Steel Challenge started out as a renegade match (a non-affiliated, once a year event) but now the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is affiliated with the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA).  There are state and regional championships and even a program called Scholastic Steel Challenge that has young adults giving the sport a try.

The fastest steel shooters in the world travel to Piru, CA for the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships.  They compete in a full range of divisions from Single Action Revolver to Open Division race guns. There are also special categories for women, seniors, juniors and law enforcement.

Team Smith & Wesson was in full force in a large number of divisions in the match.  We had 22 podium finishes and won a total of 9 world titles, more than any other company’s shooting team!  Here’s a video compilation of the team in action…

I put a lot into preparing for the Steel Challenge this year and dedicated over a month of solid training.  I chose to shoot all iron sight divisions to help Smith & Wesson maximize the potential for more titles.  I shot Rimfire for the first time with a stock 7” S&W Model 41 and soft shooting Lapua Signum. The Model 41 and Lapua combination ran flawlessly on every run.  I used Rimfire to settle into seeing my sights for my main match events.   Even though I was the only lady competing with irons in .22, I was excited to post a top ten Iron Sight Rimfire finish.

Day Two was my Limited Division Match.  I knew this was going to be the toughest day of competition for me.  Not only was I competing against the talented defending champ, Jessie Abbate, I was also using my Production gun and Safariland rig against custom limited guns and speed holsters.  I was juiced on every stage.  I posted solid runs and was able to use the nervous energy to my advantage.  I didn’t shoot outside my ability, toned it back and did what I needed to do take the win.  It was such a thrill!  My limited score was good enough for 14th in Limited Division and was the fourth fastest overall time in all the women’s centerfire divisions combined.

The final day I shot Production.  After doing so well in Limited, I was excited to compete.  Randi Rogers had set the pace, shooting Production on Day Two.  Randi is definitely a top contender in this division and I knew couldn’t take anything for granted.  It’s so easy to push too hard at the Steel Challenge.  In Production, I shot too many extra shots on several stages.  My overall time wasn’t nearly as good as my Limited score but I shot well enough to win the Production Ladies Title and 5th Overall.

Because I entered in two centerfire matches and the Rimfire event, I was eligible for Steel Master Division.  I placed third out of all competitors shooting just iron sights.   My scores were also good enough to finish 20th Overall, and just .67 seconds out of 2nd Woman, competing against those shooting with optics and compensators.  I’ll take that!

I am so fortunate to receive amazing support from my sponsors.  I used all Smith & Wesson firearms in this match with just a few modifications.  As I mentioned above, I shot a 7” Model 41 with Lapua in Rimfire.  I used the same M&P Pro Series 9mm for both Limited and Production.  Before Steel Challenge I sent this gun out to one of my teammates Dan Burwell of Burwell Gunsmithing.  He replaced the sights with Warren Tactical Sights, did a fantastic trigger job and helped me tune the gun for my steel loads.

And boy did those loads rock!  I can’t say enough about ASYM Ammunition.  ASYM developed this load for Steel Challenge using the best components - Vihta Vuori powder and Starline Brass.  Flat shooting, high quality and super reliable ammo gave me so much confidence going into the match.

For the rest of my gear, I wore Rudy Projects ImpactX Genetyks for eye protection.  I love how the Genetyks provide excellent coverage for steel shooting.  Thanks to the Gear Revival and Uber Group I also had a chance to try out a new shoe, the Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra GTX. I’ve been on a quest for a light comfortable shoe to compete in for years now.  These light trail runners gave me great traction when I needed it for Outer Limits but were also comfortable to wear all day.

It was an unforgettable week in so many ways.  It was exciting to see so many women and juniors competing. Check out the videos posted on Women of USPSA’s You-Tube page for photos and clips of some blazing stage performances. A huge thank you to the match staff for another great Steel Challenge and congrats to all the winners.  I had some awesome carry-on luggage on my return trip and after a long week, I came home to the BEST HUG EVER from my little one and her daddy.

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Disclosure:  I receive support and sponsorship from a number of companies as a competitive shooter and shooting sports/outdoors consultant.  In some cases I receive compensation from my sponsors for products and/or services that I endorse on this and my other websites.  In addition to sharing links related to my field, I use this blog to post links to my sponsors’ products and services. Recommendations posted on this site are based on my personal experience unless otherwise specified.

