SGT Sherri Gallagher captured her first NRA High Power National Championship by firing an incredible 2396-161X, a new record score! Competing at Camp Perry, Ohio, Sherri dropped just four points out of 2400 (240 shots). An amazing 67% of Sherri’s shots were Xs. Congratulations Sherri!
Carl Bernosky was second, just one point behind, with a 2395-140X. Carl and Sherri BOTH shot scores well above David Tubb’s Championship Record of 2389-138X, a record set in 2003. Congratulations to Sherri, Carl and all the outstanding shooters in this year’s competition.
Sherri is now the second-ever female winner of the NRA National High Power Championship. The first female High Power Champion was Sherri’s mother, Nancy Tompkins, who won in 1998. It’s all in the family, we guess….
This was an especially sweet victory for Sherri, who had the 2009 Championship slip from her grasp. In last year’s NRA High Power Championship, Sherri was leading the field comfortably, shooting at a record pace, only to suffer a cross-fire which dropped her out of contention for the Championship. That cruel 2009 crossfire is now forgotten as Sherri finally earns the National title she richly deserves.
Hardware UPDATE: We are informed that Sherri’s T2000 match rifle was chambered in .260 Remington, and she shot that cartridge at all distances in the High Power Championship. We’ll try to get more load data soon.
Update from Camp Perry: Today is the final day of the 2010 NRA High Power National Championship. SGT Sherri Gallagher of the USAMU remains just one point ahead of 9-time National Champion Carl Bernosky. The hardware battle is interesting — Sherri’s Tubb 2000 Bolt Gun vs. Carl’s AR-platform rifle shooting a 6mm Hagar.
Carl’s first (and perhaps best) chance to catch Sherri came in the Crescent Cup match this morning. With the entire Crescent Cup event shot standing at 200 yards, this was Carl’s great opportunity to tie Sherri, or even pull ahead. The standing position is one of Carl’s strengths — he is considered one of the best standing position shooters in history. But Sherri matched Carl shot for shot and they both finished with the same 199-4X score. So Sherri has maintained her one-point margin. If Carl and Sherri end up tied at the end of the day, Sherri will win the High Power National Championship because she has a huge X-count edge. But right now either Carl or Sherri could end up on top of the Podium.
Sherri Gallagher, the 2009 NRA National Long-Range Champion, could add a High Power Championship to her list of victories, if she stays on pace. Only one woman has ever won the National High Power Championship — Sherri’s mother, Nancy Tompkins. All of Sherri’s fans nationwide all pulling for her to be the second-ever female High Power Champ. But the competition will be tough.
Sherri Gallagher is beginning to pull away in the X-Count, but she could still be overtaken by any of the shooters close behind her in the standings. Carl Bernosky, a multi-time National High-Power Champion, is just one point behind Sherri. Stephen Culpepper and Eric Swearingen are still in striking distance. Ten-time champion David Tubb is not far behind either. Shooting against those male “all-stars”, Gallagher has been very impressive and looks to continue her pace, but this isn’t over just yet. This year’s Championship could go down to the last shot of the last relay.
On the Service Rifle front, Eric Swearingen is in the lead for the Service Rifle Championship with a 1789-86X, but both 2009 Service Rifle Champion Grant Singley (1785-97X) and Troy Lawton’s (1785-70X) are just two points back.
For the latest news from Camp Perry, including High Power Championship standings, visit the NRA Blog. Here is the “leaderboard” after the High Power Rifle Championship’s third day, with one more to go. Tomorrow’s forecast is clear and sunny with no threat of rain.
Match 400 – NRA National High Power Rifle Championship
Name
Results
Sherri Gallagher
1797-129x
Carl Bernosky
1796-109x
Stephen Culpepper
1790-91x
Eric Swearingen
1789-86x
David Tubb
1787-86x
Late-Breaking News from Camp Perry
Steve Clark Reports: Sherri missed 1st last year from a crossfire. This year so far she’s shooting 71.6% Xs, dropping only 3 points out of 1800. Norm Houle (last year’s Champion) apparently cross-fired today, putting himself back a good number.
