ACACThe Ancient City Airgun Challenge has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in the shooting community, and 2025’s edition did not disappoint. From the moment shooters arrived at the course to the final speed shoot showdown, it was a day packed with competition, camaraderie, and a few surprises along the way.
Check out all the details about the event here.
This year’s Course of Fire at the Ancient City Airgun Challenge truly put competitors to the test. According to Neil, “it was a highly competitive and challenging Course of Fire for sure, but hopefully it was a lot of fun for everyone at the same time.” And from the looks of it, it absolutely was. Targets were set up with a devilish twist: some were approximately 50% smaller than typical setups for their distance. Imagine the challenge of taking on 25-yard scale chicken Target Forge KYL’s — at 50 yards! Add a bit of wind and a little instability into the mix, and you had yourself a real test of skill and patience.
Beyond just hitting the targets, it was clear that the course difficulty didn’t truly reflect the impressive skill levels of all participants. The event page has a full breakdown, but here’s a quick recap:
Top Shooters for the 2025 Ancient City Airgun Challenge:
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1st Place: Scotty Orvin from Georgia (360/480)
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2nd Place: Sebastian Prieto, who made the journey from Argentina (340/480)
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3rd Place: The ever-consistent Hugo Leal (320/480)
Big congratulations to all the top shooters on the day! 👍👍
The Speed Shoot Showdown at the Ancient City Airgun Challenge
As intense as the main event was, the speed shoot was where the real fireworks happened. Man, that was a blast and a half. The crowd was electric, cheering on their favorites as dark horse Sammy Garcia knocked out Terry Clark to secure a spot in the final. On the other side of the bracket, Chris Brauda KO’d Phil Haynes — who had traveled all the way from Panama City, Florida — to set up a final showdown.
It came down to Chris vs. Sammy in an epic finale. With the tricky 1/4” leg and shifting winds causing a few heart-stopping moments, the crowd was split 50/50 on who would walk away with the title. In a display of pure speed and precision, Chris Brauda emerged victorious. Congratulations, Chris! 👍👍
For a deeper dive into the event details, photos, and sponsor shoutouts, make sure to visit the Ancient City Airgun Challenge event page.
Huge Thanks to the Ancient City Airgun Challenge Sponsors
We can’t talk about the success of the Ancient City Airgun Challenge without giving a massive shoutout to the sponsors who helped bring it all to life:
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Main Event Sponsor: Palm Beach Airguns – Huge gratitude to Palm Beach Airguns for leading the charge and supporting the event at the highest level!
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Envirolog – Makers of environmentally-conscious firelogs and firestarters that are better for your fires and better for the planet.
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Tap Simple – An easy-to-use, secure payment processing solution that makes fundraising and transactions simpler than ever.
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DonnyFL – Specialists in airgun moderators and accessories designed for the serious shooter.
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Accu-Tac – Precision-engineered bipods and shooting solutions for next-level stability and accuracy.
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Kinetic Development Group – Cutting-edge weapon platform innovations built for reliability and performance.
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Midnight Oil Holdings – Sellers of premium coffee and artisan leather goods — two things every adventurer needs.
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Talon Airguns – Leaders in high-performance airguns engineered for serious competition and hunting.
Each of these sponsors played an essential role in making the 2025 Ancient City Airgun Challenge an unforgettable event. Please take a moment to check them out — they’re a huge part of what makes the airgun community thrive!
Why the Ancient City Airgun Challenge Matters
Events like the Ancient City Airgun Challenge aren’t just about scores and trophies (though, let’s be honest, taking home a win feels pretty great). They’re about bringing people together — from Panama City, Florida to Argentina and everywhere in between — to celebrate the passion we all share for precision shooting.
It’s about pushing yourself against tough competition, weathering the wind, mastering those tiny targets, and making new friends along the way. Whether you hit every shot or not, just stepping onto that course puts you among some of the best.
Check out this years results here!
And for anyone who missed out this year — don’t worry. Planning is already underway for the next Ancient City Airgun Challenge, and if 2025 was any indication, you’re going to want to be there.
Be sure to stay updated and bookmark the event page so you don’t miss the announcements for the 2026 competition.
