Bernosky Wins NRA High Power Championship
Pennsylvanian Carl R. Bernosky won top honors at the 2007 National Rifle Association High Power Rifle Championship Matches held at Camp Perry, Ohio, from August 6-10, at the Centennial Camp Perry Matches. A shooter with over 30 years of experience on the firing line at Camp Perry, Bernosky has previously won this prestigious award seven times.
To take first place and win the title of High Power Rifle champion, Bernosky posted a score of 1787 points and 89 tie-breaking hits called Xs. He was awarded the prestigious Mumma Trophy for his achievement. Second place went to David Tubb of Canadian, Texas, with a score of 1779-86X. Tubb also won second place in the National Match Rifle Championship. Third place went to Ronald L. Zerr of El Paso, Texas, who posted a score of 1776-75X. Zerr also took third-place honors in the National Match Rifle Championship.
Bernosky, in addition to winning the overall high power rifle championship, took titles this year as NRA Match Rifle Champion and Civilian Champion for his score of 1787-89X. Bernosky also took top honors in the following categories: Vandenburg Cup Match (798-47X); Nevada Trophy Match (598-28X); McCann Trophy Match (600-38X); Member’s Trophy Match (199-11X); Scott Trophy Match (200-17X); Erdman Trophy Match (588-23X); and Marine Gunner D. I. Boyd II Memorial Trophy Match (1187-51X). Bernosky was shooting a semi-auto AR15-platform rifle with a Smith & Wesson M&P lower, John Holliger match upper chambered in 6mm Hagar*, 26″ Krieger barrel (+ 6″ bloop tube), with a Geissele two-stage trigger. We are told this is the first time in Camp Perry history that the High Power Championship was won with an AR15 style semi-auto.
In discussing his wins, Bernosky said “I’ve been shooting over 30 years and I’ve shot this high power championship match 13 times. I have now won it eight times during those years”. When asked about the rainy weather-canceling matches, he remarked, “You can’t do anything about the weather, and the officials did a good job of getting in as many matches as they did. Everyone had to shoot in the same conditions, but maybe the sun did shine on me a little bit better.”
David Tubb was back at Perry after being absent last year, and in addition to his second-place finishes in both the National High Power Rifle and National Match Rifle Championships, David won numerous other contests, including the following: Clarke Trophy Match (393-17X); Crescent Cup Match (193-3X); Centenary Trophy Match (600-40X); Air Force Cup Match (200-14X); and the Rochester National Defense Contingent (RNDC) Trophy Team Match as both captain and individual team member with a team score of 1981-103X and an individual score of 495-27X.
Mark A. Del Cotto, a name familiar to competitive riflemen, won the Crowell Trophy Match. The Lexington, Kentucky, native shot a 200-20X to take home the title.
Another familiar name at this year’s competition was Gunnery Sergeant Julia L. Watson of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Watson took the Woman Champion and Service Champion titles in the National High Power Championships with her score of 1762-55X. She also won second place and took the High Woman, High Reserve, and High Marine titles in the National Service Rifle Championship. In addition, she won the Navy Cup Match with her score of 200-7X.
*The 6mm Hagar resembles a 6.8 SPC with a .100″ longer body, 30-degree shoulder, and greater case capacity. It has a .420 rim diameter, and is formed from .30 Remington brass.
Story and large photo © 2007 National Rifle Association, used by permission.