Carl’s shooting SOLID — again — this year with his 6mm HAGAR. He’s second, by ONE POINT, after 180 shots, but he’s down 20 Xs. Carl has won the High Power Championship 9 times so far, most recently in 2008 — the first victory with an AR15-platform rifle.
What a great show! Like last year, I think it’s going to come down to the last shot fired tomorrow afternoon to decide the winner.
In international 300m competition the top shooters use high-tech rifles shooting some of our favorite cartridges: 6mmBR, 6XC, and 6.5×47 Lapua. These chamberings all possess superb inherent accuracy, allowing great scores even when shooting with iron sights. This week, both men and women have been competing in prone and three-position 300m events. The level of competition has been high — Bettina Bucher of Switzerland tied the womens’ 599 score record in winning the women’s 300m prone event, and the 600-point mens’ record score has been tied twice in prone matches, once by France’s Josselin Henry, shooting factory 6.5×47 Lapua ammo. To see Bettina Bucher and Josselin Henry in action, visit the ISSF-Sports.org website. There you’ll find complete match results, as well as photos and videos of the action.
Right now there are three short videos covering 300m competition. CLICK HERE to access the videos. When the page displays, go to the scrolling menu (on right) and select: “300m Rifle Prone Women”, or “300m Standard Rifle Men”, or “300m Rifle Prone Men”. The video on the 300m prone womens’ competition features Switzerland’s Bettina Bucher who tied a World Record in the event. Note, in the 300m mens Standard Rifle highlights video, the American announcer incorrectly names the winner of the 300m Standard Rifle event as “Henry Josselin”. She got it backwards.
Josselin Henry Wins 300m Standard Rifle Event, But Three Shooters DQ’d
Marco Dalla Dea of the ISSF Media team reports that France’s Josselin Henry won today’s 300m Standard Rifle event, becoming the new world champion with a total score of 587 points. The French shooter, who had equaled the 300m Rifle Prone Men world record of 600 points two days ago, had never won an ISSF medal in this event before. Tomorrow, the 28-year old shooter from Paris will compete in the 300m rifle Three-Position event.
Three competitors were disqualified in the 300m mens’ Standard Rifle Finals. There are strict rules on the geometry and features of a “Standard Rifle”, in contrast to “Free Rifle” class which is pretty much “anything goes”. One shooter was DQ’d for an illegal front sight extension, another was tossed for having an “anatomical” grip, and a third shooter was sent packing because his buttplate had too much curve. In the standing position, a hook-style buttplate extension can provide a significant advantage. This hook configuration is allowed on Free Rifles only.
Report by Sommer Wood, CMP Online Magazine
The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) rolled through the 2010 National Trophy Rifle Matches with almost complete dominance. Shooters from the USAMU finished first in the National Trophy Individual Match (NTI), the Hearst Doubles, and, for the fourth year in a row, the National Trophy Team Match (NTT). The USAMU Team also reclaimed the top spot in the National Trophy Infantry Team Match (NTIT or “rattle battle”) after a shocking fourth place finish last year behind three civilian teams, including the historic win by the California Grizzlies O’Connell Juniors.
The 2010 NTT was closely contested going in the last stage, with only a couple of points separating the top five teams, but at the 600-yard-line the USAMU finally pulled ahead to finish with a 2920-100X. The winning NTT team was comprised of Team Captain SSG Walter Craig, Team Coach SFC Emil Praslick III and firing members SSG Brandon Green, SGT Sherri Gallagher, SPC Augustus Dunfey, SFC Grant Singley, SFC Lance Dement and SGT Tryel Cooper. The USAMU Praslick Team edged out the California Rifle and Pistol Association-Coalinga civilian team, which finished with a 2910-84X.
What was the driving force behind the USAMU Praslick Team’s dominance this year? USAMU shooters SFC Lance Dement, SGT Brandon Green and SPC Tyrel Cooper all said that outstanding coaching was key to victory. This was particularly evident at the 600-yard-line where the Team pulled ahead of the pack during the 2010 National Matches.
