It was the two-person team of Jon Simpler and Evan Page from the Maryland State Police that prevailed at the 2019 Invitational Counter Sniper Team Competition. The match, one of the most preeminent long-range military/LE competitions in the country, was held for the first time in April at Peacemaker National Training Center in Glengary, WV, after leaving its longtime home at Ft. Meade in Maryland.
The competition featured five stages, with shooters engaging targets positioned at up to 1000 yards. Each replicated scenarios that sniper teams can encounter, but the physical portions of the match were tuned down a notch for the first year at Peacemaker. Some of the stages still required speed, such as the semi-blind sniper golf stage, where each shooters position on the range was determined by a timed run.
Team members can shoot the same rifle, but a better idea is separate pistols and rifles for each shooter. Rifles must be .30 cal. or smaller, and have a total ammo capacity of at least five rounds.
The NRA is a gold-level sponsor of the event.
“The Invitational Counter Sniper Team Competition is remarkable because some of our nation’s finest law enforcement and military sniper teams are gaining the benefits that competitive shooting provides,” says NRA Competitive Shooting Division Director Cole McCulloch. “Competitive shooting takes on many forms and the NRA is proud to be involved in all responsible forms of competitive shooting. These teams are better equipped today to protect our great nation than they were prior to this competition. The NRA is proud to support this event and we are looking forward to next year.”
Vendors provide awards that competitors can peruse on the prize tables. They are awarded in order, from the first place team down to the bottom-finishing squad.
Additionally, each year the companies that are located onsite connect with shooters. There is a lot of information exchanged on Vendor Day, such as tips and tactics—also the latest and greatest in long-range shooting kit. Many consider the sharing of information to be one of the most valuable aspects of attendance, including Match Coordinator Dan Weaver.
“Our competition is driven by the needs of operators in the area of peer networking and trusted vendors,” says Weaver.
Learn more about the match by visiting invitationalcountersniperteamcompetition.com.
