

“A well designed, quality LPVO with 

brilliant glass that delivers fast, accurate 

and repeatable target acquisition. That’s 

the goal of the SAI 6,” says Trevor 

Publicover, VP sales for Armament 

Technology Inc., SAI Optics parent 

company. He continues: “The addition 

of MRAD, and MRAD with our Rapid 

Aiming Feature, builds on that goal 

by offering more reticle options for 

quick sighting and adjustability to our 

customers in the competitive shooting 

and hunting communities.” 

Trevor also let us know that dealer 

feedback on the new SAI 6 with 

MRAD reticles has been very positive. 

MRAD customers are interested in the 

potential competitive advantages to be 

found when the Rapid Aiming Feature 

is added to the MRAD reticle, as this 

exclusive SAI feature stands out against 

the target at short ranges and naturally 

draws the user’s eye to the centre of the 

field of view, allowing for very fast and 

precise aiming. 

This is because the Rapid Aiming 

Feature is designed and scaled to 

bracket an IPSC/USPSA target at 100 

meters and provides a fast centre mass 

hit reference at 50 metres and closer. 

When combined with the SAI 6 optic’s 

LED-illuminated First Focal Plane 

reticle, ranging and ballistic hold-off is 

accurately achieved at any magnification. 

The SAI 6 optic is available in Black 

with the choice of MRAD reticles, and 

in Coyote Brown with the choice of 5.56 

NATO BDC, 7.62 NATO BDC and 6.8 

BDC reticles. Other popular reticles are 

planned for the future. 

Discover the simply brilliant SAI 6, 

1-6x24mm FFP LPVO, in the Armament 

Technology stand at the 2024 SHOT 

Show, Booth 20549, in Las Vegas. SAI 

Optics will also be at the 2024 IWA 

OutdoorClassics in Nuremberg, Germany 

at the Swisslox stand in Hall 6, 6-105. 

Distribution opportunities are 

available, contact: 

sales@armament.com 

www.armament.com 


Introducing the all new Baracuda 8 

- Extremely versatile domed-head pellet 

- Lightweight pellet for FT and HFT competitions 

- Also great choice for small game hunting 

- Suitable for airguns with a muzzle 

energy as low as 6 ft/lb 

Baracuda 8 - the new standard in .177 

These pellets deliver excellent accuracy and consistency and work well across a wide variety of air rifles and applications. 

The pellets are available in the common head size of 4.51 mm and are packed in secure screw-one tins. 

www.hn-sport.de 

SEMI-AUTO 

GET MORE 

BOLT 

PUMP 

BREAK 

LEVER 

ACTION 

LOAD IT. PUMP IT. RACK IT. CYCLE IT. 

FIRE IT. HIT IT. WIN IT. GET IT? 

When you’re ready for action, you’re ready for 

Starline’s precision rifle brass. It’s the FINEST brass 

available at the best possible price, so you can 

load more, shoot more and get more action. 

100% AMERICAN 

MADE & OWNED 

® 

STARLINEBRASS.COM | 1 (800) 280-6660

MAKING CONtact 

iwa outdoorcalssics 

IWA to have its own 

booth at SHOT Show 

The SHOT Show in Las Vegas and IWA OutdoorClassics in Nuremberg are the most important 

trade fairs in our industry and now IWA will have a booth at this year’s SHOT exhibition, 

together with a selection of top European companies. 

For the first time, IWA 

OutdoorClassics will have its 

own stand at the SHOT Show 

this year. The “IWA Pavilion” is the 

replacement for the German Pavilion. 

As a reminder: At the German Pavilion, 

German companies had the opportunity 

to participate in the trade fair with 

the support of the German Ministry 

of Economics. The ministry cancelled 

this sponsorship for this year. IWA 

OutdoorClassics took over. 

About the background 

This move may certainly have some 

advantages for IWA OutdoorClassics. 

The SHOT Show is an opportunity 

to get customers and potential visitors 

excited about the following IWA. This 

year, IWA OutdoorClassics will take 

place from February 29th to March 

3rd, just four weeks after SHOT Show. 

The trade fair is also celebrating its 

50th anniversary. The timings also work 

out well because the trade fairs do not 

compete with each other. After all, the 

SHOT Show is also represented with 

a stand at IWA OutdoorClassics in 

Nuremberg. 

