On the cover is Rob Leatham, the recipient of the inaugural NRA Golden Bullseye Competitor Award. During his more than 40 years in competition, he has amassed a room full of action-shooting medals and trophies, and has even earned one of bullseye’s most coveted awards—the President’s 100 tab. While I won’t have the pleasure of presenting Leatham his Golden Bullseye Award in person until the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Atlanta this April, I did speak with him earlier this year about his iconic career as a competition shooter and trainer. You won’t want to miss my interview with Leatham, where he recalls competition stories and provides a treasure-trove of advice for all shooters that can only come from one of the greatest.
In Product Focus, Field Editor Art Merrill reviews the new Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Compact handgun chambered in 9 mm Luger. Available in 3½-inch and 4¼-inch variants, this newest 1911 Prodigy is designed for concealed carry and self-defense. As such, its built around a flush-fitting, double-stack magazine and has a 15-round capacity. Read Merrill’s review of the Prodigy Compact.
Author P.E. Fitch refers to pistols with low-profile compensators chambered in 9 mm Luger—like the Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 Metal Carry Comp and Walther PDP Pro-X PMM—as “practical-tactical” guns. Fitch explores the phenomenon as it pertains to action shooting in his article this month, namely how practical-tactical handguns are usually placed in Open division due to the compensators, even though they have little else in common with Open raceguns.
In January, Swarovski Optik unveiled its new Z5(i)+ lineup of riflescopes. Launching with three different magnifications: 2-10X 42 mm, 3.5-18X 50 mm and 5-25X 56 mm, Swarovski designed these second-focal-plane optics with feedback from North American hunters. They include a modern design with improved ergonomics, increased overall range of adjustment and an optional advanced ballistic turret for precise long-range shooting. Learn more about Swarovski’s new Z5(i)+ riflescopes.
A solid range cart is a must for hauling your gear at a match. Field Editor Chris Christian has a new favorite, the S3 RangeCart 3.0. He describes this innovative range cart as “easy handling with plenty of storage.” While taking it to two different matches, Christian was able to fit his guns, ammunition, lens cleaning gear, oil, spare magazines, tools and even a soft foam cooler with room to spare. Read his review of the S3 RangeCart 3.0.
John Parker
Editor-in-Chief, Shooting Sports USA
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