The NMLRA Spring National shoot has come and gone. Competitors from around the country filled the valley around Friendship, Indiana for an entire week to participate in one of , if not, the largest muzzleloading competitions of the world.

Competition in every discipline is tough, today we’ll be taking a look at the modern muzzleloading categories as they’ve been shaken up with new builders and shooters in recent years. Want to hear more about other categories? Shoot me a message and let me know which and I’ll include it for next time.

First up we have the results of the Camp Atterburry Long Range Shoot. This 1000 yard match has been going on for many years and is often known as the Terpstra/Swallow 1000 yard match after two of it’s primary volunteers over the years. In the last two years, the match has been opened up to allow modern inline muzzleloaders, but to my recollection has always allowed shooters with blackpowder cartridge rifles and traditional long range muzzleloaders. Below we have a match breakdown shared by competitor Ian Egbert.

The results of the Camp Atterbury Indiana long range shoot. (Sunday) shooting was cancelled due to rain/storms. 1st in in-line was Jeff Fisk. 1st muzzleloader was Lee Shaver. 1st in breechloader and the first woman to win an Atterbury long range match was Sandra Pool. Sandra also won high woman. Thanks to everyone who came out to the shoot and good luck to everyone at the spring nationals

Special thanks to the Egbert family for sharing these photos of the Atterbury Match.

Congratulations to Sandra Pool for her historic win, that’s definitely something to be proud of!

In the inline class at Attertbury, Jeff Fisk took 1st, Chris Kenney 2nd, and George Perry of Michigan placed 3rd. Both Jeff and Chris were shooting BeStill rifles built by Jeff Fisk.

Heading into the ‘regular’ competition at the NMLRA home range in Friendship, Indiana, Jeff returned for 6 more days of shooting out to 500 yards. Jeff had this to say about the competition-

Today concludes my 2023 June NMLRA shoot vacation which started June 12th has been a wonderful week at Friendship, IN as always the fellowship and event was awesome.

I started in Atterbury shooting the 1000 yd match Saturday and Sunday then Monday started shooting at Friendship for 6 days as you all know I fired alot of shots between the modern Inline and slug gun.

Both guns were brand new and unproven but they performed flawlessly and were extremely accurate.

Slug gun requires the use of paper patched lead bullet with black powder.

I shot 2 aggregates which ended up 3rd in agg I and 6th in agg J

Shot 8 individual matches and one 3 first, 2 second and 2 third places.

This discipline is a tuff competition and I'm learning alot.

Modern Inline a special thanks to guys at Parker Productions for some laser accurate bullets.

I shot 4 aggregates and finished 1st agg Atterbury, 1st agg IH , 1st agg LRP and 2nd agg SRP

Shot 15 individual matches and got 8 first,4 second and 2 third places.

I truly had a unbelievable week of competition and shot extremely well everyday and all i can say is thank you Jesus for the blessing and gifts you have given me and all the wonderful people in my life. Special thanks to my wife Stephanie for the support this week and always.

Beyond Blessed.

Photos courtesy of Jeff Fisk, BeStill Custom Creations

CVA Prostaff Barry Brakebill also commented on the rankings from the Inline Hunter Aggregate.

Well the results are in for the 2023 Spring Nationals. Jeff Fisk finished 1st with a score of 184, Doug Schwartz finished 2nd with a 183, and I finished 3rd. There was only 3 points between 1st and 3rd.

Congratulations to both Jeff and Doug. I will show the awards in September when I return to compete in the fall. There is a lot of work to be done

The Inline Hunter aggregate has become a match to watch over the years, with a variety of competitors and manufacturers working to take the title. After the 2022 season, the aggregate (meaning the match is made up of several different matches with varying targets) targets were changed from a total of 170 + Xs to a possible max total of 190 + Xs. Paper targets were adjusted as well to be a smaller bull at the same distances as the 2022 season.

I look forward to following the competitors and spending more time at the range this fall for the NMLRA National Championship shoot September 9-17, 2023 .