Ken Pfau (center), who has led FNH's immense support of 3-gun, celebrates with Mark Hanish (left) and Tommy Thacker following the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale in Las Vegas.

3-Gun Nation

Las Vegas, NV --(Ammoland.com)- For most folks, winning the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale meant one thing—holding up that big check for $50,000 from Leupold Tactical Optics and NBC Sport Network.

However, for this year’s finalists, a pair of teammates came in with an entirely different plan.

Tommy Thacker and Mark Hanish are splitting their collective 3GN Championship purse, a check for $50K, a Brownells check for $2,500 and a Barrett MRAD rifle package complete with a Leupold Mark IV and a BORS system. The first and second place prizes combined for a value of approximately $60,000.

And if that isn’t remarkable enough—they’re giving a big chunk of that haul away to charity.

Thacker and Hanish, in the name of Team FNH USA, will donate $10,000 to both the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a charity FNH USA has worked with extensively, as well as the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a favorite charity of 3GN Host and Team FN member Mark Wills.

“We have informed Barrett of our plan to share the first and second place prizes, and make the $20K total in donations to SOWF and CMNH from Team FNH USA,” Hanish said.

“Tommy and I were blessed to be at the top of the 3-Gun Nation Finale, and we feel Team FNH USA can do more good by selling the MRAD and using the money to help some great charities. Besides, it would be impossible to split the rifle, and difficult to arrange visitation with both of us living in opposite ends of the country!”

Barrett's Brian James (left) and Brownells' Pete Brownell (right) present 2nd place prizes to Mark Hanish.

The all-FNH final, for Team FNH USA, in effect realized a dream the team members had shared since the company went “all-in” in its support to the game, including its key role as a sponsor of 3-Gun Nation.

“Mark and I decided as soon as it was nailed down that I was in the big show we would split it if we went one and two (in either order),” Thacker said. “We have been a team from the start and there was no reason to move away from that. I was happy with it, as Mark was the one person I didn’t think I could beat in the Shoot-Off format. He is very tough in Shoot-Offs.”

“When Tommy and I both made the final round, we had already won!” added Hanish. “We accomplished what we had set out to do, which was to represent FNH to the best of our abilities and make it an all-FNH Finale. I was focused and determined through the opening bouts, then the Finale felt like another day on the range shooting with my teammate and one of my best friends. After Tommy had won the Finale, I was truly ecstatic for him. He is a great shooter and an even better individual. Tommy has put more into the sport of 3-Gun than anyone over the past couple years, and he truly deserved to come out on top.”

Like most 3-gunners, Thacker and Hanish each have full-time jobs that limit their practice time, making their Shoot-Off runs against an extremely deep field even more impressive. For Thacker, the difference-maker came through focused practice and visualization techniques. Thacker found a “coach” in longtime friend AJ Williams, built shooting boxes like those used in past 3GN Shoot-Offs, took a guess at what the Shoot-Off stage might comprise (guessing wrongly, we might add), and then went through two focused practice sessions that forced Thacker to relearn the way he approached the Shoot-Off, building a base on accurate, one-for-one shooting and building speed from there.

“I stretched and visualized what the run would be, how I would approach it and how it all would play out,” Thacker said of his final practice run in Virginia. “True to form (Williams) would not let me go at it on the first run; instead it was a smooth approach going one-for-one on every target. After that first run I looked at AJ and told him I had a 26-second run in me and I was going to get it today. At that point he said he was ready when I was. I visualized a fast run with all the footing and hits, stretched and asked for the timer. AJ started me with the timer and off I went, one-for-one on the shotgun, one-for-one on the rifle, two misses quickly made up on the pistol and it was over. I looked back at AJ for the time and he was laughing, my first thought … the timer didn’t work. Well, he was laughing at the time. I shot a 25.36, which is more than 2.5 seconds faster than my best run to that point.”

Thacker then knew he was ready, and after limited but dedicated Shoot-Off practice rounds he didn’t touch a gun again until the competitor practice session in Las Vegas the morning of the Finale.

“I packed up and didn’t touch a gun until the Wednesday practice session,” Thacker said. “Total rounds less than 350, lots of visualization and prayer not only for myself but I prayed for all of the competitors along the way and one last time just before the event. I asked that every competitor have the ability to shoot to the best of their game for the finals. I knew I was ready and I wanted everyone to perform at the highest level.”

Despite intense work schedules, limited practice time and the immense hype surrounding the 3GN Finale, Hanish and Thacker stood out in Las Vegas—not for winning, but in their demeanor all day on Wednesday. After viewing both competitors in their morning practice session, and again interacting with the other competitors leading up to the main event, both of the FN shooters were extremely calm and confident with the largest payday in the history of the sport on the line.

“At the highest levels of competition, especially in the Shoot-Off format, the advantage is gained through mental preparation and conditioning,” Hanish said. “I was very calm during the event because I am confident in my abilities. I had no worries about matching up head-to-head with anyone on the shotgun and pistol, my only concern was the rifle portion. All of the 3GN Shoot-Offs boil down to the rifle, and getting into a good position with the rifle can make or break your run. I stepped in the box knowing that I could win every run by shooting to my ability. I also had an advantage in having more Shoot-Off experience than everyone in the field (outside 3GN) with the possible exception of Mike Voigt. I have previously won the top 16 Shoot-Off at the USPSA Nationals, and the American Handgunner World Shoot Off Championships. Having 15 years of high level Shoot-Off experience was definitely a huge advantage.”

“I was completely stress free,” Thacker added. “I wasn’t shooting for the money, that money wasn’t mine. If I won it I was splitting it up anyway, so there was never any pressure there. I wanted the title, I wanted to prove that I am one of the best shooters out there and that is exactly what I did. Under adverse conditions all season and having an extremely demanding job, wife and four children waiting in the wings, I did it. I accomplished in one season what some will never do, and I did it with prayer, giving, caring and compassion for everyone around me, not by being a paid full-time shooter. My job is not to shoot, it is to keep new products fresh and innovative and making sure that deliveries are on time so our salesmen can deliver them to the market place.”

The 3GN Finale capped what, at times, had been a difficult season for both Hanish and Thacker. After posting some of their worst career finishes early in the 2011 season, each competitor rallied, in his own way, and came into the 3-Gun Nation Championship shooting his best 3-gun of the year. Their late-season runs set-up for interesting stories to watch heading into next season’s highly anticipated 3GN Pro Series.

Team FNH USA's Mark Hanish was pumped up following an early-round victory at the 3GN Championship.

“I am very excited about my 3-Gun future,” Hanish said. “I worked extremely hard to be better prepared physically for 3-gun shooting. I am over 50 pounds lighter than I was at the start of the season. My physical conditioning has paid huge dividends over the course of the year, and now some focused practice and preparation should make for a great 2012. The challenge for Tommy and I is getting the time to dedicate to be prepared for the matches. Many times we shoot a match, pack up the gear, only to open it the morning of the next match—sometimes a month later. We have different roles for FNH, but we are both focused on our primary job responsibilities.”

“What a wild ride this year was for me,” Thacker said. “I have had several of the worst finishes I have ever had in 3-Gun. Several that I was very surprised I even made the top ten and at least one that I didn’t. My work schedule has been terrible for the last six months and I couldn’t give up helping the team with whatever it was they needed. I didn’t turn that off until the final match when I knew that I had to put work aside and focus on the match. It was my time and I had to give it one good shot to prove my talent to myself. I still made sure the team had what they needed but not like the past. I pointed fingers and basically said there is your stuff don’t ask me anything else.

Thacker and Hanish proved to be a powerful combo in 2011. Can they repeat in the 2012 Pro Series?

“Honestly I thought that the Shoot-Off could very well be my last 3-Gun event, Thacker continued. “With the FNS launch and a lot more involvement in the corporate side of FNH USA, I was thinking that shooting would have to take an even further removed second stage than before. For those who know what I do and how I show up and shoot matches, you think how can you get even further removed and still compete. Well, that was my issue, so I had already decided that I could finish up the Shoot-Off in style and go out exceeding my goal of making the top 16 for the year. Now I am more confused than ever. I am at a tough spot right now. Do I keep on like I am or get serious about the sport and put some real effort into it, now that’s a good question…TBD.”

Come March, look for Tommy to be right back in the mix at Ancient City for the first event of the 2012 3GN Pro Series. Just like the all-FN final, for the blue team, it’s all part of the plan.

FNH’s Tom Thacker's Victory In 3GN Championship Brings Largest Payout In 3-Gun History - Photo by Tim Walsh seanchaicom.com

3-Gun Nation

LAS VEGAS, NV --(Ammoland.com)- Before the largest crowd ever to watch a 3-gun match, and with the largest payday in the history of the sport on the line, eight of the country’s top 3-gunners stepped to the firing line at the Clark County Range here January 18.

With the famous Las Vegas strip illuminating the desert sky as the backdrop, the sport of 3-gun formally announced its arrival to the shooting industry, major media outlets and a national television audience.

And then one team stole the show.

Team FNH USA’s Tommy Thacker defeated teammate Mark Hanish in the final round of the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale, sponsored by Brownells, to become the 2012 3-Gun Nation Champion, winning an unprecedented $50,000 from Leupold Tactical Optics and NBC Sports Network.

“Unbelievable,” Thacker said, trying to put the enormity of the moment into words. “The only thing I could think is I am so blessed and everything happens for a reason. The only thing I could think is to thank God. When you think about everything that happened, I don’t know how else to describe it. Coming into this, I knew everything was right. I was in the zone more than I’ve ever been, and after the first run, I knew I was going to win this thing.”

“On behalf of FNH USA, we would like to congratulate Tommy Thacker and Mark Hanish for their outstanding performance during the 3-Gun Nation Championship,” said Ken Pfau, FNH USA Senior Vice President for Commercial and Law Enforcement Sales. “Since joining Team FNH USA, both Tommy and Mark have demonstrated time and time again that they are superior marksmen. Their dedication to the sport of 3-gun contributed to their success in this final match and showcases FNH USA’s commitment to the sport of 3-gun.”

Leupold Tactical Optics and the newly launched NBC Sports Network teamed up to sponsor the $50,000
Cash Prize, the largest cash payout in the history of 3-Gun competition.

Thacker stormed out of gate with an opening round win over Phil Strader, getting off the eight-target shotgun station first before widening the gap with a strong rifle run across six steel plates. Thacker struggled on the 12-plate pistol rack before pausing for a moment, taking a breath, and regaining his composure to finish strong and advance to the semi-finals.

“I was pretty amped up for the first run,” Thacker said. “I was listening to the music trying to stay in the groove and relax. I was thinking ‘don’t let this stuff get to you. It’s a mental game now. Your skill set is not going to change.’ I played it over and over in my mind; I knew what I had to do.”

There, Thacker met up with Jeff Cramblit, a skilled 3-gun veteran who looked strong in his opening-round run. But Thacker again was dialed in and pulled ahead on a strong rifle run, building a lead he maintained through the pistol rack and on to the stop plate, setting up the Championship showdown with Hanish.

Team FNH USA's Tommy Thacker with his parents (center) and runner-up Mark Hanish (left). Photo by Patrick Kelley multigunmedia.com

For Hanish, the opening round began with a win over one of the game’s toughest young competitors, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Tyler Payne. Hanish jumped out to an early lead with a blistering shotgun run, while Payne ran his shotgun dry and was forced to reload from the staging box, helping Hanish build a huge lead early in the run. Hanish remained steady throughout the rifle and pistol arrays and was first to the stop plate to advance to the semi-finals.

There, Hanish met up against SureFire’s Mike Voigt, one of the most dominant shooters in 3-gun history. Hanish again jumped out with a fast shotgun run, while Voigt suffered a catastrophic mistake when he inadvertently left a shotgun popper standing. Not noticing the fault until after abandoning his empty shotgun and running halfway to the rifle position, Voigt scrambled back to the shotgun, made quick work with the rifle, then charged into the pistol rack at a furious pace. However, the lead was too much to overcome, as Hanish knocked over the stop plate to advance to the finals, setting up the showdown with his teammate, co-worker and friend.

Team FNH USA's Mark Hanish capped a brilliant run through the 3GN Championship with a 2nd place finish. Hanish took home $2500 Cash courtesy of Brownells as well as a brand-new Barrett MRAD Rifle with a Leupold Mark IV Optic and the BORS Sighting System. Photo by Patrick Kelley multigunmedia.com

“I was happy and excited for Mark to be there,” Thacker said. “At that point, it was win-win. I had nothing to lose. Mark was my greatest fear coming into the competition. It basically came down to what I had visualized.”

In the best-of-three final round, Thacker again looked dominating in the first bout, staying even with Hanish on shotgun and surging ahead on rifle before finishing strong on MGM’s Propeller plate rack, a wicked spinning target mechanism that tested the competitors’ accuracy and timing.

“After the first run, everything was in slow motion,” Thacker said. “When I got to the end and knocked down the stop plate on that first run, I knew I couldn’t be beat. I knew there was nothing going to stop me.”

After a brief break in the action, Thacker and Hanish again stepped to the starting box as the crowd noise began to build with each moment ramping up the anticipation. The horn screamed before each competitor hurled themselves toward the shotgun station. Hanish, as he had the entire night, leaned into the shotgun and ripped off rounds in seemingly one continuous bark of the SLP. Thacker dropped down with an FN SCAR into a barricade supported position and surgically fired Federal Tracer ammunition through the night, with fiery explosions bursting on disappearing rifle steel. And then for a moment, two Propeller plate racks spun in near slow motion before Thacker’s final plate stuck into the sand. Thacker then transitioned to the stop plate, squeezed the FNS trigger, and the bullet found it’s mark as the crowd erupted.

“When the stop plate fell on the last run and I knew that I had just become the 2012 3-Gun Nation Champion, I bowed my knee to give glory to God for my victory,” Thacker said. “Philippians 4:13 says ‘I can do all things though Christ which stregtheneth me.’ I am a true testament to that. My faith and mental preparation was the key to the victory.”

