Rutherford County School Resource Officer Wins Shooting Award

Sep 14, 2012 at 08:23 pm by bryan


           A Rutherford County Sheriff’s school resource officer captured the state title for long-range shooting with a rifle while his son earned the junior state title.

            SRO Ron Ralston of Stewarts Creek Middle School and his son, John, 15, an Oakland High School sophomore, competed in a National Rifle Association competition recently at Arnold Air Force Base in Tullahoma . They won the 1,000 yard event.

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            This is Ralston’s first state championship after shooting long distance for about five years.

            Both Ralston and his son compete with a 308-caliber target rifle. Competitors are judged on accuracy after firing 20 round-relays.

            Ralston credited quality equipment, hours of practice and ability to reload the weapon as keys to winning.

            “At distances like that, you have to watch the wind and other environmental conditions constantly or you might shoot your neighbors’ target,” Ralston said. “At 1,000 yards, a 10 mph wind can blow a bullet nearly 10 feet off course.”

            He will advance to the national championship later this month.

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