2026 NRA National Pistol Championship Underway at Cardinal Center

MARENGO, Ohio — The 2026 NRA National Precision Pistol Championship kicked off over the holiday weekend with the Harry Reeves Revolver Match, preliminary 900 competition and preliminary team matches on Sunday, July 5. The championship, held for the second consecutive year at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, runs through Wednesday, July 8, with weather cooperating throughout the week so far.

U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit shooters send rounds downrange during Tuesday’s centerfire team matches at the 2026 NRA National Precision Pistol Championship. Walther, whose banner flies over the firing line, sponsored the Centerfire Championship day at the Cardinal Shooting Center. (Photo by Cole McCulloch)

The headline battle is a familiar one. Defending champion Jon Shue and past national champion Keith Sanderson are once again in the hunt for the Harrison Trophy, with Shue gunning for his fourth consecutive title. The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and Army Reserve have both sent teams and are on the grounds in strong force, setting up another tight race between the service squads and the civilian circuit in the 2700 Grand Aggregate.

After Saturday’s registration, paid practice and a Fourth of July fireworks display at the campground, competition opened Sunday with the preliminaries and the Harry Reeves Memorial Revolver Match. Monday brought the .22 Caliber Championship—the first leg of the 2700 Grand Aggregate—along with the .22 team matches and the .22 Rimfire EIC. Tuesday’s program featured the Centerfire Championship and centerfire team matches, followed by the NRA Distinguished Revolver Match and the evening Competitors’ Meeting.

The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit rolled into Marengo in force for this year’s NRA Pistol Nationals. The AMU’s support trailer is a familiar sight at major championships across the country. (Photo by Cole McCulloch)

The NRA Pistol Nationals are just one piece of a busy summer at the Cardinal Shooting Center. The NRA Pistol and Smallbore Nationals are dovetailed into a complex machine at the Marengo, Ohio, facility, which is in full swing in July, and staff are already preparing for the SCTP and SASP Nationals that follow on the calendar.

“The NRA thanks the Cardinal Center for its support and world-class range complex,” NRA Competitive Shooting Division Director Cole McCulloch said. “The staff here is highly dedicated, knowledgeable and committed to supporting the NRA and competitive shooting sports.”

Team Rock River Arms on the firing line during centerfire team match competition Tuesday at the 2026 NRA National Precision Pistol Championship in Marengo, Ohio. Team events at the Pistol Nationals feature two-, three- and four-person squads, with the four-person aggregate champions claiming the Coming Thru the Rye Trophy. (Photo by Cole McCulloch)

The championship concludes Wednesday, July 8, with the .45 Caliber Championship—the final leg of the Grand Aggregate—followed by the Service Pistol EIC Match. The awards ceremony that evening will crown the 2026 national champion and close out the tournament. Stay tuned to Shooting Sports USA for full results and coverage from Marengo.

Learn more about NRA Competitive Shooting and national championships at competitions.nra.org.