by SI Staff - Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Randy Wise scored three consecutive hits on a 36-inch plate at 2,158 yards to set a new world record at the NRA Extreme Long-Range (ELR) Championship, which took place at Camp Atterbury, IN, in late August. Wise used handloaded ammunition with Berger .338-caliber, 300-grain OTM Tactical Hybrids and Lapua cartridge cases.



The retired machinist from Newark, OH, used his Savage 112 in .338 Lapua Mag. mounted in an Accurate Rifle Systems Chassis. The 26-inch barrel is stock, with a 1:9-inch rate of twist. He used Rempel bipod and installed a Rifle Basics trigger.



To set the new mark Wise had to meet the stringent conditions ELR Central (an organization of ELR competitors) requires for qualification as a record. Those regulations are challenging, even for accomplished marksmen, and allow the firing of only three shots in a 3-minute period. All must impact a target no larger than 36 inches and neither the shooter, nor the rifle, may have fired within the last five hours.



Under these stringent rules, precision and consistent performance are absolute necessities. When asked about his preparation and his choice of handloaded components for the World Record attempt, Wise said, “When I asked around, other shooters recommend that I start with Berger bullets and Lapua cases.”



After more than 60 unsuccessful attempts by fellow competitors to hit the world record target in challenging conditions, Wise set up, checked the wind and signaled officials that he was ready. He fired quickly, spotting his own impacts, and was able to score three hits on the 36-inch plate at more than 1.2 miles within the allowed 3 minutes.



For full results from the NRA Extreme Long-Range Championship, visit NRA’s competitive shooting website, Shooting Sports USA. The website also has more on Wise’s record-setting shots.