For finishing second, Hanish was awarded a Barrett MRAD rifle fitted with a Leupold scope and BORS system, along with a check for $2,500 from Brownells.

Mike Voigt's 3GN Championship run ended in a third place finish and $5,000 payday from Timney Triggers.- Photo by Patrick Kelley multigunmedia.com

Before the final run, Mike Voigt overcame a pulled leg muscle to narrowly edge out Jeff Cramblit in what was arguably the most heart-stopping bout of the night. For his third place finish, Voigt received a check for $5,000 from Timney Triggers. Cramblit’s fourth place finish netted him a $2,000 check from Stag Arms, along with a Stag Arms 3G Competition rifle.

Cramblit advanced to the semi-finals with an opening round win over Rustin Bernskoetter, one of the game’s brightest new stars. Voigt’s tournament began with a victory over Taran Butler, one of 3-gun’s most dominant Tactical Optics competitors.

For advancing to the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale, Butler, Bernskoetter and Strader will each received a check for $2,000 from DoubleStar, while Payne earned a $2,000 payout from Shooters Connection.

The Las Vegas payouts totaled $67,500, with an additional $15,000 in product value. In all, 3-Gun Nation paid out more than $150,000 in cash prizes on the 2011-2012 3GN Tour.

The 3GN Championship Finale, sponsored by Brownells and sanctioned by NRA Sports, was the culminating event of the 2011-2012 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire. Spanning 10 major 3-gun events all across the country, more than 1,500 competitors earned scores toward the 3GN Standings. From there, the top 50 competitors qualified to the 3-Gun Nation Championship in November, a one-day Tactical Optics-only match that comprised the deepest field of 3-gun talent ever assembled. The top 16 shooters then battled in an elimination Shoot-Off, with the Final 8 advancing to the Las Vegas Rumble On the Range.

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE:

• • Las Vegas Review-Journal Video
• • Las Vegas Review-Journal Photos
• • NRA Blog
• • Ammoland
• • NBC Sports Network

Meet Team Benelli’s Pro-Staffers and 3-Gun Competition Shooters

Benelli USA

ACCOKEEK, MD --(Ammoland.com)- Meet Team Benelli ‘s Pro-Staffers and Benelli’s 3-Gun Competition Team at the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

They will all behappy to meet you and sign autographs at the Benelli booth(#13356) at scheduled times during the show.

Come shake hands with Team Benelli Exhibition Shooter, Tim Bradley who will be at the booth twice a day, each day, from 10-12 pm and 3-5 pm.

Other Team Benelli Pro-Staffers who will be meeting and greeting folks at the Benelli booth include, Craig Morgan, Jon & Gina Bronson, Ralph & Vicky Cianciarula, and Hunter Specialties,’ Rick White, Matt Morett, Steve Criner and Phillip Vanderpool.

Benelli is also proud to introduce our Benelli 3-Gun Competition Team members for 2012, who include Taran Butler, Julie Golob, Katie Harris, Jansen Jones, Kurt Miller, Jessie Harrison, Patrick Kelly, Jeremy Parker, Jeff Cramblit, Tony Holmes and Chris Sechiatano.

Team Benelli is a veteran group of 3-gun shooters, all of whom are top-placers in the sport. These shooters rely on their Benelli shotguns for competing at the highest level on the national 3-gun competition circuit.

Two of Benelli’s 3-Gun Competition Team members, Taran Butler and Jeff Cramblit, have qualified for the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale, Rumble on the Range, that will be held on January 18th during the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. This end of season invitational match brings the top eight shooters in the nation together in a man-on-man elimination format to see who will be named the top 3-gun shooter. The match carries a total prize purse of $50,000.

Come by the Benelli booth and say hello to all the fine Benelli folks—we look forward to meeting you.

For the latest news and product information visit www.benelliusa.com

FNH USA

McLean, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- Two members of Team FNH USA, Tommy “Tommy Gun” Thacker and Mark Hanish, have qualified for the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale, Rumble on the Range, that will be held on January 18th during the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas.

This end of season invitational match carries a total prize purse of $50,000 and brings the top 8 shooters in the nation together in a man-on-man elimination format to see who will be named the top 3-gun shooter.

Broadcast coverage of the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale will air on NBC Sports Network in a special March airdate.

Team FNH USA, Tommy “Tommy Gun” Thacker

“Tommy and Mark are two of the cornerstones of Team FNH USA,” said Ken Pfau, Senior Vice President of Law Enforcement and Commercial Sales for FNH USA. “Both of them are national caliber competitors and serve as outstanding representatives of the FNH USA brand.”

“It’s really exciting to be shooting against the best 3-gun competitors in the country,” observed Thacker. “We’ve all been shooting qualifying matches for the last 12 months all around the country so the roster of the 2012 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale reads like a who’s who in practical shooting.”

“I’m pumped to have qualified for the 3-Gun Nation Championship Finale,” said Hanish. “I’ve been working hard this season to excel in the man-on-man elimination format where anything can happen. You have to push yourself and your equipment to the limit and fight for every hit until the last shot is fired.”

FNH USA, LLC is a U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal S.A., a global leader in the development and manufacturing of high-quality, reliable firearms for the military, law enforcement and commercial markets. A pioneer in innovative firearm technology since the days of John M. Browning, the company supplies a variety of products to customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. Based in McLean, VA with manufacturing operations in Columbia, SC, FNH USA is responsible for all U.S.-based sales and marketing efforts. To learn more about FNH USA and its products, please visit www.fnhusa.com.

Clint Upchurch (left) and Mike Voigt waged a season-long battle for the 3GN Open Division Championship.

GLENGARY, WV-(Ammoland.com)- With the conclusion of the 2011 3-Gun Nation points matches for this season, 3GN has named the five winners of the inaugural 3GN Divisional Championships, presented by Hornady. Along with the division title, each winner takes home $5,000—a total cash payout of $25,000 by Hornady.

The divisional races were decided by the 3GN Standings, where points are taken from 3GN-affiliated matches across the country. A competitor’s top three scores within any one division were tabulated for division points. After approximately 1,500 competitors recorded scores this season, each 3GN Divisional Championship boiled down to a two-man race entering the final match of the season, the FNH USA 3-Gun Championship, which also served as the tie-breaking event.

The Open division came down to Colt’s Clint Upchurch and SureFire’s Mike Voigt, with 300 points apiece. Upchurch dominated the division for the first half of the season for the early lead, but Voigt won three out of four down the stretch to force a tie heading into FN.

There, Upchurch outlasted Voigt by the slimmest of margins, 777.40 to 776.02, for a normalized score margin of victory of .02 points—good enough for the title of 3GN Open Division Champion and a check for $5,000 from Hornady.

U.S. AMU's Daniel Horner outlasted Taran Butler to become the 2011 3GN Tactical Optics Division Champion.

Tactical Optics came down to the two most dominating shooters in recent years—Taran Butler and Daniel Horner. Butler picked up two division wins earlier this season, while Horner had won six 3GN-affiliated matches in 2011 and entered FN with a perfect score of 300. However, if Butler could post a win, he could tie and tie-break all at the same event, and steal the division, so to speak.

Horner surprisingly opened the door at FN as he struggled, at least for him, to a fifth place finish. And Butler charged through the opening with a solid match. But it was Tyler Payne, Horner’s U.S. AMU teammate, who picked up his first major match victory, thereby keeping Butler from money.

Payne’s win ensured Horner’s dominating season, as Horner outlasted Butler 300 to 299 points to become the 3GN 2011 Tactical Optics Division Champion, earning a $5,000 check from Hornady.

James Casanova's dominating Tactical Iron win prevented Kelly Neal from taking the title from Kurt Miller.

In Tactical Iron, division leader Kurt Miller (300 points) was a disappointing no-show. Miller’s absence left a huge window open for Kelly Neal, who had picked up two wins earlier this season. However, it was James Casanova who ended up stealing the show, and along with it, Neal’s chances for a division title. Casanova won seven of nine stages on his way to an impressive performance, part of a spectacular weekend of shooting for Casanova, including the 3GN Championship on Sunday.

Ultimately, Miller had done enough, as he is the 2011 Tactical Iron Division Champion, winning $5,000 from Hornady.

Rob Romero won three consecutive matches in Heavy Metal to run down Bryan Ray and win the 3GN title.

Heavy Metal has been an interesting race all season. Gone was former Heavy Metal king Patrick Kelley, who competed in other divisions this season. Seemingly out of nowhere came Bryan Ray to fill the void, as Ray posted division wins at Ozark and Fort Benning to take the early division lead. But a limited travel schedule prevented Ray from sealing up the division.

At Rocky Mountain, Rob Romero first stepped into the division to make a run at the money. Ultimately, Romero would go three-for-three in his only Heavy Metal matches shot, including two heads-up wins over Ray, completing a remarkable run to become the 2011 3GN Heavy Metal Division Champion with a prize of $5,000 from Hornady.

Barry Dueck (seen in the 3GN Championship) edged out Adam Popplewell for the Heavy Metal Optics title.

Heavy Metal Optics featured a season-long battle between SureFire’s Barry Dueck and Hornady’s Adam Popplewell. Dueck picked up a third division win, taking a 300- to 298-point lead over Popplewell. But with two division wins, a victory at FN would give Popplewell the division title.

In one of the closest finishes of the season, it was Barry Dueck who edged out Popplewell at FN, winning 825.96 to 820.30. Barry Dueck is the 2011 3GN Heavy Metal Optics Division Champion, with a cash prize of $5,000 from Hornady.

Eds. Note: The 3-Gun Nation Divisional Championships recognizes sustained excellence over the course of an entire shooting season. All of the competitors that were in the running demonstrated uncommon shooting skill. 3GN thanks each of the competitors who laid it on the line, as well as Hornady, who was the sole sponsor for this incredible points series.

Hornady’s Neal Emery awards prize checks to (left to right) Barry Dueck, Daniel Horner, Rob Romero and Clint Upchurch.

For more information, go to www.3GunNation.com.

Eight of the game's best 3-gunners took on the Shoot-Off Steel and earned a slot in the Las Vegas Finale.

3-Gun Nation

GLENGARY, WV-(Ammoland.com)- Eight competitors punched their tickets to Las Vegas for the 3-Gun Nation Championship Shoot-Off Finale by winning their elimination round match-up during the 3GN Championship Shoot-Off here Nov. 13.

The winner of the 3GN Shoot-Off Finale will be awarded the title of 3GN Champion and receive an unprecedented payday—$50,000 from Leupold Tactical Optics and NBC Sports.

Tommy Thacker, Phil Strader, Jeff Cramblit, Rustin Bernskoetter, Mark Hanish, Tyler Payne, Taran Butler and Mike Voigt all qualified for the 3GN Shoot-Off Finale via wins during the elimination round.

In the first match-up, FN’s Tommy Thacker squared off against defending 3GN Champion Daniel Horner, from the U.S. AMU.

Horner jumped out to a good lead during the rifle position and was first to the stop plate, beating Thacker by a couple of plates.

Team FN's Tommy Thacker takes on rifle steel during his win over defending 3GN Champion Daniel Horner.

However, upon review of 3GN video, Horner failed to knock down one of the MGM ReCon targets, and was incorrectly declared the winner. Upon seeing the footage, Horner conceded that he lost the bout, therefore Thacker moves on to Las Vegas.

Phil Strader, who qualified in one of the last 14 slots, got an opening-round win to advance to Las Vegas.

In the second match-up, Phil Strader, who needed a third score at the preceding FNH USA 3-Gun Championship just to qualify for the 3GN Championship Match, defeated James Casanova, who put up an impressive fourth place finish in the four-stage match. Strader will face Thacker in Las Vegas.

Jeff Cramblit advanced to the Las Vegas Finale via an opening-round win over Stag Arms' Kalani Laker.

Jeff Cramblit knocked off Stag Arms’ Kalani Laker in the next bracket, setting up a Las Vegas showdown with Rustin Bernskoetter, who came from behind on the pistol to knock out Adam Popplewell.

Non-sponsored Rustin Bernskoetter has looked impressive in his two 3GN Shoot-Off appearances so far.

In the lower brackets, FN’s Mark Hanish laid down arguably the most impressive one run of the match, a blistering pace that knocked off Kelly Neal, who had a good run in his own right.

Team FN's Mark Hanish laid down a smoking run in his opening-round win over Leupold's Kelly Neal.

Hanish will square off in Las Vegas against the U.S. AMU’s Tyler Payne, who just edged breakout 3-gunner Greg Jordan, who knocked down his stop plate with one pistol plate still standing—a wild finish to what was a very exciting run.

AMU's Tyler Payne (left) survived a thrilling opening-round bout with Greg Jordan, the number three seed.

In a match-up of titans, Taran Butler laid down an extremely impressive run on his way to knocking out Jerry Miculek. Butler and Miculek were neck-and-neck through the shotgun and rifle positions before Butler took off with the pistol to seal the win.

Taran Butler knocked off Jerry Miculek in the first round, setting up another great pairing with Mike Voigt.

In the final match-up, arguably the most exciting bout of the day, Mike Voigt narrowly defeated Open division rival Clint Upchurch to advance to Las Vegas. In an impressive display, Voigt worked through a shotgun malfunction to run down Upchurch with the pistol. With both stop plates falling nearly simultaneously, it was Voigt’s that edged past Upchurch’s plate first for the win. Only one day earlier, Upchurch outlasted Voigt to narrowly win the 3GN Open Division title, picking up a $5,000 payday from Hornady. Fittingly, as the two have battled back and forth all season long, Voigt turned the tables the next day to advance to Vegas.

In the most competitive match-up of the first round, Mike Voigt took out Open division rival Clint Upchurch.

The road to the 3GN Championship began last September, as competitors have compiled series points at major 3-gun matches across the country. The top 64 competitors were invited to compete in the 3GN Championship Match, a one-day Tactical Optics event that featured four stages of fire—each with all three guns.

