COOL UNDER PRESSURE

Not only is Chad Heckler a top-10-ranked Pro Series shooter in the Precision Rifle Series, he is also a gunsmith who chambers his own long-range rifles, as well as those of many of his competitors.

When 2021’s AG Cup came down to a three-way sudden-death shoot-off, Chad Heckler had it dialed in for the win.

PHOTOS BY CHAD HECKLER

The year ended with a bang – literally – for Chad Heckler. The Michiganbased long-range competitive shooter beat out the competition to win Precision Rifle Series’s coveted 2021 Armageddon Gear Cup title.

“The format of the AG Cup finale is unique in that the competitors are not allowed to communicate about stage planning or wind reading, and we are not allowed to observe anyone shooting with our binoculars or spotting scopes,” explains Heckler. “Those rules coupled with some very small targets made for one of the toughest, yet most fun matches of the year.”

The finale match was held December 10 through 12 at the K&M Training Facility in Finger, Tennessee. According to Heckler, the scores from the first two days were cumulative and only the top 15 competitors qualified to shoot on the third and final day.

“I made it into day three by finishing the two-day qualifier in 13th place, but that didn’t matter much because all the scores reset for everyone on the last day,” says Heckler. “The scores were tallied and posted on a TV screen throughout the day, but I never really looked at it because I figured that knowing my score wasn’t going to benefit me in any way … so I just put on my headphones, listened to my match playlist and kept to myself since we couldn’t talk to the competitors anyway.”

He continues, “Halfway through the day, people kept coming up to me and telling me to ‘Keep it up’ … but I really had no reference to what that meant. Was I in the top five? Was I tied for

first? Was I leading by four points? None of that really mattered to me until the end of the day, so I put it out of my mind.”

Fast forward to the end of the day, and there was a three-way tie for first place. It came down to a shoot-off at 745 yards.

“It was a sudden-death-style elimination where you had to hit the target to stay alive and after each engagement the target got smaller and smaller,” recalls Heckler. “In the end, I won the cup and the giant check, but I was only three shots away from things ending up with an entirely different outcome.”

In addition to his AG Cup finale win, Heckler’s other accomplishments in 2021 included first place overall in the Michigan series, first place overall in the Great Lakes Region, and 10th place overall in the National Pro Series.

Heckler also won his first pro match last year, a career highlight that he says is his most memorable moment so far.

“When I fired my last shot, my friend and shooting buddy Francis Colon ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug and congratulations,” he remembers. “It was an awesome feeling to have a competitor and friend be that excited for your success. The shooters, sponsors and people that make this sport possible are so incredible and I am grateful to have a series like the PRS as a platform to showcase and grow the sport.” When he’s not traveling around the country competing in PRS events, Heckler keeps busy with his gunsmithing company, 5X5 Precision (5x5precision. com), where he not only chambers his own rifles but also those of many of his competitors. He is also the creator of the Crush It timer, a rifle-mounted timer that allows the shooter to see how much time they have left during a stage.

“This is critical when you only have 90 seconds to engage nine to 12 targets at different ranges from improvised positions,” Heckler explains. “I am a firm believer that once you have the fundamentals of marksmanship down and have a good shooting rifle, that the rest of this game is mental. Time management is key for keeping you calm and confident on the clock and allows you to use all the time you have available to make the best shots possible.”

Look for Heckler to defend his AG Cup title this year, along with continuing to compete in the Great Lakes regional series and the PRS Pro series. 

Along with winning the Armageddon Gear Cup finale, 2021 also saw Heckler take first place overall in both the Michigan series and Great Lakes Region, plus 10th place overall in the National Pro Series.

Editor’s note: For more information on the Precision Rifle Series, visit precisionrifleseries.com.

Heckler has also invented a rifle-mounted timer so that a shooter can see how much time they have left during a stage.

CHAD HECKLER’S RIFLE & GEAR

• Leupold Mark 5HD and PR2 reticle • Lone Peak Arms Fuzion action • Bartlein Barrel chambered by 5X5 Precision in 6 Dasher • TriggerTech Diamond trigger • Masterpiece Arms BA Comp Chassis and scope mount • Accu-Tac bipod • Area 419 Maverick muzzle device • Berger 6mm 105-grain Target Hybrid bullet