MidwayUSA Foundation hosted a donation drive throughout the month of April and raised an astounding $643,237 for youth shooting teams. Thanks to the Foundation’s matching program, funded by Larry and Brenda Potterfield, every dollar is matched, providing a total impact of $1.28 million. These funds help youth shooting teams cover essential expenses such as ammunition, targets, entry fees, and safety equipment, ensuring the participation of young athletes in shooting sports.
The Foundation also provided an additional $80,000 in endowment awards. West Virginia University’s Rifle Team (WVU) raised over $120,000 to earn the top prize of $15,000. “We are delighted to be the winners of the April Donation Drive, and we have to thank our donors for making that happen,” said Head Coach Jon Hammond. “The Foundation provides an amazing resource to junior and youth shooting programs[.]”
The teams that rounded out the top five include:
2nd Place: Kanabec County Clay Busters [MN] – winning an additional $12,500
3rd Place: Prescott Bird Busters [AZ] – winning an additional $10,000
4th Place: Battle Ground Academy [TN] – winning an additional $7,500
5th Place: Pillager Clay Target Team [MN] – winning an additional $5,000
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow youth shooting sports by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation is tax-deductible. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. To learn more about the MidwayUSA Foundation visit MidwayUSAFoundation.org.
MidwayUSA Foundation S.E. Program Manager Jeff McClure stated: “Helping teams and organizations grow their accounts through participation in our incentive programs is top of the list. Where else can teams open an account, be provided multiple ways to grow that account, and have all donations matched?” WVU’s Head Coach added: “The generosity of the Potterfield family is incredible, as well as the vision … to help all these junior shooting programs across the USA. We highly recommend all programs have a MidwayUSA Foundation account and work hard to build it year over year.”
A.P. Lane’s Gold Medal-Winning Colt Revolver
This Colt Officer’s Model revolver, factory-fitted with a skeletonized hammer, belonged to legendary Olympic shooter A. P. Lane, who was known as the “Pistol Wizard”. Lane used this Colt Revolver to win FIVE Olympic Gold Medals — three in 1912 and two in 1920.
A.P. Lane was one of the greatest pistol shooters of his generation. He shot scores that were typically 25-50 points higher than those of his competitors. And he exhibited true Corinthian spirit. At the 1912 Olympics, Lane shared his match ammunition with another competitor who used that ammo to capture the Silver Medal (Lane won the Gold).
This revolver, factory-fitted with a skeletonized hammer, was used by American A.P. Lane in winning five Olympic Gold Medals in the 1912 and 1920 Olympic Games. It’s a .38 caliber, Officer’s Model centerfire revolver from the early 20th century. Olympian A.P. Lane’s Gun can be found in Gallery 13, Firearm Traditions for Today, at the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia. The Museum exhibit includes a panoply of Lane pieces – his revolver, his five Gold Medals, and the five Olympic certificates that went along with them.
Editor’s Note: The CMP National Matches at Camp Perry are less than a month away. This article covers key points for rifle competitors at major matches. To do well, you want to be an “informed competitor” with a positive attitude and full knowledge of the course of fire and match rules.
Don’t Be “That Guy” (The Bad Apple on the Firing Line)
By SFC Norman Anderson, USAMU Service Rifle Team Member
You know the guy, he’s still talking at the coffee jug when his preparation period begins, then his magazines aren’t loaded when the command “STAND” is given, and finally, he doesn’t know the rules when he argues with the block officer as his target comes up marked “9 and No”. Although this guy might be the highlight of the “after match” activities, he is the proverbial bad apple on the firing line. With this example fresh in your mind, let’s go over how not to be “that guy”.
While the sport of High Power shooting is a hobby for most, all are passionate about performance throughout the day. In order to achieve your maximum performance each and every day, it is essential that you conduct yourself as a professional competitor. As a competitor, you have a personal responsibility to know the course of fire as well as the rules and procedures that apply to it and to be prepared to follow them. Knowing this will not only make you a better competitor, but it will enable you to resolve situations with other targets besides your own. So what does all this mean? I’ll explain…
Know the Course of Fire
Know the course of fire. It sounds easy enough, as we all shoot plenty of matches, but it’s more than that. If you think about it, how many people in the pits, for example, do not really know what is happening on the firing line? This leads to targets being pulled early during a rapid fire string or missing a shot during a slow fire string. In cases like this, the result is the same, delays in the match and upset competitors. To avoid being “that guy,” it is imperative that you stay tuned to the events as the day progresses. When you are at the range shooting a match, be at the range shooting the match.