In what most are calling the deepest 3-gun field ever assembled, the top 16 advanced into the Shoot-Off elimination round. Now the Las Vegas eight move on to compete for what will be the highest cash payout in the history of the sport, with $50,000 going the 3-Gun Nation Champion, courtesy of Leupold Tactical Optics and NBC Sports.

3-Gun Championship Shoot-Off Finale Match-Ups

• Thacker vs. Strader winner faces winner of Cramblit vs. Bernskoetter
• Hanish vs. Payne winner faces winner of Butler vs. Voigt

3-Gun Nation Championship Match Results

Cody Leeper talks about the winning run before the 3-Gun Nation Championship Shoot-Off crowd.

3-Gun Nation

GLENGARY, WV --(Ammoland.com)- Cody Leeper defeated JD Wilcox to claim the inaugural 3-Gun Nation Junior Division Championship at the 3GN Championship here Nov. 13, winning $5,000 from Cheaper Than Dirt.

Leeper, after posting solid scores at Ozark and FNH USA 3-Gun, surged into the top qualifying spot after trailing Katie Harris for much of the season. Then the Emmett, Idaho High School junior won two Shoot-Off bouts to claim the Junior title.

In the first round, Leeper defeated Devin Niederbrach, who made his first appearance in a 3GN Shoot-Off via a remarkable decision by Katie Harris.

Eleven-year-old Devin Niederbrach had a great run during the 3-Gun Nation Junior Division Shoot-Off.

Katie Harris explains to the crowd why she elected to give up her slot in the 3GN Junior Division Shoot-Off.

Harris was earlier afforded the opportunity to compete in a 3GN Shoot-Off at last year’s Fort Benning 3-Gun when Kurt Miller vacated his spot for Harris. An event Harris and her father, Joe, consider pivotal in her shooting development, Harris has since gone on to post several top Junior and Lady finishes in Tactical Optics.

So Harris, who was already qualified to compete in the 3GN Lady Shoot-Off, decided to pay it forward, vacating her slot, which allowed young Niederbrach a chance on the big stage.

In the other first-round match-up, Warne’s JD Wilcox upset Jake Denno to advance to the finals. Denno, who had been injured much of the season, put together impressive match scores down the stretch to qualify second overall. Wilcox, in his first year of competitive 3-gun, improved his scores all season to qualify for the Championship.

But the day belonged to Leeper, who has had a phenomenal season, including a 3-Gun Nation Team Event win earlier this year. However, his most impressive stat of the season is arguably a stage win at Ozark in Tactical Optics, winning a rifle stage over the likes of Daniel Horner and the other top shooters in the sport.

Now Leeper adds a 3GN Junior Division Championship to his resume, including a check for $5,000 from Cheaper Than Dirt.

Junior competitors used sponsor-provided FN SLP shotguns, FN SCAR 16 rifles topped with Leupold scopes and fitted with SureFire suppressors, and Ruger SR-9 semi-auto pistols during the Shoot-Off.

All ammunition was provided by Federal Premium.

Eleven-year-old Devin Niederbrach had a great run during the 3-Gun Nation Junior Division Shoot-Off.

Jake Denno, who finished second overall this season on the 3GN Tour, prepares for his first-round match-up.

Warne's JD Wilcox, in his first year of 3-gun competition, made it to the finals of the 3GN Junior Shoot-Off.

For more information, go to www.3GunNation.com.

3-Gun Nation

NEW YORK --(Ammoland.com)- VERSUS will begin airing outdoor programming on Thursday nights, adding to the already existing Friday and Sunday night line-ups, giving viewers three nights a week of the best outdoor programming on television.

VERSUS will present primetime premieres of 3 Gun Nation, Swarovski Optik Quests, Territories Wild and Winchester Legends on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. ET, marking the first time that viewers have seen any of these programs in primetime.

The programming schedule for Thursday, November 10, follows (subject to change):

• 7:00 p.m. ET 3 Gun Nation
  Ozark 3-gun
• 7:30 p.m. ET Swarovski Optik Quests
  Argentina Trophy Stag
• 8:00 p.m. ET Territories Wild
  The Utah Lionman
• 8:30 p.m. ET Winchester Legends
  Texas Whitetail and Florida Gator

VERSUS, which will be re-named NBC Sports Network on January 2, 2012, is the 24/7 cable platform for NBC Sports’ rich heritage of unmatched storytelling, best-in-class production and ability to use broad promotion to make big events bigger. Reaching more than 75 million homes, VERSUS serves sports fans by airing the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France, major college football and basketball, and horse racing surrounding the Triple Crown, among other events. The network’s original programming, such as NFL Turning Point and NBC SportsTalk, exemplifies NBC Sports’ ability to tell stories and provide meaningful, relevant content. The network is also home to the best outdoor programming on television.

VERSUS, which prides itself on serving sports fans across multiple platforms (HD, online, on-demand), is distributed via cable, satellite and telco operators throughout the United States.

AR15.com

Honeoye Falls, NY -(Ammoland.com)- Whether it is practicing failure drills at the range, or convincing our gun buddy with the most land to set up barricades so we can practice firing from cover, as AR15.com members, many of us spend a considerable amount of time honing our self-defense shooting skills.

But how many of us have yet to take that next step to get involved in practical shooting competitions?

The increasing popularity of sports like IPSC and 3-Gun, and the advent of events like NRA’s National Defense Match, have made opportunities to compete more prevalent than ever. And participation isn’t just personally rewarding; taking part in these events also helps protect the right to keep and bear arms.

Among the fastest growing shooting sports is 3-Gun. In 3-Gun competitions, a competitor tests his or her skills with a handgun, rifle and shotgun in a dynamic course. Courses are mentally and physically rigorous. And there is no chance for boredom here, since no two 3-Gun match courses are ever set up the same way.

Practical & Tactical Shooting Sports

Showing the sport’s strength, in August, NRA sponsored the AR15.com/Rockcastle Pro-Am 3-Gun Championships presented by Brownells, Sinclair, the PoliceStore.com and Hornady. The event was the largest 3-Gun match in the country with 500 competitors, and raised thousands for Lone Survivor and Task Force Dagger, two charities supporting our servicemen and women.

With its debut at the NRA National Rifle and Pistol Shooting Championships at Camp Perry last summer, NRA’s National Defense Match is another new option for practical shooters. Focusing on proficiency with the rifle platforms commonly used for national and self-defense, the National Defense Match course of fire seeks to test the skills necessary to be effective for those missions. Initial reactions to the new match were overwhelmingly positive, so stay on the lookout for this type of match coming to a range near you.

Members of law enforcement have even more competitive options, including matches set up by the NRA Tactical Police Competitions program.

Similar to 3-gun, NRA Tactical Police Competitions test the competitors’ skills with a duty pistol, a duty shotgun and a patrol rifle. The courses are broken down into the categories of skills-based, where set conditions test an officer’s proficiency with a firearm, or scenario-based, where an officer must think and react to a set of tactical situations. Stressing competition as a way of improving real-world skills, the program shares the same philosophy as NRA’s Law Enforcement Instructor Development Schools, and officers are encouraged to compete with the firearms that they use on the job.

So the options for engaging in practical shooting competition are plentiful, but practical competitions aren’t just a way to test and improve your skills. They are also a way of defending the right to bear arms. How? Because the rifles, pistols and shotguns commonly used in practical shooting events are among the most targeted by anti-gun activists and are of the type most affected by the BATFE’s interpretation of the “sporting purposes” test.

Since the passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Attorney General has been required to approve for importation any firearm “generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes.” This means that the Executive Branch can ban from importation any firearms it deems unable to meet this requirement.

In 1989 and 1998 the BATFE used the “sporting purpose” test to ban many popular models of semi-automatic rifles, with the Clinton administration admitting in 1998 that it was “taking the law and bending it as far as we can to capture a whole new class of guns.”

More recently, in early 2011, the BATFE released its “Study on the Importability of Certain Shotguns.” The study seeks to justify an import ban on certain shotguns based on their suitability for “sporting purposes.” In developing a feature test for shotguns to be banned, the BATFE ensnared many of the shotguns popular in practical shooting sports.

Obviously, the types of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns the BATFE has banned, or has sought to ban, from importation are suitable for “sporting purposes,” and are used in such a manner on a daily basis in the practical shooting sports. So, in order to justify the bans, the BATFE created a definition of “sporting purposes” that specifically excluded “combat-type competitions.”

With the enormous growth of practical shooting competitions, this definition would laughable if it didn’t impede the exercise of a fundamental right. And every time a shooter joins the ranks of the athletes competing in practical shooting, the definition becomes more implausible. Competing formally is one way to show the BATFE that these guns are suitable for sporting and should be recognized as such.

Similarly, the increasingly common use of these types of firearms, in large part driven by the practical shooting sports, has already made progress for gun rights in the courts. The Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller that firearms “in common use” are protected by the Second Amendment. More recently, in an October 4 opinion in the follow-up case of Heller v. District of Columbia (also known as “Heller II”) the U.S. Appeals Court for D.C. noted, “We think it clear enough in the record that semi-automatic rifles and magazines holding more than ten rounds are indeed in ‘common use,’ as the plaintiffs contend. Approximately 1.6 million AR-15s alone have been manufactured since 1986.” (Unfortunately, the court still upheld the District’s California-style “assault weapons” ban, over a strong dissent by Judge Brett Kavanaugh.)

The practical shooting sports offer fun opportunities to improve technique and to defend a fundamental right. So get out there and compete! For help getting started, head over to the website for the NRA Competitive Shooting Division at www.nrahq.org/compete.

About:
AR15.Com originated in 1996 as a mailing list for firearm enthusiasts. As the years passed and interest grew, a website came into existence to present those same enthusiasts with a means to collect, share, and explore information. Shortly afterwards, a bulletin board was added to create a more interactive experience for the growing list of users. The site was still in it’s infancy, but was growing in popularity. Visit: www.ar15.com

DPMS Named Title Sponsor of USPSA MultiGun National Championships

U.S. Practical Shooting Association

BURLINGTON, Wash. --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA), the national governing body for the sport of practical shooting, announced that DPMS Firearms, one of the largest and best known manufacturers of AR-15 rifles for the military, law enforcement and civilian markets, will be the title sponsor of the organization’s annual multigun championships.

The DPMS USPSA MultiGun National Championships take place this weekend, October 20-23, at the Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club in Las Vegas, Nev. More than 150 of the nation’s top multigun shooters are expected to compete for titles in USPSA’s Open, Limited, Tactical and Heavy Metal divisions utilizing three types of firearms, a pistol, a shotgun and a rifle.

“We’re extremely pleased to have DPMS Firearms as the title sponsor for the 2011 USPSA MultiGun National Championships. DPMS has been a strong supporter of the shooting sports, and top level practical shooting competition in particular,” said Dave Thomas, executive director of USPSA.

“DPMS is pleased to support the USPSA as the title sponsor for the MultiGun National Championships. DPMS has always promoted the shooting sports, our community of industry friends, and our American heritage. We look forward to this and many more years of exciting and engaging competition.,” said Adam Ballard, product manager for DPMS Firearms.

The DPMS USPSA MultiGun National Championships are the highlight of practical shooting’s multigun season.

To learn more about multigun competition and practical shooting, or join the 20,000 members of USPSA in the most dynamic and fast-paced shooting sport around, visit www.USPSA.org, follow @USPSA_Shooting on Twitter, like USPSA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USPracticalShootingAssn or read the Practical Shooting blog (www.practicalshooting.posterous.com/).

$50,000 to 3-Gun Nation Championship Winner

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- The final eight competitors for the 2011 3-Gun Nation Championship will be competing at night, under the lights, in front of a SHOT Show crowd in Las Vegas this January—and the winner is going home with $50,000.

The richest payout in 3-gun history just got even richer. VERSUS, which will be re-named NBC Sports Network on January 2, 2012, has agreed to match Leupold Tactical Optics’ $25,000 prize, bringing the 1st place payout to an unprecedented $50K.

The 2011 3GN Championship begins Nov. 13 in Glengary, W.V., where the top 64 competitors will compete in a one-day, four-stage match. The top 16 competitors will then advance into an elimination Shoot-Off round, with only the eight winners advancing to the 3GN Championship Shoot-Off Finale in Las Vegas. The SHOT Show Finale will take place Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 PM, at the Clark County Range. The entire 3GN Championship event is sponsored by Brownells and sanctioned by NRA Sports.

The top eight competitors will compete in a man-on-man Shoot-Off, an all-out race to the stop plate using Stag Arms and FNH USA rifles topped with Leupold HAMR optics, the FN SLP shotgun and an FNS semi-automatic pistol. The first competitor to successfully knock down all the MGM Targets steel in sequence, including the stop plate, wins the bout.

With the addition of VERSUS’ $25K, the 3GN Championship cash payout has swelled to approximately $100,000. Cash payouts will extend to half the Championship field, and additional prizes from key sponsors such as FNH USA, SureFire, Leupold Tactical Optics, Blackhawk, Stag Arms, Ruger, Samson Manufacturing and Timney promise to make this year’s 3GN Championship the most lucrative prize table in the history of practical shooting.

The 3-Gun Nation Championship Shoot-Off Finale is the culminating event for the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, a 10-event series of matches comprising nearly 2,000 competitors from across the country. From this vast field, the top 64 competitors, taken from the 3GN Standings, qualify for the 3GN Championship in West Virginia. The 3GN Tour represents the only point series and qualification standards in the sport of 3-gun, making the 3GN Championship the most difficult field in which to gain entry, and the 3GN Champion the most coveted title in 3-gun.

Public admission to this premiere shooting event is by invitation only. Invitations will be distributed on the SHOT Show floor at the following booths: VERSUS, NRA, FNH USA, SureFire, Federal, Leupold Tactical Optics, Stag Arms and Brownells. The 3GN Invitation will also serve as an entry into an FNH USA 3-Gun Raffle Package consisting of an FN SCAR 16, FN SLP shotgun and FNX-9 pistol—a total value worth $8,000. Contestants must be present to win the raffle.

