Whitewater Fishing introduces the Destin Short Sleeve Shirt, a technical nautical apparel designed for boaters and anglers. Featuring four-way stretch, UPF 50 sun protection, moisture-wicking technology, and an integrated microfiber lens cleaner, the shirt transitions seamlessly from water to dock at $64.99.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is renovating the Andrew Hulsey Lake Hamilton Access from July 13-17, adding two floating docks, improving parking, and creating a dedicated paddlecraft launch area. The upgrades aim to enhance convenience and safety for the heavily-used fishing access point near Hot Springs.

Team Lapua's Nick Mowrer won the 2026 Lones Wigger Firecracker 4800 at the NRA Whittington Center with a score of 4792-385. The four-day competition, sponsored by Socorro Gun Club, featured all three podium finishers using Lapua rimfire ammunition, including second-place Deena McDorman and third-place Griffin Lake.

Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs criticized the Seventh Circuit's reversal of a district court ruling that declared Illinois' Protect Illinois Communities Act bans unconstitutional. FPC notes the Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in their Viramontes v. Cook County case, which presents the same constitutional issues.

NSSF, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, expressed disappointment with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit's decision in Barnett v. Raoul, which reversed a lower court ruling that Illinois' law restricting Modern Sporting Rifles and standard-capacity magazines is unconstitutional. NSSF plans to file a cert petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, citing over 32 million MSRs in circulation and disagreeing with the court's characterization of these firearms as "dangerous and unusual."

The South Carolina Waterfowl Association is launching the Rather Outdoors Fishing Clinic on October 16–17, 2026, at its Wildlife Education Center in Pinewood. This parent-child event for ages 8–16 features professional instruction, ZEBCO product giveaways, and a special appearance by legendary angler Hank Parker.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Old Dominion University report record-low hypoxia volumes in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem from May to late June 2026, with drought conditions reducing nutrient pollution. Early June recorded the lowest hypoxic volume ever measured for that period, with conditions aligning with the Chesapeake Bay Program's seasonal forecast predicting hypoxia 31% below long-term average.

The Gulf Council will hold a meeting of its Standing and Shrimp Scientific and Statistical Committees on July 21-22, 2026, in Tampa, Florida. The SSC will review new methodologies for estimating shrimp trawl bycatch, discuss the Fisheries Integrated Modeling System peer review results, and examine Gulf king mackerel landings and tilefish data.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists led by Sam Bourret used otolith geochemistry to identify which Swan River basin tributaries produce the most surviving bull trout, revealing that redd counts alone don't accurately predict population contributions and providing crucial data for targeted conservation efforts.

Anglers Todd Smitham and Jonathan Miller set Montana fish records for two sucker species. Smitham caught a 6.86-pound largescale sucker on Salmon Lake, while Miller previously caught the longnose sucker record at 4.78 pounds on Hauser Reservoir in 2022.

Silencer Central's 100 Days of Silence promotion reaches Day 85, offering a $3,100+ prize package including a CZ P-09 Nocturne SR 9mm, BANISH PSTL 45 Ti Suppressor, Steiner Optics MPS-C Pistol Sight, and more. Entries are available daily through PopularSuppressors.com with 15 remaining chances to win.

Waypoint TV promoted Katherine Elliott to Vice President of Media Operations & Distribution and Graig Hale to Vice President of Business Development & Programming. Founder & CEO Builder Brock highlighted their critical roles in building the outdoor streaming network ahead of ICAST 2026.

The 2026 Florida Python Challenge, hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and South Florida Water Management District, begins July 10 and runs through July 19. Participants can compete for $25,000 in prizes, including a $10,000 Ultimate Grand Prize, while helping remove invasive Burmese pythons from the Everglades ecosystem. Registration remains open through the final day of competition.

Walker's has launched the Razor Junior Muffs, hearing protection designed specifically for youth shooters with smaller head sizes. The muffs feature dual Hi-Gain microphones, HD speakers, sound-activated compression, and a 23dB Noise Reduction Rating, now available online and through retailers nationwide.

Shell Shock Technologies announced completion of independent live-fire testing for its .50 BMG NAS³ case, confirming significant velocity gains and a 40 percent weight reduction compared to standard brass. Production is underway with availability expected in August 2026.

CAA USA announced a new High-Viz colorway for its MCK EVO (Micro Conversion Kit) platform, a cross-platform pistol chassis compatible with over 120 handguns including Glock, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory, FN, and Taurus. The MCK EVO starts at $329.99 and features ambidextrous charging, tool-free installation, and Picatinny rails for customization.

Hoyt has launched their America 250 Limited Edition Bows featuring TWN Industries' WTP-1080 Battle Worn pattern with a sandstorm base coat, combining American pride aesthetics with functional camouflage. Available until July 31st, 2026, these bows celebrate freedom and the hunting lifestyle.

