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IWA 2026 | We present our first ultra-light repeater AERA 1 | Titanium 3D printing - let us surprise you
IWA 2026: Adrenalin instead of caffeine - FBT redefines the limits of what is possible with the AERA 1
BUY IWA ONLINE TICKETIt is 26 February 2026, and in the halls of the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre there is a concentrated silence before the big rush begins. Those who visit us at the Fine Ballistic Tools (FBT) stand in Hall 3A / Stand number 324 is not looking for small talk and certainly not a tired trade fair coffee.
Our visitors are looking for precision, radical weight reduction and the answer to the question: How light can a high-performance rifle actually be?
The IWA 2026: A venue of superlatives
This year's IWA emphasises its position as the world's leading trade fair for hunting and shooting sports. With over 1,100 exhibitors from all over the world the momentum is palpable.
But we are noticing a trend: the time of heavy, clunky equipment is finally over. „Smart & Light“ is the unofficial motto of the trade fair. For us, this is a home game. We don't just occupy a niche - we have played a key role in shaping it with our carbon solutions.
Precision through evolution: AERA 1 additive manufacturing and the FBT carbon ecosystem
While the halls at IWA 2026 are flooded with trade visitors from all over the world, we hold endless technical discussions at our stand.
The number one topic: How do we manage (or have we managed) to make a gun weighing less than two kilograms not only shoot, but be more accurate than many heavy match rifles?
The answer lies in the molecular structure of our components. The combination of high-tech materials from aviation with the traditional gunsmith's craft. The result stands before us today on the presentation table: the AERA 1.
The SLM process: Titanium rethought
The centrepiece of the AERA 1 Ultralight hunting rifle is that System housing made of titanium grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI). In conventional production, we would have to mill away around 80 % of material from a solid block.
This is not only inefficient, but also restricts the geometry. Due to the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) we build the housing layer by layer with a precision of 30 micrometres.
The bionic structure and vibration damping
We have taken nature as our model. The housing of the AERA 1 is not a massive block, but has an internal Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structure. The AI-generated image takes time to understand the image.
This honeycomb structure gives us an unbeatable stiffness-to-weight ratio.
In physical terms, this optimises the natural frequency of the system. The Stiffness k and the Mass m determine the Resonant frequency fn:
By increasing the rigidity through the massively increase the bionic structure, while we have the mass, we shift the natural frequencies into a range that hardly influences the harmonic oscillations of the barrel when firing.
The result is extremely smooth shooting behaviour, which was previously thought to be impossible with such a light gun.
Integrated thermal management
An often overlooked advantage of additive manufacturing is heat dissipation. In the housing of the AERA 1 we have Microscopic cooling channels which increase the surface area. During rapid firing sequences - for example in a shooting cinema or when hunting abroad - the titanium dissipates heat more efficiently than a solid steel system.
This prevents the point of impact from „wandering“ due to thermal tension.
Synergy of components: The complete system 100% Made in Austria
An AERA 1 is only as good as its weakest link. That is why we are presenting the complete package at the IWA:
- System: 3D-printed titanium with integrated optics assembly.
- Barrel: A fluted barrel that harmonises perfectly with the titanium receiver.
- Atzl ball trigger
- Damping: The INCA Ti silencer, which guides the gases through an internal geometry that is also additively manufactured.
- Integrated SWAROVSKI mounting rail
- The overall concept is a 100% Made in Austria complete weapon.
| Component | Material advantage | Weight saving vs. standard |
| AERA 1 Receiver | Titanium Grade 23 | minus 45% |
| UNIC shaft | High-modulus carbon | minus 60% |
| INCA damper | 3D titanium core | minus 35% |
Conclusion: Why „good“ is not good enough for us
The response here in Nuremberg and at the High Hunting in Austria shows us that the market has been waiting for this technological leap.
We are no longer talking about nuances, but about a new category of hunting weapons. The AERA 1 is the result of the courage to take risks and the uncompromising use of state-of-the-art manufacturing processes.
We at FBT are proud that we not only supply components, but also fulfil a promise: The perfect hunting rifle for the toughest conditions. Anyone who has ever experienced the lightness of an AERA 1 in combination with the precision of our carbon fibre stocks will see the hunting world with different eyes.
IWA 2026 is just the beginning for us. The Additive manufacturing opens doors, that we only dreamed of five years ago. We invite every trade visitor to take the AERA 1 in their hands - but beware: every other weapon will feel as heavy as lead afterwards.