At any firearms competition — be sure you know (and understand) the course of fire.
Know the Rules
Now, let’s discuss rules. As you have probably heard more than once, the rulebook is your best friend. Here is why. I can virtually guarantee that most competitors know some of the rules based only on the old “this is how we do it at home” adage. The funny part of that is, the same green NRA rulebook and orange CMP rulebooks are used to govern High Power matches all over the country.*
It is vital that all shooters be familiar with the rules as they are written, not with “how they are applied at home”. This creates consistency and continuity in how matches are conducted, from local club matches to state tournaments to National Championships. Knowledge is power when it comes to scoring targets under contention, what to do in the case of a malfunction, or even how to file a protest correctly. These rules are in place for a reason and it benefits everyone to both know and operate by these rules.
Maintain Composure and Humility — Exhibit Good Sportsmanship
One aspect of competing that cannot be forgotten is bearing. As I mentioned earlier, you must be prepared for both good and bad to happen. All too often we all see “that guy” (or that “that guy’s” gear) flying off of the firing line in disgust. Remember that we all must maintain our composure and humility in all conditions, not matter what happens. After all, it’s just a game. To put it into perspective, if it were easy, attendance would be a lot higher. Sportsmanship must be displayed in an effort to keep from ruining the day for all those around you. It doesn’t cost anything to smile, and smiling never killed anyone. So turn that frown upside down and keep on marching, better days will come.
Like a Boy Scout — Always Be Prepared
Lastly, I would like to cover preparedness. Being prepared goes beyond simply having your magazines loaded and a zero on your rifle. It means approaching the firing line, knowing what you are about to do, being ready for what is going to happen (good or bad), and being ready for the results. If you approach the firing line to merely shoot 10 shots standing in your next LEG match, you are not going to be pleased with the result. You must be prepared mentally and physically, not only for the next stage, but also the next shot. By being prepared physically (equipment ready), you give yourself peace of mind which is an essential part of being prepared mentally, and by being prepared mentally, you are less likely to become distracted and are more likely to maintain focus for each and every shot.
Conclusion — Informed Competitors Make for Better Matches
The culmination of these efforts results in a shooter that knows how to be ready for success on the range, but also and perhaps more importantly, a shooter who knows what it means to be a competitor. When you have a range full of competitors who know and follow the rules and proper match procedures, the match runs smoothly, everyone shoots well, and a good time is had by all. In the end, isn’t that what it’s all about?
* After this article was originally written, the CMP separated its rules into multiple Rulebooks, which can all be downloaded from the CMP.org/rulebooks page:
The CMP Highpower Competition Rules 2025 (28th Ed.) for CMP-sponsored and sanctioned matches for Highpower Rifle events in National Trophy Matches, Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) Matches, CMP Cup Matches and other CMP-sanctioned competitions.
The CMP Pistol Competition Rules 2025 (28th Ed.) for CMP-sponsored and sanctioned Pistol Matches in the National Matches, National Trophy Matches, Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) Matches, and other CMP-sanctioned competitions.
This summer the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will host Smallbore and Air Gun events during the annual CMP National Matches in Port Clinton, Ohio. The National Matches, held at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Base since 1907, is conducted through a partnership between the CMP and the Ohio National Guard. All events are open to the public, with spectators allowed.
The National Smallbore and National Air Gun phases run in tandem, along with the National Pistol series, to allow athletes the option of competing in a variety of disciplines during their Camp Perry visit. Additional Aggregate events have been included for those firing in air rifle and three-position smallbore competitions, with challenging elimination team matches also part of the Air Gun and Smallbore schedules.
This year’s rimfire (smallbore) matches are scheduled for July 9-19, 2025. There will be iron sights and “any sights” (scoped) prone events as well as 3×20 (three-position) individual and team matches. All smallbore events are held on Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range, featuring a covered firing line and CMP’s own outdoor electronic targets. See below:
Air Rifle and Air Pistol Events at Camp Perry
For air rifle and air pistol competitors can attend the National Air Gun Championships, held on the electronic target range within the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. There will be two days of training sessions, followed by two days of 60-shot competitions. The Air Rifle events will run July 10-13, while Air Pistol will follow on July 14-17.