SHOT University has issued a call for presentations for its 2027 NSSF SHOT Show educational sessions in Las Vegas, January 19-21. Proposals must fit within 45 minutes and are due by August 3, 2026. Topics include marketing, AI, revenue diversification, inventory management, and shooting range operations.

Outdoor Sportsman Group will host a Happy Hour and sponsor "ICASTLive!" at ICAST 2026 in Orlando, Florida, July 15-17. The event features OSG's fishing brands, networks including Outdoor Channel and World Fishing Network, and personalities connecting with retailers and exhibitors.

Leapers, Inc. continues its commitment to Service Rifle competition as a three-time Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) National Matches sponsor. The company's award-winning Integrix iXF 4.5X28 Service Rifle Scope has earned American Rifleman's Golden Bullseye "Optic of the Year," with Team Leapers claiming 34 first-place finishes in less than two years.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula experienced its third severe winter in five years, with 111 days of at least 12 inches of snow, causing widespread starvation among white-tailed deer. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources uses SNODAS technology to monitor snow depth and inform deer management decisions, while biologists David Jentoft, Brian Roell, Caleb Eckloff, and Kristie Sitar document the impact on the herd.

Looking back over his family and their company’s 500-year history doesn’t occupy a lot of Pietro Gussalli Beretta’s time. When he does look back, it isn’t for guidance, it’s as a reminder  that his work today should honor the thousands of people who built the Beretta name and reputation over five centuries. Beretta’s 500th anniversary was, he explained, “meant to recognize the workers, craftsmen, managers and employees who contributed to Beretta’s development across generations.

His concerns are the immediate and future for the more than twenty companies under Beretta Holding’s rather large umbrella. And Beretta Holdings has a decidedly wider focus than many who think they “know” the Beretta name might imagine.

Most Americans  think shotguns or the M92 pistols carried by tens of thousands of U.S. troops before the military’s latest small arms change when they hear “Beretta.”

That Beretta is only a portion of Beretta Holdings, the Luxembourg based holding group formed - by Pietro Gussalli Beretta - in 1995.

Beretta Holdings, with its portfolio of firearms, ammunition, optics, defense technologies, clothing and accessories, is, in fact,  the world’s largest firearms company, with 2025 revenues of $1.90 billion dollars and an EBITDA of $287 million (15.1%)

Those worldwide holdings are divided roughly 60/40 between commercial and military properties, respectively. Europe remained its primary revenue growth engine for 2025, accounting for 55% of revenue. North America contributed approximately 32%, with the rest of the world accounting for 12%.

In our discussion, he told me that military sales had historically represented about twenty percent of the business. Today, he said, the defense opportunity was much larger, primarily due to increased defense spending across many regions. That growth, he told me, was driven by historical circumstances, not strategic changes.  Circumstances, he said, that present both challenges and market opportunities for the industry.

Beretta Holdings growth has come, primarily via acquisition, not historical circumstance.

How, I asked, does the Beretta family (Holdings remains a family-owned business) decide when a company was worth acquiring? Is the decision based on history, production or performance expectations?

“We’ve acquired quite a few companies,” he explained, “always with different reasons, mostly related to the product. When we made the Beretta holding, the desire was to be with a wider range of product to satisfy our customers, whether they were hunter, the shooters, the policeman or the military. The strategy was always to try to see some complementary product.”

“One of first,” he recounted, “was SAKO in Finland. This was easy to decide, because for many years we had tried to make rifles inside our doors…with not a lot of success. We needed to go in the rifle business because it was absolutely complimentary with us. And Nokia, the owner at the time, wanted to sell SAKO, so I tried to buy the company, and we did.”

Other companies, he explained were acquired for geographic reasons, helping to expand Beretta Holdings into different geographic areas. One company, Holland and Holland, was for more than just their product.  Holland and Holland, he said simply, was different.

“They have a fantastic product, even in their clothing,” he explained, “it’s very elegant, very British. Different from what we do in Italy or elsewhere.”

“They have concentrated for many, many years, always on the same products. Always on the same finishments- every detail must be finished. They polish by hand, the accuracy of the barrels, and they make very small numbers of guns and every part and piece of their products are made in-house. They take a long time.”

How long? “To celebrate the acquisition,” he said, “I wanted a pair of double barrel rifles to remember the acquisition. It was for myself, you understand?”

He got  his pair of double guns. But explained, “they took more than two years…but the quality is amazing.”

The opportunity to have a conversation wasn’t one I took lightly, so I felt it proper to ask one final question: what would he want our readers to know about Beretta Holdings?

“I should like them to have a picture of Beretta Holdings,” he said, “with Italian roots, but an international approach…a company looking for the future worldwide.”

The conversation with Pietro Gussalli Beretta can be read in its entirety in today’s QA Outdoors. If you’re not a subscriber, you’ll miss out (here’s a link to our subscription page.)

As always, we’ll keep you posted.

— Jim Shepherd