Both trade fairs know their role well 

and know that international market 

coverage is only possible by combining 

the two trade fairs. It therefore makes 

perfect sense for both trade fairs to 

tap into new potential by participating 

in each other’s trade fairs. “We are 

very happy that we have had a good 

relationship with SHOT Show for many 

years,” comments Georg Loichinger, press 

manager at IWA OutdoorClassics. “The 

IWA Pavilion will certainly be a highlight 

for us before we welcome the industry to 

Nuremberg four weeks later.” 

What visitors can expect 

With the premiere of the IWA Pavilion, 

not only will German companies come to 

the SHOT Show, but also international 

businesses in the future. However, some 

of the 13 exhibitors (as of 22.11.2023) 

will still be familiar to visitors from the 

German Pavilion. For example, companies 

such as Schmidt & Bender, Ballistol 

and Zollern will also be exhibiting 

their products under the IWA Pavilion 

flag this year. As a new attraction, the 

IWA is also presenting the new Studio 

at the Pavilion: the IWA Living Room 

welcomes Pavilion exhibitors and other 

exciting guests to the Pavilion for a 

talk. Together, these guests and Georg 

Loichinger in the role of moderator will 

talk products, the IWA Campfire and 

the highlights of IWA OutdoorClassics 

2024. The Studio, which is also sponsored 

by Gun Trade World, will also provide 

a digital link between Las Vegas and 

European trade visitors. This means that 

those at home can also look forward to 

exciting insights from the show floor. 

www.iwa.info 


Postbox, Inbox… 

or both? 

GTW prints and mails thousands 

of copies across the globe every month. 

We also publish the magazine digitally, 

giving subscribers instant access to the latest 

issue wherever they are. 

Whether you’re in the office, working from 

home or travelling on business, GTW is at 

your fingertips, whenever you need it. 

Sign up to our digital database today – 

simply visit the GTW website and click on 

the ‘subscribe’ tab. 

www.guntradeworld.com 

Ranchproducts 

Quality Firearm 

accessories 

Manufacturer of: 

• FULL MOON CLIPS 

• SCOPE MOUNTS 

• SPECIALITY TOOLS 

• MAGAZINE RELEASES 

SEE US AT 

THE SHOT SHOW 

BOOTH # 13930 

www.ranchproducts.com 

email: stevenacrawford@msn.com 

phone: 1-419-966-2881


The new camo scheme and 

design of the stock is going 

to grab some attention. 

BERGARA 

One of the 

newest changes 

to the B-14 is 

introducing the 

more universal 

M5 inlet bottom 

metal system. 

The new B-14 STOKE is a 

compact rifle designed for youth 

and small stature shooters. 

Bergara stokes interest 

on rifle range 

It’s been a while since Bergara presented a new line of rifles in its B-14 production series, and 

the truth is it was difficult for the company to improve from the excellent previous models. 

However, the Spanish manufacturer now has a compact option to meet various needs, as 

Gun Trade World discovers. 

So up until now, Bergara hasn’t really 

been able to present something that 

will offer a bigger ‘spark’ than its 

superb B-14 series of rifles, but now the 

company is bringing to market a compact 

model that meets the need of young 

hunters, small stature women and men 

who are looking for a more compact stock 

that fits their size. 

The “Stoke” rifle is designed with a 

shorter distance between the recoil pad 

and the trigger. It also has a thinner grip, 

design for smaller hands and shorter 

length of pull. Built with a modern 

design in mind, thanks to its spider web 

custom paint finish and the new Bergara 

checkering that complements the features 

of the B-14 series, it’s sure to catch some 

interest. 

The new Stoke is the perfect rifle to 

attract young hunters into the world of 

hunting and shooting. It’s also suitable 

for small stature hunters. It’s Bergara first 

compact rifle built with precision, and 

outside the stock design, it offers some of 

the same features that you get with other 

Bergara rifles. 

New Stock Features 

The big difference in this model is the 

compact size of the stock, with one inch 

(2.5cm) less between the recoil pad and 

the trigger, and with a thinner grip. Its 

thinner grip and shorter length of pull 

is perfect for smaller hands and shorter 

arms. It’s the ideal rifle for younger 

hunters and adults alike who are looking 

for a rifle stock that adapts to their body 

size and hands. 

