Many notable shooting matches are being held this month. As Pandemic restrictions recede, competitive shooters are getting back to the range, and that’s definitely a good thing. F-Classers are competing in Tennessee this weekend (see V² Finale Report), and PRS/NRL aces will be competing in Colorado.

The Colorado tactical match is something new — the inaugural Koenig Shooting Sports Precision Rifle Competition. This challenging event takes place this weekend, June 12-13, at the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex outside Grand Junction, Colorado. Doug Koenig will serve as the match director.

This two-day event is expected to attract some of the best precision rifle competitors in the nation, all vying for points to earn an exclusive spot at the year-end PRS Pro Series Finale. Utilizing the picturesque landscape and natural terrain props found at the Cameo Shooting Complex, each competitor’s skills will be put to the test while engaging an assortment of steel, reactive, and automated moving targets at distances from 300 to over 1000 yards.

“I want to thank Ruger not only for their support but also for their continued commitment to this sport,” commented Koenig. “The introduction of the Ruger Precision Rifle disrupted the world of PRS by making it a much more affordable discipline to participate in, so it is only fitting that they are the presenting sponsor of this exciting event.”

Doug Koenig and the Ruger Precision Rifle
“Koenig” (or König) means “king” in German. That is indeed appropriate for Doug Koenig, 19-Time Bianchi Cup winner, who is now starting to conquer the rifle world as well. Koenig, considered by many to be the best action pistol shooter on the planet, proved he’s an ace with rifles too, as he has had multiple PRS Production Division victories. Koenig, Captain of Team Ruger, shoots a Ruger Precision Rifle (RPR), chambered in 6mm Creedmoor. Notably, Production Division limits rifles to $2000.00 for the gun ($4000.00 overall with scope). You can buy an RPR for around $1350.00 typically ($1320.99 at KyGunCo).

In this video, Gavin Gear Shows How to Accurize a Ruger Precision Rifle:

This Interesting Cut-Away Animation Shows How the Ruger Precision Rifle Functions:

Today, Wednesday April 7, 2021, Shooting USA TV features the Hornady Precision Hunter Steel Challenge. This is a unique, one-of-a-kind match set in 2000 acres of natural terrain at the Cameo Shooting Complex in Colorado. The match replicates long-range hunting challenges, with steel targets sized to simulate the vitals of western game animals. Some 135 competitors engaged steel targets in 20 challenging stages.

Match Director Scott Satterlee says, “This is as close as it can get to mountain hunting. We have vital-sized targets out there. They are 12-inch squares turned to diamonds which are really difficult to hit”.

SHOOTING USA TV Air Times
View Shooting USA on the Outdoor Channel: Wednesdays 9:00 PM (Eastern and Pacific); 8:00 PM Central.
NOTE: If you miss the 1/13/2021 broadcast, you can still view the show on Vimeo for a small 99-cent fee, or just $1.99 per month unlimited. LINK HERE: Shooting USA on Vimeo.

The inaugural Hornady Precision Hunter Steel Challenge took place in Colorado August 8 and 9. This unique competition involved lots of hiking with various shooting positions in challenging natural terrain. The unique match was hosted at the Cameo Shooting Complex near Grand Junction, CO.

There were 135 registered competitors — quite a turn-out for a physically demanding match in a fairly remote location. Congrats to Heavy Class and Overall Winner Brian Black who topped the field with 140 Match points (100% of possible). Brian shot a 6.5×47 Lapua with Berger 6.5mm 140gr Hybrids. Brian’s winning rig featured a Lone Peak Arms Fuzion action, Benchmark barrel, and XLR Element chassis.

The Hornady Precision Hunter Steel Challenge tests a rifleman’s fitness and skills as marksman and hunter. The stages were blind with a 4-minute time limit to move to the shooting area, locate, range, and engage targets. Shooters could choose between two rifle weight classes (light or heavy) and had to meet a minimum power factor cartridge requirement that helped even the playing field. The match featured a diverse course of fire with a good mix of prone and natural terrain shooting positions.

CLICK HERE for 100 More Match Photos (Facebook Album) »

Hunting Ammo Tested by Shooting USA
In this same episode, Shooting USA tests a variety of Hornady hunting ammo offerings on the G.A. Precision private gun range in Missouri. (We’d love to have our own private range like that!) Jason Hornady says his company starts the design of all hunting ammunition with bullet selection: “For us it started with the bullet … for us the bullet still makes the cartridge.”.

