Shoot Better by Maintaining Physical Fitness
Even at age 68, Vera Koo was one of the top female shooters in the action pistol game. An 8-time Bianchi Cup Women’s Champion, Vera knows what it takes to win. She credits her success not just to dedicated practice, but also dedication to personal health. Vera has always regarded personal fitness as a key priority that helps her achieve competitive success. In this video, Vera explains the benefits of fitness training. Shooting practice combined with physical fitness training can bring your performance to the next level, says Vera. And Vera adds that shooting sports (or any competitive activity), provides key motivation to exercise — which will provide long-term health benefits.
“You cannot perform your best, if you are not AT your best. Stick with an exercise program that you enjoy, and see your strength and stamina develop. And then see your scores go up!
I noticed all the top shooters are in great physical condition. Since I entered the sport at a rather late age — at 47 — I took up weight lifting and aerobic excercise. My exercise programs have helped me gain strength and stamina that allows me to focus and shoot well.” — Vera Koo
The Competitive Mindset — Focus on the Victories
Along with physical fitness, mental “fitness”, i.e. having the proper competitive mindset, is also important to success in the shooting sports. In this second video, 8-Time Bianchi Cup Lady’s Winner Vera Koo explains how she works to develop focus, calmness, and self-confidence when she competes. Vera explains one needs to adopt a “Warrior Mindset”.
“Champions spend hours practicing for the smallest improvements. Even when they are good, they strive to be great. The common characteristic among [all Champions] is that they are all strong of heart — they are all warriors.” — Vera Koo
Learning from Vera Koo, video host Gabby Franco concludes: “Our mind is one of the most powerful tools we have to achieve our goals”.
Whether it’s getting involved in competitive shooting or firing a gun for the very first time, Vera Koo has overcome the fears that come along with new experiences. True champions are those who, like committed warriors, never give up. Vera encourages shooters to focus on each victory — no matter how small — in order to keep growing and improving.
The amazing Doug Koenig, shown above, has won 18 Bianchi Cup titles, more than any other human.
Many of the world’s top pistoleros are in Missouri this week competing in the 2018 NRA Bianchi Cup, the USA’s most prestigious action pistol match. This year’s Bianchi Cup event, which follows the NRA National Action Pistol Championship, runs May 22-25, 2018 in Hallsville, Missouri at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club. Today there will be registration and a Special Multi-Gun Match. The official First Shot Ceremony is on Wednesday, May 23rd, at 7:45 am. Then Cup competition begins promptly at 8:00 am on Wednesday.
Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is widely considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet. To finish on top, you have to be near-perfect.
As in 2017, this year’s match will feature a second “Championship” Round. There will be no multi-gun aggregate match. After completion of the match’s 192-shot, 1920-point aggregate, the top 36 competitors will fire an additional 192-shot Championship Round. Scores from the Championship Round will combined into an overall Aggregate to determine each category’s champions. CLICK HERE for 2018 Bianchi Cup Program Guide.
Watch Colt Speed Event at 2013 Bianchi Cup Championships:
Ace Shooter Jessie Harrison (from Bianchi Photo Archive)
About the Bianchi Cup
The Bianchi Cup is the NRA National Action Pistol Championship, a major tournament held every May in Columbia, Missouri. The premier action pistol championship, the Bianchi Cup boasts the largest purse of any tournament on the action pistol calendar. The Bianchi Cup is the only major shooting tournament that has retained its original Course of Fire since its inception. The Course of Fire consists of four separate matches:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from left to right with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.
At the Bianchi Cup, there are six categories for individual competitors: Civilian, Police, Service, Junior, Woman, Senior, Grand Senior, New Competitor, International, and Revolver.
Competitors need plenty of ammo at the Bianchi Cup. Look at that collection of magazines.
Since the Bianchi Cup, the most prestigious pistols-only match in the country, starts today, we thought we’d post some videos that can help readers improve the speed and accuracy of their pistol shooting. You may never win a Bianchi title, but these tips can help in a club IDPA match, or the pistol stages of your next 3-Gun match. The star of these videos is Doug Koenig, 18-time Bianchi Cup champion. Koenig, who has won numerous National and World pistol titles, is considered by many to be the best action pistol shooter on the planet. His speed, consistency, and accuracy are without peer.