About the CMP National Matches:
The 2025 CMP National Matches will include the CMP National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches, National Games Matches, National Smallbore Matches, National Air Gun Championships, and the National Mid-Range and Long Range Matches. The month-long summer series also includes a variety of educational clinics for all experience levels.
To learn more about the upcoming CMP National Matches and review the National Matches schedule, visit the CMP website at thecmp.org/cmp-national-matches.
When most shooters think of biathlon, they imagine the winter sport which combines cross-country skiing with rimfire rifle shooting. Now there’s a new type of biathlon, a true “run and gun” competition with rifles and pistols. The Gun Run competitors move on foot over natural terrain, with 5-8 shooting stages over the course, typically 5 km (about 3 miles).
The Gun Run is a two-gun, centerfire biathlon. It is designed to test your physical fitness, marksmanship, and equipment. Competitors will carry their rifle, pistol, ammunition, mags and anything they believe they need to complete the course. They will travel over various distances depending on the match — but most often a 5 kilometer marked course consisting of natural terrain, roads, and trails. There will be anywhere from 5 to 8 shooting stages. There are night events, two-person team events, and even a land navigation event where you must use map and compass to complete the course.
The Gun Run is not a CrossFit competition and it’s not USPSA. This is a challenging event that test personal fitness and marksmanship with both rifle and pistol.
How to Participate in The Gun Run Events
Click below for the list of The Gun Run 2025 Events with links to sign-up pages. The next competition is the Gun Run Land Nav slated for May 24, 2025 at DeWitt’s Outdoor Sports in Ellerbe, North Carolina. This is a special, more challenging event. Instead of following a 5k course marked with signs, competitors will navigate an unknown distance course using a map and compass. After, that, the next Gun Run event will be held June 21, 2025 at The Sawmill Training Complex in Laurens, SC 29360.
Origins of The Gun Run
This isn’t a new concept … matches like this originated in Texas 20 years ago and have spread all over the country. Prior to that, Colonial Era Americans would gather on the village green sometimes multiple times a week and conduct close order drill with rifle marksmanship competitions. Shooting is as old a past time for this country as this country is old.
Fitness Challenge
Carrying all your gear in 90 degree weather up and down hills is not easy. Having the best gear and being a good marksman can help but having a level of fitness where you can maneuver with gear on is extremely important. The end result of all of this is improving your training plan. Whether it be physical or on the range, every event you compete in should give you areas to work on. Sometimes new kit needs to be bought but most often it is our fitness that needs the most improvement.
Left to Right, Sherri Jo Gallagher, Mother Nancy Tompkins, and Michelle Gallagher — All Champions.
Happy Mother’s Day
Today we want to wish Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms around the world. All of us must remember that we literally owe our lives and our well-being to our mothers, who brought us into the world. Without the love, support, caring, and nurturing of our mothers, none of us would be here. So to mothers everywhere, we say:
“Thank you. Bless you. May your lives be filled with happiness today and everyday.”
At the top is a cherished photograph of the one of the greatest moms in the shooting community, Nancy Tompkins, along with her two little girls (who both turned into pretty darn good shooters themselves). On Nancy’s right is Michelle Gallagher, multi-time National Long-Range Championship. On the left is Sherri Jo Gallagher, who was the second woman in history to capture the NRA National High Power Championship at Camp Perry. Who was the first woman ever to accomplish that feat? You guessed it — Nancy Tompkins, Sherri’s mom, was the first-ever female High Power Champion. Nancy is married to another great shooter, Mid Tompkins. This is truly America’s “First Family of shooting”.
Nancy Tompkins is one of the greatest long-range shooters in American history. She has won the National Long Range Championship 5 times (1986, 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2015), the across-the-course National High Power Championship (1998), the Metric Smallbore Nationals (2012), and the Fullbore Nationals (2012). She has also been the Wimbledon Cup winner (1993) and a 7-time Leech Cup winner (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2012). She has won both team and individual medals in the World Championships and has been on 8 Palma Teams (as both a shooter and a coach).
Tompkins’ treatise, Prone and Long Range Rifle Shooting, is a must-read for serious Palma, F-Class, and High Power shooters. The revised Second Edition includes F-Class equipment and techniques, and newly updated information. Topics include Mental and Physical training, Reading Wind and Mirage Shooting Fundamentals, International Competition, and Loading for Long Range.
Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker presents Rob Leatham with NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award at the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits. SSUSA photo by Peter Fountain.
Rob Leatham Wins Golden Bullseye Award
Renowned competitive pistol shooter Rob Leatham has received the inaugural (first-ever) Shooting Sports USA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award. Leatham received the award at the 2025 National Rifle Association Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Atlanta, Georgia. CLICK HERE for full story.
Winners of NRA Golden Bullseye Awards are determined by NRA Media staff, who represent more than a century of collective experience in the shooting industry. In particular, the NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award recognizes a competitive shooter who has displayed outstanding performance in competition and has “given back” to the shooting sports world by providing guidance and support to the next generation of competitive shooters.
“This award honors the highest level of achievement in competitive shooting — and there is no one more deserving to receive it first than Rob Leatham”, said John Parker, Editor-in-Chief ofShooting Sports USA. “For more than 40 years, Rob has set the bar — not just with his championship titles, but with his relentless pursuit of excellence, his sportsmanship and his influence on generations of competition shooters. He’s a competitor, a pioneer and a true ambassador of the shooting sports.”
Interview with Rod Leatham for The Armory Life
Competing since 1978, Leatham has amassed a remarkable record of success over the past four decades — eight-time IPSC World Champion, 11-time NRA Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Champion, 34-time USPSA/IPSC National Champion (Overall & Aggregate), eight-time Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Champion, seven-time IDPA champion, and more.
Rob Leatham, By the Numbers:
34X USPSA / IPSC NATIONAL CHAMPION (Overall and Aggregate)
11X NRA BIANCHI CUP ACTION PISTOL CHAMPION
8X IPSC WORLD CHAMPION
4X USPSA CLASSIC NATIONALS AGGREGATE CHAMPION
14X USPSA / IPSC NATIONAL “SENIOR” CHAMPION
10X IPSC WORLD “TEAM” CHAMPIONS #TeamUSA
19X SINGLE STACK CLASSIC CHAMPION
3X AMERICAN HANDGUNNER WORLD SHOOTOFF CHAMPION
8X STEEL CHALLENGE WORLD SPEED SHOOTING CHAMPION
7X IDPA NATIONAL CHAMPION
2019 IDPA WORLD SENIOR CHAMPION
2006 ICORE INTERNATIONAL REVOLVER WORLD CHAMPION – LIMITED DIVISION
“I am truly honored to have been selected as the first recipient of this new award from NRA’s Shooting Sports USA,” said Rob Leatham. “I have loved shooting all my life, and I’m humbled and thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to do this for a living with Springfield Armory. Thank you to Dennis Reese and the Springfield Armory team for making my dreams come true.”
Rob Leatham has more than four decades behind the trigger as a professional shooter, trainer and expert. It is this background that has earned him the moniker of “The Great One”, or simply TGO. In fact, Springfield Custom created the “TGO 1″ handgun named in his honor and designed by the man himself. This special edition featured the Rob Leatham signature on the wood grips.
The NRABlog has interviewed seven prominent lady shooters, asking them for tips for other lady shooting sports enthusiasts, particularly new shooters. Top female competitors such as 2016 Bianchi Cup Winner Tiffany Piper and Team S&W Co-Captain Julie Golob offer good advice on competitive shooting as well as using firearms for self-defense. Read the full article here.
Here Are Some of the Top Tips from Leading Ladies:
Theresa Vail, Hunter and Host of NRA All Access “If you’re new to shooting or wanting to start, find some girlfriends that are interested in trying it with you. Having female friends go to the range with you takes the pressure off and makes a typically male-dominant arena much less intimidating. There is such thing as strength in numbers!”
Tiffany Piper (Action Pistol): The best piece of advice I would give is practice makes perfect. In New Zealand, we barely get enough range time with our noise restrictions so muscle memory and technique are key. Study up on shooting techniques, watch YouTube videos of other professional women shooters, and try out what you see. Don’t get intimidated thinking it’s a male’s sport[.]”
Julie Golob (Team S&W, 3-Gun and Pistol): “If something isn’t clear, just ask about it! Shooters are some of the best people you’ll ever meet, but we can be confusing and use a lot of shooter slang and lingo. When in doubt, ask!”
