As an ignorant American, Italy seems interesting.

- maybe more gun companies per capita than any other country (especially shotgun companies (Beretta, Benelli, Franchi, Sabatti, Perazzi, Rizzini, Guerini, etc).  In the case of Sabatti and Beretta, they are 400 and 500 years old.  
- dominates Olympic/International/Bunker trap shooting
- lots of Italian ammunition companies

Is shooting common?  Is it socially acceptable?  Can you freely talk about shooting trap at work?

With so many great sporting shotgun companies, it seems like clay target sports would be very popular.

I am not Italian, but understand that Italy:

-bans or once banned civilian possession of 9x19mm guns and ammo, along with 7.62 NATO.  Rather, its possible to get a permit to own handguns in 9x21mm and a hunting rifle in 7mm-08 as a close compromises.

-bans the sport of USPSA and any sort of training class.  USPSA was once "combat pistol competition" and Italian law forbids people from recieving any type of training or practice of the type police or military do.

-allowed however is "IPSC" - which goes to great length to distance itself from any sort of "combat pistol" competition.  

Keep in mind that Italy is well aware of its past as a member of the Axis in WWII and they have had bad experiences with private armies.  I understand Italy's motivation in passing these laws even if, as an American, I would oppose such laws.

Registration and permits are the norm in every European country.  Concealed carry is impossible.

If I am wrong about these laws, please post a correction.

Most of the antiguns laws in Italy are related with the terrorism of the mid '70s.
before that we could even own machineguns.

today the only "military" calibers still banned are the 9x19 and .50BMG
suppressors & grenade launchers are banned.

we can own a limited number of guns/ammo but the license to own them is not hard to get.
concealed carry is legal but the permit is way more hard to get.

most of the gun owners are hunters but dynamic shooting competitions are getting more and more popular since the hi capacity magazine ban expired.