Acquire First Target
In this video, 18-Time Bianchi Cup Winner Doug Koenig explains how to acquire your first target quickly, and make sure your first shot is a hit. Doug notes that a perfect first shot will positively affect the many shots that follow in a competition:
Make Fast Follow-Up Shots
In this next NSSF Video Koenig demonstrates how to make Fast Follow-Up Shots and how to transition from target to target quickly. Grip, stance, consistency are all important Doug explains.
Keep Both Eyes Open
When shooting a pistol two-handed, “on the clock”, it’s almost always better to shoot with both eyes open. And during a “move and shoot” action pistol match, you surely want to have both eyes open. Keeping both eyes open improves depth perception and helps with target transitions.
“To me it’s very simple — I wouldn’t drive my car with one eye closed. I wouldn’t walk around the house with one eye closed. To me, it’s all about your vision, your depth perception.” — Doug Koenig
With both eyes open you’ll have better depth perception and peripheral vision, Koenig says. Moreover, you will also be able to transition from target to target more quickly. In a timed, multi-target stage, you’ll want to move your head/eyes to the next target right after you break a shot. You’ll find that you will then reflexively move the handgun on to the new target when you swing your vision on to it. Don’t linger on the target you just shot — move to the next.
Trigger Press and Trigger Control
In this fourth video, Koenig talks about key techniques that apply to all pistol marksmanship — not just speed shooting “on the clock”. With any handgun, Doug explains, you should focus on consistent trigger control. You want to avoid yanking the trigger or anticipating recoil.
Doug Koenig’s List of Championships:
10-time World Champion
18-time Bianchi Cup winner
2016 NRA World Shooting Champion
More than 70 National Championships
6-time World Action Pistol Championship Winner
3-time World Speed Shooting Champion/Steel Challenge
Want to see the best semi-auto pistol and revolver shooters on the planet in action? Then check out Shooting USA TV later today. Today’s broadcast features in-depth coverage of the 2017 Bianchi Cup. Shooting USA’s John Scoutten and Julie Golob report from the NRA Action Pistol Championship, better known as the Bianchi Cup, after one of its founders, John Bianchi.
ShootingUSA AIR TIMES FOR 2018 (Outdoor Channel)
Wednesday 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific, 8:00 PM Central
NOTE: Shooting USA is listed as a one-hour show in your cable menu.
In the past 30 years the Bianchi Cup has become the richest handgun event in the world, with cash and prizes for the best scores on four stages of fire. Shooting USA will spotlight top male and female Bianchi Cup competitors in both wheelgun and and semi-auto pistol divisions. Along with North American shooters, the Bianchi Cup draws top handgun competitors from around the globe.
In 2017 shooters from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan traveled to Columbia, Missouri in search of the perfect 1920 match score. Each round is the aggregate of the four (4) fired events: Practical, Barricade, Falling Plate, and Moving Target Events. Each of the four events requires 48 shots to complete. 480 points possible on each event. Three of the four are scored on the NRA tombstone P1 target. You must hit in the 10-ring or inner X-Ring on EVERY shot to shoot a “clean” 1920.
27 Years ago Doug Koening set the standard with a 1920. Since then, every Open shooter knows that he or she must “clean” this match (i.e. score a “1920”) to have a chance to take the title of “Champion”. The X-Count is the tie-breaker.
In this video, 18-Time Bianchi Cup Winner Doug Koenig demonstrates Fast Follow-up Shots
Here are the top four women shooting the Practical Event during the Colt Championship Final. From top: 2017 Bianchi Women’s Champion Cherie Blake, third place SFC Katie Bahten, second place Anita Mackiewicz, and fourth place Jessie Duff. Shooting Sports USA Photo
This Bianchi Cup Preview offers the perspective of newcomers to the game…
Doug Koenig will exchange the Smith & Wesson hat for one with the Ruger logo this season. The 18-time Bianchi Cup Winner has joined Team Ruger, and will shoot Ruger pistols and rifles in 2018.
Doug Koenig, one of the greatest pistol shooters of all time, has a new team. The long-time Team Smith & Wesson stalwart has joined newly-formed Team Ruger as its Team Captain. Doug will shoot Ruger 1911-style handguns and Ruger polymer pistols. Interestingly, Koenig will also field a Ruger Precision Rifle for some PRS-style events. Doug has actually done pretty well in the past shooting long guns. He won the 2015 NRA World Shooting Championship — a multi-day event featuring rifles and/or shotguns in most of the stages.