Bus transportation will be provided to and from the Clark County Range and the Sands Convention Center. Free food and drinks, along with the transportation, are being generously provided by Brownells.

Keith Garcia already has two 3GN Shoot-Off wins to his credit, pushing his 3GN winnings to $10,000.

Those who can’t attend will be able to catch all the action this winter in a bonus airing of “3-Gun Nation” on NBC Sports Network. Additional information on this special airing will be posted on www.3gunnation.com. Also, in November, “3-Gun Nation” goes primetime. On Nov. 10, “3-Gun Nation” begins a seven-week run at 7 PM EST on Versus. Check your local listings for more information.

For more information, go to www.3GunNation.com.

Division wins at MGM and Rocky Mountain put Voigt back in the race for 3GN Open Division Championship.

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- Heading into the ninth event on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, clear battle lines have been drawn for a piece of Hornady’s $25,000 in the 3GN Divisional Championships.

With only two opportunities for points remaining, not one Division has yet been fully secured, as each race will play out until the final shots of November’s FNH USA 3-Gun Championship.

In Open, newly-singed Colt shooter Clint Upchurch has led from the jump. But SureFire’s Mike Voigt picked up wins at MGM Ironman and Rocky Mountain, keeping him in the hunt. The venerable Jerry Miculek scratched out a win at the AR15.com-Rockcaslte Pro Am, keeping him alive as well by a mere thread.

To win it all, Miculek will have to run the table, with division wins at both USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals and FNH, while Voigt only needs to win FN to claim the division crown. Conversely, Upchurch doesn’t necessarily have to win another match to take the title. If neither Miculek nor Voigt secure their third win at FN, Upchurch, who already has 300 points, is the winner. Or Clint can just go out and win it outright and prevent anyone catching him.

Like Upchurch, Kurt Miller has led Tactical Irons for the majority of the 2011 season. With 300 points, he’s maxed out on wins, and needs only to hang on to become the first Tactical Iron Champion. Gunning for Miller will no doubt be James Casanova, who has been steadily gaining ground on the field all season long. Casanova earned his first division win at Ozark, keeping him alive for the division title.

Veteran Kelly Neal, who picked up two early wins, has been keeping a low travel schedule this season. As such, he’s stuck on 200 points in the division. If he turns out to compete at Nationals or FN, Neal will give Miller all the competition he wants.

But Miller, the famed iron sight shooter, can beat both of the 1X optic shooters by simply winning at FN. If so, he’ll claim the division title, and take home $5,000 from Hornady.

Tactical Optics is down to a two-horse race between arguably the two top 3-gunners in the country—Daniel Horner and Taran Butler. Horner has been on a tear of late, winning five consecutive matches on the 3GN Tour, as well as 3GN Shoot-Off wins at Rocky Mountain and Ozark. Butler, meanwhile, has two division wins this season, one at Fort Benning, where Horner didn’t compete, and the other at Superstition, where Butler beat Horner heads-up.

For Butler to win the title, he’ll have to pick up a win at Nationals or FNH, and he’ll have to beat Horner heads-up once more to do so. Nationals, going on past year’s stage designs, offers Butler his best opportunity to pick up his all-important third win. Either way, this division will be won at FN, where the mix of range bay and natural terrain courses of fire will likely favor Horner.

Like Tactical Optics, Heavy Metal Optics is down to two competitors as well—SureFire’s Barry Dueck and Larue’s Adam Popplewell. Dueck has led the division much of the season, and in fact recently picked up his third division win at Ozark. However, two of his three Heavy Metal Optics wins came from that match, and only one may be used for score per 3GN rules. His other division win this season came at Blue Ridge, in Heavy Metal, which created some confusion.

Meanwhile, Popplewell has been steadily gaining ground on Dueck all season, finally taking over the top spot. But Dueck’s win at Ozark, though not eligible for his score, did prevent Popplewell from picking up that key third division win.

All this adds up to what should be two more exciting showdowns between Dueck and Popplewell at Nationals and FN for the division title and $5,000 from Hornady.

Midway through the 2011 season, it appeared Bryan Ray would run away with the Heavy Metal division. After winning the first two events, and with the departure of Patrick Kelley to Tactical Optics, there didn’t seem to be anyone capable of seriously challenging for the division win. Then at Rocky Mountain, Rob Romero, who at the time was ranked in the top five in Tactical Optics, decided to make a run at the money.

Since then, Romero has picked up division wins at Rocky Mountain and Ozark, where he beat Ray heads-up going away. Romero will be competing in Tactical Optics at Nationals, which means it will literally all come down to the FN Championship for the Heavy Metal division.

If Ray should hold on, it will be a major accomplishment for the non-sponsored shooter from Kentucky. But if Romero is able to pick up the win at FN, going three-for-three in the division, then that will be an amazing run to close out the season for a Divisional Championship.

The final event for points, the FNH USA 3-Gun Championship, takes place Nov. 10-12 in Glengary, W.V. The 3GN Divisional Championships will be presented at the conclusion of the FN match, in conjunction with the match awards ceremony, on Nov. 12.

To see all of the 3GN Points Standings, go to http://www.3gunnation.com/the_series/standings.

Noveske's Rob Romero is one win away from a 3GN Heavy Metal Division Championship.

Eds. Note: All competitors are encouraged to begin checking all of their scores immediately. Any scoring errors must be reported to 3GN prior to the beginning of the FNH USA 3-Gun Championships in November to be valid for the 3GN Championship, Lady Shoot-Off or Junior Shoot-Off.

Kurt Miller sits in a four-way tie atop the 3GN Standings with Daniel Horner, Barry Dueck and Clint Upchurch.

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- The top four slots on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, held steady following the Adams Arms Ozark 3-Gun Championship, with SureFire’s Barry Dueck, Colt’s Clint Upchurch, U.S. AMU’s Daniel Horner and Benelli’s Kurt Miller maintaining their four-way tie for the top spot.

Adam Popplewell’s second place finish at Ozark pushed him into fifth place overall, bumping Mike Voigt to sixth place.

Rob Romero picked up his second division this season in Heavy Metal, bumping him up to the number seven slot. Jerry Miculek moved up three spots to number eight following a win at the Pro Am, while Taran Butler and Bryan Ray round out the top 10.

Kelly Neal made his long-awaited 3GN Standings debut after finally picking up his third match of the season at the Pro Am, vaulting the veteran 3-gunner to 12th overall. Greg Jordan picked up his third score as well recently, entering the standings in 14th place, while Joe Satterfield debuted in the 3GN Standings at 24th.

With eight matches recorded, the 3GN Top 50 is taking shape, with only one match remaining, the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals, before the field is locked. Following Nationals, the top 50 competitors are then guaranteed a slot in the 3GN Championship. These competitors will also be guaranteed a slot in the FNH USA Championships, should they desire to compete.

Then at the FNH USA Championships in November, 14 additional slots will be earned based on series points, bringing the 3GN Championship field to 64 competitors—all vying for the title of 3GN Champion, and $25,000 from Leupold Tactical Optics.

3GN Top 50

See the full 3GN Standings at http://www.3gunnation.com/the_series/standings.

Clint Upchurch, seen at Superstition, has led the 3GN Standings all season. Can he put it together in November for a 3GN Championship win?

Eds. Note: All competitors are encouraged to begin checking all of their scores immediately. Any scoring errors must be reported to 3GN prior to the beginning of the FNH USA 3-Gun Championships in November to be valid for the 3GN Championship, Lady Shoot-Off or Junior Shoot-Off.

No Junior has more 3GN Shoot-Off experience than Benelli's Katie Harris. Will that make the difference come November?

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- With two events remaining on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, Katie Harris has all but ran away with the Junior division—making the Georgia high school student the favorite in the 3GN Junior Shoot-Off, and the top prize of $5,000, courtesy of Cheaper Than Dirt!

Harris (196.54) added to her lead with an outstanding performance in Tactical Optics at the recent Adams Arms Ozark 3-Gun Championship, where she shot 68-percent of Daniel Horner’s division-winning time. Staying that close to Horner, especially on a natural terrain course of fire, shows just how much Harris has improved over the course of only her second season in 3-gun competition.

Equally impressive at Ozark, Cody Leeper shot a 66.77 in Tactical Optics, including a stage win over the entire division, likely the best individual stage performance by a junior since Horner himself tore up major 3-gun matches prior to his enlistment in the U.S. AMU. Leeper’s score pushed his overall 3GN points to 172.11.

Warne’s JD Wilcox (105.42) sits in third place on the 3GN Junior Standings; however, he will likely need a big finish, and maybe a little luck, to hold off both Jake Denno and Hayden Hixson. With two scores apiece, if Denno and Hixson each add one more score, and shoot to their ability, they should take home the final two slots. But if just one of them slips up, then Wilcox, in his first year of competition, could be shooing for Cheaper Than Dirt’s $5,000 prize in the 3GN Junior Shoot-Off in November.

See the full 3GN Junior Standings at http://www.3gunnation.com/the_series/standings/j/juniors_standings.

Cody Leeper picked up an impressive stage win in Tactical Optics during the Adams Arms Ozark 3-Gun.

Eds. Note: All competitors are encouraged to begin checking all of their scores immediately. Any scoring errors must be reported to 3GN prior to the beginning of the FNH USA 3-Gun Championships in November to be valid for the 3GN Championship, Lady Shoot-Off or Junior Shoot-Off.

The final slot in the 3-Gun Nation Lady Shoot-Off could come down to teammates Tasha Hanish (l.) and Dianna Liedorff. (photo by Yamil Sued)

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- After eight of 10 events on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, Kay Miculek remains in the driver’s seat of the 3GN Ladies Standings, making her a lock for the 3GN Lady Shoot-Off in November and a shot at $5,000 from Cheaper Than Dirt!

Miculek’s score of 73.44 at the Adams Arms Ozark 3-Gun Championship raised her total 3GN points to 229.66, good enough for first in the Ladies, and 51st overall in the 3GN Standings.

Katie Harris recorded her best finish of the season, earning 68.2 points in Tactical Optics (or 68% of Daniel Horner’s division-winning time). The performance was good enough to bump Harris up the Lady Standings, as the junior shooter overtook SureFire’s Maggie Reese to claim the number two position. Reese, who injured her knee at Ozark, most likely has enough points secured to hang on to third, despite the injury.

Fourth place, and the final slot for the 3GN Lady Shoot-Off, is currently occupied by FN’s Dianna Liedorff (177.04). But a little more than a point away is teammate Tasha Hanish (175.86), and about 10 points back is Deb Cheek (167.11). Also notable is Annette Williamson’s two-match point total of 115.86. If she can match up one more to her pair, she figures to be in the mix in what will surely be a fight to the finish at November’s FNH USA Championships, where the final points will be tallied.

Then during the 3GN Championship, the top four Ladies will step to the Shoot-Off stage for the first all-lady Shoot-Off in 3-gun history, where one winner will take home the title, along with $5K.

For the full Lady standings, go to http://www.3gunnation.com/the_series/standings/l/ladies_standings.

Eds. Note: All competitors are encouraged to begin checking all of their scores immediately. Any scoring errors must be reported to 3GN prior to the beginning of the FNH USA 3-Gun Championships in November to be valid for the 3GN Championship, Lady Shoot-Off or Junior Shoot-Off.

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn --(Ammoland.com)- Dave Miles of NSSF and Tom Fuller of Bushnell take a look at the popular and rapidly growing sport of 3-gun shooting during the recent AR15.com/Rockcastle 3-gun Pro AM at Park Mammoth Resort in Park City, Ky.

Dave and Tom review the equipment you need to participate and how to find a match near you.

Check out this adrenalin-pumping new sport.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 6,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

FNH USA

McLean, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- Team FNH USA is pleased to welcome Mark Wills to their 3-Gun shooting team roster.

An Academy of Country Music award winner, Wills is also well known in action and practical shooting circles, both as a determined competitor and as the host of the popular program “3-Gun Nation” on the Versus Network.

“We are very pleased to welcome Mark to Team FNH USA,” said Ken Pfau, Senior Vice President of Law Enforcement and Commercial Sales for FNH USA. “Mark does a great deal to build the shooting sport and supports numerous charities like the USA Cares Wounded Warrior project and Operation Troop Aid. Adding Mark to our shooting team is indicative of what our team is becoming and helps define who we are as an organization.”

“I’m not a pro shooter; I’ve enjoyed shooting as a hobby and have for many years,” Mark Wills reveals. “What sparked my interest in the 3-gun world is that it is a learning sport and there is always room for improvement as a marksman. I don’t aspire to win, necessarily; I hope to help grow the shooting sport, promote the firearm industry to a public who may not yet be familiar and enjoy the sport safely. I’m honored to have been asked to help represent the team next year.”

“Mark is already an avid Bianchi Cup shooter and is truly committed to building the shooting sports as a whole,” noted Tommy Thacker, the captain of Team FNH USA. “Getting Mark on board adds depth to the team, and he’s not going to just be along for the ride. He’ll be right in the thick of competition, pulling his weight with the rest of the team.”

FNH USA, LLC is a U.S. subsidiary of FN Herstal S.A., a global leader in the development and manufacturing of high-quality, reliable firearms for the military, law enforcement and commercial markets. A pioneer in innovative firearm technology since the days of John M. Browning, the company supplies a variety of products to customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. Based in McLean, VA with manufacturing operations in Columbia, SC, FNH USA is responsible for all U.S.-based sales and marketing efforts. To learn more about FNH USA and its products, please visit www.fnhusa.com.

Rockcastle Shooting Center

Park City, KY –-(Ammoland.com)- Attracting three hundred forty-three Professional and Amateur 3-Gun competitors, from forty three states, the inaugural AR15.com/Rockcastle Pro Am 3-Gun Championship was held August 26-28, 2011 at Rockcastle Shooting Center.

