Helmbold sets national shooting record

Cody Helmbold knew he had a good round going, and so did his coach, Robert Taylor.

Helmbold was taking part in the monthly high-power match at the Mother Lode Gun Club on Jamestown Road. He was firing about once per minute in the 100-Yard Junior Off-Hand competition.

When his tense, 20-shot turn was finished, Helmbold, 16, of Jamestown, was the new holder of the national record in that category.

His score of 196-5X — 196 points out of 200, with five direct hits on a tiny X in the center of a target smaller than a dinner plate — eclipsed the mark of 194-7X held since 2001 by Ben Fox of White City, Ore.

Off-hand is a difficult discipline, as shooters are standing up instead of sitting or lying down.

“There’s no support (for the heavy AR-15 rifles) and there’s no sling,” Taylor said.

Helmbold’s record, set during the February match, was announced during the club’s March high-power event. Since competitions are held all over the nation, it takes some time for the sanctioning National Rifle Association (NRA) to collect and verify results.

On the day of his record performance, Helmbold had a feeling something special might be happening — and tried not to think about it.

“I just kept shooting,” he said.

Taylor had that feeling, too.

“When I looked through the (observation) scope, I had to check to make sure I was on the right target,” Taylor said. “I just said, ‘Wo!’ I took the scope away from him after the 13th shot. I didn’t want it to get into his head. I said, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, because it’s working.’ ”

Helmbold was unfazed, and after the final shot, Taylor said, “He had a grin from ear-to-ear.”

When Helmbold, who is a junior at Sonora High School, isn’t shooting, he takes part in band and the Snowriders ski and snowboard club.

He has been shooting for about 2 1/2 years, is a graduate of the gun club’s popular Junior .22 Program and is a member of the record-setting California Grizzlies Junior Service Rifle Team.

This summer, he’ll make his first trip to the NRA’s National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio, where the Grizzlies set a national junior record last year in the prestigious “Rattle Battle” rapid-fire competition.

“I’m excited and nervous,” Helmbold said. “I’ll be competing against nationally ranked shooters ... everyone.”

He said he had no particular aspirations when he began shooting, but that changed after “Robert got me shooting high-power.”

The record wasn’t a total surprise to Taylor.

“Cody has always been a pretty good off-hand shooter,” he said.

Taylor, a former Grizzly himself and now the coach of the team, figures Helmbold is ready for the big stage at Camp Perry.

“I’m looking forward to having him compete with us,” Taylor said.