Michael O’Connor Captures 2025 NRA Smallbore Three-Position Title at Cardinal Shooting Center

Michael O’Connor on Tuesday emerged as the top marksman at the 2025 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Three-Position Championship, held at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio, with a winning score of 2352-126X.

Michael O’Connor at the awards ceremony with NRA Director and Smallbore Committee Chairwoman Patti Clark after capturing the 2025 NRA Smallbore Three-Position Championship title. (Photo by John Parker)

The 2025 NRA Smallbore Three-Position Championship ran from July 26 to July 29, structured around two days of individual matches and one day dedicated to team events. Competitors began with packet pickup and official practice on July 26, followed by the Metallic Sights match on day one and Any Sights on day two. Team Day, held July 28, featured the prestigious Drew Cup and a fired team match, concluding with a competitors meeting. The championship title was determined by the aggregate of Matches 210 and 211. In addition to individual and team accolades, top shooters received category-specific plaques representing many historic national trophies in the NRA’s collection—such as the Winchester, RWS and D.I. Boyd Memorial trophies.

Alongside a Frank Parsons Trophy plaque, O’Connor walked away from the Cardinal Center with a commemorative Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun, a Walther P99 handgun and a $1,000 cash prize.

Close behind him was Cameron Zwart, finishing second with 2330-116X, while Denise Loring secured third place with a score of 2325-100X.

Top finishers of the 2025 NRA Smallbore Three-Position Championship at the Cardinal Shooting Center—second-place Cameron Zwart (2330-116X), champion Michael O’Connor (2352-126X) and third-place Denise Loring (2325-100X)—pictured on the final day of competition, Tuesday, July 29. (Photo by John Parker)

In the junior category, Ruby Harris earned the top honor with a strong 2292-76X.

O’Connor’s dominant run didn’t end with the Three-Position title. He also claimed the 2025 NRA Lones Wigger Iron Man Trophy, awarded for the highest combined score across both Smallbore Rifle national championships. His aggregate of 8734-564X put him ahead of runner-up Cameron Zwart (8711-595X) and third-place finisher Joseph Graf (8681-505X). Zwart, notably, was the 2023 NRA Lones Wigger Iron Man Trophy winner at Camp Atterbury.

Competitors on the firing line during the 2025 NRA Smallbore Three-Position Championship at the Cardinal Shooting Center in Marengo, Ohio. (Photo by John Parker)

This year marked the first time the National Rifle Association of America hosted the Smallbore Nationals—including both the Conventional Prone and Three-Position Championships—at the Cardinal Shooting Center, a venue well-known as a premier stage for top-tier competition shooting. Earlier in July, it also hosted the NRA National Precision Pistol Championships.

2025 NRA NATIONAL SMALLBORE RIFLE THREE-POSITION CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERBOARD

AGGREGATE

1. Michael O’Connor – 2352-126X
2. Cameron Zwart – 2330-116X
3. Denise Loring – 2325-100X

NRA Director Edie Fleeman with High Junior award winner Ruby Harris. (Photo by John Parker)

Next up for Smallbore rifle shooting is an international competition on the international circuit: the 2025 Lord Roberts Match at the historic Bisley Range in England, scheduled for Friday, August 15. The U.S. team will look to build on recent rifle-shooting momentum—highlighted by American Fullbore shooter Brandon Green’s groundbreaking victory in July, becoming the first American to win the King’s Prize during the NRA of the United Kingdom’s 2025 Imperial Meeting.

See the full results of the 2025 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships at this link. Also, be on the lookout for a full match report in a future issue of the digital magazine.