The 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship was stacked, from Stage 1, which featured Sporting Clays competition with Raptor synthetic semi-automatic 12-gauge shotguns from TriStar Arms and Rio 2¾-inch, 1⅛-ounce, 1,300 f.p.s., #7.5 shotshells, to the 12th and final stage, USPSA, which had shooters equipped with Walther PDP Match Polymer pistols and PMC 9 mm 115-grain ammunition.
Between the first and last stages, there were plenty of other stages that shooters could be excited about. For example, Stage 3: NRA America’s Rifle Challenge had the ACME Machine AM15 rifle with ACME Machine 1X6 first-focal-plane optic and Fiocchi 5.56 mm NATO ammo. Stage 6: Three-Gun included Mossberg JM Pro 12-gauge shotguns, Canik Rival pistols with MeCanik red-dot optics and Ruger AR-5.56 rifles with Vortex Razor 1-6X HD Gen II E optics. Stage 7: NRA Mid-Range AR Tactical saw competitors shooting the same Ruger AR-5.56 rifles and optics as the Three-Gun stage with Federal .223 Rem. ammo. Stage 9: Cowboy Action had shooters beginning in a seated position with their backs to the firing line, running to either the left or right while shouting "Wet my whistle" (or their choice of words), firing a Henry Big Boy revolver, then sprinting to the other side to shoot three Henry H006GM Big Boy lever-action rifles. And Stage 10: Precision Rifle Series featured Ruger Precision Rifles topped with Vortex Razor 3X15 HDLHT optics, along with Federal GM .308 Win. 168-grain ammo.
Here's a look at the numbers behind the NRA's biggest competitive shooting event of the year, starting with the grand prize for the 2024 undisputed World Shooting Champion, Brian Shanholtz.
$25,000
Seemingly coming out of nowhere, Brian Shanholtz topped the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship leaderboard to win the $25,000 grand prize among a crowded field of talented shooters, including former champions Greg Jordan and Bruce Piatt, and legendary names like Jerry Miculek, Todd Jarrett, Tony Holmes, Tommy Thacker and many more.
12
As in previous years, there were 12 stages at this year's NRA World Shooting Championship.
- Stage 1: Sporting Clays
- Stage 2: Precision Standing Air Gun
- Stage 3: NRA America’s Rifle Challenge
- Stage 4: NRA Precision Pistol
- Stage 5: FITASC
- Stage 6: Three-Gun
- Stage 7: NRA Mid-Range AR-Tactical
- Stage 8: Biathlon
- Stage 9: SASS Cowboy Action
- Stage 10: Precision Rifle Series
- Stage 11: Scholastic Action Shooting
- Stage 12: USPSA
All firearms, ammunition, optics and equipment are supplied to NRA World Shooting Championship competitors by the NRA and match sponsors, including Walther, Ruger, Weatherby, Mossberg, Magnum Research, Kimber, Fostech, Henry Repeating Arms, Global Ordinance, KelTec, SAR USA, TriStar Arms, Taurus, Vortex, ACME Machine, Holosun, Silencer Central, Fiocchi, CCI, Capstone Group, Otis, Hi-Viz and more.
$250,000
More than $250,000 in cash and prizes were distributed at the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship. In addition to the $25,000 grand prize, the runner-up and High Lady received $2,000 checks, while third place and High Junior were presented with $1,000 checks. And, each of the seven side match winners received $1,000 checks. Perhaps best of all, there was an enormous amount of guns, optics, ammunition and more that was awarded—enough that the NRA needed a separate tent during the awards ceremony to house it all.
213
According to Practiscore, there were 213 registered competitors at the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship. There were 149 shooters in the Amateur division and 64 in the Professional division.
2
At the NRA World Shooting Championship, competitors are seperated into two divisions, Professional and Amateur. A Professional is defined as an “individual who receives financial support over $2,000 per year in products, cash or services in support of competitive shooting participation. A Professional is also any competitor who has placed in the ‘top five’ of the Amateur Category in any previous NRA World Shooting Championship.” As for the Amateur definition, that is “anyone who does not meet the definition of the ‘Professional.’”
6
Over the years, there have been five NRA World Shooting Champions, and with Brian Shanholtz's victory this year, the number has grown to six. He has now joined the ranks of past winners that boasts some impressive names, including Daniel Horner (2014), Bruce Piatt (2015), Doug Koenig (2016), Greg Jordan (2017 and 2019) and Tim Yackley (2018).
1
Only one father-son duo secured top titles at the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship. The Shanholtz family may be a future powerhouse at the competition—in addition to Brian Shanholtz claiming the top title this year, his son, Cole Shanholtz, captured the High Junior award, receiving a $1,000 prize check from the NRA.
5
A total of five super-sized prize checks were handed out during the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship awards ceremony to the top finishers.
As the runner-up, Nils Jonasson earned a $2,000 check, while third place finisher Greg Jordan—the only two-time NRA World Shooting Champion—received a $1,000 check. For topping the High Lady leaderboard, Lanny Barnes received a $2,000 check. Finally, the Shanholtz family shooters at the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship—father Brian and son Cole—earned $25,000 and $1,000 checks for winning the championship title and the High Junior award, respectively.
A full match report from the 2024 NRA World Shooting Championship will be published in a future issue of the digital magazine. Be sure to subscribe to the free Insider newsletter for all the latest updates. Go to this link: ssusa.org/subscribe.