SGT Tyrel Cooper Wins National Trophy Individual Title
After finishing a close second in 2009 National Trophy Individual Match, SGT Tyrel Cooper of the USAMU emerged victorious this year with a tough-fought, X-count win over his USAMU team-mate SFC Lance Dement. SGT Cooper finished the day with an impressive 495-23X, three Xs better than SFC Dement, who shot a 495-20X to claim second.
Entering the final stage of this year’s NTI, SGT Cooper tried not to focus on score and instead talked about wind strategy for the 600-yard-line with USAMU coach SFC Emil Praslick III: “I have lead in the past and let myself start thinking too much about scores…. I switched my focus to the strategy I wanted to use for the wind and followed my plan.” The plan worked and SGT Cooper shot a 197-9X at the 600-yard-line to secure first place.
Berger Bullets has donated 50,000 Berger 155.5gr Fullbore, .30-caliber match bullets to the USA National Development Team. The value of this donation, based on the bullets’ retail price, is $19,500.00. Dennis Flaherty, USA Rifle Teams Captain, also reports that Berger has pledged $1000.00 in cash each year and will continue the 50,000 bullet donation every four years on the World Championship Long Range and Palma Team match cycle.
The USA National Rifle Team management plans to sell these bullets with 100% of the proceeds going to support the USA Under-25 Team. Sales of the donated Berger bullets will help underwrite the costs of sending the Under-25 Team to the 2011 World Championships in Australia. Flaherty adds: “The entire National Rifle Team sends a heartfelt thank you to Berger Bullets and Eric Stecker for making this happen.”
Bullets may be purchased by emailing Dan Simpson at ishoot@gsinet.net for ordering instructions. The price is $195.00 per 500 (minimum order) and shipping is free!! (USA ONLY.) Please make out your tax-deductible donation check to: Palma Promotions, a 501(C)(3) organization. This is a great opportunity to support the Under-25 Team and send our young, talented shooters and their coaches to the World Championships.
Commenting on his company’s donation, Eric Stecker of Berger Bullets wrote: “Berger is committed to [supporting and strengthening] the shooting sports. As a gesture of strength and solidarity I am working to join forces between competing brands of bullets to support these efforts. Sierra’s Matt Reams and I worked together to make sure that both companies can provide a show of support without conflict with sponsorship agreements. I was happy to hear that Dennis Flaherty decided to apply these funds to the Under-25 Team. Who better to benefit from this situation than those junior shooters…?
This donation to the USA National Development Rifle Team is our way of showing support to all top-performing US riflemen. I would like to thank Matt Reams and Sierra for working together with us to create this partnership of support, Dennis for his decision to apply this support to the Under-25 Team program and Dan for facilitating the distribution process. I will also thank all of you who support this effort by purchasing these bullets.”
Report by Laurie Holland
Blair Atholl’s Glen Tilt range in the Scottish Highlands has a worldwide reputation for being difficult thanks to constantly-varying winds influenced by the venue’s steep, irregularly-contoured terrain. Nevertheless, three new GB F-Class Association League 1,000-yard competition records were set at Glen Tilt over the weekend of August 7th and 8th. The new records were shot in Round 5 of the F-Class Association’s championship program. The event comprised five matches, three on Saturday with 20 score shots and two on Sunday with 15 for a maximum possible score of 450-90V. (UK and British Commonwealth targets score five for the Bull). Targets were the usual international F-Class design, a modified Palma type with a half-MOA white aiming mark that also scores as the ‘V’ (‘X’ in American terminology), one-MOA bull and score rings spaced a half-MOA apart.
Looking downrange at magnificent but fiendishly difficult Blair Atholl range in Perthshire, Scotland.
