U.S. Army Special Operations Command International Sniper Competition

The International Sniper Competition, held this year in Fort Bragg, NC, from March 18-22, was won by two Green Beret competitors in the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) (Airborne), using rifles built upon MasterPiece Arms (MPA) chassis. It was hosted by the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, and the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne).

The competition, held annually since 2001, is a grueling test of skill, stamina, and pure mental fortitude. The three-day endurance contest is designed specifically to be unpredictable, regularly baffling even the most well prepared candidates. One constant however, is the competition’s taxing length. Days regularly last from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, with little time to catch a breath in between.

Many contestants of course come from the military, but people from all walks of life are in attendance, ranging from U.S. military personal, law enforcement officers (LEO), foreign military members, to outright civilians. The only qualification necessary is that one has proof of completing of a fully accredited sniper school; other than that, entry is totally free. Many also attend simply to watch the incredible exhibitions of skill. No prerequisite is required for that.

This year’s victorious 1st SFG (Airborne) team was pitted against 22 other special operations teams, both American and International, not even counting other military, LEO, and civilian teams.

On their use of an MPA chassis in their winning showing, Phil Cashin, MPA’s owner, said the following:

“Our chassis are precision and quality-built instruments designed by dedicated craftsmen. We’ve seen the results our rifles and chassis can produce during Precision Rifle Series competitions and are honored to see some of the most elite and world-class teams in the world not only using them, but taking top honors, at the USASOC International Sniper Competition. We congratulate the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) sniper team on their impressive win and thank them for their service and dedication to our country.”

For more information on MPA chassis systems, rifles, and other products, please visit www.masterpiecearms.com

Lead photo courtesy Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Braman/U.S. Army