Bickar, Franks Claim Top Events During 2023 National Trophy Pistol Matches

July 23, 2023

Civilian Marksmanship Program▸The First Shot▸Bickar, Franks Claim Top Events During 2023 National Trophy Pistol Matches

By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

Narrowly reaching the high score in the President’s Pistol Match at the 2023 National Matches by just three x-ring shots, John Bickar, 46, of Menlo Park, CA, has now added his name to the list of gifted athletes who have won the coveted competition over the last four decades. The event was held as part of the annual Pistol series fired at Camp Perry in July, facilitated by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).

The President’s Pistol Match saw steep competition in 2023 – with the top five places separated only by one point. Bickar netted the win with a score of 386-13X.

Likewise, SFC Ryan Franks, 35, of Ellerslie, GA, led the respected National Trophy Individual Pistol Match with a score of 295-13X. His performance was two points shy of the current national record, set by SSG James Henderson in 2009. Franks, who earned the overall individual service pistol aggregate title in 2022, achieved the honor again in 2023.

Later, he joined teammates SFC Greg Markowski, SSG Carl Clegg and SFC Ryan Adams to help claim the win in the National Trophy Team Match with a commanding score of 1130-34X – 24 points above second place finishers CRPA (California Rifle & Pistol Association) Scarlet, the High Civilian team.

SFC Adams went on to overtake the Military & Police Service Pistol Match with a score of 383-12X, clearing teammate SSG Hudock by a point. Though he fell short in the Military event, Hudock surpassed Adams to victory in the As-Issued 1911 competition.

Also in tight competition was Frederic Coffee, 58, of Bedford, OH, who squeaked out a win by x-count in the M9 Pistol Match held along with the Pistol Small Arms Firing School – recording a score of 257-5X. 

Similarly, SGT Jason Gregoire, 35, of Midland, GA, found a win of his own by x-count in the CMP Service Revolver EIC Match with a score of 377-11X, just five above the second place competitor last year’s Revolver winner, SFC Greg Markowski.

David Lange, 54, of Glen Rock, NJ, scarcely led the .22 Rimfire EIC Pistol Match by two points, with a score of 288-7X. In 2015, Lange earned Distinguished .22 Rimfire Pistol Badge #1 after being the first to reach the necessary amount of EIC (excellence-in-competition) points to receive the distinction. The Rimfire Badge is one of three #1s Lange holds – each part of the five Distinguished Badges he’s achieved over the years.

Other outstanding individuals were juniors Nick Milev, 18, of Ossona, MI, and Charisma Owen, 20, of Wichita Falls, TX. Milev was the overall athlete of the Junior President’s Pistol Match while going on to earn the G.P. Perry DeFino Trophy as the winner of the Junior Individual Pistol event. He also led the .22 Rimfire Pistol Junior Aggregate. Owen gave consistent performances as well during the week, firing the high aggregate score between the President’s, National Trophy Individual and National Trophy Team events.

Also noteworthy was 1LT Lisa Emmert Traciak, 27, of Colorado Springs, CO, who earned the Rose Krelstein Trophy as the high woman in the President’s/National Trophy Individual Aggregate. Her score of 659-26X was just one away from the current national record, which she set herself in 2022. Emmert Traciak additionally earned the high woman title in both the President’s and National Individual events along with the National Guard Association Trophy, Military Police Corps Trophy and the General Mellon Trophy.

As in past years, the GLOCK Shooting Sports Foundation (GSSF) National Challenge was part of the National Matches schedule. The event is designed to accommodate new and seasoned competitors and includes five different 10-shot series from 5, 7, 10, 15 and 25 yards in four divisions: Stock, Unlimited, Rimfire and the new MOS (Modular Optic System) grouping. All shots on target are scored, with no penalties given for missed or unfired shots. Awards were presented to overall competitors as well as for High Guardian, High Junior, High Lady and High Senior categories.

Overall scorers of the GLOCK National Challenge (each earning perfect scores of 500) were:

Stock: Jack Ragsdale, 65, Lumberton, MS
Unlimited: SSG Mate Standard, 34, Waverly Hall, GA
Rimfire: Capt Nick Roberge, 47, Fredericksburg, VA
MOS: 1SG Lance Espinosa, 58, Skandia, MI

View a complete list of results of the 2023 National Trophy Matches on the CMP’s Competition Tracker page at https://ct.thecmp.org/23NMPistolResults. Find photos for free viewing and download at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f148616975.