Gualandi

In 1948 Elio Gualandi founds the Elio Gualandi Graphic Arts, which makes him well-known in this field, but in 1950 he starts introducing his brand in the world of cartridges, having inherited his family's passion for hunting. In 1955/1957, on some famous cartridge manufacturers' request, he creates a cardboard pad for closing cartridges with automatic machines.

The novelty of this cardboard pad lies in the shot number printed on both sides, which the subsequent name "Bistampato" is to be ascribed to: this pad is still in great demand all over the world and it differs from common pads thanks to its quality, gauge, thickness, and, above all, its centred and very clear print. In the same period he designs a plastic Wad which can be loaded from both sides, suitable for the then machines, and functioning by introducing cork or felt thickness of required height in contact with shots; this Wad will later be equipped with a self-adjustable element in its central part and it will be called "Biorientabile".

From a novelty to another, in the years 1959/1960 Gualandi throws on the market a plastic Container-Wad, the leader in the world thanks to its damping system between the Container and the base of the wad: this system is a self-adjusting ring which will subsequently be changed into the so-called tubular element. In that period some prototypes of wads with containers are already available, but they have a rigid structure or they are simple "glasses" inside which cork thickness is introduced, to obtain the required height. This Gualandi achievement is coldly welcomed by technicians, as they are used to rigid wadding, but Gualandi's creation turns out to be such an innovation, if we cannot dare to call it invention, that the market soon tends to this kind of Wad. Therefore, forgers are about, but the self-adjustable Wad remains a Gualandi achievement.

Gualandi's endless creativeness cannot easily be imitated; it is only possible to forge or adapt the tubular system dating back to the Sixties. Therefore, non-original wads available today are merely attempts to forge Gualandi Patents. The tubular system leads to the unbeatable Super G Wad, available in 12 versions, considering heights and gauges. In 1977 Gualandi carries out the first tests which will later lead to the Borra-Proiettile: the SABOT prototype is an undergauged, bowler-shaped slug, placed inside a kind of shell which, pushed by the Wad, breaks into four parts on leaving the barrel. Gualandi soon rejects this component, as it does not offer good results on target. Thanks to his acquired experience and to high technology Gualandi starts planning and manufacturing a new slug for smooth barrels, having such features as to be the most precise in the world. Three years and innumerable prototypes later, this aim has been reached: today, thanks to its excellent test results, the Borra-Proiettile can be considered The Leader in the World.

In February 2011, following the acquisition of the company by VASINI & DIANA s.r.l., the new group owned by Mr. Renato Ballabio named VASINI, DIANA & GUALANDI was born. Then, in December 2018, as a result of a merger of the different companies of the group, Gualandi becomes a division of the new company RB srl. The new company counts Customers from over 50 countries and produces a very wide range of components for hunting ammo and for military/defense market.