Three national television and radio programs and local media were onsite to capture the excitement of this newly created match format, designed as a way for Amateurs and beginners to accelerate their learning curve and interest in 3-Gun competition.

Presented by Brownells, Policestore.com, Sinclair and Hornady, seventy industry match sponsors generously contributed to the largest 3-Gun prize table ever offered to Professionals and Amateurs.

Side matches for pistol, rifle and shotgun along with vendor product demos kept competitors busy between stages. Seven individual Pro Clinics sponsored by NSSF, were conducted for Amateurs by top 3-Gun competitors. Jumpstarting and demystifying the entry level into 3-Gun competition, the Pro’s, offered shooting tips, equipment selection, footwork and overall advice that was met with appreciation.

Comments from participating title match sponsors added:

Ed Avila, President of AR15.com said, “By combining nearly two dozen of the most interesting stages to be seen anywhere with a country club setting and some of the most generous sponsors in the shooting community, the AR15.com/Rockcastle Pro Am 3-Gun Championship set a new standard for shooting competitions.”

Pete Brownell, President of Brownells observed, “I think the Pro Am format concept is great. We got to see many new faces enter this sport and it provided the Amateurs something to aspire to; 3-Gun is the new era of golf.”

Steve Hornady, President of Hornady Manufacturing commented, “Everyone is having fun, including the Pro’s and Amateurs who are rubbing shoulders with the very best players in the sport of 3-Gun.”

Mark Roth, President of XRail System added, “Rockcastle Shooting Center has done an awesome job in setting up two courses of fire for the Pro’s and Amateurs that while different, were still challenging. Driving the nine hours from Wisconsin to Kentucky was worth it, I always feel like I’m at home here.”

Nick Noble, CEO of Rockcastle Shooting Center said, “The beauty of this event is we’re teaming professional shooters up with Amateurs who are new to the shooting sports. What better way then to launch this match than to crown the champion of the inaugural Life of Duty Challenge.”

Rockcastle Shooting Center is the newest addition to the Park Mammoth Resort property, which is developing into the nations’ premiere shooting sports resort. The shooting center offers a 15-station Sporting Clay course, 5 Stand, Pistol and Rifle Ranges out to 1,500 yards, a SASS Range and two 3D Archery Ranges. Situated on 2,000 scenic acres, the south central location property is ideally suited to host large scale competitions, conduct product research and development, sales meetings and conferences in addition to offering a complete firearms training facility.

For further information about scheduled events at Rockcastle Shooting Center and accommodations provided by Park Mammoth Resort, visit our web site at http://www.ParkMammothResort.us or email our guest client services at Info@ParkMammothResort.us. Media members interested, may contact Lisa G. Cinquino, Public Relations Director at cinquinol@aol.com or call (203) 881-8381.

Benelli Three Gun

ACCOKEEK, MD --(Ammoland.com)- Nearly 350 shooters showed up this past weekend to compete at the AR15.com Rockcastle Pro Am Championships held at Rockcastle Shooting Center, located near Park City, KY.

Team Benelli 3-Gun Shooters were top placers among a strong field of competitors, successfully running and gunning some extremely fast stages where there was little room for error.

Team Benelli’s top placers included:

• 1st Place Junior’s & Lady’s Tactical Optics Division: Katie Harris
• 2nd Place Tactical Optics Division: Taran Butler
• 3rd Place Lady’s Tactical Optics Division: Julie Golob
• 4th Place Tactical Optics Division: Chris Sechiatano
• 5th Place Open Division: Tony Holmes
• 7th Place Tactical Optics Division: Rob Romero

Exhibiting her winning style once again at the inaugural AR15.com/Rockcastle Pro Am was Katie Harris, who took top Junior’s and top lady’s honors. Katie showed real grit and determination in this 3-Gun competition by coming in 45th overall in a field of 171 shooters in her division. Katie did all this and still made it back to her Georgia hometown in time to participate in a local beauty pageant.

Taking the popular 3-Gun format to the next level, the AR15.com/Rockcastle Pro Am simultaneously conducted two distinct and separate shooting competitions. Each competition was designed to allow the greatest amount of participation possible within the time while maximizing fun, extracurricular events in the way of side matches, socializing and learning. Team Benelli member Patrick E. Kelly conducted a 3-Gun clinic for shooters new to the sport, taking time to explain and answer questions about the intricacies and nuances of multi-gun competition.

“By using a pro/am type format we were able to run two matches at the same time at this event,” said match director, Jeff Cramblit. “The pro’s shot eight stages, providing every bit of the usual major match challenges by making use of the natural terrain of Park Mammoth, while the amateurs shot on seven similar stages tailored of a slightly less difficult nature.”

“By the end of the competition shooters thought it had been an excellent match, with well run and very well thought out stages,” outdoor writer and Team Benelli 3-Gun Shooter, Bryce Towsley, observed. “Rockcastle Shooting Center is large enough to allow some imaginative stages that looked deceptively easy. I think this will turn into one of the top 3-gun shoots in the country—a “must-do” for the future.”

“Though this was just my second 3-Gun event, this is one of the most balanced matches I have had the pleasure to compete in,” said Team Benelli member, Julie Golob. “Accuracy, precise position work, shooting on the move, fast transitioning and gun handling skills were all tested, and the staff did an amazing job creating and running stages that were both challenging and incredibly fun to shoot.”

“It was a very good match and great for new shooters. The prize table was amazing,” Team Benelli member, Taran Butler, commented. “I will be back next year for sure!”

For the latest news and product information visit www.benelliusa.com

Benelli USA

ACCOKEEK, MD --(Ammoland.com)- Benelli USA brings you a LIVE feed directly from Rockcastle Shooting Center, near Park City, Kentucky—the host of the 2011 AR15.com 3-Gun Pro Am.

The match takes place from August 26th thru the 28th. Benelli and Federal Premium Ammunition have teamed up to sponsor a side match at the event.

Participants of the side match will have the opportunity to shoot Benelli’s latest Performance Shop model—considered to be the ultimate 3-Gun shotgun.

The side match will be a timed shooting event offering a variety of targets. Benelli and Federal will award cash prizes daily to the winners. Click here to check out all of the action LIVE from Rockcastle Shooting Center.

About:
Headquartered in Accokeek, MD, Benelli USA offers the largest selection of semi-automatic shotguns in the world, as well as a variety of fine products from Franchi, Stoeger, A. Uberti, and Stoeger Airguns. The company has built a solid reputation for producing high quality, durable products with their commitment to reliable function, efficient styling and mechanical precision. For more information visit the Benelli USA web site at www.benelliusa.com

Benelli Three Gun

ACCOKEEK, MD --(Ammoland.com)- Benelli is pleased to announce that they will team with Federal Premium Ammunition to sponsor a side match at the AR15.com Rockcastle Pro/Am 3-Gun Championships.

This gives Benelli the opportunity to debut its latest Performance Shop model—considered to be the ultimate 3-Gun shotgun.

The side match will be a timed shooting event that offers participants the opportunity to try the new Benelli Performance Shop 3-Gun model on a variety of targets using Federal Premium ammunition.

Benelli and Federal will award cash prizes daily to the winners. And for those who cannot attend the match, Benelli USA, Federal Premium Ammunitionand NRA’s American Riflemanwill provide links to view a live feed of the action, beginning on Friday and continuing Saturday and Sunday. Benelli’s Facebook Fan Page and Twitter Page will also share links to the live video feed, post results and updates from the side match.

The AR15.com Rockcastle Pro/Am 3-Gun Championship will take place from August 26th through the 28th at Rockcastle Shooting Center, the nation’s premier shooting facility, located near Park City, Kentucky.

The sport’s top professional 3-Gunners will be challenged by an eight-stage course that will provide non-stop running and gunning action during two and a half days of competition. Amateur 3-Gunners will battle for their division titles shooting seven stages over a two-day period. More than 500 shooters are expected to participate in this inaugural 3-Gun event that promises to be an exciting and challenging competition for both participants and the viewing gallery.

“The AR15.com Pro/Am Championship at Rockcastle is expected to be the single largest gathering of competitors and sponsors in the history of 3-Gun,” said Stephen McKelvain, Benelli USA VP Marketing & Communications. “That makes it an excellent venue to present for the first time, Benelli’s customized Performance Shop 3-Gun model with features specially designed for optimum performance by dedicated 3-gunners, so don’t miss watching the LIVE action feed on Benelli USA’swebsite.”

For the latest news and product information visit www.benelliusa.com

MGM's Travis Gibson takes on the MGM Ironman this week on "3-Gun Nation."

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- This week on “3-Gun Nation,” pros Patrick Kelley, Travis Gibson and Jansen Jones take on the most grueling match in all of 3-gun…the MGM Ironman.

Watch as the cameras catch all the action—all 1,500 rounds of it!

This week’s episode literally has it all: Patrick Kelley, the veteran champion fighting to stay on top; Travis Gibson, who this season is hitting his stride as never before and making his own claim at the top of the sport; and Jansen Jones, a newcomer compared to Kelley, yet an absolute 3-gun diehard who is striving to carve his own niche among the top shooters in the game.

See Kelley, Gibson and Jones battle the toughest course of fire in the sport: zip lines, tunnels, tower shoots—the Ironman has it all. Watch as each competitor runs the full gauntlet of emotion, highlighted by an incredible sequence of events that you will simply have to see to believe!

See Ironman like you’ve never seen it before, including Contour HD POV shots from the top pros in the game.

Also, country music artist Mark Wills returns for the FN Tip with the top pros from the 3GN Tour.

Multi-gun, or 3-gun, is a unique sport within the discipline known as practical shooting. Considered the fastest growing segment within the shooting sports, 3-gun challenges competitors with rifle, pistol and shotgun, maneuvering through unique stages of fire as fast as their skill will allow.

The National 3-Gun Association, through media properties “3-Gun Nation Television,” and 3GunNation.com, was formed with one mission: to promote practical shooting by shining a light on amateur and professional shooters alike, as well as the guns, gear and lifestyle that define the high-octane sport of 3-gun competition.

Bringing never-before-seen cash payouts to the table, 3-Gun Nation is quite simply changing the game. 3 Guns. One Champion.

The All-New “3-Gun Nation” airs Mondays at 9:30 AM; Fridays at 10:30 AM and Sundays at 7:30 AM. All times EST. Only on Versus.

For more information, including bonus footage, shooter profiles, news coverage, products, the 3GN Forum, powered by AR15.com—anything related to the action shooting sports—visit the All-New www.3GunNation.com.

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- Watch as the cameras follow pro shooter Clint Upchurch, who has exploded onto the 3-gun scene and leads 3GN’s Open division.

See Upchurch take on a stacked field at last year’s Fort Benning 3-Gun Challenge. Also in this episode, “3-Gun Nation” follows Bruce Piatt at the Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun as he attempts to come back from the longest injury of his shooting career.

See the sport of 3-gun like nowhere else, including Contour HD POV shots from the top pros in the game. Then get ready for the thrilling conclusion in the 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off, a man-versus-man race against steel targets for $5,000.

Also, country music artist Mark Wills returns for the FN Tip with the top pros from the 3GN Tour.

Multi-gun, or 3-gun, is a unique sport within the discipline known as practical shooting. Considered the fastest growing segment within the shooting sports, 3-gun challenges competitors with rifle, pistol and shotgun, maneuvering through unique stages of fire as fast as their skill will allow.

The National 3-Gun Association, through media properties “3-Gun Nation Television,” and 3GunNation.com, was formed with one mission: to promote practical shooting by shining a light on amateur and professional shooters alike, as well as the guns, gear and lifestyle that define the high-octane sport of 3-gun competition. Bringing never-before-seen cash payouts to the table, 3-Gun Nation is quite simply changing the game.

3 Guns. One Champion.

The All-New “3-Gun Nation” airs Mondays at 9:30 AM; Fridays at 10:30 AM and Sundays at 7:30 AM. All times EST. Only on Versus.

For more information, including bonus footage, shooter profiles, news coverage, products, the 3GN Forum, powered by AR15.com—anything related to the action shooting sports—visit the All-New www.3GunNation.com.

Horner took home $5,000 courtesy of Safariland. Shown is Daniel Horner, middle, along with Safarilands' Mike Voigt, left, and Maggie Reese, right.

3-Gun Nation

RATON, N.M. –-(Ammoland.com)- Daniel Horner outlasted a furious late pistol charge by Rob Romero to win his record third 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off following the JP Enterprises Rocky Mountain 3-Gun here recently, taking home a $5,000 check from Safariland.

The sixth event on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, provided the third straight 3GN Shoot-Off appearance for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Horner, who had been knocked out of the last two competitions. Horner, competing in his sixth 3GN Shoot-Off overall, won the event for the third time, his first since last September’s Ozark 3-Gun Championships. The win ran Horner’s career 3GN winnings to $36,500.

Romero, who won Heavy Metal, looked extremely strong throughout the early rounds, first knocking off Horner’s teammate, Tyler Payne, in a rematch of their 2010 3GN Championship first-round bout. The Team Noveske shooter then cruised to a win over Mike Voigt in the semi-finals, setting up the showdown with Horner. Romero and Horner had squared off previously in the finals following Ozark last year.

Horner’s run began with a first round defeat of Eric Miller, followed up by a semi-final match-up with the up-and-coming Greg Jordan (2nd, Tactical Optics), who previously competed well during the 3GN Shoot-Off at Fort Benning.

Jordan again looked dialed in, with a first round upset of Kurt Miller before taking a lead over Horner coming out of the second rifle position, which was a twist in this 3GN Shoot-Off. Competitors first ran to a Barrett MRAD bolt-action rifle chambered in .338 Lapua, firing two shots on MGM steel at 260 yards before moving to the traditional rifle position.

It was here where Jordan took a slight lead, being first out of the prone position, maintaining that lead coming off the Stag Arms AR-15 prototype 3-gun rifle, before transitioning to FNH SLP. During the shotgun run, Jordan caught a tough break as the flippers, while flying high, presented over his head. Horner capitalized, setting up his finals showdown with Romero.

