The 2026 NRA National Championships, spanning from May into late July, brought competitive shooting to diverse venues across Ohio and Oklahoma. The expansive championship series delivered a season of notable performances, including multi-year winning streaks and a unique back-to-back title.
The High Power Long-Range Championship took place from May 19-23 at the Alliance Rifle Club in Malvern, Ohio. Competitors engaged targets prone at distances up to 1,000 yards, utilizing Shot Marker electronic targets. The program encompassed competition for Service Rifle, Any Rifle, and Palma Rifle disciplines across 13 individual and team matches, featuring shoot-offs for NRA trophy matches. A highlight was Logan Frost, who secured the Tompkins Trophy at 1,000 yards with a score of 1241-61X. Frost, a teammate with Zevin Linse of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, held off runner-up Kim Rowe, who posted a 1239-78X, and Linse, who finished third with 1239-58X.
Following the long-range events, the NRA National High Power Rifle Mid-Range Championship was held from June 2-6 at the Oklahoma City Gun Club. Kim Rowe distinguished himself as the 2026 NRA National High Power Rifle Mid-Range Champion, receiving congratulations from NRA First Vice President Mark Vaughan during the Patriot Minuteman Trophy presentation. In team competition, Team USNRT-Rowe, comprising Larry Sollars, Jonathan O’Neal, Coach Charles Rowe, Kim Rowe, and Captain Brandon Green, earned the 2026 NRA Mid-Range Any Sight Team title with a score of 2398-182X.
Transitioning to precision pistol, Jon Shue achieved his fourth consecutive NRA National Precision Pistol Championship. Competing at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, Shue posted a score of 2659-156X to claim the Harrison Trophy, outpacing runner-up Keith Sanderson by a 15-point margin. Team Rock River Arms was also noted competing at this championship.
The Smallbore Nationals, also held at the Cardinal Shooting Center, witnessed an unprecedented achievement. Mike O’Connor became the first back-to-back winner of the NRA Lones Wigger Iron Man Trophy, topping the combined prone and three-position leaderboard with an 8683-537X aggregate. Chief Range Officer Clyde Furr presented O’Connor with the trophy, an engraved handgun from Walther, and a commemorative Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. The Smallbore Three-Position Championship saw Erin Gestl win the grand aggregate, with Ruby Harris as runner-up and Avery Hines in third. For the Conventional Prone Grand Aggregate, Mike Carter took first place, followed by Ron Wigger in second and Michelle Bohren in third, with NRA Smallbore Committee Chair Patti Clark present for the awards. Competitors on the firing line included Victoria Cornett from the Pickaway Diablos Club, with the official NRA A-23/5 50-yard smallbore rifle target in use.
Team results also highlighted strong performances across the championships. ISRPA Blue of Indiana, with members Steven Pardieck, Tom Reardon, Franklin Dessuit, and Amber Overton, posted a 3311-100X to win the State Association Team Match by an 85-point margin over the NYSRPA team. Dessuit was also recognized as the championship’s High Grand Senior and Indiana’s top gun with a score of 862-32X. In junior competition, Gianna Albright and Aimee Ridinger secured the High Junior team title at the NRA National Smallbore Rifle Three-Position Championship with a combined score of 2307-93X. The Cardinal Shooting Center additionally hosted an exhibition of the historic NRA Trophy Collection.