Since moving to Montana I haven’t had the opportunity to drive to many matches. Getting a chance to shoot this match and see more of the West had me excited.  The talented Carrie Jamrogowicz and I made the road trip down to the event. The schedule looked something like this:

Saturday, July 17
0600 - 10.5 hour drive to Rawlins, WY

Sunday, July 18
0800 - Shooters Meeting
0830 - First shot fired
1330 - On the road to knock out a chunk of the drive

Monday, July 19
0330 - Up early for more driving
0800 - Home sweet home!

21 hours of driving for 4 min 3.46 seconds of shooting - worth every second in my book!

The range was impressive and all eight steel challenge stages were set up to spec.  Of course, the folks at GDSC are top notch in my book.  Knowing we had to be on the road, they were so kind to let us shoot through the last two stages before breaking for lunch.  THANK YOU!

I was pleasantly surprised with my results considering the short four days of steel practice under my belt this year. I posted top times in Production, Limited and Ladies Divisions.  The match served as an excellent warm up and gave me a good idea of what I need to work on for the World Speed Shooting Championships next month.  Here’s a quick video…

G U N : S&W M&P Pro Series 9mm with Warren Tactical Sights
G E A R : ASYM Ammunition, Vihta Vuori Powder, Starline Brass, Safariland ELS Rig, Gemini Jersey, Rudy Project Noyz, Pro Ears & Vertx Pants

After shooting a mostly stock S&W 627 V-Comp, early this year my gun got some serious APEX Tactical custom work before I hit the range with it for this season. In case you missed my posts about the gun check the out in my tags gun glam. Fresh off the Bianchi Cup, I only had a few days with just a couple hundred rounds under my belt before I boarded planes – 3 of them - on my trip to California. I admit with such little time on the gun this year, I was a tad bit apprehensive about the match.

My greatest challenge in shooting revolver is finding the red dot in my Aimpoint Micro. The revolver grip is foreign enough to me that I just haven’t developed that muscle memory… yet. J In addition to the work by Apex, I also had a set of Hogue Grips on put on the gun. Not only are they just simply gorgeous, they really helped me get the same grip every time. I am a total fan!

At the match I was squadded with a number of my Smith & Wesson teammates. Annette and Elliot Aysen are top-notch shooters and wonderful people too! They helped me with the perfect load for my gun and also developing my strategy for the stages. Then of course there’s Jerry Miculek. I was behind him in our squad’s shooting order and what an act to follow! What Jerry does with a revolver is beyond amazing. Neil & Pat Hogue were also on the squad. Neil shot his way to an impressive 2^nd Overall in the match. Congrats!!

It was a huge weekend for the Team and we picked up 10 World Titles!

Open, Jerry Miculek
Limited, John Bagakis
Retro, Craig Buckland
Limited Lady, Annette Aysen
Limited Senior, Elliot Aysen
Limited Junior, Molly Smith
Open Lady, Julie Golob
Open Senior, Jerry Miculek
Open Junior, Janae Sarabia
Six Shooter, Craig Buckland

I am especially proud of our Junior Team members Rachael Crow, and Molly Smith. I was just starting out at their age and to see them perform so well at a world championship is exciting. The future of the shooting sports is in good hands should these young ladies continue to pursue competition. What inspirations!

I had a few glitches but shot well enough to win my second IRC Ladies Open Title. Flora Yang and Janae Sarabia weren’t far behind and both ladies shot some great scores in the match. There’s no doubt I will have to work hard if I hope to defend the title next year.

Here’s a video compilation from the match.  I put my new Hunter’s Specialties i-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear to good use for a first person view of some of the stages. Enjoy!

As always a huge thank you to Smith & Wesson, my sponsors and the wonderful IRC Staff. Special thanks also go out to Apex Tactical, Hogue and Annette and Elliot Aysen.

The Cup’s main sponsors truly step up.  Support is led by the premiere sponsor, Midway USA.  Thank you Larry and Brenda Potterfield for your personal dedication to this match! I was also extremely proud to represent Smith & Wesson a major sponsor.  It was exciting to see our logo at the S&W Plate Event, range officers shirts and on every competitor’s shooter number.

