Up Close With Ryan Castonguay

The NRA/Springfield Armory M1A Rifle Match will take place on Sunday, August 3 at Camp Perry. In last year’s match, more than 500 competitors took over the range to win top honors and $25,000 in cash and prizes. Seventeen-year-old Ryan Castonguay made his mark in history as he was named Champion in the 2007 debut of the Springfield M1A Match.

I met up with Ryan on the range today as he was competing in the Whistler Boy High Power Trophy Team Match. Ryan, a resident of New Hartford, Conn., will compete in the M1A Match again this year.

As I spoke with Ryan, he talked modestly about what he anticipates to achieve at Camp Perry. Now as an 18-year-old, he hopes to finish within the top three of the M1A Match, which will be conducted at Camp Perry for the second time in the history of the match. He said that he isn’t shooting as well as he did last year, but he’s confident with his performance because of the amount practice he has done in preparation to this year’s National Matches.

Although he is involved with many shooting clubs from home, Ryan traveled to Camp Perry with the Connecticut State Rifle and Revolver Association. Other than focusing on high power rifles, Ryan also shoots smallbore rifles and is becoming acquainted with pistols.

Below are photos of Ryan that were taken today on the range.