In contrast to the SHOT Show, where Range Days are an integral part of the trade fair, such events are still the exception at IWA OutdoorClassics. This is not because the exhibitors are displeased, but rather because the infrastructure in terms of shooting ranges in Germany is simply not comparable to that in the USA. Not only are there numerous indoor shooting ranges in Las Vegas itself, but there are also extensive outdoor shooting ranges in the surrounding area.
Unfortunately, we can only dream of such paradisiacal conditions. In the past, SIG Sauer did attempt to set up a range day at the IWA OutdoorClassic on a small indoor shooting range not far from the exhibition centre. However, holding something like this during the trade fair is rather suboptimal due to the transfer times alone, especially as the options on the 25-m handgun range were quite limited.
Before IWA 2024: first impressions, new products and a great atmosphere at the Beretta and Steiner Media Day 2024
Beretta therefore took a different approach right from the start. Firstly, a date was chosen immediately before the IWA OutdoorClassics so that guests could easily combine the event with their journey to the trade fair. And secondly, the Müller Shooting Center (MSZU for short) was chosen as Europe's largest and most modern indoor shooting centre. In other words, the conditions were ideal for this premiere event organised by the two companies from the Beretta Group.
The MSZU makes the heart of every hunter and sports shooter beat faster, as it is a one-stop shop that turns every visit into an unforgettable experience. In addition to short and long gun shooting ranges (including two walk-in shooting cinemas at 25 and 100 meters), the center also houses a shop with 1,200 square meters of retail space including an adjoining gunsmith's workshop, a café-bistro and training rooms. However, the outstanding features of the MSZU are undoubtedly the 300-meter long gun range and the 3,080-m2 clay pigeon hall, where you can shoot trap and skeet as well as sporting courses. In addition, the MSZU's offer is rounded off by its own hunting school and a wide range of other training programs (such as individual shooting training, reloading, firearms expertise and shooting range supervision). Finally, the MSZU is also an excellent point of contact for law enforcement / the military and commercial firearms carriers. For example, a flexible room system and mobile bullet trap boxes are available for firearms training that is as realistic and effective as possible. Further information about the MSZU can be found at the end of this report.
Beretta and Steiner Media Day 2024: all new highlights at Europe's largest indoor shooting centre
But now let's move on to the actual organisation of the Beretta and Steiner Media Days 2024: Beretta Holding hosted the event at the Maritim Hotel in Ulm on the evening before, where an introductory event on Steiner Optik 's new products was held before the participants were given the opportunity to get to know each other further over dinner. The next morning, everyone travelled in their own shuttle bus to MSZU, just 5 km away, where coffee and fresh pretzels awaited the participants. After Steiner had already presented its new products the previous evening, Beretta was now the center of attention that morning. In a relaxed atmosphere, the respective product managers presented the new products from the Hunting, Competition, Selection and Tactical ranges – the majority of which were such new products that we are unfortunately not yet allowed to report on them at this point. But we can already reveal one thing: the BXR1 straight-pull bolt action rifle will play an increasingly important role in the future and both the hunting and spor shotgun segments will see some very interesting technical and aesthetic improvements that we can really look forward to. In any case, we will stay on the ball for you!
After this presentation, the 50 or so journalists from the print and digital media and business partners went to the shooting range and the Steiner Optik presentation area outside the MSZU. There were three shooting ranges in total. A 25-m shooting range where various Beretta pistols, the new 1301 Tactical semi-automatic shotgun and the BXR1 rifle could be fired. On the 300-m shooting range, Sako and Beretta rifles could be tested in combination with various Steiner scopes including thermal clip-ons, and in the clay pigeon hall everything was centred around the Beretta DT11 over-and-under shotgun. The attendees were divided into small groups and then rotated from station to station, with the respective time slots being generous enough to allow for a relaxed exchange with the respective Beretta and Steiner employees in addition to the shooting. We certainly enjoyed our visit to the Beretta and Steiner Media Day and it was an excellent opportunity to get a real impression of the new products. Quite apart from the fact that it was very exciting to catch a unique glimpse of the developments of the coming months.
Beretta and Steiner Media Day: an overview of Beretta Holding's new products for 2024
- Beretta APX A1 Full Size Tactical & Compact Tactical – a 9mm striker-fired pistol with polymer frame, optics-ready slide and a trigger that can be replaced as a module; primarily intended for LE and military use.
- Beretta 1301 Tactical semi-automatic shotgun will be available in the colour variants Black/Gray/FDE. The latest version also features a straight trigger and a competition lifter.
- Beretta DT11 Black DLC over-and-under shotgun with DLC coating (on the barrel, receiver and trigger components), carbon fiber barrel top rib and B-Fast Adjustable Weight System, which was already presented at the Shot Show 2024.
- Steiner T1Xi – a compact red dot sight with interchangeable reticles (2 MOA dot reticle, 60 MOA circle and combined dot-circle reticle)
- Its extremely flexible properties make the Steiner RANGER 10 1-10x24 one of the most versatile riflescopes on the market, which can be used for driven hunts and stalking alike. The true 1x magnification and the wide field of view of 38 to 100 meters make it ideal for quick shots at short ranges and thanks to the 10x magnification, medium ranges can also be mastered with ease.
- The Steiner RANGER 4S 4-16x44 riflescope is characterised by its extremely compact design. It is over 25 per cent shorter than comparable products with up to 16x magnification from other manufacturers. This makes the Steiner Ranger 4S particularly suitable for use with clip-ons.
- Steiner eRANGER 8 3-24x56 and 2-16x50 riflescopes. These two new riflescopes impress with a real-time ballistics computer with environmental sensors. The ballistic data of the ammunition used can be stored effortlessly via the Steiner Connect App 2.0, while temperature, air pressure and angle of inclination are simultaneously recorded in real time by the environmental sensors. All important information is then shown on the customisable display. If you know the distance to the target (e.g. using a laser rangefinder), this can be seamlessly adjusted in the display by rotating the elevation turret.
- Steiner eRANGER LRF 10x42 binoculars with rangefinder and new Impact Locator. Together with the Steiner Connect App 2.0, this makes hunting much more precise and easier. In addition, owners of an eRANGER 8 riflescope can use the Bluetooth function of the eRANGER LRF to transmit the measured distance directly to the riflescope.
If you want to see more and also want to see some impressions in video, you should take a look at our social media channels. Our editorial colleagues @marijan_aa1shooting and @t.shooting.journey would of course also be delighted to receive a "follow".
More information on all new Beretta firearms can be found on the manufacturer's website.
You can find everything else about Steiner optics for hunters and sport shooters at www.steiner.de.
Here you can find more information about the Müller Shooting Centre Ulm (German only).
