The annual Rocky Mountain 3-Gun World Championships (RM3G) concluded after four days of intense competition at the NRA Whittington Center just outside of Raton, NM. Three-time Olympic biathlete and world competitor Lanny Barnes secured her latest High Lady victory in the Limited Scope division. Additionally, she won the Lady’s Shoot-Off sponsored by Brownells.
Some background: competing in the 3GN Pro Series, Lanny won four major High Lady match titles in 2016, and is up to six first place finishes this year. Lanny is well on her way to achieving her goal of becoming the best female shooter in the country.
‘Lanny Oakley,’ as Barnes has been dubbed by her fellow competitors, said, “3-Gun is one of the most exciting, addicting and fastest growing shooting sports in the U.S.” She added, “I am very thankful for the opportunity to compete in 3-Gun, follow my dreams, and exercise my Second Amendment right.”
A rising star in the 3-Gun world, Lanny is one of the original members of the Trijicon Pro Shooting Team. She gives high praise to the rugged Trijicon gear that she has been using since joining the team.
“I am not easy on my equipment in 3-Gun. I’ve thrown, dropped, and landed on my scope during competition and it has always held its zero and held up to not only my brutality, but Mother Nature as well. Trijicon has helped me [win] a total of 10 High Lady titles over the last two years.”
Lanny also shared the equipment she used at RM3G:
“I was very fortunate enough to have my guns and equipment run flawlessly during the match―like my JP-15 rifle with Trijicon AccuPoint 1-6x scope and Hogue stock, 69-grain Fiocchi HP. My pistol was a STI DVC 3-Gun with HiViz Sights and 147-grain HP, for shotgun Beretta 1301 with HiViz sights and Fiocchi 12-gauge 7.5 using Low Recoil slugs. I ran up and down the hills in my 5.11 Cirrus Pants, Lowa Renegade GTX boots, Smith ballistic sunglasses, and stayed well hydrated with my Camelbak hydration pack!”
The skills Lanny learned in Biathlon have crossed over to 3-Gun with great success. She elaborated more on her experiences at RM3G and why she is a big fan of the match, which celebrated its 15th anniversary this year:
“The Rocky Mountain 3-Gun World Championship is one of my favorite matches. It combines the best of physical and shooting endurance with challenging stages and high altitude. This match tests not only your shooting skills but your mental stamina over three days of grueling natural terrain stages with your rifle, pistol and shotgun. It is one of my favorite matches because it is as close to my past Olympic sport of Biathlon as you can get in 3-Gun. I was able to take the skills of ‘Gunning and Running’ that I learned in Biathlon and transfer them over to 3-Gun. I am still learning and improving my skills, but I was so excited to pull out the High Lady win again as well as winning the Brownells Lady Shoot-Off.”
After developing the skills necessary to shoot while under extreme physical and mental stress over the past two decades competing for Team USA in Biathlon, Lanny and her twin sister Tracy wanted to share what they have learned with others. The twins formed the T.O.P. Shooting Institute, also known as “The Olympian Project”, which focuses on teaching military, law enforcement and competitive shooters how to shoot with an elevated heart rate and while under stress.
When not competing Lanny is an avid hunter, and also spends much of her free time visiting schools, 4-H clubs, Boys and Girls Clubs, the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts, etc. talking to kids about following their dreams, setting goals, and leading healthy, active lifestyles. As if all this isn't enough—Lanny is also an accomplished professional artist, check out her work at www.theolympianartist.com.
To learn more about Lanny Barnes visit www.lannybarnesproshooter.com
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