The NRA Competition Division has worked very hard to breathe life back into the Bianchi Cup.  Suffering from declining numbers over the years The Cup is back in a big way.  This year there were 60 first-time shooters compared to what has been a fraction of that number in the past.  The NRA’s talented photographers and bloggers were on scene to capture all the action and fun.  Of course, a big thank you goes out to the match staff for working long hours to make the event possible.

There are four events at the Bianchi Cup, each 48 shots.  The Practical features a weak hand shooting string and shots from 10, 15, 25 and 50 yards.  The Barricade event requires competitors to fire from behind both the right and left sides of a barricade.  The distances for this event are 10, 15, 25 and 35 yards.  A bank of six, 8” falling steel plates make up the Plate Event. Shooters must successfully shoot strings from 10, 15, 20 and 25 yards.  Finally the Moving Target Event exposes a target that travels a distance of 60 feet in front of the shooter for only six seconds at each pass.  Arguably one of the most challenging events in the match, shooters do their best to aim for the 4” X-ring at the 10, 15, 20 and 25 yard lines.

Montana weather and sorting out issues with brand spanking new guns made my preparation for the match a bit challenging this year.  Open Division firearms have so many metal parts bolted on them that it can be a significant challenge to get these guns up and running.  My new blasters were finicky and because of reliability issues I struggled on the Practical and Plates.  Despite the disappointing finishes, I was extremely happy with my Mover where I only dropped one shot outside the 10 ring with a score of 478/480.

This was the first year I used a “stick shift” mover base on my gun with an Aimpoint Micro.  I have to say I am thrilled with the combination.  The crisp, clear red dot and light weight of the Micro really help keep the weight down on an already heavy gun.  The ingenious Warren Moore of Protocall Design crafts a unique scope base that adjusts the optic on the shroud to allow for target lead.  The whole set up made me feel more confident than ever going into this match.  Steadfast reliability of the Micro and solid construction of the mover base helped me to post my best practice runs this year.

Unfortunately my final score reflected one of my worst Bianchi Cup performances, but was still high enough to place second woman behind the talented Jessie Abbate.  Jessie showed potential last year with her 4th place finish and shot a great score to claim the win.  Vera Koo had a commanding lead going into her final event and was on pace to shoot a record female score, but after a rough run at the Mover, I slipped past and Vera placed third.  Vera competes as a both a lady and senior.  She has won more Bianchi Cup titles than any other woman in the match’s 30 year history.

I also witnessed some amazing feats of marksmanship. In the Metallic (Iron Sight) Division, Rob Leatham’s final event was the Mover.   The sport’s “Great One” had a fluke jam at the 25 yard line.  His first shot landed in the middle, a 10, but then there was a dreaded click.  Rob’s blazing fast reflexes allowed him to clear the malfunction and fire off two quick shots just as the target slipped out of view.  A ripple of awe went through the crowd gathered to watch Rob shoot.  When the target next appeared, his shots could be seen - 10, 8, 10.  AMAZING!

This year my teammate Doug Koenig tried something new and competed for the Aggregate Title (Open and Iron sight scores combined).  Using a stock Smith & Wesson DK 1911 in 38 Super I had the chance to watch Doug shoot the Plates with this gun.  The 10 and 15 yard lines seemed effortless as the steel fell methodically between the start and stop buzzers.  When he moved back to the 20 yard line I was shocked to see that, while all the shooters on the line prepared to hit prone at the blare of the start signal, Doug stood patiently.  Tink, tink, tink, tink, tink, tink! Doug knocked plate after plate down at both of the 20 yard strings.  He duplicated the performance at the 25 yard position - a CLEAN Plate Event, all from the standing position! WOW!

Of course, the battle on the Mover is one that seems to host the same cast of characters each year.  Bruce Piatt and Doug Koenig are always in this showdown as two shooters who consistently shoot clean up to this point in the match.  It’s a pressure cooker with a large crowd of onlookers and so much on the line. Doug was first and kept all his shots in the 10 ring.  His final match score was 1920 - 179x.  It was the first perfect score posted this year.  Bruce was next and drilled the X-ring pass after pass until he shot a dreaded 8 leaving Doug with the only 1920 in the match!

