IWA Outdoor Classics is a gigantic trade exhibition in Nürnberg, Germany.

The first IWA started in 1973 and has kept on growing. This year there are over 1 500 exhibitors and a record of 49 000 people visited the show (trade visitors only). In comparison the SHOT Show has about 64 000 visitors.

About 75% of the exhibitors and roughly 65% of the visitors come from outside of Germany, making IWA the leading international exhibition for hunting and shooting sports, outdoor equipment and civilian and official security.

The TFB two man heavy team spent 1 day at Enforce Tac and 3 days at IWA OutdoorClassics and are now safe back home to start reporting about our experience and share news and photos.

Below: The Schmidt & Bender TV is larger than most people’s houses.

There will be news from Zeiss, Geco, Schmidt & Bender, Heckler & Koch, Schmeisser, Steyr Mannlicher, SIG Sauer, Rainier Arms, Troy Defense, Ritter & Stark, Alpine, Spuhr, Ase Utra, HERA, B&T and many more.

If you’re asking which direction and trend the industry is taking we would say that the market continues to move away from wood and into materials like plastic and carbon fiber. Modularity, sound suppressors and barrel exchange systems are popular well. And everyone wants to be everywhere. If you’re making knives or tools you must have flashlight and a line of branded clothes to go with it.

Below: ZEISS Conquest V6 world premiere at IWA.

Below: Ritter & Stark modular sniper rifle at Enforce Tac. You needed a tripod for your sniper rifle to have any sort of credibility at Enforce Tac or IWA.

EnforceTac 2017

Below: Crowded halls. Pictures from NürnbergMesse.

The compulsory Golden Desert Eagle.

SIG Sauer and Zeiss and the enrmous Schmidt & Bender booth in the back left.

The wild boar was rather large.

Below: Country Rifle Sweden from Bravo company and Rainier Arms with a Swedish National Team shooter.

Night Vision

Leica

Below: HERA Arms outfit

 

IWA is also the place for knives and multi-tools

Knife of the year 2017, 2nd place.

 

Below: Ritter & Stark on a carbon fiber tripod. Endless love for that tripod and solution.

Below: H&K 433 with a Zeiss ZO 4×30, from EnforceTac

EnforceTac 2017

 

Below: The No compromise coffee. Thanks very much H&K, we sure appreciated the hospitality and the discussions.