While in the Marine Corps, it was commonplace to hear the saying, “Train how you fight.” I look at hunting in the same light. I want to practice my marksmanship the same way I hunt. After zeroing a handgun, I verify my zero and practice from positions that I often find myself in while hunting.
Every Father’s Day weekend in Newcastle, Wyoming, Handgun Hunter’s Charitable Foundation (HHCF) hosts Handgun Hunters Competition. HHCF is a 501c3 with a board completely made up of handgun hunters.
We are fortunate to have multiple ranches offered for us to use every year. This allows us to keep the course of fire constantly changing. We can add new challenges, place competitors right in the very spots some of our board members hunt big game, and push the competitors to make them better shooters.
We completed our 5th year of HHC over Father’s Day weekend.
The Reason Behind HHC
Handgun Hunters Competition (HHC) was founded to help other handgun hunters practice under field conditions. Placing competitors in scenarios similar to what they may face in the field will help them learn how to make better shots on game.
Every year, following the competition, we receive feedback on how HHC helped make participants successful in the field that season. That is what HHC is all about—improving handgun hunter marksmanship, gathering together with like-minded people, a little friendly competition, all while quite literally having a blast.
Honoring Mark Hampton
HHC 2025 had a little extra meaning to it. A well-known handgun hunter who holds multiple Safari Club International records, writer for FMG Publications, writer of multiple handgun hunting books, and the man I looked up to as a mentor passed away in 2024. Mark Allan Hampton played a great role in getting HHC to where it is today as the largest gathering of handgun hunters in the world.
Match Format
Each of our board members leads a squad of shooters around the various stages. This year, we had eight stages: six long course stages with multiple targets and two speed stages with one target per division.
Our shooting format is based on a par time format, and our scoring focuses on accuracy, rewarding you more for hitting a target the first time. We use all-steel targets that, for the most part, are vital size for the animals we commonly pursue. The two speed stages force the competitor to get into position and engage one target quickly, just like spot and stalk hunting in the west.
A challenge for all
We have competitors that travel from both coasts and everywhere in between. They all find a challenge within the match that resembles a scenario they have faced on their home turf.
We have multiple divisions, and we let competitors shoot as many divisions as they want. HHC has rimfire, revolver/pistol iron sights, revolver/pistol optics, and single shot divisions.
Our rules are written to make an off-the-shelf production firearm competitive but yet we leave room so you can bring your favorite custom. With our varying courses of fire from year to year, it is virtually impossible to build a gun just for HHC. We have successfully eliminated the equipment race in our competition, which is no small feat.
The firearms divisions
Rimfire
Rimfire division is based around the common semi-automatic pistols and revolvers chambered in .22 LR. We see every brand and make on the line. Most will run either a red dot optic or a handgun scope.
Revolver/Pistol Irons and Optics
Revolver/pistol irons and optics divisions are just what they sound like: your chosen firearm with iron sights or optics, depending on which division(s) you enter.
We see every make and model on the line here, as well. In these divisions, we see quite a few factory unmodified firearms. Few semi-autos compete, but we do see a pretty even mix between double and single action revolvers. .357 and .44 Magnum are the most common chamberings. For the optics division, we see both red dots and handgun scopes.
Single Shot
Single shot division is wide open. We see everything from the T/C Contender to custom Remington XP-100 pistols. We do have cartridge restrictions, but we see everything that is possibly allowed, used by competitors.
Winning single-shot setups do have a few things in common with each other. They generally run a muzzle brake to reduce gun movement during recoil, and they run a rifle scope. This combination allows the competitor to be in a much tighter position when they shoot. If they keep recoil modest, they can also spot their own shots.
Going the distance
With all these handguns, you might be wondering—how far do we actually shoot? Rimfire and revolvers/pistols with both irons and optics will shoot out to a maximum of 150 yards. Single shots will engage targets within 400 yards.
150 yards with a straight wall pistol round is quite challenging and an educational experience. Wind drift with the short and fat bullets can be substantial.
Friendly competition
Don’t worry, there will be help spotting both your hits and misses on the line. Multiple people will often be on the line with magnified optics to help correct you onto a target. We all want to see each other have success and learn from our mistakes. After all, the goal here is to turn out better handgun hunters.
2025 winners
Over the past five years of HHC, we have seen competitors start out at the bottom of the rankings and climb to the top. This year, we had some new winners for each division. Iron sights was won by Brian Drake. Mladen Simovic won revolver optics. Rimfire was won by Jeff Vicars. Single shot was also won by Mladen Simovic.
As soon as we were done picking up the steel targets, planning for Handgun Hunter’s Competition 2026 began.
I always look forward to Father’s Day weekend. It’s a chance to help grow the sport I enjoy, meet with other handgun hunters, and push the limit of what is thought possible with a handgun.