Horner runs the Stag 3-Gun prototype during his run versus Romero. The rifle was provided with a Leupold HAMR scope and American Eagle 55 Grain .223 Ammo.

And in that final match-up, Horner opened up a seemingly comfortable lead by the second rifle position, this time an FNH SCAR for the final run. But during the pistol arrays, Romero accelerated with the FN FNS pistol, closing ground on Horner. Ultimately, the lead was too great, and Horner stayed steady, got his hits, and cashed a $5,000 check from Safariland.

In the final match-up of the first round, Voigt knocked off Heavy Metal Optics winner Adam Popplewell, sending him into the semi-finals, setting up the pairing with Romero. Popplewell, K. Miller, E. Miller and Payne each received $100 for qualifying for the 3GN Shoot-Off. Jordan and Voigt earned $500 each for reaching the semi-finals, while Romero took home $1,000 for his finals run. Safariland also kicked in $200 gift certificates for each Shoot-Off competitor, running the total Shoot-Off payout to more than $10,000.

In the 3-Gun Nation Team Event, presented by Brownells, Team Maggie Reese, with Walt Flynn and Firebird’s Dan Sierpina, defeated Team Cody Leeper, with Vicki Carlton and Darren Leskiw, taking home $500 each. Each member of Team Cody received a Brownells 3-Gun bag. During the run, Sierpina established a nice lead with the rifle, which Flynn maintained, while Reese held on with the pistol and the win.

The next stop on the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, is during the AR15.com/Rockcastle Pro-Am 3-Gun Championship, Aug. 26-28, at the Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Kentucky. The match will be the seventh 3GN Points match of the 2011 3GN Tour.

“3-Gun Nation” airs Mondays at 9:30 EST, Fridays at 10:30 AM EST and Sundays at 7:30 AM EST. Only on Versus. Also, be sure to check out the 3GN Forum, powered by AR15.com, and follow threads posted by 3GN, Stag Arms’ Jesse Tischauser, Noveske’s Jansen Jones and more: http://3gn.ar15.com/forums/b/13_.html.

Benelli Three Gun

ACCOKEEK, MD --(Ammoland.com)- From a field of more than 300 competitors, Team Benelli shooters Kurt Miller and Rob Romero distinguished themselves at the 2011 Rocky Mountain 3-Gun Championship held at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico last weekend.

Miller and Romero both took first place in their respective divisions – Miller taking first in Tactical-Irons and Romero placing first in Heavy-Metal Irons.

Overcoming the thin air of mile-high altitudes and grueling terrain, Kurt Miller dominated his entire match with his Benelli M2 scoring a perfect 100 points on 4 of the 9 stages.

Miller took 1st place in the Tactical-Irons division with a total score of 807.13. Rob Romero was the lead competitor shooting his SuperNova in the Heavy-Metal Division taking home 1st place with a score of 774.52.

Team Benelli shooters, Katie Harris (469.08) took 2nd overall in the Junior Division and 3rd overall in the Lady’s Division of Tactical-Optics, Tony Holmes (775.01) took 3rd overall in the Open Division, Julie Golob (419.12) took 4th place in the Lady’s Division of Tactical-Optics. Ben Fortin (650.32) came in 15th place in Tactical-Optics, Patrick Kelly (507.22) came in 15th place in the Heavy-Metal Scope Division and Jansen Jones (497.87) came in 18th place in the Heavy-Metal Scope Division.

“This was a very physical match with lots of running and challenging terrain,” said Team Benelli’s Bryce Towsley. “This match was nearly as challenging as the Ironman with lots of off-hand long range rifle and shotgun slug shooting.”

Coming up next on the 3-Gun Nation Tour with more than 500 shooters competing, is the much-anticipated AR-15.com 3-Gun Pro Am. Co-sponsor and host of the match will be Rockcastle Shooting Center, located near Park City, KY on August 26-28.

For the latest news and product information visit www.benelliusa.com

3-Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- Tune in this weekend for the all-new “3-Gun Nation”on Versus for the debut of season two.

Watch as the cameras follow pros Mark and Tasha Hanish, Tommy Thacker and Keith Garcia through the run-and-gun drag race of the Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun in Arizona.

See the dynamic stages through their eyes via 3GN’s Contour HD POV cameras worn by the competitors. Feel the excitement as each shooter experiences the ups and downs of a national 3-gun match.

Then get ready for the white-knuckle drama of the 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off, where the top competitors race to the stop plate for $5,000.

Watch as Juniors and Ladies alike jump into the mix via the 3-Gun Nation Team Event, presented by Brownells, where 3-man teams take one run for $1,500. Also, country music artist Mark Wills returns for the FN Tip with the top pros from the 3GN Tour.

Multi-gun, or 3-gun, is a unique sport within the discipline known as practical shooting. Considered the fastest growing segment within the shooting sports, 3-gun challenges competitors with rifle, pistol and shotgun, maneuvering through unique stages of fire as fast as their skill will allow.

The National 3-Gun Association, through media properties “3-Gun Nation Television,” and 3GunNation.com, was formed with one mission: to promote practical shooting by shining a light on amateur and professional shooters alike, as well as the guns, gear and lifestyle that define the high-octane sport of 3-gun competition. Bringing never-before-seen cash payouts to the table, 3-Gun Nation is quite simply changing the game. 3 Guns. One Champion.

The All-New “3-Gun Nation” airs Mondays at 9:30 AM; Fridays at 10:30 AM and Sundays at 7:30 AM. All times EST. Only on Versus.

For more information, including bonus footage, shooter profiles, news coverage, products—anything related to the action shooting sports—visit the All-New www.3GunNation.com.

Remington's Robby Johnson won the 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off at Rocky Mountain last year, earning a $5,000 payday from Safariland.

Three Gun Nation

The next stop on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, presented by SureFire, is during the JP Enterprises Rocky Mountain 3-Gun, Aug. 4-6, at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M. Rocky Mountain is the sixth of 10 3GN events this season, and serves as a critical opportunity for several top pros to position themselves on the 3GN Leader Boards.

But everyone will also be vying for an opportunity at a 3GN Shoot-Off worth $10,200, all from Safariland. Not only has Safariland kicked in the $5,000 first place check, but also the following cash payouts: 2nd place, $1,000; Semi-Finalists, $500; and the remaining four Shoot-Off participants will receive a check for $100.

In addition, each 3GN Team Event and Main Event competitor will each receive a $200 Gift Certificate from Safariland, a contribution worth $2,800.

When combined with Brownells’ $500 check to each of the 3GN Team Event winners, $11,700 is on the line during the 3GN Shoot-Offs at Rocky Mountain.

But also on the line are 3GN series points, as top pros such as Micheal Voigt, Jerry Miculek and Kelly Neal look to qualify for the 3GN Championship. Meanwhile, important division races see key battles, such as Kurt Miller, James Casanova, Travis Gibson and Kelly Neal in Tacical Irons; and Barry Dueck, Adam Popplewell and now Patrick Kelley in Heavy Metal Optics. In Open, Voigt will be shooting for an all-important second division win, which would open the door for him to make a run at division leader Clint Upchurch. And in Heavy Metal, Rob Romero takes his first shot at Heavy Metal.

Follow all the 3GN Divisional Championship races as the top shooters in the game jockey for a division win and a check for $5,000. And look for daily reports from Raton, and see who emerges from the field to win the 3GN Shoot-Off and a check for $5,000 from Safariland.

For more information, go to the All-New www.3GunNation.com.

Dueck & Horner Join Upchurch atop 3GN Standings

3 Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- Since last year’s Ozark match, Clint Upchurch has maintained a stranglehold on the top spot of the 3-Gun Nation leader board.

After five events, he finally has some permanent company.

SureFire’s Barry Dueck and U.S. AMU’s Daniel Horner each picked up their all-important third division win at MGM Ironman recently, giving each a maximum score of 300 for the 2011 3GN Tour. The wins all but assure each a spot in the season-ending 3GN Championship in November.

Kurt Miller (296.03) fell to fourth following Ironman, while Bryan Ray (288.6) maintained the fifth spot on the 3GN Top 50. Neither Miller nor Ray competed at Ironman.

The rest of the top 10 remained unchanged, with Taran Butler (280.62), James Darst (273.16), Jeff Cramblit (270.81), Robby Johnson (264.08) and Tony Holmes (263.98) holding steady.

However, there was dramatic movement elsewhere on the leader board. MGM’s Travis Gibson (263.68) used a Tactical Irons win at Ironman to jump from 16th place to 11th. James Cassannova (259.40) picked up his third score to enter the 3GN Top 50 at 16. Chuck Anderson’s (245.07) Trooper win gave him a third score as well, entering the standings at 21.

Other newcomers include: Craig Outzen (239.33) at 23; Trip Mcingvale (238.70) at 24; John Bagakis (221.27) at 30; Daniel Nickel (215.64) at 31; Larry Houck (212.52) at 33; Pete Rensing (206.19) at 37; Neal Emery (190.77) at 44; Craig Salman (189.53) at 45; Ralph Arredondo (188.61) at 46; and Austin Bernskoetter (186.71) at 48.

In the Ladies standings, only Kay Miculek (204.38) at 38, and Maggie Reese (187.63) currently remain in the Top 50. However, Katie Harris (179.70), also the top junior, and Dianna Liedorff (171.30), are within striking distance at 54 and 59, respectively.

To view the 3GN Top 50, along with scores out to 400th place, go to www.3gunnation.com/news/overall_scores.

The next opportunity for 3GN points comes Aug. 4-6 at the JP Enterprises Rocky Mountain 3-Gun at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M. Along with points, Rocky Mountain is a 3GN Shoot-Off match, with $7,400 on the line from Safariland.

3 Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- The $25,000 3-Gun Nation Divisional Championships, presented by Hornady, are quickly becoming a hot topic among top shooters this season, and with good reason.

After each 3GN points match, the conversation changes as competitors make a run at each division’s $5,000 prize.

The biggest recent shake-up to the 3GN Divisional point races comes from Daniel Horner’s win at MGM Ironman. The win gave Horner his third win in Tactical Optics, a maximum score of 300 points. Although Horner can’t be passed in points, he can be tied, with the tie-breaking event being the FNH USA Championships in November.

Horner’s greatest challenger comes in the form of Taran Butler, who has two division wins to his credit already this season, with one coming head-to-head against Horner at Superstition Mountain, where we last saw Butler. Butler’s best chances for another win: most likely the Pro-Am or USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals. If Butler can’t get that final division win, then Horner will take the division and $5K from Hornady.

In Heavy Metal Optics, Barry Dueck continued his dominance with a recent win at Ironman. With 292.03 Heavy Metal Optics points, Dueck has a big lead over Noveske’s Jansen Jones (207.79) and Hornady’s Neal Emery (190.77). However, Adam Popplewell has one HMO win this season, setting up what could be a tremendous battle between the two down the stretch.

In Open, Clint Upchurch has dominated the entire 2011 season, dating back to last year’s Ozark match. However, SureFire’s Mike Voigt slipped in to get a win at Ironman, which could be really big heading into Rocky Mountain. With five events to go, we’ll be watching to see if Voigt or Jerry Miculek can manage to scratch three division wins to set up a tie-breaker at the FN Championships. To do so, they’ll have to beat Upchurch heads-up, as 3-gun’s newest heavyweight is shooting every match on the 2011 3GN Tour.

Heavy Metal remains unchanged, with Bryan Ray (288.60) holding serve over JJ Johnson (260.29) and Trapr Swonson (260.05). Ray is in the driver’s seat with two division wins, especially considering the winning Blue Ridge points went to Dueck, who is unlikely to leave the chase for HMO. Looking at this race, you’ve got to wonder if Patrick Kelley is kicking himself for jumping to Tactical Optics this season; with five matches remaining, could Kelley make a late change back to his old stomping grounds and steal the inaugural 3GN Heavy Metal Championship?

Arguably the most intriguing race is shaping up in the Tactical Irons division. Kurt Miller enjoys a comfortable lead for now, but the head-to-head match-ups with Kelly Neal will most likely decide this division. Miller picked up division wins at Ozark and Ft. Benning, while Neal got a win at Superstition and Blue Ridge.

Miller and Neal provide a contrast in style as well. Miller prefers tried-and-true iron sights, while Neal employs a Leupold Prismatic, one of several 1X optics recently allowed by most major matches in the limited divisions.

The next opportunity for 3GN Divisional points is Aug. 4-6 at the JP Enterprises Rocky Mountain 3-Gun at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M. Also on the line is $7,400 from Safariland in the 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off.

3-Gun Nation Divisional Championships, presented by Hornady
(After 5 of 10 events)

Heavy Metal Optics

1. Barry Dueck: 292.03
2. Jansen Jones: 207.79
3. Neal Emery: 190.77

Heavy Metal

1. Bryan Ray: 288.60
2. JJ Johnson: 260.89
3. Trapr Swonson: 260.05

Open

1. Clint Upchurch: 300.00
2. James Darst: 273.16
3. Tommy Thacker: 251.03

Tactical Iron

1. Kurt Miller: 296.03
2. James Cassannova: 259.40
3. Brian Vaught: 194.80

Tactical Optics

1. Daniel Horner: 300.00
2. Taran Butler: 280.62
3. Robby Johnson: 264.08
4. Rob Romero: 262.88
5. Rustin Bernskoetter: 250.61

Eds. Note: This ranking represents the top three scores within said division. Scores will not necessarily reflect one’s ranking in the overall 3GN Standings. To view overall scores, go to www.3gunnation.com/news/overall_scores.

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. --(Ammoland.com)- The fourth annual U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Action Shooting Junior Clinic will be held Oct. 28-30 at Krilling Range here on Fort Benning.

Champions from the USAMU’s Action Shooting Team, including three-time multi-gun national champion Staff Sgt. Daniel Horner and Pfc. Shane Coley, a former camp attendee and U.S. International Practical Shooting Confederation World Shoot team member, will be the primary instructors.

