On Saturday, Elite Preparedness in southern Knox County will provide a chance for shooters to test their skills and prowess while helping disabled veterans.
It is the Veterans Benefit Pistol Eliminator competition.
Elite has an indoor shooting range and four outdoor ranges, owner Brian Hess told the Mount Vernon News.
"We have a laser shot simulator and a retail store which includes firearms, ammunition, preparedness supplies," he said.
The company also offers firearms training and a certification program. It has an armory where it manufactures AR-15s, said Hess.
The entry fee for Saturday's competition is $25, a tax-deductible donation with all proceeds going to disabled veterans and their families for Christmas.
"The money will be used to give them a Christmas – everything from the meal to shopping; everything is taken care of," Hess said. "We work with local veterans organizations and a national organization, and they assign families to us. We also do a silent auction that day."
Contestants are asked to be at Elite, 25580 Bell Church Road in Utica, no later than 9:30 a.m. for the pre-shoot meeting.
Shooters must provide their own firearms, safety equipment and ammunition.
It's a bracket-style competition on both indoor and outdoor ranges, Hess said. Shooters are scored on 20 shots per round with 0-15 points per shot. The distance to the targets – which will be provided – will be 35 feet.
"It's open to all skill levels, from beginners up to professional," Hess said. "You are divided up into classes based on the type of handgun you are shooting."
There has been growing interest in firearms in the last two years with nationwide unrest and efforts to reduce funding for police departments, Hess said.
"When people come out to take a concealed carry course or any other course, the sentiment seems to resonate with everybody that the way society has devolved, firearms training is something they need to do," he said. "Recent events of society have opened their eyes that they need to do this now."
Elite training classes help gun owners avoid having to ever use their firearms, Hess said. That includes having "situational awareness" to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
"All of our training has failed us if we let ourselves get to the point where we have to use our lethal force on another human being," he said.
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