Team Vihtavuori member Bruce Piatt shot a superb match to win the 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup Pistol Championship. Piatt recorded a remarkable 1920 – 178X score to secure his seventh Bianchi Cup championship title. To shoot 1920-178X, Bruce had to hit every target in the match — a very impressive accomplishment.
The 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup was hosted by Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Hallsville, Missouri on May 23-26, 2023. The Bianchi Cup, the second longest-running action pistol championship, has a 40+ years history and attracts top pistol shooters from around the world. Shooters compete in multiple events including the Barricade, Falling Plate, Practical, and Moving Target.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) now oversees the Bianchi Cup competition, previously run by the National Rifle Association.
The talented Piatt, who competes with the .38 Super cartridge powered by Vihtavuori N320 powder, also brought home the Law Enforcement Championship title. With near perfect shooting conditions, Piatt was in a tight race with Australian Shooter Mark Blake who placed second. Fellow Team Vihtavuori member Doug Koenig finished third overall.
Editor’s Note: Vihtavuori N320 is our favorite powder for .45 ACP target loads. It is very accurate and burns cleaner, with fewer sparks, than any other brand of powder we have tried for the .45 ACP. We highly recommend N320 and the slightly faster N310.
Here are Bruce Piatt’s Scores for Each Event Round:
About Vihtavuori
Vihtavuori is renowned its clean burning and temperature stable smokeless powders that have great lot-to-lot consistency. Vihtavuori is imported by Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Vihtavuori.com.
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Shooting Sports USA has an article of interest to competitive shooters who also enjoy hunting. This article was authored by Josh Honeycutt, a highly-accomplished hunter. To explain how competitive shooting can improve hunting skills, Honeycutt interviewed two leading pro shooters who both hunt: Doug Koenig and Bruce Piatt. The story outlines eight ways competitive shooting can help develop shooting skills and a mental awareness that will help hunters. Thorough the eight points, the article explains how skills learned in competition can help deliver better results during your hunts.
Bruce Piatt was born in a typical 1961 suburban family, the youngest of 4 boys. Living in New Jersey, Bruce took an interest in his grandfather’s guns. Sometime around age 10 or 11, he began asking his father to take him hunting and shooting.
Fast forward five decades — Bruce Piatt is now one of the world’s best shooters, a World Shooting Championship winner, and the 2019 Bianchi Cup overall match winner. This was Bruce’s sixth Bianchi Cup Victory. Now in his late 50s, Bruce definitely proves that Old Guys Rule!
Last week Bruce Piatt won his sixth NRA Bianchi Cup National Action Pistol Championship with a 1920-179X score. He secured his latest Open Class title one year after shoulder surgery and on the 10th anniversary of his previous Bianchi Cup win. Piatt’s prior Bianchi Cup victories were in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2005, and 2009.
The Bianch Cup competition has four events: the Practical, Barricade, Falling Plates and the Moving Target. Competitors shoot all four events at varying distances and times, prone and standing, use both strong and weak hand. It is very challenging.
Commenting on the pressures of Bianchi Cup compeition, Piatt observed: “When you’re into your final stage with other competitors in contention of winning, the tension is high. That’s when I have to keep the fight between me and the targets.” Piatt added “All of my equipment ran flawlessly[.]”
Bruce Piatt 2019 Bianchi Cup Equipment
Firearm: Caspian Arms 1911 .38 Super customized for Open Division
Optics: Burris Optic Red Dot XTS-135
Bullets: Sierra 115 grain JHP
Brass: Starline .38 Super
Powder: Vihtavuori N320 Powder
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Tim Yackley, a 19-year-old college student, beat shooting sports superstars to win the 2018 NRA World Shooting Championship conducted this past weekend in West Virginia. Capturing 74% of all available points on the event’s 12 stages, Yackley beat multiple past champions to become the youngest-ever title holder. With his victory, Yackley earned a $25,000 pay-out, most of which will help defray his college expenses. Last year’s 2017 World Shooting champion Greg Jordan finished second overall, while 2015 World Shooting Champion Bruce Piatt finished third. Living legend Jerry Miculek was fourth while his daughter Lena Miculek was the top lady shooter.