Tori Nonaka (Team Glock): “I always recommend to new shooters to first concentrate on the basics of gun safety. That way they will be more comfortable when they next learn about the particular gun…. Their confidence will grow as they familiarize themselves with their specific weapon. Then, it’s all about practice at the range.”
Corey Cogdell (Olympic Trap Shooter): “It’s empowering for women to know how to use a firearm in a sporting atmosphere as well as for self-defense. So if you are new to firearms, check out your local gun club and take a lesson! There you’ll find instructors and other shooting sports enthusiasts who will be more than willing to help you.”
British Lee-Enfield Model SHT’22/IV Rifle, courtesy www.iCollector.com.
Our friend Dennis Santiago was a technical advisor for History Channel’s Top SHOT TV show. One of the notable Top Shot episodes involved the “Mad Minute”, a marksmanship drill practiced by the British Army in the decades preceding World War I. Dennis observed that the Top Shot competitors didn’t fare too well in their “Mad Minute” attempts, not scoring many hits in the allotted one-minute time period. That prompted Dennis to give it a try himself — seeing how many hits he could score in one minute with an authentic Lee-Enfield rifle. So, a while back, Dennis ran the drill at a range in California.
Dennis, an active high power rifle competitor and instructor, explained that a “Mad Minute” exercise takes practice to perfect: “Here is a ‘Mad Minute’ drill, done using a period correct Lee-Enfield (SMLE) No.1 Mk III rifle and Mk VII ammo. I got to the Queen’s Regulations (15 hits in one minute) on the second run and put a good group on the target at 200 yards. This is ‘jolly good fun’ to do every once in a while. This is ‘living history’ — experiencing a skill from a time when the sun never set on the British Empire.”
“Mad Minute” was a pre-World War I term used by British Army riflemen during training at the Hythe School of Musketry to describe scoring a minimum of 15 hits onto a 12″ round target at 300 yards within one minute using a bolt-action rifle (usually a Lee-Enfield or Lee-Metford rifle). It was not uncommon during the First World War for riflemen to greatly exceed this score. The record, set in 1914 by Sergeant Instructor Alfred Snoxall, was 38 hits. (From WikiPedia.)
History of the MAD MINUTE Commentary by Laurie Holland, UK Shooter
The original military requirement of the “Mad Minute” saw the soldier ready to fire with a round in the chamber, nine in the magazine, safety on. This course of fire is still followed by the GB Historic Breechloading Arms Association and other bodies in their recreated “Mad Minute” competitions.
The first 10 would go quickly, but reloads were critical, this not done by a magazine change as Gary did with the RTM or in a modern tactical or semi-auto rifle, but through slick use of ‘chargers’. It is this aspect which fouls so many of my colleagues up as it is very easy to cause a jam and a large part of 60 seconds can go in sorting it out!
Charger clips were selected for those that just held the rounds firmly enough to stop then falling out, were sand-papered and polished with a stove / fireplace polish called ‘Zebrite’ so that the rimmed rounds would slip through the clips like corn through a goose.
If you’re unfamiliar with the cock-on-closing Enfield action, it seems clumsy. With intensive practice it is very smooth and can be operated incredibly quickly. The trick is to whip the bolt back onto its stop and initiate a rebound movement that takes it and the cartridge well into the chamber thereby reducing the effort required to close the bolt and chamber the round.
The MAD MINUTE Training Standards and Target
“Mad Minute” was a pre-World War I term used by British Army riflemen during training at the Hythe School of Musketry to describe scoring a minimum of 15 hits on a target at 300 yards within one minute using a bolt-action rifle (usually a Lee-Enfield or Lee-Metford rifle). It was not uncommon during the First World War for riflemen to greatly exceed this score. The record, set in 1914 by Sergeant Instructor Alfred Snoxall, was 38 hits.
Royal Scots Fusiliers soldiers train with SMLE Mk III Lee–Enfield rifle.
Listed as “Practice number 22, Rapid Fire” of The Musketry Regulations, Part I, 1909, this drill required at least 15 shots on the Second Class target at 300 yards. The exercise was just one of several annual tests to classify a soldier as a sharpshooter, first or second class shooter depending on the points achieved.
