One day before the official opening of the IWA OutdoorClassic 2016 - the international trade fair for hunting guns, outdoor and shooting sports in Nuremberg - the fourth International RWS Shooting Day 2016 will take place on March 3. It is almost a tradition for renowned manufacturers in the hunting sector to present their new products on the RUAG Ammotec GmbH facility premises. The special thing about the RWS Shooting Day is that the journalists who are there can even try out and test all the new products.
The RUAG facility premises have several advantages. In addition to the production areas, there are also various shooting ranges. One of them is a spectacular 500 m indoor range for the RWS Shooting Day and also a 300 m outdoor range.
The 500 m tunnel shooting range is especially good for following the ballistic curve of projectiles. Invited guests had the exclusive chance to shoot the newest hunting rifles with different ammunition here and at other shooting ranges.
All of the journalists at the IWA OutdoorClassic 2016, held from March 4 to 7 in Nurnberg, can also see and touch the new products showcased, but they cannot try them out! That is why the few spots (35-40) at this event are in high demand.
The clothing brand HÄRKILA presented its latest collection of hunting apparel for 2016 in a Native American tent. KAHLES showcased top-of-the-line hunting scopes. The Norwegian manufacturer GRS exhibited rifle stock samples from its current product range.
The highlight of the event is “experiencing” the product innovations.
The resonance last year in the media from 10 different countries, print and online, was enormous - that of course motivated the manufacturers and organizers to pep up the event even more and to take on new brands.
Here we will show you which products and new innovations the participating companies brought with them to the 4th International RWS Shooting Day
RWS presented the new Speed Tip Professional bullet in the caliber .338
Specifically designed for long-range shooting, RWS presented the brand-new RWS Speed Tip Professional in the caliber .338 Lapua Magnum at the Shooting Day at the 500 m shooting range. The new ammunition will be unveiled for the first time in Germany at the IWA 2016. We had the chance to test the top quality ammunition ourselves on the shooting range with a BLASER R8 Professional Success. The new bullet makes it possible to shoot and hunt at long distances, guaranteeing high penetration power and stopping effect. The RWS Speed Tip Professional reliably covers a variety of game sizes at distances ranging from “very close" to over 400 m, according to Hannes Dikhoff, the product manager in charge.
RWS also showed its Performance Test Pack, already available in some countries, on the 100 m indoor range. Already on sale in Germany since the fall, this is an assortment box consisting of four different hunting bullet types. We think it is a really good idea for hunters. This makes it easy for the hunter to find the right ammunition for his rifle. An RWS Performance Test Pack consists of four different types of bullets, each with five rounds.
MAUSER presents several new models of the M 12 hunting rifle
At the RWS Shooting Day, MAUSER made two variants of the M12 hunting rifle available for journalists to test on the 300 m outdoor range. The MAUSER M 12 Impact has a dark grey synthetic stock and a matt, silver colored action. We were surprised at how robust the rifle is thanks to its synthetic stock. The bolt-action rifle has a highly modern look and was developed especially for use under difficult conditions. The M12 Impact has a solid Picatinny rail for attaching scopes. A LEICA scope was mounted on the model we shot at the range.
MAUSER also exhibited the M 12 Max as another option for the popular hunting rifle. Although it has the same action, the appearance and handling of the rifles are completely different. The MAUSER M12 MAX has an ergonomic thumbhole stock made of high-quality laminated wood in a walnut look. This very design accomplishes a combination of modern style and classical elegance.
In addition, MAUSER also showcased the M 12 S at the RWS Shooting Day - a bolt-action rifle with a manual cocking system. Completely new and due to the growing demand, MAUSER also presented a silencer for hunting rifles. The silencer was developed in cooperation with the Norwegian manufacturer A-TEC.
NORMA Precision with hunting ammunition from the STRIKE series: TIPSTRIKE and ECOSTRIKE
The Swedish ammunitions manufacturer NORMA used the opportunity at the RWS Shooting Day to again present the “Strike” hunting series to the invited journalists. The NORMA TIPSTRIKE is a classic hunting cartridge with a polymer tip and outstanding stopping effect for hunting medium-sized and large game. The lead bullet deforms upon penetration and assures a superior take-down effect.
The NORMA ECOSTRIKE is a lead-free copper bullet which ensures minimal damage to the game. Rapid deformation of the bullet is assured with the polymer tip and an optimized hollow point. The ECOSTRIKE is a completely lead-free alternative to leaded hunting ammunition. The boat-tail on the end provides for maximum velocity and reduces air resistance.
You will find more product presentations from the company at the RWS Shooting Day 2016 on the second page.
SAUER introduced two new hunting rifles: S100 and S404 Synchro XTC
SAUER & Sohn showcased its “new milestones” for bolt-action rifles at the 300 m shooting range. The model S100 is an affordable and trimmed-down variant of the SAUER S101 and is intended for placement in the lower price segment.
The S404 Synchro XTC from SAUER & Sohn is of course a new top-of-the-line model. The bolt-action rifle with an elegant carbon thumbhole stock with a height-adjustable cheek rest scores in the upper class. The carbon fiber polymer stock is so light, we could balance it on one finger. A single action size for all calibers ranging from .243 Winchester to .375 H&H Magnum, rapid change of caliber and barrels, manual cocking system on the bolt sleeve as well as a trigger that can be easily adjusted from the outside with four selectable weight adjustments from 550 g to 1,250 g are just some of the features of this flagship.
