Team Smith & Wesson and Firearms Shine at IDPA National Championships
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(Ammoland.com)- Smith & Wesson Corp., announced that Team Smith & Wesson members continued their record breaking season, capturing three national titles and placing in the Top 10 in multiple divisions during the 2010 International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) National Championship.
Over the course of the three-day match, both Smith & Wesson Team members and their firearms caught the attention of the more than 400 elite shooters who traveled to the United States Shooting Academy (USSA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Taking home national titles for Team Smith & Wesson were Team Captain Julie Golob, Jerry Miculek and Craig Buckland.
“It has truly been a storybook season for Team Smith & Wesson,” said Captain Julie Golob. “So far, our members have accounted for 122 championship titles. That’s 31 more wins than last year and the seasons not over yet. I’m very proud of how each team member performed at this year’s IDPA Nationals and the professionalism with which they competed.”
In the Enhanced Service Revolver (ESR) Division, it was no surprise to see Jerry Miculek and his trusted Smith & Wesson Model 625 standing in the winner’s circle after out-shooting the competition by over 64 seconds.
Fresh off his victory at the USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals, Miculek successfully defended his title from the previous year and once again appears to be in top form as he enters the World Action Pistol Championships. Elsewhere, Smith & Wesson Team members and their factory revolvers kept the wins coming with Craig Buckland earning the Stock Service Revolver (SSR) Division national title. Serving as both a Chief Safety Officer and as a competitor, Buckland was able to claim the top spot in the division by winning 11 of the 17 stages of fire shooting his Smith & Wesson Model 19. Fellow teammate and this year’s Match Director Curt Nichols followed closely behind in second place. Nichols, a Tulsa resident, competed with a Model 67 as he attempted to win the SSR title for the fifth time.
As Team Smith & Wesson dominated the revolver divisions, the Smith & Wesson M&P pistol played a lead role, helping to capture one national title and being used in five Top 10 finishes. Team Captain Julie Golob used an M&P9 Pro Series pistol to win the IDPA Ladies National Title in the Enhanced Service Pistol (ESP) Division, placing 9th Overall. At the same time, four other teammates used M&P9 pistols to earn top finishes in the Stock Service Pistol (SSP) Division. In the SSP Division, two local shooters finished in the Top 5 with Phil Strader from Owasso finishing the match in 2nd place followed by teammate Gordon Carrell in 3rd and Tulsa native Mike Seeklander in 4th place. Dan Burwell rounded out the list of team shooters finishing in 6th place.
“Since its first match, more and more competitors have looked to the M&P Series to answer their needs when it comes to competitive shooting,” said Golob. “The M&P pistol crosses over well to multiple divisions and it can be easily tailored to meet the preferences of the shooter, whether that involves changing the grip size to a more comfortable fit or using the ambidextrous controls.”
Golob continued, “Along with the fact that it is very soft shooting, the M&P provides a great platform for introducing new shooters to the sport. The M&P is right at home with all of Smith & Wesson’s other competition firearms. Each one gives that extra confidence during match play.”
Team Smith & Wesson looks to add three more world titles to the team’s tally as Champions Jerry Miculek (Metallic Division), Doug Koenig (Open Division) and Julie Golob (Women’s Division) travel to Australia to represent the United States during the 2010 World Action Pistol Championships in Australia October 6-9, 2010
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC) is a U.S.-based, global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport. The company designs and constructs facility perimeter security solutions for military and commercial applications, and delivers a broad portfolio of firearms and related training to the military, law enforcement and sports markets. SWHC companies include Smith & Wesson Corp., the globally recognized manufacturer of quality firearms; Universal Safety Response, a full-service perimeter security integrator, barrier manufacturer and installer; and Thompson/Center Arms Company, Inc., a premier designer and manufacturer of premium hunting firearms. SWHC facilities are located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Tennessee. For more information on Smith & Wesson and its companies, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com; www.usrgrab.com; or www.tcarms.com.