Research indicates the Second Class target was a 48″ x 48″ square with 24″ inner circle and 36″ outer circle. The sight mark was a central 12″ x 12″ shape representing a soldier. ALL hits scored points (3 for center circle, 2 for outer circle, 1 for outer square). NOTE: Though some sources say the Mad Minute drill used a 12″-diameter round target, this appears to be a mistake from Ian Hogg’s book “The Encyclopedia of Weaponry”. No other source mentions a 12″ circle, which would be a mere 3.82 MOA. In reality the true drill target was a 48″ x 48″ square, roughly 15 times larger. (From No.WikiPedia.)
This story is about a great shooter, Joe Hendricks Jr., and his Eliseo RTS Tubegun, chambered in 6mm Competition Match. With this versatile rifle, Joe Hendricks Jr. won the 2019 CMP Cup Aggregate Title for Match Rifles. Joe comes from a long line of talented marksmen. His father AND his grandfather are elite competitive shooters. His dad has been a National Champion, and all three generations have shot together, shoulder to shoulder, on the Remington Rifle Team. Like grandfather, like father, like son.
Joe says: “I think it’s pretty cool that there have now been two major Across the Course Championships won by a Hendricks using a Gary Eliseo chassis, one by me this year, and one in 2014 when my father (Joe Hendricks Sr.) won the NRA National Championship.”
Photography by Meghan Hendricks.
Joe Hendricks Jr.’s Rifle — Eliseo RTS Chassis, Rem 40X Action, Krieger Barrel
Joe’s rifle is built on a Competition Machine RTS Target Model chassis. This Tubegun features a Remington 40X action with Pacific Tool & Gauge Bolt and Jewell trigger. The scope is a Leupold 6-18x40mm. The barrel is a Krieger chambered in 6mm Competition Match. Joe explains: “The 6mm Competition Match is a cartridge that my dad came up with. It is basically a .243 Winchester with a 31° shoulder.”
If you look carefully in the photo below, you’ll note the silver-toned, adjustable butt-plate. That’s an upgrade Joe added: “I did a small modification to the stock, where I put on an Anschutz buttplate instead of the standard one Gary Eliseo uses. This Anschutz hardware provides a little bit more adjustability.”
Here Joe Hendricks Jr. fires at 200 yards from the standing position.
The Standing Position — Why It’s Critical to Match Success
Joe told us: “As far as shooting strategies and training methods go, I shoot a lot of standing practice — at least 50 shots per session. I still train the other positions of course, but I believe if you start your day off with a great standing score, it really makes the rest of the day easy because then you don’t feel like you’re playing catch-up the whole time.”
Joe explains: “When I’m shooting standing, I shoot in a manner very similar to the way that Carl Bernosky does. He’s written a few articles about the standing position. He always talks about making sure the shot goes off inside his hold, and I’m the same way. I don’t try to do too much. I just let the gun do its thing and when/if it stops in the Ten Ring, I shoot the shot. If it doesn’t, I don’t.”
About the CMP Cup Two-Day Course of Fire
The CMP Cup is a two-day match comprised of two, 1000-point Aggregates, for a 2000-point Grand Agg. Each day, the competitors fire 100 shots total from the 200, 300, and 600 yard lines. The match starts with 20 shots slow fire standing at 200 yards. Next are two, 10-shot, rapid fire strings in 60 seconds from the sitting position. Next are two, 10-shot strings in 70 seconds prone at 300 yards (rapid fire prone). Each day’s course of fire concludes with two, 20-shot sequences of slow-fire prone at 600 yards.
6mm Competition Match Cartridge — Slower Powder Yields Better Barrel Life
My dad was shooting a 6XC for a while and was getting tired of going through almost two barrels a year. So, he came up with the 6mm Competition Match. Like I said, it is a .243 Winchester with a 31-degree shoulder. This delivers the same (if not better) velocity as the other popular 6mm cartridges, but we get almost double the barrel life because we increased the case capacity, so we can shoot a slower burning powder. The barrel I took to Camp Perry that won the CMP Cup had over 3700 rounds on it when I was finished. [EDITOR: Take note readers! Most 6mm barrels are toast after 2500 rounds.] Granted it definitely needed to come off at that point, but it obviously was still shooting well enough to win!
