#Europe

Join James Reeves as he meets with Black Trident in Austria to talk about concealed carry in Europe. Together, they delve into the top 5 most popular carry guns in Europe, using sales data from Black Trident’s holster line. This conversation reveals surprising trends and preferences in the European firearms market. Discover which models from renowned brands like Glock and Heckler & Koch make it to the list and understand what makes them the go-to choices for concealed carriers across Europe, while some other brands don’t make the cut. Don’t miss this deep dive into the world of firearms, where data tells a compelling story of popularity and preference in Europe.

Back in November we reported that the Norwegian police service was looking for a new service pistol. SIG SAUER have now announced that they have won the tender and will provide Norwegian officers with the P320 X-Series.

UK Border police intercepted a sizeable shipment of illegal firearms and nearly half a ton of drugs at the Port of Dover in southern England. 20 firearms and ammunition were intercepted and two Polish men were arrested for smuggling when a shipment of paper was searched.

French Small Arms manufacturer Verney-Carron Defense are in search of industry partners to ensure their entry into the French Army’s upcoming precision semi automatic rifle trials. Back in July, we reported that Verney-Carron, one of France’s premier sporting gun makers was hoping to bid for the rumoured contract, submitting  their 7.62x51mm VCD-10.

A Czech lorry/truck driver has been arrested by British police for attempting to smuggle a cache of illegal semi-automatic pistols into the UK from Europe. The suspect was arrested by UK Border Force officers in Killingholme, in Lincolnshire.

Police in Sussex, UK, raided a seemingly innocuous factory unit outside the small town of Hailsham. Three men have been arrested in connection with the raid for various firearms offences.

The Dutch Army is looking to supplement its current shotgun inventory with a fresh tender for nearly 300 weapons. On the 18th August, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (Ministerie van Defensie) announced a tender for the supply of 12 gauge combat shotguns.

As part of France’s continuing small arms modernisation the French Army has announced the search for a new semi-automatic marksman’s rifle to replace the ageing FR-F2 bolt action sniper rifles. This is a requirement that has been rumoured for some time.

The Polish Prison Service has signed a contract to procure 350 semi automatic Beretta ARX160A3 carbines. These have been procured through a Polish company UMO. The Beretta reportedly beat out a number of other competitors to win the contract.

Rheinmetall have won the contract to equip the German Army’s special forces, the KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte, with a new laser light package. These will be mounted on the KSK’s new G95 (HK416) rifles, adopted in 2017.

Two of France’s national police forces the Police Nationale and the Gendarmerie Nationale are set to adopt the Heckler & Koch UMP. Following an request for information in 2017 a contract, worth 3.2 million Euros, will see the police and gendarmerie replace a plethora of older weapons.

Back in April, we reported that the Danish Armed Forces had selected the SIG Sauer P320 X-Carry. Trials of new pistols to replace the venerable SIG P210 began in late 2017. The Glock 17 Gen 5, Beretta APX, Canik TP 9 SF, and the SIG P320 X-Carry were tested with the SIG Sauer weapon winning out.

Malta has just opened its new National Shooting Ranges in Ta’ Kandja, the state of the art trap and skeet range will play host to  ISSF Shotgun World Cup. The World Cup runs from the 5th to the 15th June and will put the new range to the test with over a dozen skeet and trap qualification and final shoots being held.

As previously reported Estonia is in the process of selecting a new service rifle. Estonia is moving forward with further testing of rifles submitted by three manufacturers. The contract is reported to be worth €75 million (approx. $86 million) and calls for as many as 20,000 new rifles, chambered in both 5.56x45mm and 7.62x51mm.

Osprey Publications has recently come out with a new title in the Weapon Series of books, “The Anti-Tank Rifle”.  It is a light history of the anti-tank rifle from the First World War to the beginning of the Cold War.