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

NRA ARC Guntalknation 1
NRA ARC Guntalknation 1

NRA America’s Rifle Challenge Featured on ‘Gun Talk Nation’

Kyle Lamb joins ‘Gun Talk Nation’ to make the case for ARC as the best entry-level AR-15 competition and to explain why civilians and tactical shooters alike benefit from match experience.

Mein Reaches Super Final as Team Federal Cleans Up in San Antonio

Derrick Mein finished third in the Main Event and Gregg Wolf won American Field HOA at the 2026 World English Sporting Clays Championship.

Vincent Hancock Receives NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award in Houston

Four-time Olympic skeet gold medalist Vincent Hancock accepts 2026 NRA Media Golden Bullseye Competitor award at NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Houston, Texas.

Results: 2026 Tennessee State BB Gun Championship

Lily Cope scored 474.9 of 536 to win the Tennessee State BB Gun Championship Match over 37 competitors in Cookeville.

Ohio State Captures 2026 Intercollegiate Pistol Crown as NRA Returns to the Range

Ohio State steamrolled the field at the 2026 Intercollegiate Pistol Championship in Missouri marking the NRA’s return to college pistol after seven years.

New: Steiner eDiscovery 10x42 mm Binoculars with Integrated 4K Camera

Steiner’s eDiscovery 10x42 mm pairs premium analog binoculars with an integrated 4K camera, robust internal storage and live streaming capability.

Interests



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