Accurate Load with Peterson Brass, Berger Bullets, and Vihtavuori N165
The two loads I shot all week were Berger 108gr BT behind Vihtavuori N165 in Peterson Cartridge Company brass for 200 and 300 yards, and then Berger 115 VLD behind N165 in Peterson brass for 600 yards. Both loads are easily going over 3000 FPS. I try to only use the best components for reloading, so that’s why I go with Berger, Vihtavuori, and Peterson. Obviously Berger and Vihtavuori quality are pretty known, but I believe Peterson is right up there with Lapua[.] I’ve visited the Petersen factory many times. I’m always blown away by the time and effort Peterson puts into everything.
Winning Marksmanship — the Mental Game
The other big thing I’ve been focusing on lately is my mental game. In order to be at the top of a sport, regardless of the sport, the athlete has to have a solid mental approach. For me, I’ve learned that my key is confidence. A good shooting buddy, who was with me the first day of the CMP Cup, suggested I was arrogant because I kept telling him I was going to win. Then I told him it was confidence not arrogance. If I was confident in my ability, I did not think there was any way I could lose. [Editor: To help build confidence and visualize success, we recommend With Winning in Mind, by Lanny Bassham, an Olympic gold-medal winning marksman.]
All in the Family — Three Generations of Hendricks Marksmen
Joe’s father, Joseph Hendricks Sr., has been a National Champion rifle shooter. Joe’s grandfather, Gary Hendricks, is also a talented marksman. In fact, all three men — grandfather, father, and son — shot together on the Remington Rifle Team. Joe says that the shooting sports have helped build strong family bonds. He and his father enjoy shooting together, and competing against one another: “I learn so much just by watching my dad… shoot. Even though I have been competing for 10 years now, I’m still incredibly new to the shooting sports compared to my dad. My father is always there to help.”
“I feel very privileged to have grown up in the family that I did, with not only my father as a competitive shooter, but my grandfather as well. I definitely would not be the person I am today, let alone the shooter, without either of them. At one point, all three of us were on the Remington Rifle Team. I’ve had the opportunity to shoot team matches with all three of us on one team, as recently as this past summer.”
“Initially when I began shooting competitively, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. I wanted to be as good a shooter as my dad and grandfather. I was trying so hard that it was really affecting my scores negatively. Then one year, I told myself I was just going to have fun, and not worry about match scores. That year was the year I really started to win things, and shoot some good scores.”
“When my father won the NRA National Championship in 2014, I was so proud, but along with being proud, all it did was make me more motivated. Ever since I started shooting, I wanted to win a National Championship, but after he won, it just fueled my fire more. There is a bit of father/son rivalry. It’s a lot of fun if we are shooting right next to each other at the same time. We just give each other crap about shooting a bad a shot, or shooting a lower score by a point or an X.”
“My dad started shooting when he was around 10, so he has a vast amount of knowledge compared to most people, especially me. He is always there to help whenever I have a question on anything firearm or shooting related. To this day, whenever I’m done with a match, I always talk to my dad. He always has time to listen to what I have to say.”
The MidwayUSA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity working to sustain and grow youth shooting sports by providing long-term funding to youth shooting teams. Every donation is tax-deductible. The Foundation supports all shooting disciplines. To learn more about the MidwayUSA Foundation visit MidwayUSAFoundation.org.
A.P. Lane’s Gold Medal-Winning Colt Revolver
Know the Rules
Happy Mother’s Day
Nancy Tompkins is one of the greatest long-range shooters in American history. She has won the National Long Range Championship 5 times (1986, 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2015), the across-the-course National High Power Championship (1998), the Metric Smallbore Nationals (2012), and the Fullbore Nationals (2012). She has also been the Wimbledon Cup winner (1993) and a 7-time Leech Cup winner (1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2011 and 2012). She has won both team and individual medals in the World Championships and has been on 8 Palma Teams (as both a shooter and a coach).
Lee-Enfield No. 4 Rifle (1943), courtesy 
Research indicates the Second Class target was a 48″ x 48″ square with 24″ inner circle and 36″ outer circle. The sight mark was a central 12″ x 12″ shape representing a soldier. ALL hits scored points (3 for center circle, 2 for outer circle, 1 for outer square). NOTE: Though some sources say the Mad Minute drill used a 12″-diameter round target, this appears to be a mistake from Ian Hogg’s book “The Encyclopedia of Weaponry”. No other source mentions a 12″ circle, which would be a mere 3.82 MOA. In reality the true drill target was a 48″ x 48″ square, roughly 15 times larger. (From 
