B&T Respond to Catastrophic Factory Fire Attack

by Matthew Moss
Published: November 1st, 2026

On 29 October, B&T’s facilities in Thun, Switzerland were badly damaged by a suspected arson attack. B&T’s main building, flagship store, and indoor shooting range were impacted. Local police have called for witnesses and continue to investigate. B&T have shared some photos of the fire and its aftermath.


B&T Press Release / Operations Bulletin on the Arson Attack:

WE STAND TOGETHER. WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED. WE WILL NOT BE DEFEATED. WE WILL COME BACK STRONGER.

B&T USA & B&T AG OPERATIONS UPDATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement by B&T AG on Recent Events

“The recent events, including the destruction of our operational facilities, have deeply affected us. They have caused substantial damage and placed an extraordinary burden on our company and our employees.

Our message to those responsible for these acts is clear and unequivocal:

You can damage or destroy our buildings. You can destroy our machinery, equipment and materials. You can inflict enormous financial losses upon us. You can threaten our management and attempt to intimidate and discredit us and our entire industry. But there is one thing you will never achieve: bringing B&T and our industry to their knees!

Because you cannot destroy what truly defines B&T: our people, our knowledge, our experience, our passion, our convictions and our solidarity. We have built this company over decades through hard work, perseverance and responsible entrepreneurship. We are straightforward, honest and stand by one another. We have endured difficult times, overcome challenges, solved problems and consistently found new ways forward. And that is exactly what we will do again.

We respect differing opinions, political beliefs and the right to peaceful criticism – including criticism of our company and our industry. Open and even controversial debate is an essential part of a democratic society. What we will never accept, however, is violence, destruction of property, threats or intimidation as a means of political or social confrontation. No one has the right to pressure people through threats or to prevent companies from carrying out their lawful activities through violence and destruction.

We trust that the competent authorities will thoroughly investigate these events, establish responsibility and ensure that any criminal offences identified are prosecuted in accordance with the rule of law and due legal process.

Regardless of the outcome, one thing remains certain:

Our motto is, and always will be:

We stand together.
We will not be intimidated.
We will not be defeated.
We will come back stronger.

B&T is far more than buildings, machinery or material assets. B&T is a community of people who believe in their work, take responsibility and stand by one another, even in the most difficult of times. Our strength lies not only in what we have built, but above all in the people who make this company what it is every single day.

We will overcome the damage that has been inflicted, continue our work and move forward with the same conviction and determination with which we have built B&T over the past decades. Violence will not silence us. Threats will not deter us from our path. And destruction will not break our unity. We have faith in the rule of law and trust that justice will prevail.

- B&T AG

This statement by B&T AG addresses the impact of recent events on the company. Determining the cause of the fire, identifying those responsible and assessing any criminal liability remain the responsibility of the competent authorities.”

https://www.thefirearmblog.com...fire-attack-44831293

Numerous pictures of significant damage to the B&T facility at the link...

Are more people learning that arson and explosive attacks are the appropriate way to express their disagreements these days? The Russians are believed to be dropping explosive drones on countries with whom they’re not even illegally at war with, and does anyone care? In this country, anyway?

I see B&T or B&T AG at least 11 times...
But not once does the article tell me what that is or what those letters represent.

It's a pet peeve of mine when people use letters or acronyms without telling their audience what they mean.

From Wikipedia,
B&T
Type AG
Industry Defence
Founded May 1991; 35 years ago
Founder Karl Brügger, Heinrich Thomet
Headquarters Thun, Switzerland
Key people Karl Brügger (CEO)
Products Firearms, Ammunitions, Accessories, Clothing
Services Import, export, trade, manufacturing
Number of employees 70
Website bt-ag.ch/en

B&T AG, formerly Brügger & Thomet AG, is a Swiss defence supplier specializing in the design and manufacturing of firearms and tactical components like sound suppressors and rail systems. The company is based in Thun southeast of Bern, Switzerland.
Overview

B&T consists of a trading and a manufacturing division. The trading division works mainly to supply the domestic law enforcement and military market, representing global companies in the industry including Heckler & Koch, Aimpoint, SureFire, and others. The company is also involved in the import and export of other war material including small arms, ammunition and related accessories.

