2026 Long Range Championships Recap

2026 F Class National Championships Experience

Last week I attended the 2026 F Class Full Bore Long Range National Championships in Moffitt, North Dakota from May 27th to May 30th. Troy Goltz served as match director alongside Tyler, his IT guy, and they ran a solid competition. The event really showcased both the challenges and rewards of long-range shooting - there were wind schools where people got properly educated by the conditions, but that’s all part of the learning process.

The diversity of the shooting community was really striking. We had participants from 15 different states spanning coast to coast - from North Dakota down to Texas and Florida. The international presence was notable too, with shooters from at least three Canadian provinces. Adam McDonald came all the way from New Brunswick with his wife, and it turns out he’s the inventor of the Shot Maker target system. His wife handled the microphone duties while Adam managed both the computer operations and competed as a member of the Canadian FTR team.

Community and Equipment Observations

The logistics side showed the dedication of this community - people were sleeping wherever they could make it work: campers, pickup trucks, hotels, motels. Same story with food - some had catered meals while others were surviving on gas station snacks. But everyone made it work because they wanted to be there.

The range of participants and equipment really demonstrated the accessibility and aspirational nature of the sport. We had engineers, salesmen, business owners, laborers, husbands, wives, builders, machinists, and artists all competing together. People arrived in everything from fancy rides to basic transportation that just got the job done. The rifles ranged from entry-level setups and homemade builds to custom work and the absolute elite equipment that newcomers aspire to own someday.

With over 100 shooters participating, everyone who received an award truly earned it through their performance and dedication.