c-g-designs

IWA NUREMBERG, 6-9 March 2015.

          The I.W.A –(Internationales Waffen Austellung), held  in March each year in  Nuremberg, Bavaria  is the european equivalent of the american Las Vegas Shot Show, but for me more interesting on various titles, as more oriented  for the european technician, shooter, and even simple interested.

          Also, contrarily to the Shot Show, IWA is reserved to professionals, that makes the atmosphere more studious . Also, most of the material is not usually in cabinets, but at direct hands reach …but not only for the eyes !!.

          The reservation to professionals need accreditation or an exhibitor invitation card which are not impossible to obtain. We are not short of accreditations or invitations, my contacts are there to provide..

          This year, we are 5 : Michèle, Philippe, Fred, Jean-Marc and myself to go to Nuremberg, middle age city still in its walls perfectly preserved and maintained and made of typical pink stones, time patina leaving little of the original tone !!. It is for me the annual occasion to meet friends from all over the world, Fred and Jean-Marc to document and pick new ideas, Jean-Marc pick tons of documentation and Michèle do her shopping and made provision of Lebkuchen and Nurnberger wurtschen , while Philippe an myself do our annual testing of  Weizen Bier and Frankenwein that the newcomers soon appreciate too..

          The Franconian gastronomy deserve a special mention : the Weizen Bier is a wheat beer, delicious, light and sparkling . It is typically a local product, as it does not support transportation. The Nurnberger Wurtschen  are small delicious spicy saussages, served by 2,4,6,8,10,12 and even to the metre in some taverns .Yes, to the metre !!. The Nuremberger Lebkuchen are a kind of gingerbread biscuits of various savours.

          Traditionally,we made the trip (1050kms) in 2 days with a technical or touristic visit on the way. Last year, we were at Centra’s in the Black Forest (Jacques bought a splendid cuckoo clock which he is very proud of). This year was Rothenburg ob der Tauber, splendid, small fortified town dating from the 30 years war period . For the return, we count on Fred resistance to do the trip on Sunday, as there is no HGV traffic on motorways on Siundays .

          But our purpose is the fair ..Some 1600 exhibitors from all over the world and some 36000 visitors presumed all to be professionals. All the great names are present  and numerous small manufacturers show their new products..Impossible to name even only a few and, in one day and an half, one cannot see all . Once the appointments prepared in advance are over, a systématic visit start with some strong points and  unavoidable stands,including meeting some old friends or acquaintances frum all over the world, met on stands or at the corner of an aisle,, exhibitors or visitors.

          This year, our group interest goes to the new products of the big bullet makers and to the new Swiss powders of which we receive good reports. The new projectiles from Berger and others attract great attention from our reloaders . The usual gossips common on such a manifestation circulate as usual.

          On the way, passing in front of the numerous Turkish suppliers of splendid walnut stock blanks, we have the usual jokes on Bernard, in previous IWAs , rushing us from pne of those exhibitors to the other and using us as mules to transport the blanks he bought to the car…So heavy wete those pieces of wood after a full day at the show !!.

          The first evening, we review the day and decide of some re-visits for the morning. After some ultimate meets here and there, we leave the show the eyes full of what we have seen. After a last meeting,, we return to the car . Unfortunately, this will be my last visit to the I.W.A.

          R.G.C