M5 Inlet (AICS Stlye Detachable Magazine 

System) 

The big difference between the Stoke 

and the other Bergara in the series is the 

inclusion of the M5 inlet bottom metal 

system. Up until now, the B14 series had 

a proprietary trigger guard bottom metal 

system. The new Stoke compact rifle has 

the M5 inlet bottom metal system, which 

makes it compatible with most aftermarket 

AICS accessories, making it easier 

for you to get additional components from 

your favourite brands. 

New Calibre Options 

The calibre options for the B-14 STOKE 

compact rifle will be available in .223 

Rem, .22-250 Rem, .300 AAC Blackout 

and .243 Win, along with the standard 

6,5 Creedmoor, .308 Win and the bigger 

cartridge, the 6,5 PRC that are offered in 

other models. These options are sure to 

suit the needs of most hunters. 

www.bergarafirearms.com 


ALUMINUM 

BURNISHING 

PERMANENT 

EASY 

QUICKRICH 

MADE I N 

GERMANY 

Ballistol Aluminim Burnishing: Burnishes 

scratches and friction marks on anodised 

components and is ideal for smaller com- 

plete components. Suitable for aluminum 

alloys. Ready to use and easy to apply. 

www.ballistol.de /ballistol 

BALLISTOL – The brand for people, animals and all things mechanical. 

UNIVERSAL 

OIL 

STING-FREE 

ANIMAL 

CARE 

TECHNICAL 

PRODUCTS 

GUN 

CARE 

DEFENCE 

SPRAY


KAHR FIREARMS 

Magnum Research 

introduces the Tyler 

Desert Eagle 

Magnum Research invites its customers to own a true family 

heirloom with the Tyler Desert Eagle. 

The team at Magnum Research says 

that buying a Tyler Desert Eagle 

represents the opportunity to own 

the ultimate example of the engraver’s art, 

expressed on the medium of a premium 

firearm. 

Each of these Magnum Research 

Desert Eagle limited edition pistols is 

hand engraved by the artists at Tyler Gun 

Works. 

“This combines expert craftsmanship 

with precision engineering, delivering 

unrivalled accuracy and strength,” says 

Jodi DePorter, director of marketing, Kahr 

Firearms Group. “It is without question 

the pinnacle of gun design.” 

Each of these “case hardened” Desert 

Eagles are part of a limited series, with 

only 25 pistols to ever be produced, and 

are uniquely numbered on top of the slide. 

The Tyler Desert Eagle starts as 

a Magnum Research model DE50, 

chambered in the popular and powerful 

.50 AE calibre. The pistol features a top 

picatinny rail for mounting optics over 

the 6in barrel and includes one seven 

round magazine. The finish is “case 

hardened”, with gold-coloured sights, 

trigger, hammer, and controls. The grips 

are premium wood with a gold-coloured 

eagle logo. A letter of authenticity is 

included, identifying the pistol as one of 

25. Owning this custom Desert Eagle is 

sure to provide many years of enjoyment 

for the collector and shooter. It will 

without question be a treasured heirloom 

in any collection. Exclusively available 

from Chattanooga Shooting Supplies, 

so for dealer pricing and availability call 

+1-800-251-4808. 

The Magnum Story 

Magnum Research was founded in 1979, 

focused on bringing the world’s finest 

hunting handguns to market, beginning 

with the famous Desert Eagle pistol. The 

Desert Eagle is the first commercially 

successful autoloader chambered in a 

magnum cartridge, and the only one 

to remain in continuous production. 

Offered in .44 Magnum, .357 Magnum, 

.50 AE, and .429 DE, the Desert Eagle 

is a cultural icon appearing in countless 

movies, television shows, and video 

games. Magnum Research followed it 

with the Biggest Finest Revolver (BFR), 

giving hunters a super accurate, reliable 

handgun, in a vast number of calibres. 

Other popular Magnum Research 

products include the Baby Eagle, and 

MR1911 pistols; and the SwitchBolt, and 

Mountain Eagle rifles. In 2010, Magnum 

Research was purchased by Kahr Firearms 

Group, becoming the third brand in 

the family, alongside Kahr and Auto- 

Ordnance. 

www.kahr.com 

www.magnumresearch.com 



BLASER 

Conventional 

bolt-action rifle 

Silence is a 

source of great strength 

Blaser R8 

Blaser’s suppressor selections allows hunters to protect their hearing, help with accuracy 

as well as improving your relationship with your neighbour! Let’s find out more about the 

German company’s range of silencers. 

