Barnett® unveils the Hyper Raptor GTX™, a high-performance crossbow launching arrows at 425 FPS with advanced features including the Halo System, TriggerTech™ Frictionless Release Technology, and Rope Hold™ Roller Ball technology. The package includes premium optics options, HyperFlite™ arrows, and accessories for immediate hunting readiness.

Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC celebrates Team Colt's landmark performance at the 2025 IPSC Handgun World Shoot in South Africa, where Jalise Williams became the first woman to qualify for a U.S. National Handgun Team and earned gold medals in Classic Overall Ladies and Team Champion categories while competing with her Colt Gold Cup Trophy 1911.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Enforcement is investigating the poaching of a bull elk shot from a road in Custer National Forest southwest of Broadus on February 21. FWP Region 7 Warden Kyle Queer is leading the investigation. Tipsters may receive up to $1,000.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife's volunteer instructors are offering limited hunter education courses this spring, including basic hunter education, bowhunter education, and combination courses. Hunter Education Coordinator Nicole Meier emphasizes that passing the course is required before purchasing a first hunting license, with classes available at a grade 6 reading level for all ages.

Range USA, the nation's largest indoor gun range and firearm retailer, announced plans to open three new stores in 2026 in Smyrna, Tennessee; Monroeville, Pennsylvania; and Lenexa, Kansas, creating over 100 employment opportunities. COO Jimmy McManus cited strong performance at existing locations as driving the expansion strategy.

Brandon Maddox, founder and CEO of Silencer Central, donated $25,000 to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Protect Liberty PAC to support candidates dedicated to protecting Second Amendment rights. Maddox, who serves on the NSSF Board of Governors, recently advocated for suppressor deregulation in South Dakota, resulting in the bill's unanimous passage and signing by Governor Rhoden.

Sarsilmaz appointed Maschmedt & Associates as its sales representative agency for the Western Region, representing the SAR9 and 7/24 Series product lines across 13 western states. The partnership, which began at SHOT Show, aims to strengthen Sarsilmaz's market presence and improve accessibility to its NATO-standard firearms.

C&H Precision announced the launch of the STRYKR, a mission-ready enclosed-emitter red-dot optic designed for duty, defensive, and competition use. The optic features a 1913 Picatinny mounting interface, 50,000-hour battery life, and is backed by C&H Precision's lifetime guarantee.

The Easton Sports Development Foundation donated $1.4 million to the USA Archery Foundation to support archery development across the United States. The grant will fund instructor training, youth programs, training centers, and high-performance coaching, honoring the legacy of Jim Easton's contributions to the sport.

Barnett introduces the Hyper Raptor GTX™ crossbow, launching 20" HyperFlite™ arrows at 425 FPS with advanced features including the Halo System, TriggerTech™ Frictionless Release Technology, and Rope Hold™ Roller Ball technology. Each package includes premium optics options, arrows, and accessories for immediate field readiness.

Flextone has launched two new mouth call lineups for turkey hunters: the Flex-Tech series featuring double-reed designs over plastic frames, and the Flex-Pro series with hand-stretched triple reeds over aluminum frames. Both lines offer versatility and realism for spring turkey hunting across various conditions.

CZ announced the CZ TS 3 ORANGE tactical sports competition pistol at IWA Outdoor Classics, featuring optics-ready integration for USPSA and IPSC divisions, refined ergonomics with enhanced trigger control, and a heavy bull barrel. U.S. availability is planned for late 2026.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. announced 10 new 10/22 rifle models featuring upgraded components including BX-Trigger, match bolt release, and integrated rear cleaning ports. The expanded lineup offers threaded and non-threaded barrel options with Magpul, Hogue, and Ruger stock configurations.

GRITR Outdoors, a Texas-based retailer, announces a Birthday Sale offering up to 20% off GRITR Gear tactical and outdoor products from February 23 through March 1. The sale includes Kydex holsters, firearm maintenance essentials, sight mounts, bags, and camping equipment.

Sarsilmaz will showcase its latest civilian-market firearms and sport-shooting solutions at IWA Outdoor Classics 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany, February 26-March 1. The Turkish manufacturer, with heritage dating to 1880, will present the SAR9 GEN3 and SAR 7/24 pistol families to European distributors and retailers.

WE Knife will showcase its latest innovations in EDC, tactical, hunting, and outdoor knives at the 2026 IWA Outdoor Classics in Nuremberg, Germany, February 26-March 1, at booth #4-556. VP Marketing Seth Ercanbrack highlighted the company's new designs for the event.

SIGHTRON will exhibit at the 2026 IWA Outdoor Classics in Nuremberg, Germany, February 26-March 1, showcasing their SV ED binoculars, S6 30mm and 34mm riflescopes, and S1 one-inch riflescope line. Dealers can visit booth 3A-501 or contact the company about becoming authorized distributors.

Zone Protects has joined Whitetails Unlimited as a national sponsor, announced by WTU President Jeff Schinkten. The faith-based company, founded by Brian Baer, offers insect repellents, pest control, and hunting-specific products designed for hunters' needs.

Capstone Precision Group, a distributor of premium ammunition brands including Berger, Lapua, SK, and Vihtavuori, has joined Retrieving Freedom's Business Alliance as a Gold Member. The partnership supports the training, care, and placement of service dogs for veterans and youth through a rigorous two-year program.

TrueTimber partnered with Honda HRC Progressive during Round 7 of the AMA Supercross Championship in Arlington, Texas, featuring custom SKDA dirt-bike graphics with Viper Snow camo pattern. The Military Appreciation activation included matching apparel for riders and team personnel, with veterans invited to meet riders and explore the race bikes. Hunter Lawrence secured his first career 450SX win during the event.

Michigan DNR is hosting multiple March meetings across various advisory boards and commissions, including the Board of Foresters, Michigan Trails Advisory Council, Michigan Historical Commission, and Eastern and Western Upper Peninsula Citizens Advisory Councils. The northwest Lower Peninsula state parks vacancy on the Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee is open for applications.

The Michigan State Parks Advisory Committee is seeking a northwest Lower Peninsula representative. Applicants should have experience with state parks and outdoor recreation. Interested candidates can apply through the provided form or contact Barbara Graves at 517-284-6136.

Pursuit Channel highlights Hard Truths of Conservation with Dan Cabela, a weekly series hosted by outdoor industry legend Dan Cabela that tackles critical conservation issues including chronic wasting disease, habitat loss, and public-land access. The show reaches 158.4 million viewers across platforms and airs on Pursuit Channel and Pursuit UP streaming service.

Major League Fishing's Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 2 streams live on MLFNOW! via MyOutdoorTV from Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina, with top pro anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000. The three-day tournament (Feb. 26-28) features anglers catching their five biggest bass daily, with coverage by Chad McKee and Rob Newell.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Hardware Wildlife Education Center in Hyrum offers a free beaver exhibit from March 6-22, featuring information about North America's largest rodent, family-friendly activities, and views of beaver-altered Curtis Creek. Director Marni Lee highlights how beaver dams create beneficial wetland habitats for various wildlife species.

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