IWA isn’t the only event being held this week in Nuremberg. The Plenary Session of the World Forum on Shooting Activities began the week’s events today (Wednesday) with a Plenary Session that covered everything from the EU’s proposed lead ban to an overview on Olympic shooting sports at the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
European rules and regulations regarding everything from pocket knives to pneumatic rifles are a dizzying array of contradictions. Walking around Nuremberg earlier this week, I saw people wearing belt knives in areas where the “slash/no” signs clearly banned firearms, knives, canes, cudgels and virtually anything perceived to be dangerous. The German police, equipped with pistols and PDWs, didn’t seem to be bothered much by the blatant violations of the bans.
The explanations of the rules for the shooting sports, in Europe and the LA2028 Games, didn’t do much to clear up any confusion as to what might be permitted versus verboten. If you don’t already understand the myriad Olympic rules, a gathering of people intimately familiar with them won’t do much to provide clarity.
But our real reason for attending the Plenary Session wasn’t to try and wade through the rules and regulations, nor listen to the panel discussions relevant to them. Coming to Nuremberg early for IWA gave the Wires the opportunity to join in recognition of the recipients of the 2026 Vito Genco Shooting Ambassador Award.
This year, Franco Gussalli Beretta and Pietro Gussalli Beretta were the recipients. Seems totally appropriate to recognize the Berettas and Fabbrica d’Armi Pietro Beretta- it is the company’s 500th anniversary.
May be difficult for most of us to imagine any company that’s been around 500 years. In those 500 years weapons have evolved from swords to today’s high-tech firearms and accessories. It’s actually pretty mind blowing.
But Beretta has remained - consistently– in business, producing product through all five centuries from their headquarters in Gardone Val Trompia, Brescia, Italy. During major conflicts (WWI and WWII are two good examples) manufacturing relocates from their factories to caves in the mountains.
When visiting the otherwise peaceful town, there’s not much doubt the residents are proud of their eldest corporation. And the feeling is mutual. During his remarks, Beretta thanked the WFSA on behalf of the “Beretta -the family, our workers, and our company.”
While we’re familiar with the ongoing arguments regarding lead in ammunition and fishing tackle in the United States, there’s a pitched battle going on right now to head off EU efforts to essentially regulate lead out of ammunition-and by extension, shooting sports and firearms and ammunition companies essentially out of business.
It is yet another familiar battle for Tony Bernardo, the new WFSA president and executive director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. “For the past 30 years,” Bernardo told attendees, “our opponents have tried to destroy us. We’ve worked together- despite being all around the world- to protect our interests.”
“But,” he cautioned, “our rights to firearms hangs by a thread all over the world. You can’t take firearms and divide them in to categories of acceptable and unacceptable. We have to keep working together to preserve all our collective rights.”
A new tool is being added to the tool chest in order to help with that defense. Attendees were briefed on a database designed to document the businesses challenges faced by companies today.
According to a worldwide survey of 115 companies across 33 countries (and five continents), more than 70% of respondents said they had experienced suppliers refusing service or closing accounts based on “ESG and reputational policies,” not the legality of the industry. Further, 45% documented transit delays or disruptions with shipments impounded or returned at the border without warning. Even more telling, 47% documented accounts being closed and platforms being restricted based solely on a single word: “Firearm”.
The new documentation tool is designed to quantify the illegal policies and provide companies with the ability to fight back using fact-based narrative to counteract the anti-gun rhetoric and practices. The creation of this International Regulatory Comparison allows companies to create Bias and Stability Scores for “bias potential, policy stability and enforcement.”
The fact that some groups want guns banned was brought home as we headed back to our hotel. Outside the exhibit hall a small crowd of protesters were demonstrating -loudly- against NATO, gun companies and the Enforce Tac exhibitions that will be featured prominently when IWA kicks off tomorrow.
As always, we’ll keep you posted.
—Jim Shepherd