Zero To Grand Master In A Shot

[su_heading size=”30″ margin=”0″]Meet Revolver Speed-shooter Brian Schrock[/su_heading]

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES DAVIS

[su_dropcap style=”light” size=”5″][/su_dropcap]recently had the pleasure of watching competitive shooter Brian Schrock in action. I’ve known Schrock for years, but had never actually watched him shoot. Schrock is an unassuming-looking guy from Arizona, but he is a dynamo on the range. His shooting and reloading speed is a sight to behold, and he shoots exclusively with revolvers.

Brian Schrock didn’t set his sights on competitive shooting until later in life. But once the timer went off, he and his revolver trio have been unstoppable.
Brian Schrock didn’t set his sights on competitive shooting until later in life. But once the timer went off, he and his revolver trio have been unstoppable.

Everyone who knows Schrock likes him, and this is because he always has the positive mental attitude, pure talent and sheer determination to make it to the top. We conducted his first-ever interview on his road to glory in the competitive shooting world.

American Shooting Journal Brian, how long have you been shooting?

Brian Schrock When I was about 7 or 8 years old I started shooting a .22. I came from a family of hunters, so that was my first introduction to firearms. I started squirrel hunting and then graduated to deer and elk. I’ve taken a javelina with my S&W 500, as well as an elk at 103 yards. I started competing in August 2011 east of Phoenix in Mesa, Ariz., at the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club during their Tuesday night steel shoots, and in March 2012 I started shooting in the United States Practical Shooting Association.

Schrock demonstrates a winning combination of natural skill, hard work and determination. Needless to say, it’s working.
Schrock demonstrates a winning combination of natural skill, hard work and determination. Needless to say, it’s working.

ASJ What sparked your interest to start competing?

BS I was working at Sportsman’s Warehouse, and one of the associates who worked there competed. I had a S&W 627 and a Glock 21 at the time, so I figured I would just try it out. Before I actually started competing, I attended a couple of matches and just learned by watching what and how people shot. I noticed that there were very few people shooting revolvers, so I decided to use the 627. I fell in love with  competing by the second match, and that’s when I started  looking for a broader outlet, like the USPSA. I love it, and there is nothing I would rather be doing.

 

(Top to bottom) Schrock’s current Jerry Miculek Signature series S&W 929 eight-shot 9mm, six-shot S&W Model 625 and the eight-shot Model 627 he started competing with.
(Top to bottom) Schrock’s current Jerry Miculek Signature series S&W 929 eight-shot 9mm, six-shot S&W Model 625 and the eight-shot Model 627 he started competing with.

ASJ Is USPSA the only type of competition you shoot?

BS I also shoot International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts, or ICORE, and am rated as an A-Class shooter (75 to 84.999 percentile).

 

ASJ What is your current class in USPSA?

BS I made Master class on March 14, 2015, and Grand Master in the USPSA revolver division on October 16 (top 95 to 100 percentile).

 

ASJ A congratulations is in order. The USPSA has over 25,000 members, so being in the top ranking is not an  easy feat.

BS Thank you. I appreciate it.

 

ASJ What are some of your best accomplishments and accolades in competitive shooting so far?

BS Well, I came in first place of C-Class at Revolver Nationals in 2013. After that I took first place in revolver in the 2013 Area 2 Desert Classic, and then I went on to win first place in the A-Class for the Midwestern regional ICORE shoot in Nevada that same year.

I didn’t do much shooting in 2014 because of school, but so far in 2015 I came in fourth overall in the Area 2 Desert Classic for USPSA.

 

Although Schrock used to send his guns out to be honed and gunsmithed, he now does all of the work himself, with the exception of chamfering.
Although Schrock used to send his guns out to be honed and gunsmithed, he now does all of the work himself, with the exception of chamfering.

ASJ Obviously you are a dedicated revolver shooter. What are you shooting in competition?

BS For competition I use only Smith & Wesson. I started out with the Model 627, which is an eight-shot .357 Magnum, but when I switched to USPSA, an eight-shot revolver was not legal for their sport at the time, so I bought the model 625, which is a six-shot .45 ACP. I shot that for about a year and then the USPSA made eight-shot revolvers legal, so I switched back to my 627. As of October 2014 I’ve been shooting the new Jerry Miculek Signature series S&W 929 eight-shot 9mm.

 

The only thing that sidetracks Schrock from shooting and competing is the manufacturing and engineering degree that he is currently working towards at Arizona State University.
The only thing that sidetracks Schrock from shooting and competing is the manufacturing and engineering degree that he is currently working towards at Arizona State University.

ASJ Do you do work on your own revolvers, or do you send them off to have work done?

BS My first two competition revolvers, the 627 and 625, I sent to Apex Tactical Specialties, Inc., in California. They do  excellent work, but on my 929 I did my own work except for chamfering the titanium cylinder.

 

ASJ How often do you shoot?

BS For practice, about once a week, and I shoot about 200 rounds. I usually compete twice a month, and shoot about 150 rounds in each competition.

 

ASJ Did you follow competitive shooting at all before you got into it?

Schrock competes in United States Practical Shooting Association, as well as International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts.
Schrock competes in United States Practical Shooting Association, as well as International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts.

BS No, I honestly didn’t know about the world of competitive shooting until I started working at the sporting goods store.

 

ASJ So you never had any heroes or people to look up to who were in the shooting world?

BS Not particularly. I remember seeing videos of Jerry Miculek shooting revolvers. He was my inspiration to pick the S&W 627 over the Glock when I started. I was watching videos of guys shooting semiauto pistols who were basically  pretty slow. They couldn’t shoot that well either. When I first  saw Jerry shooting, I thought, “Man that guy can shoot fast!” It wasn’t until I started shooting revolvers that I realized how much talent, blood, sweat and tears you had to put into it to become halfway decent. Jerry was my first inspiration, but if I had to pick my shooting hero, it would be Rob Leatham. I had an opportunity to shoot with him in a couple matches, and have even taken a class with him. He is a good guy. One day before a revolver nationals match, Rob and I showed up at registration at the same time. He changed out of his single-stack rig and into his revolver rig. We shot the match together, and I thought it was really cool that a 20-something-time national champion and umpteen-time world champion would switch out his gear and shoot with a C-class revolver shooter.

 

Schrock’s reloads during competition are lightning fast.
Schrock’s reloads during competition are lightning fast.

ASJ Brian, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us.

BS You’re very welcome. I’ll see you at the range.

***

Brian is currently attending school for manufacturing and engineering technology at Arizona State University. He wants to be on the top of the mountain, and he will get there. I’m calling it right now, people: 2016 is going to be the year of the Schrock. ASJ

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *