SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (November 19, 2013) --- Smith & Wesson Corp announced today that with the successful completion of the inaugural International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) Back Up Gun (BUG) Nationals, competitors and sponsors have helped set a new precedent for the future of competitions for concealable firearms. Featuring three days of competition, 13 stages of fire, 210 competitors, and over 38,000 rounds of ammunition fired, both the IDPA and Smith & Wesson have deemed the BUG Nationals a major hit. After the final score was tallied at the Smith & Wesson Employee Shooting Sports Center, it was Mike Seeklander and Smith & Wesson’s own Jerry Miculek who stood atop their respective leaderboards.
“This year’s match went above and beyond the expectations of everyone involved,” said Mario Pasantes, Senior V.P. of Marketing and Global Professional and International Sales for Smith & Wesson. “Thanks to the efforts of the numerous staff members on the ground, sponsors and individuals working behind the scenes, the feedback we’ve received from the match has been extremely encouraging. The overall intent of this inaugural event was to provide competitors with an enjoyable, creative match in which to hone their defensive skills with concealable firearms and in doing so, we firmly believe that new standards have been set.”
At this year’s BUG Nationals, competitors encountered 13 diverse stages of fire, each designed to simulate self-defense situations that may be encountered in one’s every day life. Ranging from home invasions to carjacking and burglary scenarios, completion of each stage required tactical thinking and accurate shot placement. An attempt to push competitors out of their comfort zone was a main theme throughout the competition and thanks to efforts of groups like the U.S. Coast Guard Academy the objective was clearly achieved.
In the race for both the Standard Service Pistol (SSP) and Standard Service Revolver (SSR) Divisions, few were surprised to see the names of Mike Seeklander and Jerry Miculek on top. Each shooter was able to win their respective divisions by a healthy margin, leaving the battle for 2nd place highly contested. Miculek, competing with a 3inch Smith & Wesson Model 686, was able to eclipse Seeklander for the overall title with a final match time of 166.5 seconds. This impressive finish left Miculek ahead of other divisional competitors by more than 67 seconds. In the SSP Division, the race for first place was closer with Seeklander’s final time of 170.19 earning him the division title by less than 24 seconds over David Harrington.
Jerry Miculek was not the only Team Smith & Wesson member in attendance. Fellow revolver competitor Josh Lentz placed 3rd Overall in the revolver division. Team Captain Julie Golob and the newest member of the team, Randi Rogers, both competed in the SSP Division. Rogers claimed the ladies title with Golob making it a one-two sweep among the women. Rogers used an M&P Compact and Golob opted to compete with the new M&P Shield in 9mm.
“On behalf of Smith & Wesson, we would like to congratulate and thank all of the shooters who made this inaugural event such a huge success,” continued Pasantes. “Events such as this are only made possible by having the best competitors, sponsors and industry supporters. We would also like to recognize the IDPA for their continued support of the shooting sports and for working closely with us in order to make this match a reality. We hope that our efforts here will help set the groundwork for future back up gun matches and inspire new shooters to take up the sport.”
Congratulations to all of the Division Champions and Special Category Winners:
SSP Champion: Mike Seeklander
SSR Champion: Jerry Miculek
High Lady: Randi Rodgers
High Senior: Jerry Miculek
High Industry: David Harrington
High Junior: Clark Coneby
High Law Enforcement: James Meyers
High Military: Chad Barber
High Military Veteran: David Harrington
High Press: Mike Seeklander
Most Distinguished Senior: Paul Chamberlin
For more information on IDPA and the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals visit http://www.idpa.com/compete/competitiondetails/10662.
About Smith & Wesson
Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based leader in firearm manufacturing and design, delivering a broad portfolio of quality firearms, related products and training to the consumer, law enforcement, and military markets. The company's brands include Smith & Wesson®, M&P® and Thompson/Center Arms™. Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts and Maine. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.
