Team Hornady Posts Strong Finish at 2012 FNH USA 3-Gun Championship
OutdoorHub 10.04.12
Team Hornady overwhelmed a field of more than 300 competitors during the FNH 3-Gun Point Series Championship, September 20-22, 2012, at the 2,000- acre Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, West Virginia. With the Appalachian Mountains as a backdrop, and a theme built upon the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the eight-stage match utilized manmade shooting bays and the natural wooded terrain.
Clint Upchurch won the Open Division, winning five of the eight stages with a score of 780.71, shooting Hornady 223 Rem 75-grain Steel Match in his rifle and Hornady 125- grain HAP bullets in his 38 Super Comp pistol. “The 75-grain Steel Match bullets were excellent at handling steel targets out to 400 yards,” said Upchurch. “They fly true and have plenty of energy to move those steel targets. The 125-grain HAP bullets functioned flawlessly, and the superior accuracy gave me confidence during the match’s tough pistol shots.”
Upchurch was especially intrigued by the stages’ challenging designs. “Shooters were given the option to shoot the stages in multiple ways, engaging specific targets with their choice of firearm,” he said. “These stages became really thought provoking because of the variables presented, giving the match a unique ‘flavor’ that was more challenging than one would think.”
Team Hornady member, Katie Harris, won High Lady in the Open Division, and was named High Junior. She finished fourth overall, shooting Hornady 60-grain V-MAX bullets in her rifle, and Hornady 124-grain FMJ bullets in her pistol. Team Hornady members Rob Romero, Michael Voigt, and Keith Garcia rounded out the top 10 field of 3-Gunners in the Tactical Optics Division.
Tony Gimmellie finished third in the Heavy Optics Division, shooting Hornady 155-grain BTHP Steel Match ammo in his 308 Win rifle, and Hornady 185-grain XTP in his 45 auto pistol. Gimmellie credited the reliability and accuracy of Hornady ammunition for his impressive performance. “It allowed me to focus on my shooting without worrying about my ammo,” he said.
Match Director Larry Houck returned for the second year with a particular design in mind. “My goal was for the average person to finish the stage without timing out, while technically challenging the highest level competitor,” he said. “We had multiple-sized dimension rifle, handgun, and shotgun targets as close as two yards, and out to 400 yards.”
