Veteran action pistol shooter Bruce Piatt added another chapter to his storied career by capturing his eighth Bianchi Cup at the 2025 National Action Pistol Championship. The prestigious match, held May 21-23 at the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club in Columbia, Missouri, ended with Piatt edging out a fierce field of competitors to reclaim the coveted trophy.
With a score of 1920-174X, Piatt turned in the only perfect 1920 score of the match—a clean run across all four Bianchi Cup events: Practical, Barricade, Moving Target and Falling Plates. His performance was enough to top 20-time champion Doug Koenig, who finished second with a score of 1918-182X. Joey De Leon rounded out the top three, posting a score of 1918-166X.
Remarkably, Piatt revealed that he shot the entire match with an eight-year-old backup gun, proving that skill—not just equipment—wins championships.
“Dealing with a nasty cold the entire time and switching to my backup gun at the last minute didn’t instill self-confidence,” Piatt shared after the 2025 Bianchi Cup. “Focus and determination paid off—shooting the only ‘perfect’ 1920 in the match.”
The Bianchi Cup demands excellence in pistol marksmanship across four distinct and challenging events. In the Practical Event, shooters engage targets from 10 to 50 yards under strict time constraints. The Barricade Event, which Piatt shot cleanly with all 48 Xs despite cold early morning conditions, requires competitors to shoot from behind cover at varying distances. In the Falling Plate Event, shooters fire at steel-plate racks that leave little room for error. Finally, the Moving Target Event, often dubbed “the mover,” tests a competitor’s ability to hit a target that traverses a 60-foot path in just six seconds.
Throughout the match, competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and must use both their strong and weak hands, depending on the stage. Adding to the challenge, the Bianchi Cup course of fire allows for no makeup shots, making every trigger pull count.
Piatt’s latest win adds to his previous Bianchi Cup victories in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2006, 2009, 2019 and 2023. While Doug Koenig remains the winningest shooter in the event’s history with 20 titles, Piatt’s eighth victory solidifies his place as one of the most decorated competitors in Bianchi Cup history.
“Congratulations to the other competitors who were in the race. It is an honor to shoot with all of you,” Piatt said. He also gave special thanks to his wife Reyhan, calling her his “biggest supporter” for her encouragement and help in preparation for the 2025 Bianchi Cup. In addition, Piatt extended his gratitude to the CMP, the volunteers at Green Valley and his sponsors—Caspian Arms, Burris Optics, Sierra Bullets, Starline Brass and Vihtavuori Powders.
With his 2025 Bianchi Cup win, Bruce Piatt continues to demonstrate not only elite marksmanship but also remarkable longevity in one of the most demanding disciplines in competition shooting.
Since 2023, the Bianchi Cup has been administered by the Civilian Marksmanship Program. The National Rifle Association of America conducted the Bianchi Cup from 1984 to 2022.
There was a total of 104 entries in the 2025 CMP Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament Overall National Championship.
For more details about the Bianchi Cup and the full 2025 results, visit the CMP website.
Show me more about the Bianchi Cup Action Pistol Championship.