Young Yackley is Expert with Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun
Yackley was strong with all the firearms types, showing no weaknesses. The WSC combines rifle, pistol, and shotgun stages, with all firearms provided by the gun-makers. There is everything from cowboy action lever guns and revolvers to modern ARs and tactical bolt-guns. After his big win, Yackley commented: “I was just focused on shooting my stages and doing my best. I want to thank the sponsors who have been part of my progress as a shooter, and thank all the people who have given advice, encouragement and have believed in me.”
Shooting Sports USA reports: “Yackley’s best showing was for Stage 12… the new cross-country biathlon stage. Incurring no penalties, he had no misses for a final score of 57.02 — the highest score of all shooters for the stage.” Yackley’s impressive scattergun skills helped him score high in many other stages. In 2015, Yackley earned a shotgun bronze medal at the 2015 IPSC Int’l Championship, and in June of this year (2018), he finished seventh at the 2018 IPSC World Shotgun Championship in France.
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How’d you like to score a check for $25,000? That’s the winner’s pay-out for the 2017 NRA World Shooting Championship (WSC), which runs September 14-16 at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, WV. This event offers over $250,000 in cash awards and product prizes, making the WSC the richest combined shooting event in the USA (if not the world).
WSC Highlight Video with Competitor Interviews:
You can still Register for the WSC — though remaining spots are filling up fast. It ain’t cheap — Pros pay $395 while amateurs and juniors pay $325. Keep in mind though that all guns and AMMO are supplied. This unique 3-day multi-gun match tests competitors’ skills across twelve challenging stages involving nearly every major shooting discipline for rifles, shotguns, and pistols. REGISTER HERE.
All the Equipment is Supplied
“What makes this event very unique, especially to a professional shooter, is all the equipment is supplied. You have to leave your ego at home and just try to adapt as best you can to the equipment that you have supplied.” — Jerry Miculek
This major match attracts both sponsored Pros and “regular Joes”. For 2017, shooters will be split into two groups: a Professional Division for sponsored shooters, and the Amateur Division for non-sponsored competitors. All firearms, optics, and ammo will be provided by match sponsors for both divisions. “This year the NRA is going back to basics and returning the match to the original format of two divisions for professionals and amateurs, putting everyone on an even playing field”, said Cole McCulloch, NRA Competitive Shooting Director.
Video Shows 2014 World Shooting Champion SFC Daniel Horner in 3-Gun Stage
Cash Awards, Huge Prize Table, and New Random Drawings
The NRA World Shooting Championship will offer $250,000 in cash and prizes. Along with the $25,000 winner’s pay-out, there will be fat cash prizes for second and third place overall, High Lady, and High Amateur Junior. Then there are the prize tables — a real treasure trove. The designated Amateur prize table by itself will offer products and certificates topping $100,000 in value.
NEW Random Drawings — The WSC has added a new type of prize for 2017. Ten (10) Random Draw Prize Winners of $400 will be chosen during the WSC Awards Banquet. These random drawings give every competitor a chance to win cash, no matter what their event ranking.
Match entry fees are $395 for Professionals, $325 for Amateurs and Juniors. All firearms and ammunition are provided, and entry fees include one awards banquet ticket. For more information, visit WSC.NRA.org, call the WSC Coordinator at 703-267-1479, or email NRAhighpower@nrahq.org. On the official WSC.NRA.org you’ll find descriptions fo the 12 WSC stages. In addition, there is information about Peacemaker National Training Center and nearby lodging options.
How to Win the World Shooting Championship
“The format at the NRA World Shooting Championship is unique in that you don’t know what you have to shoot until you show up, so training for the event is a little difficult. My advice is to pack some good eye and ear protection, bring an open mind, be prepared to listen to the stage descriptions, figure out the best way you can take the guns they provide, and post the best score you can. When the match supplies all the guns and ammo, all you have to do is deal with ‘the performance’. This is the most level playing field in the shooting sports — anyone from around the world can come and play.” — Bruce Piatt, 2015 NRA World Shooting Champion
Competitors can register in one of two divisions: professional and amateur. The pro division is reserved for shooters who possess sponsorships, receive financial support for their competitive shooting or those who have been part of specialized firearms teams. All other shooters register in the amateur division. The playing field is completely level — every competitor uses the same guns, optics and ammunition. No competitors are allowed to bring their own gear, so everyone starts the match on equal footing.