There were plenty of highlights after the main event on Saturday.  I watched S&W Champion Jerry Miculek engage the crowd with his showmanship and deliver super fast runs in the Production Shoot Off.  Kenda Lenseigne tried her hand at the sport in the Celebrity Shoot Off against country music singer Mark Wills.  Kenda is an OVERALL World Champion in Mounted Cowboy Action Shooting. In an exciting match up, she defeated Mark for the win.  Jim Shepherd of the Outdoor and Shooting Wires also made time in his busy schedule to shoot in the Press Shoot Off against Yamil Sued, Smith & Wesson’s Match Photographer.  Yamil took the win but Jim certainly held his own! I had the pleasure to meet mother and daughter team Gwen Cox and Paige Eissinger representing the Women’s Outdoor Media Association.  I LOVED the fact that Gwen shared that she recently learned to shoot for the first time in her 70’s. Her words, “You can teach an old dog new tricks!”

At the Saturday night awards ceremony junior girls ROCKED it.  I was so proud of my Smith & Wesson teammate Molly Smith for giving Bianchi shooting a try.  Molly was the youngest competitor in the match but also won two awards as a New Shooter in Production.  The charming Tiffany Piper of New Zealand shot her way to claim the Junior Cup.  It’s exciting to see these young women on the range and inspiring others to give shooting a try.

Without a doubt the highlight of the match for me was the opportunity to hear Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Donald “Doc” Ballard speak.  Bianchi Cup Coordinator Tom Hughes gave an introduction of Colonel Ballard’s heroic deeds, saving the lives of seven Marines by diving on a live grenade in Vietnam.   Tom also shared a wonderful story.  When he received confirmation of the Colonel’s attendance he called the Marine Corps Shooting Team and asked its Team Captain if any Marines would be attending the Bianchi Cup.  To honor the Medal of Honor recipient, he replied with “Sir, we will send seven.”

Colonel Ballard’s speech will forever leave an impression on me.  He celebrated our patriotism but closed by stating that we all have an obligation to our children.  As patriots and believers in our Second Amendment Rights it is our duty to ensure that America’s youth understands the importance of pride in our nation and protecting our freedoms.  It was a fitting message with Memorial Day just two days away and a perfect end to the Bianchi Cup.

This Memorial Day I am remembering someone special to me, my grandfather Gregory Goloski.  He passed earlier this year, but after serving on a US Navy Mine Sweeper in World War II he lived a full and happy life.  A true patriot, my grandfather fervently believed in our right to keep and bear arms.  Because of that belief, he impressed upon his children and grandchildren the importance of the National Rifle Association (NRA). He gifted NRA Life Memberships to us. To honor his memory and the importance of our second amendment rights, we are keeping his tradition alive on this very special day.  Our two year old daughter is now one of the newest LIFE members of the NRA.

This season it is a different story.  I have had a year to adapt to balancing motherhood, my work with Smith & Wesson and competing. I was able to start training late in March with a new gun, a Smith & Wesson Pro Series 9mm 1911 with custom work by Pete Single.  I LOVE this pistol! My goal for Single Stack was still to enjoy every aspect of competition, but also to win.  Lots of dry fire, physical training and a practice plan were all critical components.

I also had a chance to head down to Arizona to practice with Kippi Leatham.  Of course, Kippi’s husband, Rob – the shooting world’s “Great One” - was also at the range.   They aren’t just shooting power houses, they are wonderful people.  I can think of very few athletes who would welcome a fellow competitor with open arms to train with them in that critical window before a national championship. We call it my “Spring Training” where I quite literally thaw out and start sending bullets downrange. After a few days with Kippi, a favorite to win, I was humbled by her consistent accuracy and quick transitions.  I left Arizona motivated with number of things to work on.  Rob and Kippi, thank you!  You are TRUE CHAMPIONS in my book.

The USPSA Area 6 Championships in Conyers, GA served as a warm up for me. Challenging courses of fire and an atmosphere of tough competition helped me to get back in the groove.  The final days leading up to the nationals I was able to focus on shooting thanks to my parents.  They braved three grueling flights and a long 4.5 hour drive to come and watch my little one.  Thank you so much Mom and Dad.  I couldn’t have done it without you!