Blaser Integral Silencer 

All R8 Silence models are equipped 

with an integral silencer (ISD). Their 

construction is holistically designed 

to protect the hearing of hunters and 

dogs. Always, with every shot. Thanks 

to the evenly distributed mass over the 

entire barrel, the R8 Silence models 

with integral silencer offer the familiar, 

first-class balance and ease of use that 

distinguishes every R8 model. The outer 

contour of the barrel and silencer jacket 

is made of titanium and designed in a 

stepless bull-barrel design, which gives the 

R8 Silence models both a low weight and 

a distinctly attractive overall appearance. 

Within a fraction of a second all of the 

processes – which ensure recoil reduction 

and noise dampening – take place inside 

the silencer when the shot is fired. For 

example, with a barrel length of 42cm 

(16.5in) in .308 Win, the projectile 

emerges from the muzzle at a velocity of 

750 m/s. It passes through the complete 

length of the Integral Silencer in just 0.27 

milliseconds. 

Baffle design and geometry is at 

the heart of every silencer. It is largely 

responsible for reducing the recoil – and 

in combination with the large volume of 

the silencer – reducing the sound of the 

shot and protecting a hunter’s hearing. 

For the Blaser Integral Silencer (ISD), the 

geometry was optimised to the maximum 

diameter – while still maintaining the 

overall aesthetic of the rifle itself. 

Blaser On-Barrel Silencer 

The Blaser On-Barrel Silencer was 

developed especially for hunters and 

their specific requirements. The lowprofile 

design is concentric on the barrel 

and even allows the hunter to use open 

sights in combination with the silencer. 

With its weight of 325g (0.72lb) the 

Blaser On-Barrel Silencer is one of the 

lightest silencers on the market. A special 

aluminium alloy in combination with 

titanium, results in maintaining high 

durability. 

The magazine is located directly above 

the trigger unit which makes the R8 

much shorter than conventional bolt 

action rifles while having the same length 

barrel. Experience the advantages of a 

rifle with a silencer without missing out 

on the familiar “pointability” found in a 

Blaser rifle. The benefits are clear; better 

rifle handling, less muzzle rise, increased 

muzzle velocity, less felt recoil, faster 

target re-acquisition, and tighter more 

consistent shot groups. Accuracy is final. 

Blaser Over-Barrel Silencer 

The Blaser Over-Barrel Silencer is the 

ideal solution when short overall length 

is required. The combination of a special 

aluminium alloy and steel ensures it is 

lightweight while still having a long 

service life. It should be considered that 

the Blaser Over-Barrel Silencer can 

only be mounted on barrels without 

open sights. For retrofitting a muzzle 

thread with cover, the front sight must be 

removed. 

About 

As a leading innovator, Blaser is a 

driving force in the international hunting 

weapons industry. The company’s 50 years 

of experience has sharpened its senses for 

sensible technological advances without 

losing sight of its ethical obligation. 

Blaser employees have the same 

enthusiasm for hunting, but also have a 

wide range of talents. This diversity in 

terms of personalities, perfect networking 

of skills and the joy of collaborative 

service are the company’s greatest success 

factors. 

Blaser strives for excellence in every 

design and manufacturing step. But true 

perfection arises only with passion which 

gives its hunting firearms their character. 

Innovation coupled with sensitive design 

is Blaser’s formula for timeless weapon 

design. 

www.blaser.de 



The M10 comes with the 75lb 

limb as standard (red dot sight 

not included). 

The tuning trigger and string 

dampeners: longer string 

life and a smoother shot. 

Introducing Steambow’s 

AR-Series M10 Tactical 

Every Steambow product has innovation at its heart and global sales figures tell us that the 

market has a taste for that design approach too. Steambow’s latest release is no exception – 

a modular pistol crossbow with the accuracy, build, and range for real-world applications and 

a detachable 10-shot magazine. The AR-Series M10 Tactical is a reality. 

IT'S TIME FOR A 

BRAND-NEW 

RPR 

BARREL 

GUN BARRELS 

AND MORE 

barrel for 

Ruger Precision Rifle 

RPR 

- 20''; 22'' or 24'' length 

- for example in .308Win or 6.5mm Creedmoor 

- other calibers and lengths on request 

www.lothar-walther.com

STEAMBOW 

Hall Venetian Expo, Level 2 

Booth 10845 

New sturdier foregrip 

for cocking ease, and 

adjustable cheek 

pad for comfort. 