Juniors attending the clinic will learn advanced skills in drawing, accuracy, movement techniques, transitions and reloads. The first two days will consist of hands-on training with a match on Sunday to conclude the clinic.

There is no entry fee associated with the clinic. A government-issued identification card is all that you need now to get on to Fort Benning-visitor’s passes are no longer required. Attendees must bring all equipment, ammunition, and provide their own transportation to and from the range, as well as all meals.

This is not a clinic for novice shooters–those wishing to attend must be USPSA classified. USAMU Soldiers relish the chance to pass on their expertise to junior shooters who have the desire to learn and enhance their skills while having fun. Groups will be broken down to ensure the instructor-to-student ratio is the best you will find anywhere.

“If it has ever crossed your mind to attend the junior camp, do it,” said an attendee from last year’s clinic. “Raise money, have a raffle, have a lemonade stand-just do whatever it takes to get there. The camaraderie between shooters and instructors was unmatched by anything else I have ever been involved in.”

Space is limited. Registration is now open and will end on Aug. 12. To learn more about the clinic and register, please go to www.usamu.com.

About USAMU:
The USAMU enhances the Army’s recruiting effort, raises the standard of the Army’s marksmanship proficiency, and supports the Army’s small arms research and development initiatives in order to raise the Army’s overall combat readiness. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com.

Anderson Wins 3GN Shoot-Off & $5K From Warne Scope Mounts

Three Gun Nation

PARMA, Idaho –-(Ammoland.com)- A year ago, Chuck Anderson came up one run short. This time around, he could not be denied.

Anderson, delivering remarkable speed on the pistol, upset perennial favorite Daniel Horner in the finals of the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off, Presented by SureFire, following the MGM Ironman to win $5,000 from Warne Scope Mounts here June 11.

Anderson qualified for the 3GN Shoot-Off by defending his Trooper class title at Ironman, one of the most unique divisions held anywhere. In Trooper division, competitors are required to carry all their gear on their person for the duration of the match. With shooters carrying as many as six firearms, ammunition and gear, especially at the physical slugfest that is MGM’s Ironman, winning Trooper division is a major achievement.

Moreover, with the split-match format of this year’s Ironman holding Trooper, Open, Tactical Irons and Heavy Metal Optics first, followed by a separate Tactical Optics match, Anderson was one of a handful of competitors who chose to shoot both matches. Anderson followed up his Trooper win with a 15th-place finish in a packed Tactical Optics field. Then after more than 2,000 rounds fired over six days of Ironman mayhem, he stepped to line, and using an FN-provided FNS 40, SCAR and SLP, laid down three unforgettable Shoot-Off runs.

In the first round, Anderson drew Dave Neth, the defending 3GN Shoot-Off winner at Ironman. The rematch was thrilling, with Anderson jumping all over Neth out of the gate with a phenomenal pistol run, before cleaning his rifle and holding on as Neth picked up the SLP and nearly ran him down.

“Last year I was completely surprised by getting into the Shoot-Off,” Anderson said. “I didn’t have the chance to really think about it before having to get up and perform. This year I had several days to think about it and strategize. While this was my second one to compete in, I did get a front row seat to the Championship Shoot-Off and the Ozark match Shoot-Off. Last year I had two good runs and completely fell apart on the third. Dave Neth beat me … badly. I’m pretty sure he could have shot it left-handed and still come out on top. This year I drew him in the first round and that was probably the most stressed out I was of all the matchups. Dave was also really close to beating me in that first round, and things could have ended very differently.”

But Anderson moved on, as did Daniel Horner with a first-round win over Ironman veteran Matt Burkett. The two had a competitive run going, with Horner maintaining a lead heading into the final shotgun arrays. Unfortunately, shotguns had failed to be placed in the staging boxes, the first of several dramas to unfold in one of the wildest 3GN Shoot-Offs to date. After catching their breath, the two ran the course of fire again, and Horner expanded his lead over the first run for a comfortable win.

Horner’s AMU teammate, Tyler Payne, drew MGM’s Travis Gibson, who celebrated his 37th birthday in style by winning the Tactical Irons division to claim his first Ironman victory and 3GN Shoot-Off debut. He didn’t disappoint, laying down a solid opening run to take out the impressive Payne, who is in the process of cementing himself among the top competitors in all the sport.

SureFire’s Barry Dueck, a 3GN Shoot-Off veteran, knocked off one of the most accomplished 3-gunners of all time in Bennie Cooley, who made his 3GN Shoot-Off debut. Dueck , like Horner and Gibson, had a strong first round, but none of their pistol runs matched the pace set by Anderson.

“By the time the first round was over, I was the only one who didn’t have to reload the handgun,” Anderson said. “Most of the guys had several shots after the load. I figured if I could just stick to using that first magazine I’d do OK.”

In the second round, Anderson took on his second consecutive local favorite in MGM’s Gibson. Like Neth, Gibson had many supporters in the stands, making for a loud scene as Anderson once again jumped out to a big lead with the FNS 40 before cruising to the rifle and shotgun. However, Gibson was granted a re-shoot after a shotgun malfunction, and the two stepped to the line again. Anderson merely regained his composure, and laid down yet another blistering pistol run on his way to a semi-finals win.

In the other semi-final match-up, even more drama ensued as Daniel Horner, after seemingly winning his bout against Barry Dueck, was forced to step to the line again after a late re-shoot was issued by the Controlling Range Officer. After much discussion, Dueck’s shotgun indeed did malfunction during his run, and per 3GN rules, he was granted the reshoot.

But like Anderson before him, Horner simply walked back to the line and laid down a spectacular run, setting up the final showdown. And like last year, Anderson found himself in the finals against one of the top guns in the sport, this time, arguably the top shooter in 3-gun in Horner. But unlike last year, this time Anderson kept his cool.

“I was actually a lot more relaxed by the final round,” Anderson said. “I figured I didn’t have a lot to lose going into the final round. If I get beat, I get beat by Daniel Horner, and that’s something we’re all used to. I think there was more pressure on him to not get beat by the slow fat guy.”

In that final run, Horner, as expected, was good. But Chuck Anderson was nearly perfect, going one-for-one on eight poppers and a six-plate-rack, before ripping off seven-for-seven on the rifle and finishing with seven clay birds and the cross-over stop plate. The pistol-heavy course of fire set up perfectly for Anderson, and he took advantage by absolutely smoking the field with the FNS 40.

“It’s really, really similar in feel to a Glock,” Anderson said. “I’ve been shooting Production in USPSA for the last six years, mostly with the Glock pistol. I also just ran both matches with Glock handguns. Of the eight competitors, I was the only one that primarily shoots a striker-fired gun in competition. I’ve been a law enforcement officer for 17 years and a firearms instructor for most of that. I tell my students every time as long as the sights are aligned with the target when the gun fires, the bullet’s going to hit the target. The FNS is no different. Line the sights up, pull the trigger ‘till it goes bang, find the next target and repeat. The FNS shot exactly where I aimed it, and the trigger was really very good for a Production firearm. I already contacted FNH this morning and told them I’d love to buy one when they are available in the U.S. “

Anderson can afford a new pistol and more thanks to his $5,000 payday from Warne Scope Mounts. But he’s not alone: Horner received $1,000 for finishing second; Dueck and Gibson earned $500 for making the semi-finals; while Burkett, Payne, Cooley and Neth each took home $100 for qualifying for the 3GN Shoot-Off. The total payout: $7,400, all courtesy of Warne.

“I’d love to say I’m going to use (the winnings) to buy an FN SCAR, SLP and FNS pistol,” Anderson said when asked how he’d spend his payday. “But I doubt I would have anywhere to store them after the wife kicked me out of the house. I’ll use the $5,000 to pay for the rest of my season and probably take my wife on a vacation somewhere. She’s put up with a lot to let me shoot as much as I do, and she deserves a break.”

Preceding the main event, the 3-Gun Nation Team Event, presented by Brownells, fired up the crowd with some local flavor. The top junior, Meridian, Idaho’s Hayden Hixson, with Joe Wong and Jesse Redell, took on the top lady, Katie Harris, with J.D. Wilcox and Jerry Jones.

And in front of the hometown crowd, which is fitting at Ironman, Team Hayden cruised to the win, with each team member taking home $500 from Brownells. Each member of Team Katie received a Brownells 3-Gun bag for qualifying.

As exciting as the match-up was, the highlight, however, arguably came when Joe Wong immediately donated his winnings to the upcoming MGM Targets Junior Shooters Camp at the Parma Rod & Gun Club. It was a surprising, classy move from Wong, the Louisiana chef who, along with brother Tommy and nephew Jason, are familiar faces across the national 3-gun circuit.

The eight-person 3GN Shoot-Off is a format like no other, where competitors take on reactive pistol, rifle and shotgun targets in a race to the stop plate. To level the playing field, contestants fired FN FNS 40 striker-fired pistols, SCAR 16s rifles and SLP semi-automatic shotguns. Each rifle was fitted with SureFire Muzzle Brakes and Suppressors, as well as Leupold optics. Each firearm ran ammunition provided by Federal Premium.

The next stop on the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, is during the JP Enterprises Rocky Mountain 3-Gun, August 4-6 at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M. Rocky Mountain is a 3GN Points match, and will serve as the next Shoot-Off venue as well, with $7,400 on the line, courtesy of Safariland.

Bonus Coverage:
Chuck Anderson was one of a handful of competitors who just shot the most brutal match in all of 3-gun—twice! So we asked Chuck how on earth he was able to get through it all, and the gear he used:

“I ran my Warne RAMP mount in the first match with a Leupold 1.5-5 MR/T scope with the CM-R2 reticle and a Delta Point on the side. Totally rocked. For the second match I swapped to a Leupold CQ/T with the CM-R2 reticle as well. MGM Switchview levers on both.

My JP rifle shot like a laser, like it always does. I used Nordic Components tubes on my Scoped Tact shotgun. I used Safariland ELS belts for both matches. If you haven’t tried the ELS for 3-gun you’re missing out. Just perfect. I hauled all my stuff around for Trooper in an Eberlestock pack. Couldn’t finish the match without something to haul all that gear in. Finally, Schuemann Barrel. Even though I didn’t run a 2011, Mike let me use his spot in the Trooper

STC Team Members Doug Koenig, Jerry Miculek, and Mike Plaxco

AmmoLand Gun News

San Antonio, TX --(Ammoland.com)- Professional shooter Doug Koenig, shooting as a member of Team Smith and Wesson, won his 15th Sportsman’s Team Challenge Title at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, Texas. Koenig’s Team Smith and Wesson won the Industry Open Championship and had the highest point total for the event.

The Sportsman’s Team Challenge is a three gun event that calls for a host of skills in pistol, rifle and shotgun. During the annual competition, each member of every team is required to shoot three firearms – rifle, pistol and shotgun. Facing off in six events, all shots by every team member are used to calculate the final score.

The events for the Sportsman’s Team challenge include: Rifle, Combo, Handgun, Mixed Bag, Flush and Flurry. The first event, Rifle, requires shooters to use a .22 rifle while firing at 46 steel targets that vary in size, distance and point value. The next event, Combo, requires teams to use one .22 rifle and two .22 handguns as they shoot 50 targets ranging in distance from 25 to 80 yards. The last metallic event is Handgun, in which shooters compete in a relay, firing at 48 total targets with restricted time limits. The final three events take competitors to the shotgun course where they engage in three unique 50-bird sporting clay style matches.

After shooting the high aggregate score in the preliminary round, Koenig’s team followed that with a high team score of 567 in the championship round. The second place team had a score of 552. Koenig said that the STC calls on him to utilize all of his skills and equipment because of the wide ranging nature of the match.

“My teammates and I look forward to this match every year because it is a fun match,” said Koenig. We have a wide range of equipment for this match and that is where our sponsors are so important to us. We all work together well, we all have great equipment, and we all have a great time at this match.”

Koenig’s son, Trevor, was a member of the winning sub junior “B” team at the event. Trevor, competing in San Antonio for the second time, enjoyed the match as he followed in his famous father’s footsteps.

“I really like the fact that I can shoot with my Dad,” said Trevor. “He can teach me how to do my best at this event while I have a lot of fun.”

Koenig has won national and world championships in pistol events, shotgun events, and rifle events. A professional shooter, Koenig has dominated competitive pistol shooting for the last fifteen years. Koenig has won sixteen Masters International Championships, three World Speed Shooting Championships, an IPSC World Championship, three World Action Pistol Championships (holds World Record Score), fifteenth Sportsman’s Team Challenge Championships, a World All-Around Championship, and thirteen National Action Pistol Championships (Bianchi Cup).

DOUG KOENIG’S EQUIPMENT LIST

• Koenig’s gun sponsor is SMITH & WESSON – the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States.
• Koenig’s optical sight is from LEUPOLD & STEVENS – optics that are renowned for their unchallenged ruggedness, absolute waterproof integrity, and their vastly superior optical quality.
• Koenig’s bullet supplier is HORNADY – the maker of the finest bullets available.
• Koenig’s speed holster is from SAFARILAND – the top name in competitive shooting holster accessories.
• Koenig’s gun cleaning products are from OTIS – the most advanced gun care systems in the world. .
• Koenig’s brass is from STARLINE – precision brass for shooters that require the best.
• Koenig’s air guns are from GAMO – shooters in over 50 countries use Gamo’s high quality air rifles and air pistols.
• Koenig’s crossbows come from TEN POINT CROSSBOWS – the premiere crossbow brand in the marketplace.

Doug Koenig is represented by Russ Stott of August Sports – a Maryland/Washington, D.C. based sports representation agency that specializes in representing athletes from the outdoor sports. For information about Doug Koenig, please contact the offices of August Sports Promotions at (202) 413-3455 or at AugustSports1@aol.com.

