Gustin Leads CMP’s Rainy 2024 National Long Range Matches

October 3, 2024

Civilian Marksmanship Program▸The First Shot▸Gustin Leads CMP’s Rainy 2024 National Long Range Matches

By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

CAMP PERRY, Ohio – Robert Gustin, 75, of Prescott, AZ, made his mark at the 2024 National Long Range Matches by claiming the overall win in the National Individual Aggregate Competition with an aggregate score of 1629-71X.

The match was part of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) National Matches – a month-long series of competitions and learning courses in a variety of rifle and pistol disciplines. The 2024 Long Range phase was held Aug. 5-10 and included a mix of individual and team 1,000-yard competitions as well as a Mid-Range Match – all featuring Match, Service, Palma, F-Open, F-T/R and AR Tactical rifle categories.

This was only Gustin’s second time at the National Matches, first competing in 2022 when he finished seventh overall in the Viale Memorial Match. Gustin also led the 2024 Palma Match, besting Brandon Green, 39, of Box Springs, GA, by just one point.

Also making lasting impressions at the 2024 National Long Range Matches were CMP’s outdoor electronic target line, which was utilized for the first time in the event’s history, along with the sporty conditions that included tornado watches, storms and winds that threw gusts upwards of 25-miles-per-hour. One match was even postponed while another had a start delay, due to the challenging elements.

Luckily, the timing of the target line’s debut was key to the success of the competition series, despite nature’s interference.

“For our first time using E-Targets for Long Range Nationals, everything went fairly well, with a few minor learning curves,” said Sara Rozanski, CMP highpower coordinator. “We feel utilizing the E-Targets helped participation, and with the weather conditions we experienced this year, we would not have been able to shoot on paper.”

“We look forward to Long Range growing in the future, and we’re hoping to add an additional Mid-Range event,” she added.

Following closely behind Gustin in the overall aggregate was SFC Amanda Elsenboss, 35, of Williamsburg, VA, with a score of 1624-82X for second, while SSG Jarrod McGaffic, 34, of Fort Benning, GA, earned third with 1616-77X.

Other overall winners included:

Service Rifle: SSG Ryan Blackford, 27, Columbus, GA – 1584-56X

Palma Rifle: John Friguglietti, 53, Lincolnton, NC – 1621-53X

F-Open: James Hart, 60, Lafayette, NY – 1613-61X

F-T/R: Kim Porter, 55, Gainesville, FL – 1543-27X

AR Tactical: David Thompson, 62, Keyser, WV – 1617-75X

Elsenboss also claimed a victory of her own in the Henry Memorial Match with an outstanding score of 199-6X. Likewise, McGaffic fired a perfect score of 200-15X for the win in the Critchfield Memorial Match.

He joined forces with U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) teammates SSG Logan Frost, SSG Jacob Blackburn and SGT Forest Greenwood for the overall win in the Winder Memorial Team Match and the Bataan Memorial Team Match, as Blackburn found the top spot in the Baesel Memorial Match after reaching a score of 200-10X.

Two additional USAMU members, SSG Shane Butler and SPC Dustin Carr, went on to achieve noteworthy wins in the Viale Memorial and Kerr Memorial matches, respectively. Bill Vaughan, 68, of Surgoinsville, TN, reached the overall score in the McMaken & Speaks Memorial Match by only x-count, with a score of 200-14X.

In the Mid-Range Match, fired from 600 yards, Matt Kellgreen, 37, of Leetonia, OH, squeaked out a tough matchup through tie-breaking rules, with a score of 600-39X. Kellgreen fired the same score as the USAMU’s SSG David Bahten and just two x-shots above SSG Butler.

Thank you to our sponsors for the National Mid/Long Range Matches, including Nightforce Optics, who donated a riflescope to Gustin for his win! Award donations were also received from Geissele as well as Capstone Precision Group for Lapua, Berger and Vihta Vuori products.

For a complete list of results for all Long Range classes, visit the CMP’s Competition Tracker page at https://ct.thecmp.org/NMLongRange24Results. Photos of the 2024 National Matches may be viewed and downloaded for free at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f456222492.