Target Shooter 1 Target Shooter 1

IWA Report 2009
Vince Bottomley
For the first time in five years, I
didn’t go to IWA with my Target
Sports hat on – this time it’s for
Target Shooter!
On arrival at the Messe – the
ultra modern exhibition centre
on the outskirts of Nurnberg (or
Nuremberg if you prefer the
English spelling) where the IWA
show is held, the first job is to
check in at the Press Centre
and convince the German press
girls, Petra and Beate that I am
now representing a new on-line
magazine.
The formalities completed, it’s out
into the exhibition. The Messe is
massive and not all of it is used,
even by the 1100 plus exhibitors
(a 10% increase on last year)
but the seven halls will take me
the whole of four days to explore.
Although the show is nothing like
as big as the US Shot Show, at
least two-thirds of the Shot Show
is devoted to camouflage clothing,
such is the US market for the stuff.
All of the big US manufacturers
do however support IWA and the
Americans have almost taken
over Hall 5.
In addition to guns, knives are
also a big feature of IWA and
every year, the International Knife
Show takes place. Like ‘em or not,
knives are an essential part of
our daily lives and this exhibition
takes it to a new level with some
incredible examples of
craftsmanship, ranging from
tableware to hunting and tactical
knives.
Every hall has its own refreshment
areas and these range from a
simple sausage baguette
consumed ‘on the hoof’ to a
full-blown champagne & smoked
salmon sit-down meal – you
pays your money and takes your
choice, as the saying goes. Prices
are however reasonable and you
never have that ‘ripped-off’ feeling.
At the end of a long day –
usually eight hours, it’s back to the
tranquillity of the Press Centre
for a fruit-juice or coffee before
heading back to the hotel for a
shower, followed by an evening
out and a meal in the old city. It’s
a hard life being a press hack -
good job it’s only four days!
Hopefully that’s set the scene for
you and we can get on the floor
and find out what’s new for 2009.
Hall 4A was closest to the Press
Centre and was also the location
for many of the scope makers. As
usual, there were lots of Chinese
scopes on offer and they do get
better every year and are terrific
value for money - especially for
the beginner. But, you know as
well as I do, that this is no place
to economise if you take your
sport seriously. Yes, you may like
to think that your Chinese scope
will do the job as well as any
Leupold but don’t kid yourself –
like most things today – you get
what you pay for. What’s worse,
I’ve seen Chinese scopes which
can be had for less than 100
Euros, on sale in UK gunshops
for two and three times their
worth.
Of course, we are always
looking for value for money and
New F Class rifle from
Keppeler of Germany
34 Target Shooter