Held at the home of the U.S. Army Sniper School, the 2012 International Sniper Competition earlier this month ended in an open class victory for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit duo of Staff Sgt. Daniel Horner and Spc. Tyler Payne. JP Enterprises took particular note of Daniel Horner’s sweep to victory using a JP LRP-07 as his spotter rifle.
An invitation-only event, this year’s competition saw participation by 36 of the best two-man sniper teams from several branches of the U.S. armed forces, various state police teams and military specialists from around the world, including Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the United Arab Emirates.Some competitors could not even be identified in the match results due the sensitive nature of their service.
The 14-stage match was a nearly non-stop event that ran the gamut of sniper skill events, including a sniper stalk, urban shooting, orienteering, low-light shooting and stress fire exercises. Lasting 72 hours with only two four-hour rest breaks, the ISC was designed to test the shooters’ limits and ability manage very limited time allotments as well as to exploit any deficiencies in their marksmanship fundamentals.
With the Army Marksmanship Unit lacking a dedicated sniper team and any specialized sniper training programs, Horner and Payne had to fall back on their action shooting skills to carry them through the competition. Both men are accomplished 3-Gun competitors, which is how Horner first crossed paths with JP Enterprises at the 2005 Rocky Mountain 3-Gun. Finishing high overall in the tactical optics division as a junior shooter before entering the service, Horner claimed a new JP CTR-02 rifle from the prize table and was hooked. Still accurate and active today, this rifle serves Horner to this day with a current round count over 30,000.
For the International Sniper Competition, Horner’s kit was a 22″ JP LRP-07 chambered in .260, which has seen regular service as well. “In competitions like this, every facet of your skill set and your kit is put to the test,” commented JP founder and avid shooter, John Paul. “The last thing you want is your own rifle holding you back.” According to Horner, his LRP delivered ½ MOA accuracy past 700 yards with the loads developed for him by the AMU armorers-all the more reason for JP to be very pleased with the news of the AMU’s prodigious performance.
JP Enterprises is a, industry-leading manufacturer of high-quality and innovative gas-operated rifles and specialty components sold worldwide to competitive shooters, military, law enforcement and hunters. Their product line includes several unique machined-from-billet rifle models to suit everything from duty to recreational needs as well as proprietary trigger systems, operating system components, barrels, compensators, hand guards and other accessories.
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