The IWA Outdoor Classics, aka the “Euro SHOT Show”, is underway right now in Nuremberg, Germany. This event, the largest gun/hunting/outdoors trade show in Europe, opened on February 29th, and concludes Sunday, March 3, 2024. Over 1080 companies from 53 nations have exhibits on display with thousands of products including rifles, pistols, optics, hunting accessories, and ammunition. In terms of exhibitor numbers, the IWA Outdoor Classics ranks second only to the USA’s SHOT Show as a global trade show for shooting, hunting, and outdoor activities. 2024 marks the 50th Anniversary of the IWA Outdoor Classics.
For this Saturday Video Showcase, we feature new rifles and new optics. Many of the videos were produced by the LowReady Magazine Youtube Channel. This channel now has nearly 100 videos created at the 2024 IWA Outdoor Classics — an amazing amount of content released in just two days!
Bergara Premier Elite — Metal Chassis PRS/NRL Rifle
Bergara is now in the tactical rifle game offering the impressive new Premiere Elite Rifle suitable for PRS and NRL Competition. This rifle is offered in 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .308 Win chamberings. The new Premier Elite boasts a top-quality MDT ACC Elite metal chassis, TriggerTech Diamond trigger, and Bergara profile 7 competition barrel.
STEINER eRanger 8 Scope and eRanger Rangefinder Binoculars
In this video, the lovely Danielle Valkyrie interviews Steiner Rep Christoph Weigler. They discuss the features of the impressive new eRanger 8 scopes. These have environmental sensors and integrated ballistics solvers which can display the proper hold at any distance. The eRanger scopes “talk” to the new eRanger LRF 10X42 rangefinding binoculars. This allows the rangefinder data to appear in the scope’s view. There is also Steiner GeoApp which can map locations on a smart phone.
Beretta APX A1 Optics-Ready Pistol
In this video Product Manager Christian Schulte shows Danielle Valkyrie the Beretta APX A1 pistol in both full-size and compact configurations. NOTE: This video also features Danielle shooting an APX the day before (2:14 time-mark). The modular, striker-fired APX A1 Tactical is a “flexible and reliable all-rounder”. The serial number is now placed on the internal chassis, so the polymer grip can be exchanged.
Merkel K5 Break-Action Rifle
This All4Hunters video features the stunning, single-shot Merkel K5 hunting rifle, one of Merkel’s best-selling firearms. The break-action rifle is sleek, easy to handle and, above all, light. Merkel is now offering the K5 in a 6.5×55 SE version, plus a K5 chambered in .270 Winchester — both with longer barrels to better exploit the full energy of the cartridges. In response to consumer requests, Merkel now offers the K5 with 23.6″ (600mm) barrels in .270 Winchester and 6.5×55 SE.
New Leupold Mark 4HD Riflescopes
Leupold unveiled its new Mark 4HD series with five riflescope models, all with a four times zoom factor: 1-4.5x24mm and 2.5-10x42mm (with 30mm main tube), plus 4.5-18x52mm, 6-24x52mm and 8-32x56mm (all with 34mm tube).
Mark 4HD scopes cost considerably less than Leupold’s Mark 5HD series, and 4HD models use the more common 30mm or 34mm rings. (Most 5HD scopes require 35mm rings.) In this All4Hunters.com video, Leupold representative Tim Lesser explains the features of the new 4HD series optics. Shown below is a video showing the 4.5-18×52 model. For varmint hunting we’d probably step up to the 6-24x52mm model.
Bergara B14² CREST Carbon/Carbon Rifle
If you’re looking for a very light-weight field rifle, consider the Bergara B14² CREST Carbon rifle. This features a carbon-laminate stock plus a carbon-wrapped barrel. Before optics, all-up weight is 6.8 pounds for short-action models. A wide range of chamberings are offered: .223 Rem, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, .270 Win, 7mm PRC, 7mm Rem Mag, .308 Win, .30-06 Springfield, and .300 Win Mag.
Todd Jarrett is one of the world’s best handgun shooters. A multi-time World Champion, Todd knows a thing or two about semi-auto pistols, particularly 1911s and 1911-based raceguns. Jarrett has been IPSC Open Division World Champion, has won the Steel Challenge World title four times (Limited Division), and has won than 100 Area championships, as well as many other action shooting events. Jarrett is the only USPSA Triple Crown Winner and he holds four USPSA National titles: Open, Limited, Production, and Limited-10. Jarrett revealed in an interview that between 1988 and 2001 he shot about 1.7 million rounds during practice: “I had a gun in my hand for two hours every day for 10 years to develop my skill level”.
In the video below, Todd explains how to get the proper grip on your handgun, and how to employ a proper stance. We’ve watched many videos on pistol shooting. This is one of the best handgun instructional videos we’ve seen. Todd explains, in easy-to-understand terms, the key elements of grip and stance. One very important point he demonstrates is how to align the grip in your hand so that the gun points naturally — something very important when rapid aiming is required. If you watch this video, you’ll learn valuable lessons — whether you shoot competitively or just want to have better control and accuracy when using your handgun defensively.
Recommended Thumbs-Forward Shooting Grip for 1911s
“Shooting semiautomatic pistols using the thumbs-forward method really becomes useful … where speed and accuracy are both needed. By positioning the thumbs-forward along the slide (or slightly off of the slide) you are in essence creating a second sighting device: wherever your shooting thumb is pointing is where the pistol is pointing. This makes it incredibly fast to draw the pistol, get your proper grip, and press forward to the target without needing to hunt around for the front sight.” — Cheaper Than Dirt Blog.
