Exceptional shooting to clench top spot at NRA Whittington Center

Raton, New Mexico - Jack Odor had a narrow lead going into the last day of the Black Powder Target Rifle Prone Championship.

He started out good, but it wasn't good enough. Despite shooting a 99 at 200 yards, both Mike Rix and Mark Hipes fired 100s to close within one of him. But at 300 yards Odor was able to pad his lead, by four with Hipes and one on Rix.

Although shooters like Keith Lay and the Position Champion Chip Mate were matching or doing better than Odor's Day Two scores, they had more ground to cover and Odor needed only to stay the course in order to walk home with a trophy.

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Follow the Walters from Camp Perry to the NRA Whittington Center

Raton, New Mexico - A lot of shooters compete in multiple disciplines and Ronald and Barbara Walters are no different. These two are fresh from Camp Perry's High Power Long Range Championships which ended last week.

"We came from Camp Perry last tuesday," Ron told me, who began shooting in high school as a member of a junior rifle club. "We went back home to Michigan, Barb canned some pickles and did some laundry and I packed the van and traded out high power stuff for black powder stuff."

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Outshooting competition, Jack Odor has NRA title within reach

Raton, New Mexico - On the outset of this year's Black Powder Target Rife Prone Championship, shooters across the board were posting outstanding scores thanks to great conditions.

A couple competitors even managed to shoot themselves into the National Recordbook. Jim Kidwell became co-owner of the scoped 300 yards record, tying Terry Gazaway's 100-4x. Marisa Moritz actually broke a record - her own, by one point - for a 30-shot match at 200, 300 and 600 yards by a woman, firing a 285-5x.

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Black Powder Rifle Championships run in a unique, efficient way

Raton, New Mexico - The NRA Whittington Center is purposely a minimalistic kind of place. One of its goals is to preserve and let visitors appreciate the beauty of the New Mexico landscape.

People coming out for hunts or competitions don't want to see buildings littered all over the place - that's what they came here to get away from. There are a few quarters for guests, a couple administration buildings and the museum.

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Takes fifth NRA Black Powder Target Rifle Position Championship

Raton, New Mexico - After calmer weather on the second of the two-day championship, Chip Mate won his fifth Schaffer Trophy with a score of 552-10x.

"This is the best run match I've ever shot in," Mate said. "It's a shooter's match."

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Bill and Dave meet up every year at the NRA Whittington Center

Raton, New Mexico - Every shooter has a story and Bill and Dave Wallinger are no different. These brothers grew up in Illinois, but Dave now lives in Idaho and the two have come down to the NRA Whittington Center each year for almost a decade to shoot the NRA Black Powder Target Rifle Championships.

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In a close race, match leaders struggle to pull ahead in New Mexico

Raton, New Mexico - Day two at the Mid-Range Black Powder Rifle Championships began much like the first, sunny and cool. Shooters took to the line for the second half of the Position Championship at the NRA Whittington Center.

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No clear leader after shooters battle the elements in New Mexico

Raton, New Mexico - After a long, hot, windy, sometimes rainy day on the range, the Black Powder Mid-Range Position Championships are half way over - and we don't even have a leader. There's currently a two-way tie for first place between Rick Moritz and Keith Lay at 273-4x apiece.

Scores and more from the first day of NRA Black Powder Championships ...

Youth behind the firing line at the NRA Whittington Center

Raton, New Mexico - The success of NRA matches relies on volunteers giving their time to be range safety officers, referees, stat officers and more. Their enthusiasm for the shooting sports allows competitors to have fun in a structured, professional environment.

Many volunteers are retirees, capable of being at matches for many days without worrying about how much vacation time they have left - but not all of them.

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