Sault native trying to help a lesser-known sport get noticed

It’s a sport that isn’t on the radar the way most traditional sports are in Sault Ste. Marie, but for Scott MacWilliam, it’s something he’s always had an interest in.

For MacWilliam, the sport of competitive shooting, which includes the F-Class shoots that he has been a part of, is something he enjoys doing.

MacWilliam, whose home club is the Algoma Rod and Gun club locally, has been involved with the sport for a number of years and would like to see its popularity increase locally.

“People up in the north really don’t hear about it but it’s a big thing,” MacWilliam said. “I’d like to see more people get involved. I’ve got a great club that backs me.”

MacWilliam as the recent provincial event in Ottawa. Photo courtesy Billie Jo Wanamaker

He also said the people who compete aren’t always what you would expect.

“A lot of these guys are prominent businessmen,” MacWilliam said. “They’re doctors and lawyers. They’re people like that.”

MacWilliam also said that to watch an event, the “doom and gloom” stigma that follows the firearm industry isn’t there as it’s a competitive event like any other sport.

MacWilliam recently competed in the Ontario Rifle Association provincial and national championships in Ottawa and said it was an experience that was his first high-end competition where he won a provincial title and competed well in the national event.

MacWilliam said the Open F-Class that he competed in doesn’t have the limitations that lower classes have meaning it’s a little more expensive to be involved in as many in the class have guns that are modified to fit their own specifications. It differs from the lower classes that tend to see shooters use “mass-produced” rifles for their events.

“Most of the stuff (in the Open F-Class) is custom,” MacWilliam said. “All of your ammunition is custom made because it demands the highest quality precision.”

MacWilliam said the gear doesn’t change a lot between the competitors in the Open F-Class but the shooters will work with different models of similar equipment.

“We’re all running pretty much the same gear,” MacWilliam said. “Bring your best recipe to make it perform at 1,000 yards.”

MacWilliam said he’s always had an interest in the sport but has begun to have the time to get into the higher classes in recent years.

“It’s expensive to get into and it’s not something I could have done up until now and it demands a pile of time,” MacWilliam said.

“I’ve started building rifles lately and I have a friend in the (United) States (Bob Pastor) that is a past national champion and he's been coaching me along in building my stuff,” MacWilliam added. “It takes some time to tool up. There’s a machining aspect to it and pulling it all together.”

Preparing for the shoots isn’t as easy as just showing up and hitting a target 1000-yards away. MacWilliam said he had begun preparing for the shoots in Ottawa for “a little over a year” earlier.

He added that many of the competitors he saw in Ottawa had the opportunity to train on 1,000-yard ranges while he worked on shorter ranges locally to prepare. In order to make up the difference he had to focus on other things to prepare for what was his first high-level competition.

“I concentrate on making sure that my equipment is top notch,” MacWilliam said, adding that his contacts in the industry have also been a big help.

 “A lot of my learning curve was shortened because I can go to (get) the recipes that work,” MacWilliam said.

MacWilliam said the competition in Ottawa saw him compete against people from across the globe.

“I shot against some people from Australia and New Zealand and a past national champion from the United States,” MacWilliam said, adding that many made the trip to Ottawa as the World Championship next summer will be held at the same range in Ottawa.

After winning the provincial event in early August, MacWilliam finished among the top 100 out of 400 competitors in the National F-Class Championship in Ottawa that wrapped up on Aug. 12.

“The competition is pretty fierce,” MacWilliam said.

“They try to be fair (with when competitors shoot),” MacWilliam said while talking about the difference the weather can make in shooting.

“I’ve been shooting for a long time so reading the wind takes a lot of practice,” MacWilliam said. “You don’t even necessarily need to be shooting to do it. You just need to be watching to see how it changes.”

MacWilliam said he plans to participate in more events next summer and hopes to participate in the World Championship next August.