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How’d you like to score a check for $25,000? That’s the winner’s pay-out for the 2017 World Shooting Championship (WSC), which runs September 14-16 at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, WV. This event offers over $250,000 in cash awards and product prizes, making the WSC the richest combined shooting event in the USA (if not the world). This unique 3-day multi-gun match tests competitors’ skills across twelve challenging stages involving nearly every major shooting discipline for rifles, shotguns, and pistols.
This major match attracts both sponsored Pros and “regular Joes”. For 2017, shooters will be split into two groups: a Professional Division for sponsored shooters, and the Amateur Division for non-sponsored competitors. All firearms, optics, and ammo will be provided by match sponsors for both divisions. “This year the NRA is going back to basics and returning the match to the original format of two divisions for professionals and amateurs, putting everyone on an even playing field”, said Cole McCulloch, NRA Competitive Shooting Director.
WSC Highlight Video with Competitor Interviews:
What the Competitors Have to Say:
“We’ve been waiting all our lives for a match like this, so we can come over (from the UK) [and] shoot guns that we can’t even own in the UK, because of the laws. What the NRA has done is really great — this is a ground-breaking type of match.” John C., Amateur Competitor (UK)
“The main reason I signed up is just the ease of it… I don’t have to have thousands of dollars worth of guns. It’s a good way to try out all the different events.” — M.J., Amateur Competitor
“What makes this event very unique, especially to a professional shooter, is all the equipment is supplied. You have to leave your ego at home and just try to adapt as best you can to the equipment that you have supplied.” — Jerry Miculek
Video Shows 2014 World Shooting Champion SFC Daniel Horner in 3-Gun Stage
Cash Awards, Huge Prize Table, and New Random Drawings
The NRA World Shooting Championship will offer $250,000 in cash and prizes. Along with the $25,000 winner’s pay-out, there will be fat cash prizes for second and third place overall, High Lady, and High Amateur Junior. Then there are the prize tables — a real treasure trove. The designated Amateur prize table by itself will offer products and certificates topping $100,000 in value.
NEW Random Drawings — The WSC has added a new type of prize for 2017. Ten (10) Random Draw Prize Winners of $400 will be chosen during the WSC Awards Banquet. These random drawings give every competitor a chance to win cash, no matter what their event ranking.
Match entry fees are $395 for Professionals, $325 for Amateurs and Juniors. All firearms and ammunition are provided, and entry fees include one awards banquet ticket. For more information, visit WSC.NRA.org, call 703-267-1479, or email NRAhighpower@nrahq.org.
How to Win the World Shooting Championship
As first published in the NRA Blog, here are competition tips from 2015 NRA World Shooting Champion Bruce Piatt, and Dianna Muller, the top female competitor at the 2015 WSC:
“The format at the NRA World Shooting Championship is unique in that you don’t know what you have to shoot until you show up, so training for the event is a little difficult. My advice is to pack some good eye and ear protection, bring an open mind, be prepared to listen to the stage descriptions, figure out the best way you can take the guns they provide, and post the best score you can. When the match supplies all the guns and ammo, all you have to do is deal with ‘the performance’. This is the most level playing field in the shooting sports — anyone from around the world can come and play.” — Bruce Piatt
“The [WSC] is such a different breed — it’s really a difficult match for which to prepare! You are tackling disciplines outside your expertise and using guns you aren’t familiar with, and that can really rattle your nerves if you don’t prepare for that mental challenge. But you can use this match design to your advantage. Remove all expectations, because, who is great at ALL the disciplines (besides Jerry Miculek)?! Give yourself some room to be ‘not so great’, focus on the fundamentals and try to enjoy the match. It is kind of liberating throwing everything to the wind and seeing how you stack up against all kinds of shooters!” — Dianna Muller
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The 2016 NRA World Shooting Championship (WSC) takes place September 15th through 17th, 2016 at the Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, West Virginia. The richest multi-gun event in North America, boasting $250,000 in cash and prizes, the WSC attracts the world’s best multi-gun shooters. This unique 3-day multi-gun match tests competitors’ skills across twelve stages sampling nearly every major shooting discipline (rifle, shotgun, and pistol). To be honest, the WSC is mostly a “run and gun” speed game, but competitors still must engage small targets at long range, so genuine marksmanship skills are required.
This year there will be three divisions: Open Professional, Stock Professional, and Amateur. Stock Professionals and Amateurs will use provided guns and ammo. But a 2016 WSC Rule change allows Open Pro competitors to bring their own firearms and ammunition for the match. Allowing the top Pros to shoot their own, optimized match guns should produce faster times and higher scores (plus fewer complaints about off-the-shelf guns that aren’t zeroed or don’t run right).
