As of yet, I have not seen any other posts on the Magnum Slug Challenge at the 2023 RMAC match - so here goes. Last year, Dave Wilson got first place shooting my .257 barreled, highly customized Armada. He cleaned the course. So this year, they made the course tougher. This year, there was nothing under 140yds and there were multiple targets in the 250yd to 350yd range. The level of competitors has also gotten tougher over the last three years.
If you want to get right to the results, here is a link:
https://competitions.ultimateballistics.com/competitions/54/rankings
After my second place finish in 2021, and third place in 2022, I finally squeaked by with the win this year. Any of the top four competitors could have gotten the win. Second place and the two third places (tie) all missed just two shots each. All targets were steel silhouettes. Hit anywhere on the steel for a score, or get 0pts for a miss. 10pts for every close (267yds is “close”?) target hit and 15pts for every far target hit. I missed only one shot, but was SO lucky on a couple of the hits as I was probably within an inch of the edge.
Looking at the scores, I see that Martijn Bekema from the Netherlands missed two shots including one of the easier targets, the rectangle at 165yds. Something likely went wrong for him. It might have been a first lane cold bore shot, which can sometimes be problematic. Or it's easy to get off a turn on the turret if you don't keep track. In any case, if he had not missed that rectangle one time, he would have gotten the win. Martijn was shooting a nice looking sporter style rifle. He shot tethered which is allowed at RMAC. I did not recognize the rifle brand, but it may have been a custom or limited production. I seem to remember him saying that is was a .308 caliber shooting 127gr? projectiles in a 1:15? twist barrel.
Cameron Kerndt tied for third and I think he said that he had been off a turn of the turret on one far target. If he had hit that target even once, he would have tied for first place. Cameron was shooting a Texan .308, internally stock, with a regulated bottle attached to forend of the rifle. I believe that he was using 154gr slugs. Dusty powers had tied for third with two misses on a couple of far targets. He corrected and made the second shot each time, so it could have been just a slight doping error (wind, distance, elevation, etc.). I think Dusty was shooting an FX? .30 caliber?
Last year's EBR required a minimum of 200fpe, so I had switched out the .257 barrel and 72gr slugs for a 7mm barrel and 106gr slugs. That's what I shot at RMAC this year. RMAC only has a 140fpe requirement. Thinking that the targets would likely be all under 300yds, I had debated (with myself) about going back to the more accurate .257 barrel. I ended up staying with the 7mm barrel. I did not know until after arrival at the match that we would have targets considerably farther than 300yds. In retrospect, the 7mm was a good choice as the heavier, higher BC 7mm projectile, holds together better past 300yds.
The awards banquet included a raffle for some great prizes. I even got lucky there as I won a portable HPA compressor. I came home well compensated for my efforts.
Some of the far targets:
The 7mm rifle at my home range:
If you want to get right to the results, here is a link:
https://competitions.ultimateballistics.com/competitions/54/rankings
After my second place finish in 2021, and third place in 2022, I finally squeaked by with the win this year. Any of the top four competitors could have gotten the win. Second place and the two third places (tie) all missed just two shots each. All targets were steel silhouettes. Hit anywhere on the steel for a score, or get 0pts for a miss. 10pts for every close (267yds is “close”?) target hit and 15pts for every far target hit. I missed only one shot, but was SO lucky on a couple of the hits as I was probably within an inch of the edge.
Looking at the scores, I see that Martijn Bekema from the Netherlands missed two shots including one of the easier targets, the rectangle at 165yds. Something likely went wrong for him. It might have been a first lane cold bore shot, which can sometimes be problematic. Or it's easy to get off a turn on the turret if you don't keep track. In any case, if he had not missed that rectangle one time, he would have gotten the win. Martijn was shooting a nice looking sporter style rifle. He shot tethered which is allowed at RMAC. I did not recognize the rifle brand, but it may have been a custom or limited production. I seem to remember him saying that is was a .308 caliber shooting 127gr? projectiles in a 1:15? twist barrel.
Cameron Kerndt tied for third and I think he said that he had been off a turn of the turret on one far target. If he had hit that target even once, he would have tied for first place. Cameron was shooting a Texan .308, internally stock, with a regulated bottle attached to forend of the rifle. I believe that he was using 154gr slugs. Dusty powers had tied for third with two misses on a couple of far targets. He corrected and made the second shot each time, so it could have been just a slight doping error (wind, distance, elevation, etc.). I think Dusty was shooting an FX? .30 caliber?
Last year's EBR required a minimum of 200fpe, so I had switched out the .257 barrel and 72gr slugs for a 7mm barrel and 106gr slugs. That's what I shot at RMAC this year. RMAC only has a 140fpe requirement. Thinking that the targets would likely be all under 300yds, I had debated (with myself) about going back to the more accurate .257 barrel. I ended up staying with the 7mm barrel. I did not know until after arrival at the match that we would have targets considerably farther than 300yds. In retrospect, the 7mm was a good choice as the heavier, higher BC 7mm projectile, holds together better past 300yds.
The awards banquet included a raffle for some great prizes. I even got lucky there as I won a portable HPA compressor. I came home well compensated for my efforts.
Some of the far targets:
The 7mm rifle at my home range:
Last edited:
