Garcia Wins $5,000 In Inaugural 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off

Garcia Wins $5,000 In Inaugural 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off

FNH 3 Gun Nation TV
FNH 3 Gun Nation TV

MESA, Ariz. –-(Ammoland.com)- Practical Shooting Academy’s (PSA) Keith Garcia upset perennial favorite Michael Voigt, of SureFire, to win the inaugural shoot-off in the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation, Presented by SureFire, and take home $5,000 following the DPMS Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun here March 28.

Garcia, a full-time law enforcement officer and trainer for PSA, ran a virtual gauntlet of heavy hitters, eliminating Adam Popplewell, Patrick Kelley and Voigt, a 10-time winner of the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals. During the final match-up, Garcia outlasted Voigt after laying down a blistering run during the shotgun portion of the shoot-off, beating SureFire’s legendary Open division shooter through the pistol rack to the stop plate before a raucous crowd of spectators.

“I got to the shotgun and laid down what I thought was a pretty good run and then I got to the handgun just a little bit before him, and luckily the handgun came together for me,” Garcia said.

The eight-person shoot-off is a format like no other, where competitors take on steel rifle, shotgun and pistol racks in a race to the stop plate. To level the playing field, contestants fire an FNH USA SCAR 16 equipped with a SureFire muzzle brake and suppressor, chambered in .223 Rem., a new competition variant of the 12-gauge SLP semi-automatic shotgun, and the new FNX-9 semi-automatic pistol in 9 mm. Each gun runs ammunition provided by Federal Premium, and the rifles are topped with Weaver optics. Add in eight of the world’s fiercest 3-gunners, and the competition heats up.

“It’s a good feeling,” said Garcia. “I just have to thank FN, SureFire and all the other sponsors. It was a well run event and the shoot-off format is awesome, and Team FN was very gracious. (3-gun) is going to explode as a result of this. The publicity, the notoriety, these great shoot-offs; people are going to get excited. I’m going to have to go train more now because we’re going to get a lot of new shooters to 3-gun and I’m going to get beat.”

Kieth Garcia Wins $5,000 In Inaugural 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off
Kieth Garcia Wins $5,000 In Inaugural 3-Gun Nation Shoot-Off

Garcia was one of five finalists, along with Popplewell, Taran Butler, Glenn Shelby and Chris Sechiatano, who qualified from the Tactical Optics division. Kelley, a constant in the Heavyweight divisions, emerged from Heavyweight Irons, while veteran Benny Hill took the honors from Heavyweight Optics, with Voigt claiming a spot from the Open division. Although Garcia only finished seventh overall in his division at Superstition, he managed to do just enough on the four 3-Gun Nation points stages, earning the eighth and final spot in the shoot-off before catching fire in front of the 3-Gun Nation cameras. Arguably his finest finish to date in a major 3-gun competition, the impact was not lost on Garcia.

“The money, the publicity and this new tournament style are going to be a big plus for everybody involved in shooting,” Garcia said. “In this case, it was a big plus for me. Not only because of the prize money, but also because I’m able to represent my sponsors in front of a bigger audience.”

The most impressive run during the shoot-off belonged to Kelley with a first round upset of Taran Butler, widely regarded one of the best Tactical Optics competitors in the world. But despite switching to optics and lighter recoil after a weekend banging away in Heavy Iron, Kelley, who chooses to remain non-sponsored, ripped through the shoot-off stage. Kelley’s opening run electrified the crowd and set the tone for the entire event, proving that on a level playing field anyone can emerge from the 3-Gun Nation shoot-off.

The next stop on the FNH USA 3-Gun Nation Tour, Presented by SureFire, is during the Sabre Defense Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun Championship, April 23-25 at the Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Kent.

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.

For more information, visit www.3GunNation.com.