Erich Mietenkorte has won the 2023 Iron Man Regional Silhouette Championship for the third consecutive year — a remarkable “Three-Peat” in sihouette shooting. Scoring 280/320 points, Mietenkorte won three out of the four championships during the two-day event, and was the 4-Gun Aggregate Winner.

The 2023 Iron Man Regional Silhouette Championship was held June 3-4 and hosted by the Deep Creek Shooting Range in Missoula, MT. It brought shooters from Washington, Montana, South Dakota, Missouri, and Canada. Each morning, competitors fire 40-shot relays in both Smallbore Hunter and Smallbore Standard Rifle course of fire. Rounds are shot from the offhand position (standing) at targets 40, 60, 77 and 100 meters. In the afternoon, competitors transition to centerfire and again shoot a 40-shot relay in High Power Hunting and High Powder Standard Rifle, with targets at 200, 300, 385, and 500 meters.

“In the past I’ve been asked why I shoot silhouette and not a different discipline and the first thing that comes to mind is, when I’m at a silhouette match, I just feel at home. The people are incredible, the shooting is challenging, and it’s just plain fun! Silhouette competitors are a big part of my second family and I’m happy to be able to shoot and support a sport that brings families together to make great memories,” commented Mietenkorte.

Erich explains his aiming method: “Pick a spot on the target and shoot for that. Try not to hesitate, if you’re on target, take the shot. It’s easy to get locked up by trying to make a great shot better. Make sure to follow through, keep that trigger pulled back. Don’t forget to have fun!”

Mietenkorte trains with SK Ammunition and competes with Lapua Midas+ and X-ACT matched to his rifle at Lapua’s Rimfire Performance Center. For High Power Rifle, Mietenkorte runs a 6mmBR using Lapua cases, and Vihtavuori N140 powder behind Berger 95gr and 115gr VLD Target bullets.

“Training with SK Ammunition, specifically Rifle Match, allows me to hone my abilities. There is no other ammunition I trust going into a big match like this. Training with rimfire ammunition allows me to reinforce offhand shooting fundamentals, which really sets me up for success on the high-power range as well,” stated Mietenkorte.

Accordingly, DTA hosted its first ever Pumpkin Shoot at the Sniper Country range in Northern Utah. Shooters (all dressed as Superheroes) had three (3) rounds to engage targets at different distances, racking up points based on target distance (the farther the target, the higher the points). Participants included Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain America (after a few too many doughnuts), and Nacho Libre (still in superhero training). The DTA crew reports this Halloween Superhero shoot “was a great way to enjoy some fall air and pay homage to the all-benevolent pumpkin.” Take a look:

To add spice to the Halloween shoot, the DTA guys set up a few Tannerite reactive targets on the range. When hit, these produced impressive explosions — as the next video reveals:

If you enjoyed these Desert Tactical Arms Videos, check out the Halloween Pumpkin Shoot Out-takes featuring the full cast of Superhero characters (plus one very ‘dazed and confused’ coyote hunter who wandered on to the scene during filming).