Erik Cortina, of Team Lapua, has won the Texas State Long Range Championship in 2024 for an unprecedented fifth consecutive time. Cortina scored 993-51X after loading Berger 7mm180 Gr Hybrid Target Bullets into his own 7mmPRCW cartridge (formed using Lapua6.5 PRC cases). Erik owns Cortina Precision which produces barrels, tuner/brakes and dies. The Texas State Long Range Championship, hosted by Bayou Rifles in Rosharon Texas, took place from April 12-14. The Texas Long Range Championship brought together the best shooters in the USA to compete in F-TR and F-Open disciplines. This year, the Texas State Long Range Championship adopted Bisley pair-fire format. This format requires shooters alternate shots instead of string firing. The time limit per shot is 45 seconds. It is important to stay focused and read the wind, so I decided to ignore my partner’s shots the entire weekend and shoot my match myself. “It worked and I secured my fifth Texas State Championship by a five-point margin. It was one of the most enjoyable matches I’ve ever attended. The F-Open class requires a rifle that weighs no more than 22 lbs and is chambered in.35 or less. The rifles are fired in a prone position, with a rear sandbag. The front rest is adjustable. Erik is one of the best F-Class competitors in the world. He has won several major F-Open titles, including the 2023 Southwest Nationals, and the 2023 South African Championships, which were held just before the F-Class World Championships. Below is a picture of Erik with his winning rifle at the Southwest Nationals 2023: Great Shooter interviews on Erik Cortina’s YouTube ChannelErik also has a popular YouTube Channel, which features gear reviews and long-format interviews of talented competitive shooters. Click HERE to view the videos on Erik’s Believe the Target Channel. Lapua is a member of Capstone Precision Group. Capstone Precision Group is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Berger, Lapua Vihtavuori, and SK-Rimfire. Visit Lapua.com for more information.