For more information on the Sauer S100 and S404 Synchro XTC, please visit all4hunters.com
ZEISS has several interesting telescopic sights - the highlight is the relatively new V8 series
The renowned manufacturer of top-of-the-line optical sights presents the VICTORY V8 rifle scope line at the 4th International RWS Shooting Day. The VICTORY is ZEISS’ highest-performance line. Four models are available for every hunting situation: 1.1-8 x 30, 1.8-14 x 50, 2.8-20 x 56 and the top model 4.8-35 x 60.
You will find more information, such as technical data and prices, about the ZEISS Victory V8 4,8-35 x 60 at all4hunters.com
Blaser showed the new over and under shotgun Blaser F16 and BLASER R8 Professional Success
Blaser showed the new over and under shotgun Blaser F16 at the International RWS Shooting Day. This new shotgun in caliber 12/76 has a deep center of gravity.
More information on the Blaser F16 you are getting on all4hunters.com.
We got to test the BLASER R8 Professional Success at the RWS shooting range in the .338 caliber with the new RWS Speed Tip ammunition. It has a fantastic feel. Shooting with this combination of gun and ammunition at the 500 meter tunnel indoors is really impressive. BLASER also showed just how individually customizable the R8 is for the customer.
Whether with a wooden stock, a synthetic stock, thumbhole stock with various colored inserts, different barrel lengths and calibers -- the BLASER R8 has just about everything the heart could wish for. We also had the opportunity to evaluate the R8 Long Range Professional Success in the new .300 norma Magnum caliber.
Visit all4hunters.com for a Test of the BLASER R8 Professional Success in .338 LM
LEICA presented a series of brand new hunting scopes as well as high quality spotting scopes
LEICA demonstrated the brand new Visus i LW line of scopes at the 300 m range and unveiled the second generation of the familiar Magnus rifle scopes. The Magnus i series is available in four variants and has a sharply contrasted illuminated dot with micro-adjustable brightness. The Visus i LW models are available in 2.5-10 x 42 und 3-12 x 50. LEICA attaches great importance to style and elegance to create a timeless and aesthetically appealing rifle scope. Both rifle scope series are optimally suited for all types of hunting.
At the RWS Shooting Day 2016, we also had a chance to get a feel for and evaluate the new generation of spotting scopes, LEICA Trinovid HD and Geovid R. The Trinovid HD is a light and compact spotting scope packed with state-of-the-art technology, ideally suited for nature and outdoor fans, but also for hunting. The Geovid R Binoculars, on the other hand have an integrated laser rangefinder which makes them ideal for hunting from a high seat.
HÄRKILA displayed functional hunting apparel for hunters, men and women
At the RWS Shooting Day 2016, the Danish clothing manufacturer HÄRKILA displayed its new collection of outdoor and hunting apparel. HÄRKILA made its appearance together with KAHLES and GRS in a large Native American tent. People who were looking for a change of pace from new guns and ammunition here had the chance to look through the functional clothing line of the hunting outfitter.
The 2015/2016 collection is an eye-catcher with the many features, special bags, low-noise materials and top quality high-tech materials like GORE-TEX. The assortment ranges from the Trapper Master GTX 6" boot, jackets and pants, to light backpacks for hunting.
GRS – for the first time at the RWS Shooting Day 2016:
The Norwegian company GRS is known for its interchangeable stocks for hunting and sport bolt-action rifles. Invited journalists at the RWS Shooting Day had the chance to test the elegant and top-quality GRS stocks for themselves. Many rifle manufacturers have already integrated the GRS stocks into their product lines. There are already a number of bolt-action rifles on the market with laminated wood stocks from GRS. Completely new this time is a GRS synthetic stock made of black fiberglass-reinforced Durethan. The stock is individually adjustable and is already available for various bolt-action rifles.
KAHLES presented new spotting and rifle scopes for the hunt
At the 4th International Shooting Day, the traditional Austrian company KAHLES presented rifle scopes for all of the usual types of hunting. KAHLES, by the way, is the oldest scope producer in the world still in existence! With the KAHLES Helia 5 rifle scope series, the Austrian company offers the perfect optical sight for all types of hunting. As sport alternatives, KAHLES offers the K624i scope for long distances and the K1050i Field Target for short distances.
KAHLES also provides rapid adjustment for its scopes. The rapid adjustment feature is available on all Helia 5 scopes as an option and can be retrofitted. The rapid adjustment comes with ballistic rings, making it easier for the hunter to compensate his aim.
One of the highlights of the KAHLES presentation at the 4th International RWS Shooting Day was the new KAHLES Helia spotting scope line. These scopes are manufactured from high quality materials and fulfill the highest industrial standards from a technical point of view. They are watertight, reliable and rugged at the same time.
MERKEL displayed two variants of the bolt-action RX.Helix Alpinist rifle
The MERKEL company from Suhl provided two bolt-action rifles for testing at the 4th International RWS Shooting Day 2016. Both bolt-action rifles are variants of the popular MERKEL RX.Helix.
These were the major new products at the RWS Shooting Day 2016 at a glance.
In spite of the cold and wet weather, we once again had a lot of fun at the event. We were of course happy that there were several heated presentation areas. Our compliments to the sponsors and organizers from RWS. Everything worked out perfectly, we liked the new arrangement of the stages - cleanly categorized according to brand.
We say Thank You and look forward to next year!
