Curtis Roman Sets ELR Cold Bore 3-Shot Record at 2472 Yards
Here’s a really impressive feat of marksmanship and rifle accuracy. Starting with a cold bore, i.e. no sighters and no warm-up shots right before the string, Curtis Roman made 3 hits in a row at 1.404 MILES (2472 yards). The hits were on a steel target 3-foot square (36″x36″). To put things in perspective, one MOA at 2472 yards spans 25.88 inches. Looking at the target, his three shots were very close to 1 MOA.
Sterling Precision and Applied Ballistics shooter Curtis Roman set a new FCSA Extreme Long Range (ELR) Cold Bore Record on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at the Spring Canyon ELR Match at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM. At this match, Curtis was able to make 3 consecutive impacts at 2472 yards, starting with a cold bore. This feat was witnessed by fellow competitors. Through his spotting and wind-reading skills, Roman’s teammate David Lindsey played a key role in setting this new Cold Bore ELR World Record.
Curtis was shooting a Sterling Precision-built .416 Stroker with 500 grain Cutting Edge Lazer bullets. The ballistics solution for the 2472-yard distance was calculated by a Kestrel 5700X with Applied Ballistics using Doppler radar data.
This video shows Curtis Roman at the 2021 KO2M event at the Whittington Center last year:
Rules of Extreme Long Range Competition
There are various rule sets for different ELR events at different venues. However the Extreme Long Range Shooting Organization (ELRSO) has created a set of standardized rules with the goal of running ELR matches under uniform guidelines. Here are some highlights of the ELRSO Rules for Extreme Long Range Competition:
Any caliber of rifle up to and including .50 CAL can be shot at any ELRSO Unlimited event. Eligible rifles must be .50 caliber or smaller.
Rifle, as ready to fire with all equipment attached, may not exceed (50 lbs. Heavy) or (25 lbs. Light), scales will be required at each match to verify weight compliance.
Attached Bipods for the front rest, and rear bag or pad for rear support will be the only rest systems permitted. No mechanical rests, mono-pods are allowed.
Bipod must be rigid and may only have two points of contact with the ground and one point of attachment to the rifle. Distance between feet may not exceed 20 inches.
Weight of all equipment must be brought to firing line in a single trip. No additional weight may be added to the rifle [after] weigh-in.
No electronic data gathering equipment, flags or wind data references permitted forward of the firing line.
No electronic communication will be permitted between the shooter, or spotter, and any other person.
Range Distance Requirements
Light Class – Minimum distance for initial target will be no less than 1,000 yards. Maximum distance for final target will be no more than 1,800 yards. Range must be capable of extending to 1,800 yards to host an ELRSO Limited Class match.Heavy Class – Minimum distance for initial target will be no less than 1,400 yards. Maximum distance for final target will be no less than 2,600 yards, and no more than 3,600 yards. Range must be capable of extending to a minimum of 2,600 yards to host an ELRSO Unlimited Class match.