Brandon Green Wins Best of the West Hunter Competition
Brandon Green, a multi-time long-range and service rifle national champion, recently won the Open Heavy division at the 2026 Best of the West Hunter match. Held March 6–8, 2026 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the Best of the West Hunter competition had 20 simulated hunting stages with targets ranging from 200 yards to over 900 yards, with average target distance around 400 yards. The range was within a large horseshoe bend of Buck creek, giving a 360∘ course of fire over terrain with rolling, rocky bluffs, tall-grass hills, wooded draws, open valleys, and creek bottoms. On the range competitors engaged life‑size AR500 steel animal targets including wolf, bighorn sheep, moose, bear, whitetail deer, hog, coyote, mountain lion, bobcat, turkey, elk, antelope, mule deer, otter, raccoon, rock chuck, squirrel, lynx, prairie dog, and jackrabbit. Round count was 80-160, depending on a first round impact or second round impact.
Green, who has already secured three NRL Hunter match wins this season, credited both the match design and his equipment for the successful outing: “I find the NRL game has its unique challenges along with really fun courses of fire. Having confidence in your equipment and ammunition gives you the ability to focus on the task at hand and that’s the key to having a strong performance. My .260 Remington AI platform loaded with Berger 144 grain Long Range Hybrid Target bullets, Lapua cases, powered with Vihtavuori N160 has been one of the most consistent combinations I’ve ever seen. I’m very thankful these helped secure the Best of the West Hunter Championship.”
Key Details of the 2026 Best of the West Hunter Match
Winner: Brandon Green (Team Lapua).
Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma, known for challenging, rugged terrain.
Format: 20 stages, 80-160 rounds, including hunting scenarios with simulated wildlife targets (e.g., elk, mule deer, bear). Match focuseson skill-building and practical hunting scenarios.
Rules: NRL Hunter regulations, requiring chamber flags and adhering to safety protocols.
Divisions: Open Heavy, Skills, Team, and Young Guns.
Best of West Match Elements Featured in This Video
About Lapua
Lapua produces high-quality small caliber cartridges and components for civilian and professional use. Lapua is imported by Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori, and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Lapua.com.