There will be a new NRL competition series in 2021 — NRL HUNTER (NRLH). This will complement the popular NRL tactical series and NRL22 rimfire series. For its inaugural (first-ever) 2021 season, NRL HUNTER will host nine regional hunting matches, followed by the NRL HUNTER Championship — the Grand Slam Finale. The Season Championship will take place August 2-8, 2021 at the Cameo Shooting Complex in Grand Junction, Colorado. The championship match will be directed by NRL HUNTER developer Scott Satterlee and the NRL’s Director of Match Operations.

NRL HUNTER 2021 Series Schedule (Ten Events):

1. Nehawka, Nebraska – February 19-21, 2021
2. Farmington, New Mexico – March 5-7, 2021
3. Arbuckle, California – March 26-28, 2021
4. Mount Pleasant, Tennessee – April 16-18, 2021
5. Laramie, Wyoming – April 23-25, 2021
6. Dupuyer, Montana – May 6-9, 2021
7.Hammett, Idaho – May 21-23, 2021
8. Dalton, New Hampshire – June 25-27, 2021
9. Price, Utah – July 23-25, 2021
10. NRL HUNTER Grand Slam Season Championship
Grand Junction, Colorado – August 2-8, 2021

The first-ever NRL HUNTER match will take place in Nebraska, February 19-21, 2021:

NRL HUNTER, a division of National Rifle League (NRL), is a series of competitions for hunters by hunters. It provides a competitive format for new and seasoned hunters to learn about their skills, gear, and local hunting terrains. To participate in matches, hunters must purchase a $100 Annual NRLH membership ($75.00 for Young Guns). For more information, visit NRLHUNTER.org.

There will be three gear-based Classes: Open Heavy, Open Light and Factory. In addition there will be separate Ladies and Young Guns divisions.

NRL HUNTER’s founders state: “Hunting isn’t merely a hobby or pastime; it is our way of life. For us, it is about community, education, and a strong foundation of ethical harvesting. It is the desire to be the most proficient hunter possible, it is the passion that has driven NRL to develop the NRL HUNTER series[.]”

Bushnell will be the Title Sponsor of the 2021 season of NRL HUNTER. “We are truly honored to have Bushnell on board as our Title Sponsor for the NRL HUNTER Series,” stated Travis Ishida, NRL President. “This is a terrific partnership in which both groups share the same vision and passion for the hunting community.” Since 1948, Bushnell has offered a full line of products for hunters. Bushnell now sells riflescopes, binoculars, rangefinders, spotting scopes, and trail cameras.

The inaugural Hornady Precision Hunter Steel Challenge took place in Colorado August 8 and 9. This unique competition involved lots of hiking with various shooting positions in challenging natural terrain. The unique match was hosted at the Cameo Shooting Complex near Grand Junction, CO.

There were 135 registered competitors — quite a turn-out for a physically demanding match in a fairly remote location. Congrats to Heavy Class and Overall Winner Brian Black who topped the field with 140 Match points (100% of possible). Brian shot a 6.5×47 Lapua with Berger 6.5mm 140gr Hybrids. Brian’s winning rig featured a Lone Peak Arms Fuzion action, Benchmark barrel, and XLR Element chassis. Behind Brian was Serger Ducourneau in second with 134 points (95.71%). Eric Anderson finished third overall with 129 points (92.14%).

Overall and Heavy Class winner Brian Black (center) with trophy.

The Hornady Precision Hunter Steel Challenge tests a rifleman’s fitness and skills as marksman and hunter. The stages were blind with a 4-minute time limit to move to the shooting area, locate, range, and engage targets. Shooters could choose between two rifle weight classes (light or heavy) and had to meet a minimum power factor cartridge requirement that helped even the playing field. The match featured a diverse course of fire with a good mix of prone and natural terrain shooting positions. Look at the images — this was no ordinary shooting match, and natural terrain features were employed much more than at any PRS match.

Hornady wanted to thank Match Director, Scott Satterlee, the Cameo Shooting Complex and all of the volunteers and sponsors that made this match possible.

CLICK HERE for 100 More Match Photos (Facebook Album) »