Excitement was in the air as I stepped onto the sun-drenched grounds of the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, for the 2023 global King of 2 Miles (KO2M) shooting competition. My own anticipation was not only due to attending this pinnacle event for long-range shooting as a spectator, but because we at Barrett had something truly special up our sleeves: a shooting team of ten competitors ready to make their mark by competing with MRADELR™ rifles that were still months away from the product launch.

That eagerness was also heightened by the incredible pre-competition achievements of our test engineer, Jay McLean, with the MRADELR™ rifle having achieved remarkable results with a 6-inch group at 1 mile. This energy was further fuelled by the amazing results our team members were getting while practising in Raton during the days leading up to the competition.

The Barrett MRADELR™s featured a striking white and black dazzle paint scheme. Chambered in .416 Barrett, the Barrett team used 500 grain Cutting Edge Lazer Bullets. When our team started unboxing the rifles at the beginning of the competition, the crowd's reaction was electric.The unexpected yet obvious presence of Barrett created a ripple of excitement and curiosity among spectators and competitors alike. It was clear that our team’s matching rifles and jerseys had already made an impression before a single shot was fired.

As the competition progressed, all eyes were on our group of shooters. Among them, Justin Wolf with his spotter, James Archer, showcased extraordinary skill and precision early on. The defining moment for their team came during the finals, where Justin engaged all seven targets, the furthest being an impressive 3526 yards. Out of 69 competitors, only three managed to hit all targets and Justin was one of them. When the dust settled, our teams did incredibly well with Justin and James securing a well-deserved 2nd place, Gene Nowaczyk and spotter Jeff Parker placed 11th, with Ronnie Wright and spotter Jay McLean placed 13th, reflecting the impressive depth of talent within our ranks.

Furthermore, the Barrett teams were using the only factory configured rifles present, represented 11% of competitors, yet reflected 21% of the global Top 14 finalists. These accomplishments were more than just good performance leading to a podium placement; it was a testament to the precision and reliability of our new rifle.

Justin later shared his thoughts with a grin that spoke volumes. “It’s always amazing to shoot big ELR events like this. The feeling of accomplishment of making the finals and having this success with the new Barrett equipment is second to none.”

The overall performance with our rifle at the KO2M competition is a source of immense pride for Barrett. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in long-range shooting. As the event drew to a close, I couldn’t help but realise that we had just experienced firsthand what makes this rifle a game-changer in the world of extreme long-range shooting.