Fear & Loading: Daisy National BB Gun Championship—53 and Counting

by
posted on July 12, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
daisy.jpg

For the past 53 years, some of the nation’s best 5-meter BB gun shooters—from the ages of 8 to 15—have gathered for a chance to earn national titles during the Daisy National BB Gun Championship Match. This year’s prestigious event was held June 30 to July 3 in Rogers, Ark., home of the famed airgun manufacturer.

The Wyandotte County 4-H (Kansas) team took top honors, although the victory was close. A single point separated it from the Pierre Junior Shooters (Pierre, S.D.), which was trying for a threepeat after claiming gold on 2017 and 2016.Erica Berger won the individual shooter National Championship, followed by Allee Smith, only a tenth of a point behind.

Fifty-five teams and roughly 2,000 shooters, coaches, families and fans attended the event. “This is the most prestigious 5-meter BB gun championship in the nation,” Daisy Public Relations Coordinator Tom Taylor told 5 News, one of the local TV stations covering the event. 

Teams traveled from as far away as Georgia, Oregon, Wisconsin and Virginia, and each were required to qualify by coming in first, second or third in a state NRA-sanctioned match. Any community or educational organization can form a team, but for a chance to attend the national championship, it must follow the curriculum outlined by Daisy, which features hours of classroom gun-safety and education prior to ever touching a gun. At the championship, those lessons are reinforced when competitors take a test covering gun safety and match rules, with the result making up 20 percent of their final score.

As always, the 53rd annual event featured a variety of fun activities, including a swimming party, barter bar and more, but Daisy also inducts a longtime leader in the BB gun shooting sports into its Hall of Fame. This year, Jim Eberwein, who has been a coach in Kansas for more than 30 years, joined the exclusive club. Denise Johnson, a Daisy employee who has planned, organized and administered the event for the past 15 years, was also inducted.

Youth shooters, coaches and parents interested in qualifying in 2019 can visit Championship’s website for full details.

Latest

Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web
Gotw Rra Lar 22 Tactical Carbine Web

Gun Of The Week: Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine

This week, we're on the range with the Rock River Arms LAR-22 Tactical Carbine, a rimfire variant of the AR-15 that's designed for reliability and gives enthusiasts a way to shoot affordably.

The Armed Citizen® July 11, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Japanese Last-Ditch Small Arms Of World War II

The crude assortment of fighting tools used by the Japanese during World War II give clues of an unprepared and unmatched last-ditch fight that ultimately lead to Allied victory.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors.

2025 Optic Of The Year: Burris Eliminator 6

Even as new generation after new generation of Burris Eliminator continued to add more advanced technology and functionality, it remained odd-looking—until the launch of this year’s sixth-generation product, which is the first in the line that can mount atop a rifle using standard 34 mm scope rings.

I Have This Old Gun: Star Model B

Of the many Spanish-made firearms to emerge throughout the 19th and 20th century, one of the most recognizable is the Star Model B, largely due to its similarity to the Colt Model 1911.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.