SPRINGFIELD, MA – Smith & Wesson team member B.J. Norris was named the overall winner of the Steel Master Division while earning multiple top three finishes in several divisions at the 2008 Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships held Aug 14-17, 2008 in Piru, California. Along with competing in and winning the Steel Master Division, B.J. finished second, third and second in the Rimfire Optics, Limited and Open Divisions respectively. In the overall standings, Norris finished in a close second place to Army Specialist K. C. Eusebio of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit.
On the first day of the competition, Norris competed in the Rimfire Optics Division using a Smith & Wesson 1911 TRS pistol that was retrofitted with a Tactical Solutions 22L Upper. With a total time of 69.8 seconds, Norris finished in second place out of 55 divisional competitors. Competing in the Limited Division during the second day of the match, Norris finished in third place with a total time of 94.45 seconds using a Smith & Wesson M&P9 pistol. On the third day of the competition, Norris competed in the Open Division using a Smith & Wesson 1911 TRS pistol that had been converted to 9mm. His total time of 80.84 seconds earned him second place in the division that featured 231 shooters. With a combined time of 245.09 seconds in each of the three divisions, Norris was named the 2008 “Steel Master.” Norris also set a world record on the stage Speed Option by shooting a 9.81. He now holds three of the eight world records in Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) shooting.
“The Steel Challenge is always one of the most mentally challenging matches of the year and this year was no exception,” said Norris. “Competing in three separate matches on each day of the three-day event for the Steel Master title is more mentally tiring than it is physically. The courses of fire leave little room for error. If you have a bad run, then you have to mentally prepare yourself for the next stage in order to stay focused.”
In all, Norris competed in 24 timed-stages of fire that required competitors to shoot at target distances ranging from 7 to 35 yards. Governed by the SCSA, the sport of Steel Speed Shooting uses steel targets, arranged in five-target arrays, and an electronic timer to record a competitor’s time for each stage of fire. This year’s competition was Norris’ fourth appearance in Steel Challenge events.
Norris plans to compete with the M&P9 again at the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Nationals in September.
To learn more about the Steel Challenge Shooting Association and the Steel Challenge visit the website at www.steelchallenge.com.