This is the first time Ruger has ever fielded a full-fledged pro team. It is an interesting development for Ruger, which has a product mix suitable for a variety of disciplines: Rimfire Challenge, Cowboy Action, IDPA/USPSA, Steel Challenge, and even PRS (Factory Class and Gas Gun Division).
Why is Koenig leaving Smith and Wesson? It’s mostly about being “on the same page”. Talking to Jim Shepherd of the Shooting Wire, Doug explained: “I’ve been with Smith & Wesson for a very long time — and I want to be really clear about this – they’ve always been good to me.” But, there had been changes at S&W in recent years: “We were going in different directions, and I’d already told them I wasn’t re-signing this year. And when I was approached by Ruger, they were interested in my thoughts on guns.” Read Shooting Wire Report.
Though best known as a pistolero, Koenig is a great long gun shooter as well. Doug won the 2016 NRA World Shooting Championship, beating a field of talented 3-Gun aces. Photo DougKoenig.com.
Doug was impressed with Ruger’s design staff. He said they have already incorporated upgrades he wanted: “When I talked with Ruger engineers, they asked me what I thought — instead of telling me what they were going to do. So, I told them what I would like to see in a Ruger competition pistol, and it seemed like they were really listening.” In fact, Ruger immediately made upgrades: “A few days after Christmas I got a pair of Ruger pistols with the exact changes I’d talked about already done to them. That is exciting”.
Doug Koenig’s List of Championships:
10-time World Champion
18-time Bianchi Cup winner
2016 NRA World Shooting Champion
More than 70 National Championships
6-time World Action Pistol Championship Winner
3-time World Speed Shooting Champion/Steel Challenge
Watch Doug Koenig’s Championship Season TV show on the Pursuit Channel: Wednesday 5:30 pm (Eastern); Friday 9:00 pm (Eastern); Saturday 1:30 am (Eastern) West Coast prime-time.
This week’s edition of Shooting USA, which airs Wednesday, November 8, features the NRA Bianchi Cup. This competition is one of the most prestigious and popular events in the world of handgun shooting. Officially, the annual competition in Columbia, Missouri is known as the National Championship of NRA Action Pistol. But to everybody, world-wide, it’s the Bianchi Cup, the trophy named for one of the founders, John Bianchi. In the past 30 years the match has become the richest handgun tournament in the world, with cash and prizes for the best scores on four stages of fire. Shooting USA will spotlight top male and female Bianchi Cup competitors in both wheelgun and and semi-auto pistol divisions. Along with North American shooters, the Bianchi Cup draws top handgun competitors from around the globe. Shooting USA airs Wednesday nights, on the Outdoor Channel, at 9:30 pm, and 1:30 am (Thursday) — East Coast Times.
John Scoutten and S&W shooter Julie Golob report the action from the Bianchi Cup. This year shooters from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, and Japan traveled to Columbia, Missouri in search of the perfect 1920 match score. Each round is the aggregate of the four (4) fired events: Practical, Barricade, Falling Plate, and Moving Target Events. Each of the four events requires 48 shots to complete. 480 points possible on each event. Three of the four are scored on the NRA tombstone P1 target. You must hit in the 10-ring or inner X-Ring on EVERY shot to shoot a “clean” 1920.
27 Years ago Doug Koening set the standard with a 1920. Since then, every Open shooter knows that he or she must “clean” this match (i.e. score a “1920”) to have a chance to take the title of “Champion”. The X-Count is the tie-breaker.
Here are the top four women shooting the Practical Event during the Colt Championship Final. From top: 2017 Bianchi Women’s Champion Cherie Blake, third place SFC Katie Bahten, second place Anita Mackiewicz, and fourth place Jessie Duff. Shooting Sports USA Photo
This Bianchi Cup Preview, filmed a few seasons back, offers the perpective of newcomers to the game…
Bianchi Cup — Classic Course of Fire
The MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup is a combination of Speed and Accuracy. Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. Stages may combine stationary and moving targets. As conceived by former police officer and holster-maker John Bianchi, the Bianchi Cup originated in 1979 as a Law Enforcement Training match. The Course of Fire consists of four separate matches:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from left to right with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.
Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is widely considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet.
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:
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.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.”
One eye or two? That’s the question that confounds some pistol shooters, particularly during slow fire. When shooting one-handed, some bullseye pistol shooters use a piece of tape or paper on one lens of their shooting glasses to obscure their non-dominant eye. That way they can get a more precise sight picture. However, when shooting two-handed, it’s almost always better to shoot with both eyes open. And if you are doing a “move and shoot” session/match, you’ll surely want to have both eyes open.