So, how was the match?  AWESOME! This is the one USPSA event where every skill in practical shooting is tested. There was a complete balance of small speed shoots, medium stages and run-n-gun field courses. The match had close shots, swingers, drop turner targets that disappeared, and max traps targets.  There was a five second par time “Standards” with 35 yard targets engaged from around both the right and left side of a barricade.  Shots were fired in the dark illuminated by only a SureFire® flashlight in the “Dark House.”   A variety of start positions with the gun both empty, fully loaded, in the holster and in a briefcase kept things interesting.  There were tough shots from both strong and support hand. Every year a large field course consisting of all steel showcases competitors’ speed.  Oh and of course, lots of reloads!

I am very happy with my match.  My gun and ammunition performed flawlessly! I had some penalties, but didn’t let them phase me.  I posted top lady scores on 8 of the 16 stages and had the best percentage of a lady shooter in Single Stack Nationals history.  I opted to shoot 9mm minor.  This gave me an extra two rounds in my magazines and the opportunity to explore different options for breaking down the stages.  All the hard work paid off and I won my second Single Stack Nationals. The victory marks my 10th USPSA Ladies National Title.  To join the ranks of the talented few in the sport who have attained USPSA wins in the double digits is something I am extremely proud of.

The big news from the match was that Rob Leatham did the unthinkable – won his 24th USPSA National Title and 16th consecutive Single Stack Championship.  A sweet 16 years of victories!  Rob once again proved, that when it comes to the single stack 1911, he is the king. Congratulations, Rob!

I had a great time shooting with Rob, Todd Jarrett, my teammate Phil Strader, Matt Cheely, and GREAT lady shooters Kippi, Tori Nonaka, TD Roe and Lisa Munson.  It was truly a super squad on so many levels! I wish I had a chance to shoot with Sara Dunivin who finished second lady and shot a VERY strong match. Congratulations, Sara!

The host range, beautiful PASA Park in Barry, IL is one of my favorites.  The range officers were professional, courteous and efficient.  A huge thank you to Match Director Russell Cluver, Range Master Jay Worden and the amazing staff for running the event.

I also want to thank everyone who sent me well wishes. I so appreciate your support! I am living my dream thanks to amazing sponsors. Knowing I have the best gear that I can rely on makes me confident to compete at this level. Thank you so much!

Family and friends, tough competition, great stages, an amazing gun, reliable and accurate ammo, top notch gear and a goal met all make this one experience I will never forget.

Here’s a video montage of images from the match.  Photos are courtesy of the talented Yamil Sued.

Options for lower resolution are available to the right of the volume button on the video menu bar.

Area 6 doesn’t disappoint. Hosted by the South River Gun Club, one of the clubs I have had the pleasure to call home, it was wonderful to come back to smiling faces and experience that renowned southern hospitality.  Honestly, this match could be a nationals. There are certainly enough competitors.  A whopping 380+ shot the match!

The stages are always complex at Area 6 with plenty of props, steel and moving targets.  This is a difficult match to just show up to - exactly what I did! For a competition of this caliber, I try to arrive a day early to scope out the stages. Just a quick trip down to Georgia, it wasn’t possible for me this time.  The intricate stages, with targets that could be seen from multiple positions and moving targets with critical activators, were definitely a challenge.  The match tested my ability to figure out a plan on almost every stage. Fortunately I was in a wonderful squad with my Smith & Wesson teammate Gordon Carrell as well as champion shooters Dave Sevigny and Randi Rogers. It was definitely a group effort.  What a great squad!

My new Smith & Wesson Pro Series 9mm 1911 and mags have not been major match tested. I still can’t believe how great this gun feels and as a result I had some really good stages - Top 3 on three stages and eight Top 10 finishes.  The courses of fire tested so many skills! I have a good to-do list of things to work on before the USPSA Single Stack Nationals just around the corner.

My AWESOME Gun: Pete Single Custom Smith & Wesson Pro Series 9mm 1911
w/ Warren Tactical Sights, Stan Chen Magwell, VZ Grips, & Ionbond finish

I was back home by Saturday evening.  Then it was just a matter of waiting for the match to conclude on Sunday for the results.  I was the Single Stack Ladies Champion and to my surprise I placed 5th Overall in the division!  I am already looking forward to the upcoming nationals and competing against the best Single Stack shooters in world.

