High Power Shooter Wins Smallbore Regional with Innovative Tube Gun

by
posted on November 2, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
hpr_sbr_win.jpg

The five-decade tradition of smallbore rifle competition in Manassas, VA at the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club continues. Thirty-four competitors duked it out at this year’s conventional smallbore prone regional, held Labor Day weekend this past September.

High power rifle shooter (and high master) John Sylvester from Green Lane, PA showed that he can shoot smallbore, too. He dominated the match, placing in seven of the eight fired matches and winning both the Metallic (1599-114X) and Any Sight (1599-130X) aggregates and the Grand Aggregate (3198-244X) as well.

John Sylvester shot an unusual rifle: a “tube gun,” consisting of (pictured above) an Anschutz M54 action in a Gary Eliseo AN1 stock. He shot it very well—and very quickly, too, sometimes finishing a 20 shot string in less than six minutes.

Expert class shooter David Bay of Slidell, LA came to see the clubs baffled range. While he was inspecting the range, he managed to finish second in the Grand Aggregate with a 3194-236X. In third place was former Any Sight National Champion Bill Neff of Parsippany, NJ, with a 3192-225X.

Nicholas Kanellis of Burke, VA was the high expert with a 3192-218X, and second expert was Dan Gray with 3182-198X. Junior shooter James Fees was high sharpshooter, also placing in seven of eight fired matches, with 3187-205X and Bob Gehret of Hampstead, MD was second sharpshooter with 3182-198X. Charles Hazy of Staunton, VA was high marksman with a score of 3096-107X.

You can learn more about NRA smallbore rifle competition here

Latest

Kahles K864 1
Kahles K864 1

New: Kahles K864 8-64x56 mm F-Class Riflescope

Unveiled at SHOT Show 2026, the Kahles K864 is a purpose-built F-Class riflescope combining extreme magnification and a wider field of view.

SHOT Show 2026: Gemtech Nebula 5.7 Suppressor

Gemtech’s Nebula 5.7 pairs a 3D-printed titanium core with stainless steel durability, targeting lightweight suppression for 5.7x28 mm and rimfire platforms.

SHOT Show 2026: Walker’s SHOTSYNC Wearable Shot Timer

Walker’s SHOTSYNC is a wearable shot timer that pairs with a phone to capture split times using sound and recoil data.

New: Stoeger M3000 Sporting Shotgun

Stoeger’s M3000 Sporting blends traditional materials with a clean-running inertia system, favoring balance and shootability over cosmetic features.

Winchester Unveils New AA Super Spreader Target Load

Winchester’s newest AA Super Spreader shotshell widens patterns dramatically at close range, using a redesigned wad and without changing familiar recoil or speed.

SHOT Show 2026: Caldwell Claymore Connect

A lightweight, app-controlled clay-target launcher replaces wires and car batteries with Bluetooth control and a lithium-ion battery.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.