How to Win the World Shooting Championship
As first published in the NRA Blog, here are competition tips from reigning overall NRA World Shooting Champion Bruce Piatt, and Dianna Muller, the top female competitor at the 2015 WSC:
“The format at the NRA World Shooting Championship is unique in that you don’t know what you have to shoot until you show up, so training for the event is a little difficult. My advice is to pack some good eye and ear protection, bring an open mind, be prepared to listen to the stage descriptions, figure out the best way you can take the guns they provide, and post the best score you can. When the match supplies all the guns and ammo, all you have to do is deal with ‘the performance’. This is the most level playing field in the shooting sports — anyone from around the world can come and play.” — Bruce Piatt
“The NRA World Shooting Championship match is such a different breed — it’s really a difficult match for which to prepare! Over the past two years, I’ve learned to relax. I focus on relaxing in my own sport, because when you focus on the expectations over the procedure, it usually never works out in the shooter’s favor. The same goes for this match. You are tackling disciplines outside your expertise and using guns you aren’t familiar with, and that can really rattle your nerves if you don’t prepare for that mental challenge. But you can use this match design to your advantage. Remove all expectations, because, who is great at ALL the disciplines (besides Jerry Miculek)?! Give yourself some room to be ‘not so great’, focus on the fundamentals and try to enjoy the match. It is kind of liberating throwing everything to the wind and seeing how you stack up against all kinds of shooters! Coming from such a gear intensive sport as 3-Gun, I really enjoy walking up to 12 different stages and shooting guns and ammo that are provided. Although there may be issues with that format, it’s a great way to level the playing field, get down to brass tacks and see who is the most well rounded world champion shooter!” — Dianna Muller
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Well the lady did it… Taya Kyle (Chris Kyle’s widow), triumphed over Bruce Piatt, reigning NRA World Shooting Champion (see below). Using Tracking Point “Intelligent” firearms, Taya won the much-publicized American Sniper Shootout, hitting every one of the 29 targets (Piatt hit only 58% of his targets). In the process, Taya earned $500,000 for the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation. Here’s a Fox News Video covering the event, which was held Saturday, December 5, 2015 in Mason, Texas.
This unique competition pitted a novice shooter armed with Tracking Point’s rifle systems against a World Champion-level shooter in a head-to-head competition. There were 29 targets total, with a variety of shooting scenarios and distances.
Taya Kyle Earned $500,000 for the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation.
To the surprise of many in attendance, Taya Kyle, the widow of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, soundly beat the reigning WSC champion. She hit every one of her targets, while Bruce missed more than 40%. Taya used Tracking Point’s precision-guided M600 and M800 firearms, while Bruce competed with M4A1, M110, and M2010 basic military rifles. Bruce certainly was motivated. Had he won the Shootout, he would have received a $1,000,000 prize. But, in the end, it wasn’t even close. Taya hit all the targets, while Bruce hit less than two-thirds.
The competition involved an unusual course of fire. Outdoor Hub’s Daniel Xu reports: “The American Sniper Shootout was unlike most other competitions. The environment was built to imitate the layout of Sadr City [Iraq], where Chris Kyle made his famous 2,100-yard shot on an enemy insurgent. The competition itself reflected war-like conditions instead of traditional shooting competitions and both shooters were tasked with making difficult shots. The most difficult part of the shootout was when Kyle and her opponent had to make blind shots from cover, simulating a scenario in which soldiers had to shoot while under enemy fire.”
While the Tracking Point “precision guidance” system helped Taya aim and break the shot precisely, the Tracking Point system does not call the wind. The “operator” must still make a wind call, input wind speed and direction, and then the Tracking Point system, using internal ballistics tables, will adjust the aiming point accordingly in the scope’s viewfinder/reticle. Apparently the system works well enough to enable Taya to prevail over a very experienced shooter.
Bruce Piatt, 2015 WSC Champion
Bruce Piatt won the 2015 NRA World Shooting Championship (WSC). The WSC is a multi-discipline event involving pistols, rifles, and shotguns with targets out to 1K and beyond. Bruce competed against many top shooters including previous WSC winner SFC Daniel Horner of the USAMU.