Congratulations to all the winners! As always, a huge thank you to Smith & Wesson and my sponsors. Thanks also go out to Match Director Cindy Noyes, Area 6 Director Charles Bond and the hard working range officers for a fantastic Area 6 Championships.

The Pro Series 9mm 1911 is a great little gun right out of the box. Designed by the Performance Center but produced in the factory, just some of the features are:

• Hand Polished Integral Feed Ramp
• Checkered 30 lpi Front Strap
• Oversized External Extractor
• Full Length Guide Rod
• Double Sided Frame Safety
• Extended Mag Well

I compete with primarily stock guns in production and iron sight divisions.  They have served me well but there’s something really special about shooting a gun that’s custom built just for you.  I sent Pete a stock Pro Series 1911.  He sent back everything I wanted and more!

Just some of the work that went into this little wonder…

First, all critical parts were checked for proper Rockwell hardness before installation.  Pete replaced the stock sights with the ones I love for shooting fast and accurately – Warren Tactical Sights.  He also made a custom fiber optic front sight from a  ’Novak’ blank that is pinned in place.  This sight just GLOWS!

Next, he flattened and serrated the top of slide in arrowhead pattern, to gain height for the new front sight blade.  This is one of my favorite parts on the gun. I just love this detail and how it looks.

He added a match grade barrel bushing that he mated to the slide with a gauge fit.  It can be easily removed by hand, with a custom recessed muzzle crown.  Critical contact areas of the barrel were welded to remove excess play in the barrel lock-up. He honed the slide bore channel and dust cover internals for smoother cycling. The barrel tube was turned in a lathe for a gentle taper to remove potential bushing bind.

Pete fit a new ejector to work with tuned magazines. He welded the mag well opening to limit travel of the magazine to help prevent over insertion. He added a new extended magazine catch, properly heat-treated and machined from bar stock.  The button was machined at an angle and the face serrated for positive contact.

The grip safety and area under the trigger guard were contoured to allow for a high grip.  He then added a serrated memory pad. The back of the mainspring housing was machined inward to reduce the thickness before it was checkered to match the front strap.   The heel was rounded for a smaller feeling grip. He also ground the rear of the slide to match the frame and grip safety.

Pete installed a Legacy Custom mag well that I can’t say enough about.  The bottom of the frame is cut away .300.  The internals were designed in 3D CAD CAM to allow the maximum opening on the sides and rear, but contours to the front to allow easy access in case a magazine gets stuck in the gun. This is a very unique design.   The end product is a cavernous mag well that doesn’t increase the length of the gun.  No worries about this gun fitting in the box for Single Stack competition or trying to seat mags into an extended mag well.

I’ve never really cared much about the finish on my guns.  In fact, I used to shoot my open guns completely unfinished.  Reliability is always more important than how the gun looks.  That said, Pete shipped my gun off to the folks at Ion Bond and boy am I impressed.  Ion Bond is a super slick finish that looks oh-so-nice! It is the same coating that he uses on the edge of his cutting tools to increase tool life.

Grips in composite G10 from VZ Grips complete a classy look for the gun in a beautiful wood grain finish. They also have a wonderful feel and slim design that work great with my smaller hands.  The left side of the grip panel is generously relieved in front of the mag-catch for easy access to the button. These grips are incredibly strong, durable and have just the right texture.

Shooters are probably most picky about the way their triggers feel.  A lot can be lost in translation between the shooter and the smith. Not the case with Pete, this trigger is just the way I like it.  It’s a bit heavier than what many shooters prefer in a competition 1911 trigger, but I like most of my triggers to break in the 3lb range. This allows me to make easy transitions to the many different guns I shoot.  I also like a trigger with a lot of roll. He changed out the stock trigger to a short one. He then took the best parts, a Koenig hammer and EGW sear, to give me just the pull I want.

The gun looks great, but how does it shoot?  So far like a dream.  I’ve got about a thousand rounds through the gun, shooting up what I call smorgasbord ammo. I’ve never shot a 1911 in 9mm. Between the light caliber, Smith & Wesson platform and thanks to Pete; this is now one of my all time favorite guns!