HURRICANE — Shooters from all over the west will take aim during the Berry’s Steel Open beginning Thursday at the Southern Utah Practical Shooting range inside the Southern Utah Sports Park in Hurricane.
“I’m excited because this event showcases two great things that a lot of folks in Washington County aren’t aware of,” said Ken Nelson, match director for the Berry’s open and president of the Southern Utah Practical Shooters nonprofit that runs the Southern Utah Shooting Sports Park. “The first is the Southern Utah practical shooting range, which is recognized all over the world as among the best competition shooting event complexes. The second is Berry’s Manufacturing, located in St. George, which makes hundreds of millions of bullets used by ammunition manufacturers all over the world.”
Approximately 280 shooters are expected for the four-day event, which has grown significantly since it drew 60 for the first Berry’s Steel Open in 2014. Nearly all the competitors are from outside Washington County, Nelson said.
Spectators are welcome and are encouraged to bring ear and eye protection.
“Shooting sports have gained prestige in our region in the last few years in large part because of our Southern Utah Practical Shooting Range,” said Kevin Lewis, director and CEO of the St. George Area Sports Commission. “This type of outdoor recreation has a tremendous following and attracts a significant number of visitors to the St. George area.”
The competition is set up as a three-way match, with stages of Steel Challenge, Action Steel, and Par Time. Divisions are available for most centerfire handgun and pistol caliber carbines, allowing for a diversity in skill.
Event details
- What: Berry’s Steel Open
- When: Feb. 9-12
- More info: Southern Utah Practical Shooters Inc. – website | Facebook page
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