Admittedly I came to World Shooting and Recreational Complex not expecting a lot. I registered for my first year at the Red Oktober: Retaliation match for Juggernaut and SOG, both tactical divisions that require a full kit with a minimal 75-pound weight added. Which means I was going as the impromptu tank against those in other divisions that were lighter and faster. I chose the divisions for the difficulty and the fun. The stages to this rifle-only themed event were both complex and challenging, requiring a minimal of one magazine change (or more) that put shooters against hard-angled targets on all three sides.

Surprisingly, I came away with trophies for both!

The squad I was paired with was a fun group of professional and novices, and as the weather turned south and continued to rain on us throughout the entire match – everyone still enjoyed themselves.

Again, I would like to thank Spectre Holsters for sponsoring me throughout the year, and the vendors who have elected to work with us to test their gear at the range and at matches like Red Oktober.