New 1K Records in F-Open and F-TR
In Match 1, John Carmichael of HPS-Target Rifles Ltd. used one of his own creations to shoot a 100-6V. A new record, this was the first-ever 1,000-yard, 20-shot match F-Open ‘possible’. John Cross almost immediately followed with a new F-TR record score of 96-3V, just edging Spanish F-Class competitor Ramon Fito. In the photo below, John Carmichael plots another Bull or V while shooting a record 1,000-yard score, with his RPA / HPS-TR System Gemini 7mmWSM rifle.
Sunday morning initially saw unusually light winds which no doubt helped Osprey Rifles proprietor Stuart Anselm set a new 15-shot, 1,000-yard F-TR record score of 75-4V in Match 4, using a rifle he had built himself on a Savage 12 Target action (photo below).
British F-Class competitive standards continue to rise in both classes, perhaps more markedly in F-TR which is seeing very sharp competition in 2010 as well as increased numbers of entrants. The overall winners were Peter Hunt (439-17V) in F-Open, and Stuart Anselm (424-12V) in F-TR. Blair Atholl also saw the first use of a .223 Rem caliber F-TR rifle in a 1,000-yard GB national league event with Laurie Holland taking seventh with 412-11V using 90gr Berger VLDs.
Here are quick results from the Sunday matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. Today (Monday) at the 2010 National Matches, competitors will shoot one of three team matches. The actual High Power Rifle Championship commences Tuesday, August 10th.
Springfield M1A Match: Jack Pardy shot 483-12X to win the 4th Annual NRA Springfield M1A match, shooting 483-12X. Nick Till finished in second place, two points behind, with 481-23X. Shawn McKenna finished third with a 480-14X.
Whistler Boy Team Match: The “Gold” team of the North Carolina Rifle & Pistol Association took top honors with Robin Frazier and William McCraw shooting a combined 960-21X.
Second Amendment Match: Normal Houle and David Tubb of team Sierra Gold cleaned up the NRA 2nd Amendment match with a combined score of 997-51x.
Photos by NRA Media Relations courtesy the NRA Blog.
The USA womens’ team won the Skeet competition at the ISSF World Championship, while veteran Olympian Kim Rhode won the individual women’s gold medal in Skeet, her first-ever ISSF World Championship. “It’s great to finally win a World Title in front of my parents [who traveled with her],” responded the talented Rhode during an interview with the International Sport Shooting Federation’s (ISSF) Marco Dalla Dea. Rhode’s performance aids her quest to compete at the 2012 Olympics in London, which would be her fifth Olympics appearance. Rhode shot superbly, nailing a perfect 25 in the finals to finish with a total score of 97/100 targets. China’s Wei Ning, who also went 25 for 25 in the finals, finished second with 96/100 targets.
Rhode also won the Skeet team Gold Medal with fellow Americans Haley Dunn and Amber English. The three combined for a strong team score of 205 targets. Continuing the USA’s domination of womens’ Skeet, the Junior women’s Skeet team took the Junior Division Gold Medal. The USA Junior womens’ Skeet team finished with 197 targets, edging second-place China by three targets. Way to go girls!
For video of Kim Rhode and Team USA’s gold-medal-winning performance in womens’ Skeet, CLICK THIS LINK, then select “Final Skeet Women” from the right-side scrolling menu.
The NRA/Springfield M1A match takes place this Sunday, August 8. This special M1A match revives interest in the M14, and its modern derivatives. Springfield’s M1A is a commercially-produced, semi-auto version of the M14, a 7.62×51 “battle rifle” that still serves our forces deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. At one time, M14-based match rifles dominated service rifle matches, but that’s history. Now M16/AR15 platform rule the roost in the service rifle game. But many shooters loved the old wood, .30-caliber rifles, leading to the creation of a special National Match just for M1A rifles
Renewed interest in the M1A, coupled with major sponsorship from Springfield Armory, led to the the first dedicated Camp Perry M1A match in 2008. With $25,000 worth of prizes and cash awards, that first-ever match proved a huge success, drawing over 500 shooters. This year, match organizers also expect hundreds of shooters, who will compete for cash awards, as well as Springfield gun-giveaways.
