3-Gun Pros Dominate Shooting Industry Masters

Several Industry, Open and Individual Honors Fall to 3GN Pros

By Chad Adams

FMG Publications held its annual Shooting Industry Masters recently at the Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Kentucky. The competition featured a 100-bird sporting clays course, as well as centerfire and rimfire stages for rifle, pistol and revolver.

The event is geared toward getting industry executives and company representatives out on the firing line, using product and participating in the shooting sports, all while raising money for the NSSF’s First Shots program. In terms of pure competition, it’s a fairly light-hearted affair, making the Shooting Industry Masters one of the most popular events on the industry calendar. But while most folks show up merely to shoot and have a good time, others still come to play hard—and win.

This year’s Shooting Industry Masters saw a remarkable influx in sponsored 3-gun competitors, many of which top the 3GN Leader Board. Following the model of DPMS and Hornady in recent years, several companies loaded up to win this year’s match, and most did so with 3-gun pros.

In the Open Division, Smith & Wesson’s Jerry Miculek took top honors, followed by JP Enterprises’ Tony Holmes (3GN #10) and Benelli’s Patrick Kelley. FNH USA’s Tasha Hanish won High Lady, making it a clean sweep for 3-gunners in what is in effect the “Pro” division.

In the team competition, JP Enterprises took top honors over a stacked field. John Paul Gangl (3GN #44), owner of JP Enterprises, competed, and he loaded up with fellow 3-gunners Holmes, Kurt Miller (3GN #4), Trapr Swonson (3GN #15) and Don Bednorz.

Benelli 3, with 3-gunners Patrick Kelley, Ben Fortin (3GN #14) and Jeremy Parker (3GN #27), took second. Warne Scope Mounts finished third, with 3GN Tour competitors Dave Wilcox, Travis Gibson (3GN #11), John Bagakis and Chuck Anderson (3GN #21) competing.

In the Industry Division, Hornady’s Neal Emery (3GN #45) placed third, while Katie Harris (3GN #55, 3^rdLady, Top Junior) took High Lady. In the team competition, Nordic Components finished second, with 3-gunners Ken Anderson and Tim Ubl in the mix as well.

Many of these same top pros will be back in action next weekend when the 3GN Tour rolls on to Raton, N.M., for the JP Enterprises Rocky Mountain 3-Gun. A 3GN Series Points Match, Rocky Mountain is also a 3GN Shoot-Off event, with more than $10,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs from Safariland.

2011 Shooting Industry Masters Results

Open Division—Individual:

1. Jerry Miculek, Smith & Wesson 1

2. Tony Holmes, JP Enterprises

3. Patrick Kelley, Benelli 3

High Lady—Tasha Hanish, FNH USA

Open Division—Team:

1. JP Enterprises

Tony Holmes

Kurt Miller

Don Bednorz

Trapr Swonson

John Paul Gangl

2. Benelli 3

Patrick Kelley

Jeremy Parker

Ben Fortin

Mike Patterson

3. Warne Scope Mounts

John Bagakis

Travis Gibson

Chuck Anderson

Dave Wilcox

Charlie Lake

Industry Division—Individual:

1. Jens Krogh, Benelli 1

2. Darren Leskiw, Sierra Bullets

3. Neal Emery, Hornady

High Lady—Katie Harris

Industry Division—Team:

1. Sierra Bullets

Darren Leskiw

Tommy Todd

Matt Reams

Mark Walker

2. Nordic Components

Ken Anderson

Ryan Muckenhirn

Jarmo Kumpula

Tim Ubl

3. Benelli 1

Jens Krogh

Greg Rader

Stephen McKelvain

Ken Johnson

Posted on 7/31/2011