Team SureFire Sweeps MGM Ironman 3-Gun

SureFire Tactical Lights

Fountain Valley, CA --(Ammoland.com)- SureFire, LLC, manufacturer of high-end illumination tools and tactical products, is proud to announce Team SureFire’s success at the 2011 MGM Ironman 3-Gun competition. Women’s captain, Maggie Reese, men’s captain Barry Dueck and co-captain Mike Voigt, all repeated as champions in their divisions.

“Last year’s championship was a blur because we shot over three long days in rough conditions,” said Reese. “This year I was able to focus and just get the job done while enjoying the match along the way. It was fantastic!”

Reese, a Southern California native, just started shooting competitively four years ago. Now she’s a back-to-back 3-Gun Open Division champion at both USPSA Nationals and MGM Ironman in her only two attempts at each.

Team SureFire, also features 10-time multi-gun national champion and Open Division shooter, Michael Voigt, and the 3-Gun Nation tour points leader and team captain, Barry Dueck, who already has two tour wins this year in the Heavy Optics Division. Dueck and Voigt were also teammates on USA’s 2008 IPSC World Shoot team where they took top honors in the Modified Division.

SureFire also sponsors other shooters around the country like world record pistol shooter, Max Michel, who recently won the Double Tap Championship. Other 3-gun shooters who proudly wear the SureFire logos on their jersey are Team FNH and Taran Butler (5-time National Champion).

To learn more about the sport of 3-gun, please visit www.3GunNation.com, or stay tuned beginning July 29th for season two of 3 Gun Nation, presented by SureFire. Show times are Sunday, 7:30am EST and Thursdays 10:00am EST. To follow Team SureFire, check out SureFire’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/surefire.

About SureFire
Located in Fountain Valley, California, SureFire is a leading manufacturer of high-performance flashlights, weapon-mounted lights, and other tactical equipment for those who go in harm’s way, or anyone who demands the ultimate in quality, innovation, and performance. SureFire illumination tools are used by more SWAT teams and elite special operations groups than any other brand. SureFire is an ISO 9001:2000-certified company. Visit: www.surefire.com

Benelli Three Gun

ACCOKEEK, MD --(Ammoland.com)- Team Benelli shooters Katie Harris and Kurt Miller won big at the 2011 Midwest

3-Gun Championship held at Fire-for-Effect Gun Range in Fayette, MO. Harris and Miller both took first place in their respective divisions – Harris winning in Tactical-Optics and Miller placing first in Tactical-Irons.

Katie Harris was on fire for the entire match taking 1st Place overall for both the Lady’s and Junior’s divisions of

Tactical-Optics. Kurt Miller (872.521) left the competition behind winning 1st overall in the Tactical-Irons Division. Team Benelli shooters, Rob Romero (692.35) took 4th overall, Jeremy Parker (659.84) took 6th overall, and Ben Fortin (588.71) took 8th overall in the Tactical-Optics Division. In the Heavy Metal Optics Division Team Benelli shooters, Jeff Cramblit (761.07) took 2nd overall and Jansen Jones (488.13) took 4th overall.

Coming up next on the 3-Gun Nation (3GN) Tour is the challenging MGM Ironman, June 5-11 in Parma, Idaho. 3GN Points are at stake along with a 3GN Shoot-Off event with a $5,000 payout. Ironman will be the fifth of ten 3GN Tour events this season.

For the latest news and product information visit www.benelliusa.com

The 3 Gun Multi-Gun Report

Bertram, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- You may have read about 3 Gun Competition on AmmoLand Shooting Sports News or maybe you saw it on one of the recent TV shooting shows?

You say to yourself that looks like fun, I’d like to give that a try. But how, when, were?

The 3 Gun Multi Gun Report has all of the information you need to get involved in the fun and exciting sport of 3 Gun.

Are you are new to 3 gun? Or consider yourself an intermediate level 3 gunner? This book has information that will help you on your 3 Gun Quest.

If you are like me and many other people I did not have the time and money to travel across the country to attend a 3 gun Matches I had heard about.

“Question” So what do you do? “Answer” Make your own 3 Gun Match!

I made my own 3 gun match. And have been competing ever since. You can do it too!

If you have a Place to shoot or a shooting range. What would you have to do to run a little local 3 gun match so that a few of my buddies could get-together and have some fun! This report has you covered.

From properly selecting your guns and supporting 3 gun equipment, how to set it up and prepare it for a 3 gun match, this book has the detailed information you need to know.

If you know of a 3 gun match but have been hesitant to attend it, you have the need for more information before jumping in?

This Report will get you on track Fast!

The 3 Gun Multi Gun Report gives you all of the information you need.

The only thing missing in the Sport of 3 Gun is you! Come join the fun!

Crimson Trace Lightguards MVF-600 IR Laser Featured At NW Multigun Challenge

Crimson Trace

Wilsonville, OR --(Ammoland.com)- Crimson Trace continues its support of the competitive shooting sports this summer, donating prizes, guns and ammo to several prestigious events as part of its drive to promote personal security with the advent of the lightweight, slim, Lightguard platform.

Latest in the long line of matches is the NW Multigun Challenge, July 9&10 in Albany, OR where the company will be building a dark shoot house. Competitors will test their skills, engaging multiple targets using both white light from the company’s innovative Lightguard handgun-mounted lights, as well as carbine-mounted IR lasers in conjunction with night vision equipment.

“This is a unique opportunity to shoot in both low light and no light scenarios and to my knowledge, no one has ever attempted it at a major 3 gun match.” Said Kent Thomas, Director of Marketing for Crimson Trace. “The new Lightguard was developed specifically for target engagement in across-the-room situations and our MVF-600 IR laser is currently in the hands of US Special Forces troops, so shooters will have the best tools available in the match.”

Crimson Trace has a 15 year history of serving its customers with the best of US-made defensive tools, first with the award-winning Lasergrip instinctively activated laser sight and now with the Lightguard 100 lumen white light for Glock, S&W and Springfield handguns.

For information regarding the NW Multigun Championship, contact Doug Hartley or Scott Hawkins at nwmultigun@aol.com For information regarding Crimson Trace products, contact Iain Harrison.

3 Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- Clint Upchurch’s fourth consecutive Open division victory kept the South Carolina native alone in first place atop the 3GN Standings following the recent Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun at the Rockcastle Shooting Center. But staying in first by himself might not last too long.

Daniel Horner picked up his third match at Blue Ridge, with his Tactical Optics win vaulting the defending 3GN Champion up the leader board into second place.

Kurt Miller, who did not compete at Blue Ridge, remained in the top five at third, while SureFire’s Barry Dueck switched to Heavy Metal for a win, moving him to fourth place in front of Bryan Ray, who fell to fifth overall following his second place finish to Dueck in Heavy Metal at Blue Ridge.

Taran Butler, James Darst, Jeff Cramblit, Robby Johnson and Tony Holmes round out a top 10 that features two competitors that didn’t qualify for last year’s 3GN Championship: Remington’s Robby Johnson, who didn’t attend enough matches last season; and Ray, the non-sponsored shooter who seemingly came out of nowhere last year and is now tearing up the Heavy Metal division.

Five ladies currently sit among the 3GN Top 50. At #30 overall, Kay Miculek holds the top Lady spot, followed by Maggie Reese (#36), Katie Harris (#41, who is also 3GN’s top Junior), Dianna Liedorff (#43) and Deb Cheek (#45).

To view the entire Top 50, click the “Standings” tab found within the “3-Gun Events” listing on the top-right of the page.

Clint Upchurch, who competes in the Open division, remains a perfect four-for-four on the 2010-2011 3GN Tour.

The next stop on the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, presented by SureFire, is the MGM Ironman, June 5-11, in Parma, Idaho.

SureFire's Barry Dueck stands alone atop the 3GN Heavy Metal Optics division standings headed into MGM Ironman.

3 Gun Nation

USA --(Ammoland.com)- With $25,000 on the line, competitors have been jockeying for position, and a few have even jumped divisions, to make a run at the Inaugural 3-Gun Nation Divisional Championships, presented by Hornady.

Each of the five 3GN divisions has a $5,000 cash prize up for grabs, totaling $25K for the season. But with six points events remaining, there is still a lot of shooting to be done, with arguably the toughest event in the sport looming—the MGM Ironman.

Daniel Horner used his division win at the Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun to rocket himself up the Tactical Optics leader board, overtaking Taran Butler, now in second. Robby Johnson’s second place Blue Ridge finish moved Horner’s former AMU teammate into third place, followed by Rob Romero and Rustin Bernskoetter.

MGM’s Travis Gibson continued his steady improvement, earning a spot in sixth place in Tactical Optics, followed by Ben Fortin, Tyler Payne, Scott McGregor and Jamie Foote.

In Open, everyone is chasing Clint Upchurch, who’s second year of competitive 3-gun has become a complete breakout performance.

James Darst sits in second, followed by FNH USA’s Tommy Thacker, Brian Butcher and Kay Miculek.

Notable Open absences are Jerry Miculek and Mike Voigt, who when they pick up their third matches are expected to shake up the Open standings.

In Heavy Metal Optics, one man stands alone. SureFire’s Barry Dueck is currently the only qualified competitor with a strong score of 292.03. However, Adam Popplewell is expected to challenge Dueck for the title.

In Tactical Irons (Limited), only two competitors currently have enough scores, with Kurt Miller holding a commanding lead over Brian Vaught, a non-sponsored shooter from Kentucky.

Vaught’s training partner, and brother-in-law, Bryan Ray, tops the Heavy Metal race, one that is shaking up to be very interesting coming down the stretch. With Ray not expected to attend every match, JJ Johnson and Trapr Swonson, sitting second and third, respectively, along with Joe Satterfield, should have opportunities to pick up division wins without having to be Ray. That alone could set Heavy Metal up for a photo finish at the FNH USA Championships in November.

The next event on the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, is the MGM Ironman, June 5-11, in Parma, Idaho. Along with 3GN points, the Ironman will also host a 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off, with the winner taking home a $5K prize from Warne Scope Mounts. For more information, go to www.3GunNation.com.

U.S. AMU’s Daniel Horner that emerged for the overall and Tactical Optics victory.

3 Gun Nation

PARK CITY, Kent. --(Ammoland.com)- Like Yogi Berra so famously said, “It’s like déjà vu all over again.” Kentucky’s month-long deluge of severe thunderstorms and torrential rains left its final mark on the 2011 DPMS-Bushnell Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun at the Rockcastle Shooting Center here Sunday, as the final two stages were scrapped due to inclement weather.

While rain had soaked the course in the days and weeks prior to the event, the weather broke for two spectacular shooting days on Friday and Saturday before the final downpour Sunday morning.

Last year’s Blue Ridge Mountain was also shortened due to inclement weather, to the point no winners were declared.

However, the entire field had shot at least eight of ten stages this year, so scores were normalized and it was U.S. AMU’s Daniel Horner that emerged for the overall and Tactical Optics victory. For Horner, the win comes on the heels of a 2nd place finish at Superstition. The Blue Ridge win, a nearly 90-point victory over eight stages, emphatically stated that Horner (770.5103) is the most dominating shooter in the sport on natural terrain courses of fire, and possibly any type of stage design.

Remington’s Robby Johnson (683.9144) took second in Tactical Optics, followed by Noveske’s Rob Romero (673.5116), Rustin Bernskoetter (662.9975) and Caspian’s Bruce Piatt (647.1356).

In Open, Clint Upchurch continued his remarkable run, winning his fourth consecutive division title by holding off a strong performance by SureFire’s Mike Voigt (742.8257). While Voigt won four of the eight stages, a slip on stage two’s long-range rifle steel arguably decided the match, as Upchurch’s lead on stage two mirrored his overall point lead over Voigt.

DPMS’ James Darst (701.1839) narrowly edged out Don Bednorz (694.4393), while Team Rockcastle’s Tony Holmes (675.4203) took fifth.

In Tactical Irons, Kelly Neal (761.7459) picked up his 2nd consecutive division win by a comfortable margin. James Casanova (702.677) placed second, followed by Brian McKibben (693.6945), Hornady’s Jeff Cramblit (690.4002) and Spike Tactical’s Cameron Thompson (596.9331).

Heavy Metal saw an interesting battle as SureFire’s Barry Dueck (782.3063) jumped divisions from Heavy Metal Optics (not recognized at Blue Ridge) and cruised to his first division win since last Fall’s Ozark match. Upstart Bryan Ray (693.0936) placed second, followed by Joe Satterfield (663.663), Maurice Griffin (649.8307) and J.J. Johnson (614.9773).

Horner’s win will vault the Army shooter up the 3GN leader board from 17th place all the way to 2nd behind Upchurch, who remains the only competitor with a perfect score of 300. However, with Horner’s second win, it seems only a matter of time before he joins Upchurch atop the 3GN standings.

The next event on the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, is the MGM Ironman, June 5-11 in Parma, Idaho. A 3GN Shoot-Off and 3GN Points event, Ironman will be the 5th of 10 3GN Tour events this season.

Enter to Win a FNH 3-Gun Competition Package Worth $7,000

FNH USA

McLean, Va. --(Ammoland.com)- Make sure you stop by the FNH USA booth (#1326) at the upcoming NRA Annual Meetings in Pittsburg and enter to win a 3-gun competition package worth $7,000!

Simply guess the correct number of fired cases in the container on display at the booth and you may be the winner!

There is no charge to enter and no purchase required.

The winner’s prize includes a new FN SCAR 16S carbine, an FN SLP MK I shotgun, and FN FNX-9 pistol, a complete 3-gun belt system and range bag from Safariland, a Leupold Mark 4 tactical scope, a Warne R.A.M.P mount in FNH USA Team blue, Rudy Project eyewear, Vertx clothing, an FNH USA jersey and an Otis cleaning kit. You’ll be fully equipped to shoot with the big dogs!

After you’ve won all this new gear, you’ll need a chance to see how well it performs. The winner will also get his or her match entry fee paid to the 2011 FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Championships in West Virginia, where they will shoot alongside Team FNH USA!

Make sure you make time to visit the FNH USA booth at the NRA Annual Meetings. You’ll be glad you did!