Civilian and USAMU Teams Set New Long-Range Records at Perry

Story based on Report by Lindsey J. Morgan for NRAblog.
The United States Army Marksmanship Unit is now two-for-two in Long Range Rifle Championship team matches. On Sunday, USAMU Praslick won the Roumanian Trophy Team Match and Monday afternoon the team shot their way to the top after an incredible Herrick Trophy Team Match finish. USAMU Praslick shot a National record-setting score of 799-56X, surpassing the old Herrick Trophy Team national record of 799-51X by five Xs, which was also set by a USAMU team coached by SFC Emil Praslick III.

The 2012 USAMU Praslick team not only broke the National Championship Record, but also broke the open record and service record. Members of this year’s USAMU Praslick team are: SSG Shane Barnhart (200-15X), SSG Tyrel Cooper (200-12X), SGT Sherri Gallagher (199-15X), SSG Brandon Green (200-14X), and team captain SGT Matthew Rawlings. Praslick was proud of his team, observing: “it was a pretty good performance. The conditions were there and that’s why there were so many high scores.”

Southeast Rifle Club Gray Sets New Civilian Team National Record
Team Southeast Rifle Club Gray shot a 798-51X score, just one point and five Xs behind the winning USAMU Team Praslick. This score, score described by Praslick as “incredible”, is a new National Long-Range Record for Civilian shooters. Team members are (in alphabetical order), Tom Guercio, Jon Howell, William Walter, and John Whidden. The team captain and coach is Lt. Carl Kovalchik. Although Southeast Rifle Club Gray’s score was not good enough to win the Herrick Trophy Team Match, these guys did shoot better than any other civilian squad in history. Coach Lt. Carl Kovalchik laughed, “We’ve set two national records in the past two days, and didn’t win either day.”