Fear & Loading: Zombies Coming Back to the Heartland

by
posted on February 22, 2019
** 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. **
zombies_lead.jpg

This year’s Hornady Zombies in the Heartland 3-Gun Match will take place May 31 to June 2 at the Heartland Public Shooting Park located in Grand Island, Neb. The event, now in its eighth year, will feature more zombies—a change requested by shooters—and stages to challenge all competitors, from expert to beginning.

A Pistol Caliber Carbine Division (PCC) is being offered this year, which features AR-15-style firearms chambered for pistol cartridges—9 mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. The class of firearms has grown in popularity in competition and Hornady is offering enthusiasts a chance to hone their zombie-hunting prowess in a new, two-gun division, where enthusiasts can utilize their PCC in place of handgun and rifle.

Registration is already open on the official website. A sponsor reception will take place before the match, May 30, at Riverside Golf Club.

With an unusual course-of-fire, Zombies in the Heartland attracts shooters from across the country and includes some traveling from outside the United States. Annually more than 400 shooters attend, with available slots sold out early each year.

The match will feature 10 competitive stages and five side-match states. Shooters will find new and reactive targets developed specifically for the event, with most targets breaking, falling over or moving. Participants will be required to compete with a pistol, rifle and shotgun. 

Heartland Public Shooting Park, operated by the Grand Island Parks and Recreation Department, is the largest and most comprehensive public shooting facility in America’s Midwest. It hosts a variety of regional and national events each year.

For updates follow the Zombies in the Heartland Facebook page. Sponsorship questions should be directed to Emily Mierau by e-mailing [email protected].

Hotel rooms can be reserved at the Boarders Inn and Suites (3333 Ramada Road, Grand Island, NE). Mention Zombies in the Heartland for reduced rates.

Latest

2026 New Suppressor Guide
2026 New Suppressor Guide

New Suppressors for 2026: A Full Guide

With the removal of the $200 NFA tax stamp on suppressors, the only sound reverberating across the firearms landscape is “cha-ching.”

MDT Now Offering Lone Peak Arms Rifle Actions

Earlier in 2026, MDT announced that it had acquired Lone Peak Arms, and now, the company's rifle actions are available to consumers.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 31, 2026

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

Review: TriStar KR.22

Manufactured by Kral Arms in Turkey, the TriStar Arms KR.22 is a lightweight semi-automatic that offers everything you need to get started or to perfect what you’ve learned over the years.

Safe Space: 5 Must-Have Accessories to Organize Your Gun Safe

It's a perennial problem for gun owners: not enough safe space. Here are five organizing products that will help you squeeze a bit more in your existing gun safe before you have to run out and buy another.

EAA's Witness2311 CMX XXX & SC9 XXX: A More Practical 2011 Design?

New for 2026, EAA Corp. is downsizing the Witness 2311 CMX design with the CMX XXX and SC9 XXX, two handguns that are built around an entirely new magazine.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.