Day 2 of the IWA Outdoor Classics event (aka “Euro SHOT Show”) is underway. There will be two more days, with the show concluding on Sunday, March 3, 2024. This year’s event has been very popular, with high attendance. The show directors say there are over 1080 exhibiting companies from 53 nations at this year’s event. CLICK HERE to see hundreds of hi-rez photos from manufacturers’ displays at the 2024 IWA Outdoor Classics.
European Market for Civilian Firearms is Thriving
Europe’s civilian firearms industries are thriving, based on data from the European Institute of Hunting and Sporting Arms (IEACS). “Global production of civilian firearms has increased in recent years, as has European production, which recorded 3.6 million firearms produced in 2020, of which 2.7 million were pistols and 900,000 were shotguns and rifles. Compared to the previous year, this represents a 34% increase in European firearms production,” said Nicola Perrotti, IEACS president.
You’ll find over 130 new products on the IWA Outdoor Classics NEW Product Showcase. Product names are listed alphabetically, and you can also search by product type and/or country. Along with the new products you can also access ALL Products at the show. Here are three notable new products we found:
AZ-P1 Giant .38 Special Match Pistol from ARMA ZEKA s.r.o.
Ares LRF Thermal Scope from Thermtec
FZ-8 Hardshell Eco-Leather Full-Length Gun Case from Acropolis
IWA Outdoor Classics Special Programs
There are some cool special programs at this year’s IWA Outdoor Classics. Along with the expert speaker program, there is a Knife Demo Area, an Airsoft Shooting Range, and a very cool Optics Testing Area. We’d like to see that at SHOT Show in the USA.
New Product Showcase Video (English and German)
This video covers a variety of pistols and rifles on display at the 2024 IWA Outdoor Classics event. NOTE: This runs in English for 17 minutes, then the second half of the video is in German language.
This video shows Hornady’s AR-compatible, 22 ARC cartridge and Hornady’s new polymer-tipped ELD-VT bullet.
This video shows new Victrix model Tactical Bolt-action rifles suitable for PRS/NRL matches.
Blast from the Past — Eye-Catching Guns from 2023 IWA
If you like high-grade wood and handsome engraved metal, then watch this video compiled at the 2023 IWA Outdoor Classics. Similar eye-catching firearms are on display this year as well. In a world of polymer pistols and bland black MSRs it’s great to see classic high-grade wood and beautiful metal work.
The IWA Outdoor Classics show is very much about hunting. Here’s a display of the latest and greatest camo and Hi-Viz (day-glo) apparel for hunters.
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Accurate, modular, and supremely versatile, the AR15 is America’s favorite semi-auto rifle. But let’s face it, the AR is a maintenance hog. The AR’s gas tube blows carbon and soot right into the middle of the bolt assembly where it cakes on to the metal. The AR bolt also has many tiny parts, and small recesses, which must be cleaned regularly. This author has seen numerous ARs fail simply because there was gunk (dried lube, carbon, brass shavings) in the ejector slot or extractor spring recess.
A Clean AR is a Happy AR — Whether You Run ‘Wet’ or ‘Dry’
There are various schools of thought when it comes to maintaining an AR. Some folks prefer to run their AR “dry” with minimal lube on the lugs and friction surfaces. Other shooters prefer to run their ARs “wet”, with lots of lube. But whatever your preference, you need to clean your AR regularly. And nothing is more important than the AR’s bolt/carrier assembly. Because it is involved in feeding, firing, and extracting, the AR-15 bolt/carrier assembly can be considered the most critical portion of the AR-15 from a maintenance standpoint.
Bolt Take-Down Guide on Top Quark Blog
The editor of the Top Quark Blog has created an excellent illustrated AR15 Bolt Take-Down Guide that shows how to disassemble an AR15 bolt and carrier for regular cleaning. Even if you’re an experienced AR15 shooter, you can learn something from this page (sample at right), and you may want to bookmark it for future reference. The photos are large and clear and there are helpful hints for each step of the process.
The author knows his stuff and offers some important insights. For example, he notes that “Extractor springs in most AR15 bolt assemblies are fairly weak, and this can lead to various extraction-related failures. One of the few high points about Colt assemblies is their usage of higher-strength extractor springs. You can tell the difference by looking at the inner plastic insert. ‘Normal’ springs feature a blue plastic insert, Colt strong springs have a black insert.”
There is one notable oversight on this page — the author doesn’t cover disassembly and cleaning of the ejector assembly. This is actually quite important. A few small brass shavings, combined with carbon and lube in the ejector slot, WILL cause malfunctions. In fact, when this editor is called to diagnose problem ARs, the first things I look at (after swapping magazines) are the ejector recess and the slot for the extractor. Clogged ejectors are responsible for fail-to-ejects and other jams. It is essential that you keep the ejector hole clean. Old, gooey lube residues mixed with carbon and tiny brass shavings in the ejector recess will create all sorts of problems. As shown in the diagram below, it is simple to remove the ejector (#6) and ejector spring (#5), by drifting the ejector retaining pin (#4).
NOTE: The original Quark Blog Article appears to be offline (See Quark LINK.) However, this excellent article has been preserved via the WayBack Machine Internet Archives. CLICK HERE to access the Full Quark Blog Article via WayBack Machine Archive.
