Shooting high power involves many factors for success, such as finding a range, developing a match schedule for skill development, and connecting with a team who can support with coaching and encouragement. North Carolina has an optimal high power program at the North State Shooting Club (NSSC), one of North America’s premier target shooting clubs.
NSSC's home range is at Camp Butner, a North Carolina Army National Guard post. The club, established in 1971, by request of the Adjutant General (AG) of North Carolina, included both members of the NC National Guard rifle team and civilians. The AG wanted to promote small arms training, marksmanship, and competition, using the Camp Butner National Guard Training Site to stage competitive shooting events. In 2003, F-Class was added to the other high power disciplines to expand the options for the 115 members.
What sets the club apart is the success they have reached in competition. Over the last 40 years, NSSC members have won nearly every NC state title and have had great success on the national and international level. The club has 147 national records spanning grand senior, female, and open categories. Sixty-one records are still held by current NSSC members.
Club members Charles Ballard and Phil Kelley were the first marksmen to shoot clean scores on the small F-Class targets in F-Open and F-T/R respectively. Nik Taylor, former club president, is the current F-T/R World Champion. This year at the National High Power Championships Norm Crawford won the Wimbledon Cup, and Mike Halsey placed fourth overall in the Long-Range National Championships. At the F-T/R National Championships last year Phil Kelley placed second and James Crofts placed third.
Club members have won the following: eight total F-T/R individual and team member national titles, three F-Open individual and team member national titles, 10 prone sling individual and team member national titles. Between 2009 and 2013, three club members have been on the world F-T/R championship teams.
On the international stage, NSSC member Kent Reeve has won both the Canadian Full-Bore and Governor General’s Match in the same year. He has performed this twice and no one else in the 100-plus year history of the Canadian National Championships has accomplished this feat. Club member Jeff Rorer, shooting in F-T/R class, won both championships the same year that Kent did. Additionally, club member Peter LaBerge has led the U.S. Palma Team as Team Captain, and previously won the National Long-Range Championship.
The NSSC team members work with junior shooters to bring up the next generation of high power competitors. These young marksmen benefit from top coaches and competitors providing an outstanding environment to learn this discipline.
The success of the club can be attributed to many highly skilled members who work hard to improve their skills and remain competitive. The club has high-level marksman available for training sessions and matches.
The range at Camp Butner can be challenging. The switching winds make for a challenging learning environment. It is said that if you shoot well at Camp Butner, you can shoot well anywhere. If you visit North Carolina, consider firing a match with the NSSC.