Steambow is best known for its AR-Series platform of 

repeating crossbows, which arguably was the start of 

the current repeating crossbow market. It started with 

a handheld design with an arm brace of limited cocking 

leverage to charge the next arrow from its six-shot 

magazine. A shoulder stock further improved the unit. 

Aside from the superior aiming stability and precision, being 

twice the length and stiffer, the stock delivered increased cocking 

force. This mechanical advantage made stronger limbs a possibility. 

Exclusively using carbon-fibre and fibreglass composite limbs in crossbows 

of this size means that not only are significant power levels possible, but 

Steambow’s limb efficiency is also class leading. 

Building on proven foundations 

Centrepiece at Steambow’s stand at 

the coming 2024 SHOT Show and 

IWA OutdoorClassics events, the M10 

is the latest of the well-established 

AR-Series product family, joining the 

AR-6 Tactical, Compact, and singleshot 

Survival. The M10 is perfectly 

matched to Steambow’s full complement 

of arrows for practice, sports, highpenetration, 

hunting, and even selfdefense 

with aluminium, carbon, and 

aluminium-carbon hybrid versions. 

Furthermore, Steambow has a full 

range of limbs with standard offerings at 

35 and 55lbs, but also 75, 90, 120, and 

150lbs – the M10 frame and magazines 

can handle them all. Add to that, 

systems developed to make Steambow’s 

crossbows easier to transport and store 

or aim and shoot. 

More versatile than ever before 

Out of the box, the M10 comes with 

Steambow’s quick-detach frame, making 

it easy to store, and the 75lb Advanced 

limb as standard. The tuning trigger is 

also fitted, giving a smooth, progressive 

pull regardless of limb power. The 

integral string dampeners also help 

decrease limb strain and shot noise. 

It ships with arrows, string, and two 

magazines. 

There is a fibre-optic front sight 

assembly that slides on to the front 

picatinny rail of the M10 that comes 

with side rails for lights or lasers. 

Removed, it allows for the fitting of 

a red-dot sight. For greater personal 

comfort, the shoulder stock features an 

adjustable cheek pad. 

Unrelenting firepower 

A faster shot rate compared to a 

traditional crossbow design has always 

been a hallmark of the AR-Series. 

The AR-6 Tactical can send six arrows 

downrange in about 10 seconds, and the 

smaller Compact in about four. But with 

reloading, even with speed loaders, there 

is a break in shot continuity, a problem 

Steambow addresses in the M10. 

The 10-shot M10 is a different beast. 

When the last shot has flown, simply 

release the magazine, pull it out, seat 

the replacement, cock, and you are 

ready to go. It becomes entirely realistic 

for a shooter to empty the first M10 

magazine, reload, and be well into 

the next 10 shots by the time another 

shooter can cock their seventh with a 

standard AR-6. 

The new M10 Tactical is the choice 

for anyone wanting the most from their 

repeating crossbow, whether as a rapidfire 

recreational tool for backyard fun, 

for use in a competitive setting, for pest 

control or hunting, and even an option 

for the unthinkable in places with 

restrictive legislation. 

To avoid the rush, retailers can now 

order the AR-Series M10 Tactical 

directly via the email address below. 

sales@steambow.com 

www.steambow.at 

Two 10-shot 

detachable 

magazines 

make a 

lightningfast 

20-shots 

a reality. 

EL54 

High precision competition 

sport pistols 

Designed for champions 

„Made in Germany“ 

In-house manufactured 

parts made of finest 

materials for the high 

quality standards of STP 

Reliable CNC parts only 

Check out our 1911 and 

2011 handguns on 

www.stpgun.de 

A shot of passion

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE 

26 – 28.2.2024 

TIME IS NOW! 

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DEFENCE 

BE PART OF IT! 

NUREMBERG, GERMANY | ENFORCETAC.COM/EN 

Only for members of official security agencies and the armed forces.

EYES ON TARGET. 

DON’T 

MISS IT. 

29.2. – 3.3.2024 

NUREMBERG, GERMANY 

NOW WITH A NEW 

XPERIENCE 

A boost for your business: IWA OutdoorClassics 2024, 

the world‘s leading exhibition for the hunting and target sports industry: 

• 4 days, 9 halls, more than 1,000 international exhibitors 

• Exclusive insights into innovations, trends and market developments 

• 100% networking with industry experts 

www.iwa.info/ticket 

Trade visitors only. 

Proof of trade visitor status is required.

Gun Trade World - January 2024

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