Champion pistol shooter Doug Koenig says he always shoots handguns with both eyes open: “To me it’s very simple — I wouldn’t drive my car with one eye closed. I wouldn’t walk around the house with one eye closed. To me, it’s all about your vision, your depth perception.” Doug adds that you definitely need both eyes open to transition quickly from target to target.
With both eyes open you’ll have better depth perception and peripheral vision. You will also be able to transition from target to target more quickly. In a timed, multi-target stage, you’ll want to move your head/eyes to the next target right after you break a shot. You’ll find that you will then reflexively move the handgun on to the new target when you swing your vision on to it. Don’t linger on the target you just shot — move to the next.
Here are two other helpful videos from Doug Koenig and the NSSF:
Sight Alignment and Sight Picture
Trigger Press and Trigger Control
Doug Koenig’s List of Championships:
10-time World Champion
18-time Bianchi Cup winner
2016 NRA World Shooting Champion
More than 70 National Championships
6-time World Action Pistol Championship Winner
3-time World Speed Shooting Champion/Steel Challenge
Watch Doug Koenig’s Championship Season TV show on the Pursuit Channel: Wednesday 5:30 pm (Eastern); Friday 9:00 pm (Eastern); Saturday 1:30 am (Eastern) West Coast prime-time.
The nation’s top pistoleros are headed to Missouri this week to compete in the 2016 NRA Bianchi Cup, the most prestigious action pistol match of the year. The 2016 Bianchi Cup event, also known as the National Action Pistol Championship, will be held May 24-28, 2016 in Columbia, Missouri at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club.
Something is new this year — a second “Championship” Round. There will be no multi-gun aggregate match. Instead, the 2016 NRA Bianchi Cup will feature a new format to determine the overall champion. After completion of the match’s 192-shot, 1920-point aggregate, the top 36 competitors will fire an additional 192-shot Championship Round. Scores from the Championship Round will combined into an overall Aggregate to determine each category’s champions.
Check out this “Sizzle Reel” from the 2013 NRA Bianchi Cup:
About the Bianchi Cup
The Bianchi Cup is the NRA National Action Pistol Championship, a major tournament held every May in Columbia, Missouri. The premier action pistol championship, the Bianchi Cup boasts the largest purse of any tournament on the action pistol calendar. The Bianchi Cup is the only major shooting tournament that has retained its original Course of Fire since its inception. The Course of Fire consists of four separate matches:
The Practical Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits.
The Barricade Event: From within shooting boxes and behind barricades, a shooter fires at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits.
The Falling Plate Event: From the appropriate shooting line, the shooter fires at 8 inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
The Moving Target Event: From within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards, the shooter fires at a target moving from left to right with the target being exposed for only 6 seconds.
Due to the high accuracy required in each stage of the Bianchi Cup, the tournament is widely considered one of the most difficult handgun championships on the planet.
Story based on report by Kyle Jillson forNRABlog.com.
Doug Koenig secured his 16th NRA Action Pistol title this week at the 2015 NRA Bianchi Cup in Columbia, Missouri. Koenig’s final score was a perfect 1920 with 180 tie-breaking Xs. Koenig needed all those Xs to win — runner-up Jeremy Newell (1920-166X) also racked up a perfect 1920 score, but with 14 fewer Xs. Carl Bernosky, a ten-time NRA High Power Rifle Champion, placed third overall with 1918-180X. Australian shooter Anita Mackiewicz set a new record for a female shooter with a 1916-166X.
Koenig’s success at the Bianchi Cup is unparalleled. Doug’s 16 titles account for nearly half of the 37 total Bianchi championships held. Bruce Piatt has the next best career Bianchi Cup record, with five Bianchi titles, less than one-third of Koenig’s total.
Many of the world’s top pistoleros are in Missouri this week competing in the 2018 NRA Bianchi Cup, the USA’s most prestigious action pistol match. This year’s Bianchi Cup event, which follows the NRA National Action Pistol Championship, runs May 22-25, 2018 in Hallsville, Missouri at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club. Today there will be registration and a Special Multi-Gun Match. The official First Shot Ceremony is on Wednesday, May 23rd, at 7:45 am. Then Cup competition begins promptly at 8:00 am on Wednesday.
This week’s edition of 