Brügger & Thomet AG was established in May 1991 by Karl Brügger and Heinrich Thomet to produce suppressors for the domestic Swiss market. In 1997, Brügger & Thomet was converted into an AG.[2] In the fall of 2005, Heinrich Thomet withdrew from the enterprise and sold his shares to Brügger, who remains the sole owner of B&T.[3] The company was ISO 9001:2008 certified in 2005. The company name was changed to B&T AG in 2011. B&T reported 50 employees in 2014, and 70 employees in 2017.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
I see B&T or B&T AG at least 11 times...
But not once does the article tell me what that is or what those letters represent.

It's a pet peeve of mine when people use letters or acronyms without telling their audience what they mean.

B&T - Brügger & Thomet

B&T AG = B&T Switzerland --> https://bt-ag.ch/en/
vs. B&T USA --> https://bt-usa.com/

Not sure how who B&T is, and what a European Corp Code is could escape you?? All of this is WELL known in the firearms industry/community. There have been entire threads here on B&T Firearms and Suppressors, primarily in the 'Suppressed Weapons' sub-forum.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
I see B&T or B&T AG at least 11 times...
But not once does the article tell me what that is or what those letters represent.

Now if it said BLT…well, them’s fighting words! Can you imagine, a world with no more BLT’s?

quote:

Now if it said BLT…well, them’s fighting words! Can you imagine, a world with no more BLT’s?

I know, right?
Now, if I used the acronym BLAT... I would have to explain: Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado and Tomato.

I have been interested in firearms for well over 60 years, lived in Europe off and on for nearly 10 years, and been a member here for 24 years, but didn’t know who/what B&T Switzerland was before this thread.

Perhaps now I should start assuming that everyone understands all the fine points of scope sight glass characteristics or external rifle ballistics because of how often they have been discussed here.

There is nothing quite so arrogantly ignorant as assuming what everyone else should know.

Instead of complaining look it up.
https://lmgtfy.com/

Ah, yes: the ever-popular, “Look it up yourself.”
If we must go elsewhere for the basic information that must be known to understand the purpose of a post, why post it here at all?

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
Instead of complaining look it up.
https://lmgtfy.com/

Which I did, and posted above...
for the benefit of those who don't want to have to look it up.

^^^^^
I was trying to be tactful. It was missed. As everyone now knows, even the complainers, B&T is a high end Swiss firearms manufacturer. They also have the CURRENT contract for the Army’s SCW (PCC).

With those two facts, and this being a high end firearms forum, it is NOT unreasonable for a poster to assume members would know who B&T is. Instead of complaining, in the future, look it up.

Notwithstanding the B&T designation meaning taking over the discussion, I thought their response was well written.

We respect differing opinions, political beliefs and the right to peaceful criticism – including criticism of our company and our industry. Open and even controversial debate is an essential part of a democratic society. What we will never accept, however, is violence, destruction of property, threats or intimidation as a means of political or social confrontation. No one has the right to pressure people through threats or to prevent companies from carrying out their lawful activities through violence and destruction.

You guys are being ridiculous! Remind me to NEVER post about 'HK'...Uhhh, Heckler & Koch either!

And for the record, I wasn't free-styling and didn't abbreviate anything. B&T is neither an acronym, or abbreviation I created here! B&T does business as B&T.

I will thank the original poster for mentioning that the B&T involved was in Switzerland. My first thought was, “Oh, no: No more angled foregrips?”
(If you don’t know what that refers to, look it up. And good luck to you. )

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
I thought their response was well written.

We respect differing opinions, political beliefs and the right to peaceful criticism – including criticism of our company and our industry. Open and even controversial debate is an essential part of a democratic society. What we will never accept, however, is violence, destruction of property, threats or intimidation as a means of political or social confrontation. No one has the right to pressure people through threats or to prevent companies from carrying out their lawful activities through violence and destruction.

I agree.

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:
You guys are being ridiculous! Remind me to NEVER post about 'HK'...Uhhh, Heckler & Koch either!

And for the record, I didn't abbreviate anything. B&T is neither an acronym, or abbreviation I created here! B&T does business as B&T.

Since your whole first post was a cut-and-paste, why not blame the author instead of getting defensive? Writing his whole article without framing the context for the reader was either shitty journalism, or it was consciously written for a restricted readership of industry insider junkies who not only know what "B&T" is, but snicker a little at those of us who don't.

One might think a firearms MFG of their size would have legit security measures in place. Or, were they forced to stand down and let it burn by their own Government?

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I ... didn’t know who/what B&T Switzerland was before this thread.

Me neither.

This is the wake-up call for all firearm manufacturers to beef up security 1000%.