Competition Shooter Profile - Brian Lawson

Photo by Oleg Volk

Name:  Brian Lawson
Home State:  Washington
Years Shooting:  22
Years Competing:  3
Competition Types:  Rimfire Challenge, Speed Steel, Trap, IDPA

Notable Awards and Competition Placements:
21st Overall 2015 Rimfire Challenge World Championship
4th Overall 2015 Pacific Northwest Speed Championship
15th Overall 2015 NSSF Idaho Rimfire Challenge NW Championship

NSSF Rimfire Challenge Class Preference:  OPEN!

Gear Rundown:
Pistol – Ruger Mark III Frame with 22/45 LITE Upper “MKIII LITE”
Striplin Custom 90° C-More Mount
16MOA C-More Aluminum Railway
TandemKross Game Changer Compensator
TandemKross Titanium Firing Pin
TandemKross Tool Steel Extractor
TandemKross LCI Replacement Panel
Volquartsen Sear
Volquartsen Hammer
Polished Internals

Photo by Oleg Volk

Rifle – Ruger 10/22 Superlite
Tactical Solutions SB-X Barrel
Striplin Custom 90° C-More Mount
12MOA C-More Aluminum Railway
KIDD Single Stage Trigger
KIDD CNC Bolt
KIDD Buffer
BlackHawk! Knoxx Axiom Stock
JWH Custom Charging Handle
Raven Oversized Trigger Group Pins
TandemKross Titanium Takedown Knob
TandemKross 10/22 Mag Bumpers

Ammunition Preference:  CCI Standard Velocity

Sponsors:  TandemKross / Striplin Custom Gunworks

Please describe yourself in 200 words or less.
I was Active Duty Army for 7+ years as an 11B, Infantry, from 2004 to 2011.  My 1st assignment was with the Honor Guard in Washington DC, performing funerals in Arlington National Cemetery.  I was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2008-09, and medically retired from the Army in 2011 out of Fort Bliss, TX.  When I got back to Whidbey Island, I set the video game controller down and hit the range often.  I stumbled across Speed Steel and have been hooked ever since, chronicling my adventures via YouTube as “Lawson11b”.  In November 2015 I will be 3 years free of video games. Shooting matches, cleaning equipment, and becoming a gunsmith fills my days and makes me happy.

Do you enjoy any other hobbies?  YouTube

How did you get started competing in Rimfire Challenge?  Stumbled across a match one day at the range and came to the next one. I’ve been hooked ever since.

Any advice you would like to give to new competitors just starting out with Rimfire Challenge?  Do not buy cheap optics, and buy a LOT of 22LR ammunition.  When it comes time to upgrade your guns, do your homework and read the reviews.  It will save you a lot of time, energy, and money.

How do you practice and prepare for competitions?  My small local matches I do not prepare for aside from confirming zero.  Bigger matches I tend to practice 4-7 days in a row shooting various stages with the help of a mentor.

Is there anything, or anyone, specific that helped you progress from a good competitor to a great competitor?  Yes, becoming sponsored by TandemKross greatly improved my game.  I also have a great mentor, Steve Mooney, who helps me practice for big matches.  We also carpool to the smaller, local matches as well.

What do you enjoy most about NSSF Rimfire Challenge competition?  The people, and the camaraderie.  Nicest group of people you’ll ever find.

Is there anyone you would like to thank or recognize?  Bryan Haaker & Jake Wyman from TandemKross, Steve Mooney, Larry Davis, and Bruce Barchenger.

Want to know more about Brian?  Here are his social media sites.
Lawson11b Facebook: www.facebook.com/Lawson11bravo

Google+: www.google.com/+Lawson11b

YouTube Channel: www.YouTube.com/user/Lawson11b

Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Lawson11b

Website: www.Lawson11b.com

Special thanks to Shooting Sports Photographer Oleg Volk.  http://olegvolk.net/blog/  

22 LR Ammo Test - CCI Velocitor 40 Grain CP HP

CCI Velocitor is the fastest of the five 22 LR loads classified as Small Game ammunition.  The heavy 40 grain hollow point bullet is driven to 1435 feet per second velocity, which puts it between the high velocity and hyper velocity CCI loads.  The Velocitor features a unique copper plated hollow point bullet that was derived from Gold Dot bullet technology even though it looks nothing like the 40 grain Gold Dot bullet loaded in the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 22 WMR load.  I've never shot this particular load before, so I was very interested to see how it performed.

Following the previously established test
protocol, I used a Ruger 10/22 as the test rifle and all shots were taken at a range of 25 yards.

I had a little problem with the chronograph catching the velocity of all test shots due to the angle of the sun.  I ended up taking ten test shots to capture baseline velocity and all shots settled into a group of just less than .7 inches.  I usually only shoot five shots for the group.  This load appears to be sufficiently accurate for small game hunting.

After swapping the Clear Ballistics gel block for the target, I ran four test shots into the 6"x6"x16" clear gel.  The high-speed camera captured four very impressive temporary expansion cavities.  Even though two of our four test shots exited the gel block and were not recovered, it certainly appears that all four expanded uniformly across a narrow band of velocities between 1297 and 1317 feet per second.

My Thoughts on this Test
High velocity with controlled expansion and deep penetration are all great things to find in a small game hunting load.  The accuracy of this load in my 10/22 was also "good enough" for the intended purpose.  It may not deliver tack driving accuracy, but it will most assuredly ruin a rabbit or squirrel's day.

Final Verdict
Brick-Worthy  This is certainly a small game hunting load to buy by the brick.  It delivers exceptional down range energy and uniform expansion.  A video recap of the test is included below.
 
Direct Link To Video On YouTube