Nick Till in 2009 M1A Match. Nick was the 2007 Service Rifle Nat’l Champion. Photo courtesy NRA Blog.
M1A Match Course of Fire
Equipment rules allow pretty much all types/grades of M1As in the match. The one-day course of fire consists of 50 shots at 300 yards on the NRA MR-65F target, as follows: 5 sighters; 20 shots slow-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire, kneeling or sitting; and 10 shots slow-fire standing.
Video of 2009 M1A match at Camp Perry (NOTE: Loud wind noise — turn down speakers.)
SGT Sherri Gallagher captured her first NRA High Power National Championship by firing an incredible 2396-161X, a new record score! Competing at Camp Perry, Ohio, Sherri dropped just four points out of 2400 (240 shots). An amazing 67% of Sherri’s shots were Xs. Congratulations Sherri!
Update from Camp Perry: Today is the final day of the 2010 NRA High Power National Championship. SGT Sherri Gallagher of the USAMU remains just one point ahead of 9-time National Champion Carl Bernosky. The hardware battle is interesting — Sherri’s Tubb 2000 Bolt Gun vs. Carl’s AR-platform rifle shooting a 6mm Hagar.
Sherri Gallagher, the 2009 NRA National Long-Range Champion, could add a High Power Championship to her list of victories, if she stays on pace. Only one woman has ever won the National High Power Championship — Sherri’s mother, Nancy Tompkins. All of Sherri’s fans nationwide all pulling for her to be the second-ever female High Power Champ. But the competition will be tough.
In international 300m competition the top shooters use high-tech rifles shooting some of our favorite cartridges: 6mmBR, 6XC, and 6.5×47 Lapua. These chamberings all possess superb inherent accuracy, allowing great scores even when shooting with iron sights. This week, both men and women have been competing in prone and three-position 300m events. The level of competition has been high — Bettina Bucher of Switzerland tied the womens’ 599 score record in winning the women’s 300m prone event, and the 600-point mens’ record score has been tied twice in prone matches, once by France’s Josselin Henry, shooting factory 6.5×47 Lapua ammo. To see Bettina Bucher and Josselin Henry in action, visit the 
Report by Sommer Wood, 
The 2010 NTT was closely contested going in the last stage, with only a couple of points separating the top five teams, but at the 600-yard-line the USAMU finally pulled ahead to finish with a 2920-100X. The winning NTT team was comprised of Team Captain SSG Walter Craig, Team Coach SFC Emil Praslick III and firing members SSG Brandon Green, SGT Sherri Gallagher, SPC Augustus Dunfey, SFC Grant Singley, SFC Lance Dement and SGT Tryel Cooper. The USAMU Praslick Team edged out the California Rifle and Pistol Association-Coalinga civilian team, which finished with a 2910-84X.
SGT Tyrel Cooper Wins
Berger Bullets has donated 50,000 Berger 155.5gr Fullbore, .30-caliber match bullets to the USA National Development Team. The value of this donation, based on the bullets’ retail price, is $19,500.00. Dennis Flaherty, USA Rifle Teams Captain, also reports that Berger has pledged $1000.00 in cash each year and will continue the 50,000 bullet donation every four years on the World Championship Long Range and Palma Team match cycle.
The USA womens’ team won the Skeet competition at the ISSF World Championship, while veteran Olympian Kim Rhode won the individual women’s gold medal in Skeet, her first-ever ISSF World Championship. “It’s great to finally win a World Title in front of my parents [who traveled with her],” responded the talented Rhode during an interview with the International Sport Shooting Federation’s (ISSF) Marco Dalla Dea. Rhode’s performance aids her quest to compete at the 2012 Olympics in London, which would be her fifth Olympics appearance. Rhode shot superbly, nailing a perfect 25 in the finals to finish with a total score of 97/100 targets. China’s Wei Ning, who also went 25 for 25 in the finals, finished second with 96/100 targets.
Nick Till in 2009 M1A Match. Nick was the 2007 Service Rifle Nat’l Champion. Photo courtesy 
