January 2026 copy - Flipbook - Page 48
2026 Desert International Motivational
by Zack Taylor
For example: Last week
I was the line o昀케cer at
the World Championship Muzzle Loader
Match at the Whittington
Center at Raton, NM.
Austria, Australia, Hungary, Germany, Norway,
France, New Zealand,
among those contestants
were 21 from USA. Several
original ri昀氀es were in use.
A ri昀氀eman from Hungary set a new world record
with his original ri昀氀e.
It became clear at 900
and 1,000 yards that the
shooters from USA generally were more e昀昀ective
at those ranges with a few
notable exceptions.
As I walked the line I observed (Aviator) Steve
Farringer and Dave Gullo
(of Bu昀昀alo Arms fame)
sharing a target for the
1,000 yard Team Match.
They were quibbling over
whether or not to put on
half minute windage due
to their idea of a slight
change in winds 12 gusts
20+ mph. The decision
was made, shot 昀椀red
and a big, “Told You So”,
when the target came up
a 昀椀ve just barely out of
the V-Bull. Other shooters
48
were discussing whether to
add 昀椀ve minutes of wind
or six. That was the ah
haah moment that indicated they were lost in the
conditions. Could not help
them because they had
already hit paper.
Further down the line at
1,000 two were struggling.
Both long into sighters and
had not cut paper. Asked
one if he wanted help. He
said yes. I asked him if he
had an elevation and wind
zero for his ri昀氀e. He said
yes. I told him to put on
his sta昀昀 zero. He did. I told
him to come down 5 minutes of elevation and put
on 2 minutes of right wind
and shoot. Target came
up center of 5 ring at 6
o’clock. (equivalent to our
10 ring). He looked at me
in amazement and asked,
“how did you do that?” My
answer, “Arizona Desert
International Magic.”
To the next shooter. Asked
if he had a wind and elevation zero for his ri昀氀e at
1,000 yards. Said yes. Told
him to put his no wind
zero on his soul sight. He
did. Advised him to come
down 4 minutes and 2 1/2
minutes right wind. He
did. He shot and the target
came up a 4 at 6 o’clock.
Amazed he asked, “how
did you do that,” answer,
Desert International Phoenix, Arizona March 10-17,
2026. He said, “I will be
there!”
I walked back up to where
the US Team was shooting
1,000 yards and the new
be twins, Steckel & Nash,
(The MATT Attack), had
just completed blazing hot
scores for USA and Steckel
of Lodi 昀椀red the highest
score 昀椀red at either 900 or
1,000 yards by all comers
and apparently was the
last shooter on the range
to discover the fact. (That’s
called shooting in the
zone.)
Fact: Farringer & Gullo
shot the Desert International the past 3 years in
a row and Steckel 昀椀red it
this year.
Question is: Do you want
to learn, by experience,
how to shoot black powder
target ri昀氀e events? March
10-17, 2026, Ben Avery,
Phoenix, AZ
Modern BPCR Shooter - January, 2026