Over his shooting career, Piatt has also won World and National titles in USPSA/IPSC, Steel Challenge, Bianchi Cup, Sportsman’s Team Challenge, Masters Pistol Championship, and the SOF Tactical 3-Gun disciplines.
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2015 WSC Champion Bruce Piatt with $25,000 check. At right is Diana Muller, WSC women’s champion.
Bruce Piatt out-gunned 218 competitors to win the 2015 NRA World Shooting Championship (WSC), a 12-stage event that required mastery of all types of firearms. How did Piatt manage the win? Versatility. Unlike many top competitors who shoot one or two disciplines, over the past 30 years Piatt has shot anything (and everything) he could fit into his schedule. Piatt told reporters: “If it goes bang, you can count me in — whether it’s Sportsman’s Team Challenge, SOF Tactical, Precision Long Range, and Bianchi Cup — I’ll shoot anything.”
Piatt’s WSC performance earned him a $25,000 check from the NRA. Piatt has been noted for his ability to “break down” stages, creating a “plan of attack” that caters to his strengths. That ability gave Piatt a “winning edge” in the complex WSC match. Piatt out-shot many of the best action shooters in the world, including 2014 WSC champion SFC Daniel Horner of the USAMU, who finished second this year. Here are the Top 20 final standings. Note that Nightforce Optics Marketing Manager Sean Murphy finished eighth overall, pretty impressive for a fellow with a full-time job in the business world.
Bruce Piatt has won multiple world and national shooting titles. He is a 5-time Bianchi Cup National Champion and 5-time winner of the SOF World Tactical 3-Gun Championship. A former law enforcement officer, Piatt has won the USPSA Law Enforcement Division National Championship 20 times. Piatt is the founder of Bruce Piatt Training Concepts LLC, which offers Police, Military, and Civilian shooting instruction and pistol-smithing classes. For more information, visit www.BrucePiatt.com.
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SFC Daniel Horner USAMU file photo (not from 2015 WSC).
For the past three days, the NRA World Shoooting Championship (WSC) has been underway at the Peacemaker Nat’l Training Center in West Virginia. If you’re curious about this event, which offers $250,000 worth of cash and prizes, check out this September 26th video showing SFC Dan Horner (last year’s WSC winner) in the 3-Gun Stage. Horner displays his ability to transition rapidly from one gun to the next while acquiring targets with Robocop-like efficiency. This year, Horner finished second overall, just three points behind newly-crowned 2015 WSC Winner Bruce Piatt (2631 points).
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Team Vihtavuori member Bruce Piatt shot a superb match to win the 2023 CMP Bianchi Cup Pistol Championship. Piatt recorded a remarkable 1920 – 178X score to secure his seventh Bianchi Cup championship title. To shoot 1920-178X, Bruce had to hit every target in the match — a very impressive accomplishment.
Editor’s Note: Vihtavuori N320 is our favorite powder for .45 ACP target loads. It is very accurate and burns cleaner, with fewer sparks, than any other brand of powder we have tried for the .45 ACP. We highly recommend N320 and the slightly faster N310.
Bruce Piatt was born in a typical 1961 suburban family, the youngest of 4 boys. Living in New Jersey, Bruce took an interest in his grandfather’s guns. Sometime around age 10 or 11, he began asking his father to take him hunting and shooting.
“The NRA World Shooting Championship match is such a different breed — it’s really a difficult match for which to prepare! Over the past two years, I’ve learned to relax. I focus on relaxing in my own sport, because when you focus on the expectations over the procedure, it usually never works out in the shooter’s favor. The same goes for this match. You are tackling disciplines outside your expertise and using guns you aren’t familiar with, and that can really rattle your nerves if you don’t prepare for that mental challenge. But you can use this match design to your advantage. Remove all expectations, because, who is great at ALL the disciplines (besides Jerry Miculek)?! Give yourself some room to be ‘not so great’, focus on the fundamentals and try to enjoy the match. It is kind of liberating throwing everything to the wind and seeing how you stack up against all kinds of shooters! Coming from such a gear intensive sport as 3-Gun, I really enjoy walking up to 12 different stages and shooting guns and ammo that are provided. Although there may be issues with that format, it’s a great way to level the playing field, get down to brass tacks and see who is the most well rounded world champion shooter!” — Dianna Muller
Bruce Piatt, 2015 WSC Champion
