Brian Zins Wins NRA National Pistol Championships at Camp Perry for the 10th Time

FAIRFAX, VA – Retired Gunnery Sergeant Brian Zins was named National Champion at the National Rifle Association National Pistol Championships held July 13-17 at Camp Perry near Port Clinton, Ohio, making 2010 the year that he won his 10th title as National Champion.

Zins, of Poland, Ohio, shot consistently high scores throughout the event, winning the .22 Caliber Championship and placing in the top three for the Center Fire and .45 Caliber Championships. In the end, his aggregate score of 2650-134X placed him at the top of the leader board for the tenth time in his shooting career. Zins broke the record for the highest number of titles as National Champion with his seventh, eighth, ninth, and now 10th win.

“I’m really happy to compete as a civilian after retiring from the Marine Corps, as many others don’t have the same opportunity. It’s also great to set another ‘first’ as the first person to hold a number of titles in the double-digits. I’m always trying to better, and challenge, myself as a shooter. I’m proud to have achieved something like this both as a Marine and a civilian,” said Zins.

With an aggregate score of 2643-128X, Captain Philip Hemphill of the Mississippi State Police took the silver medal once again and held on to his title of Police Champion for the third year in a row. Third place and the title of Regular Service Champion went to Staff Sergeant Robert Park of the Army Marksmanship Unit, who had an aggregate score of 2634-116X.

For the third year in a row, Judy Tant of East Lansing, Michigan, clinched the titles of Woman and High Civilian Woman Champion by firing an aggregate score of 2565-69X. Bryan Layfield of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was named the Junior Champion and Collegiate Champion after firing a score of 2598-94X. Ron Steinbrecher of Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania, fired his way to a 2607-92X, holding on to his previous title as Senior Champion. Elwood Harrison, Jr. of Mechanicsville, Virginia, took the title of Grand Senior Champion with an aggregate score of 2513-72X.

Winners of the military categories are Army Reserve Champion Master Sergeant Rob Mango of Kailua, Hawaii, with a score of 2597-107X, National Guard Champion Staff Sergeant Nathan Wade of Taylors, South Carolina, with a score of 2568-81X, and High Regular Air Force winner Colonel Mark Hays of Niceville, Florida, with a score of 2522-81X.

The National Rifle Association and the Civilian Marksmanship Program conduct the National Matches at Camp Perry each summer, considered to be the “World Series” of the shooting sports. Participants range from novices to Olympic-level shooters, and include civilians, military personnel, and law enforcement officers. The NRA National Rifle and Pistol Championships are open to everyone; NRA membership is not required.

For more information about the National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry or other competitive shooting events or programs, visit www.nrahq.org/compete or call (703) 267-1450.