The sport of practical shooting traces back to the 1950s and grew out of America's love affair with TV Westerns of the time.
David Olhasso grew up on an avocado farm in Southern California. Many times, his dad wanted rattle snakes or squirrels eliminated, so young David would pick up a .22 caliber rifle and take care of business.
Now, at 39, Olhasso of the Holland section of Northampton is one of the best marksman in the country and can fire six bullets with pinpoint accuracy into a tiny target in little more than a second.
Years of practice at the Langhorne Rod and Gun Club have given him Popeye-like forearms, which enable him to control the recoil from a pistol. And it's paid off.
Olhasso placed 13th out of 150 participants in the Production Division at the Smith & Wesson 2009 U.S. Practical Association's National Handgun Championships held last month in Las Vegas.
"I was competing against professional shooters who do this for a living. I was happy with the results, but next year want to take first place," he said.
In a recent demonstration, Olhasso nailed a target with six shots from a .38 caliber revolver at the rod and gun club near his home. Without hesitation, he emptied six bullets into a target 50 yards away. He says up to 200 yards is "easy."
"It's mostly mental. I don't have to do any exercises to prepare for a tournament, but mentally you have to prepare yourself," he said. "You try to focus when you get to a match. You take all other things out of your mind and focus on what you are doing. Training is the key. You use your skills without making a mistake," he said.
At most tournaments, Olhasso fires an average of 250 rounds of ammunition. In Las Vegas, he fired 320 rounds.
And Olhasso is one of only 15 members of the Smith & Wesson national team. He finished 188 points behind first-place shooter and defending national champion Bob Vogel of Ohio.
"Our scoring system is based on points per second, or what we call the hit factor,'' said Dave Thomas, spokesman for the U.S. Practical Shooting Association, based in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. Four zones make up the target, with a bull's-eye earning the most points. Fewer points are accumulated when zones outside the bull's-eye are hit.
Olhasso is ranked a grand master, the highest skill level in the sport of practical shooting, and considered one of the top shooters in America, said Dave Thomas, spokesman for the U.S. Practical Shooting Association.
As a member of the Smith & Wesson team, he receives no pay, but the company helps with travel expenses, he says.
Olhasso, a computer systems engineer, said he has "enough" guns, but did say he has a .45 caliber handgun, 9mm handgun, .40 caliber handgun and .38 caliber revolver. He also makes his own ammunition, which today, he says is one of the most expensive parts of the sport.
The sport of practical shooting was established in 1976, but traces back to the 1950s and the quick draw "leather slap" competitions that grew out of America's love affair with TV Westerns of the time. Today, the sport represents the upper echelon of the shooting sports with many of its top shooters actively training law enforcement and military units on shooting techniques and equipment developed in competition.
Olhasso believes in the right to bear arms and has a permit to carry a pistol. He also has encouraged his children, Nathan, 9, and Miranda, 5, to shoot firearms. Nathan already has begun practicing with a .22 caliber rifle.
"Without my wife, Alizabeth's support, I would not be able to do all the traveling I do for the competitions," said Olhasso, who has visited places far away, including Greece and Bali.
He also is against gun registration and the numerous laws that regulate guns.
"A society without firearms is scary to me. I don't like government meddling in our lives. The gun laws they make I follow. If people are lawless, they are lawless and will ignore any law, not just a gun law," he said. "If you commit a crime with a gun, you should be put away for life."
"All my guns are locked in a safe. I grew up with guns and safety is No. 1," he said.
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October 6th, 2009
Holland man takes aim at National shooting title
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