Grant Kunkel Sweeps Area 5 Steel Challenge Championship

by
posted on June 18, 2021
** 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. **
gkunkel-1.jpg

Team Federal’s Grant Kunkel had a stellar performance at the 2021 Area 5 Steel Challenge Championship that netted him six first place trophies, plus the Rifle Master and Rimfire Master titles.

The match, held at the Riley Conservation Club in Terre Haute, Ind., on June 11–13, had 364 shooters competing across six divisions.

Kunkel’s wins in the Area 5 Steel Challenge Championship include first place in Rimfire Rifle Optic (RFRO), Rimfire Rifle Iron (RFRI), Rimfire Pistol Optic (RFPO), Rimfire Pistol Iron (RFPI), Open and Pistol Caliber Carbine Optic (PCCO) divisions.

According to the main match results posted to the Practiscore website, Kunkel's best stage in Open division was Smoke and Hope with a time of 8.01 seconds. His total Open division time was 74.75 seconds, about six seconds ahead of runner-up Ryan Wagner.

As for the Rifle Master award, it's given to the competitor with the fastest Rimfire Rifle and PCC combined time, while the Rimfire Master award is for the fastest combined time in RFPO, RFPI, RFRO and RFRI combined. As mentioned, Kunkel won both awards.

Kunkel gave high praise to his Federal Syntech ammo for Open division, while for the rimfire portions of the match he was shooting CCI Mini-Mag.

“For the handgun Open division, I was shooting Syntech Action Pistol, because it’s extremely soft recoil, accuracy and absolute reliability allow me to concentrate fully while making quick shots and staying on target. I relied on CCI Mini-Mag ammo for the rimfire events.”

Learn more about Steel Challenge. Visit federalpremium.com and cci-ammunition.com for more information about Federal and CCI.


Read more: Mastering Steel Challenge Stages: Five To Go

Latest

Rem Powell Feb2026 1
Rem Powell Feb2026 1

Powell Leads Remington Podium Run at RC Cup

Team Remington swept the RC Cup Main Event and stacked podiums across multiple events as the NSCA season opened in Palm City, Florida.

Where Endurance Meets Precision: Olympic Biathlon at Milan Cortina 2026

Olympic biathlon merges rifle precision and endurance, where missed shots reshape races and Milan Cortina 2026 sets the stage for the sport’s ultimate test.

Milan Cortina 2026: Deedra Irwin Chasing Team USA’s First Olympic Biathlon Medal

Deedra Irwin enters Milan Cortina 2026 as one of Team USA’s top hopes for its first Olympic biathlon medal.

Review: TriStar Arms KR22 Rimfire

TriStar Arms enters the rimfire market with the KR22, a budget-friendly .22 LR rifle offering 10/22 magazine compatibility and modern features.

Best Of SHOT Show 2026: Top Shotguns

SHOT Show 2026 highlighted the latest shotguns, from over/unders for competition to field-ready semi-automatics with adjustable stocks and enhanced handling features.

NRA America’s Rifle Challenge Stages Put Practical AR Skills on Display at NRA World Shooting Championship

ARC Level One and Two-Gun stages at the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship highlighted practical AR skills, competitive efficiency and the program’s nationwide training mission.

Interests



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