12 hundo in hondo competition
courtesy 12hundoinhondo.com
12 Hundo in Hondo rifle competition
courtesy 12hundoinhondo.com

Unlike many other areas of the country, Texas is still blessed with lots of open land. For shooters, that means lots of opportunities to reach out a little farther with your long gun. Within 45 minutes of my place on the Hays/Blanco County line, there are four ranges I know of that go out to at least 1,000 yards. Lots of landowners have ranges at those distances as well. Maybe it’s just my circle, but I know a whole lot of people who take long range shooting seriously.

Given all that opportunity and interest, I’ve been surprised that there are relatively few long range rifle matches held in our area, especially compared to other, more populated parts of the country. That’s why I’m stoked about the upcoming 12 Hundo In Hondo match coming up March 30th and 31st at the Valdina Ranch right outside of Hondo, Texas.

This one is a little different than other long-range style matches I’ve seen. First, it’s a team only match. It’s also very much set up as a “real world” match. There’s no stage walk-through prior to the shoot and no artificial props. You’ll use the terrain and property as it is.

There’s a reason it’s called “America’s best endurance team challenge match”. You and your teammate will be walking a little over six miles of Texas Hill Country with all of your gear. When you get to your stages, you’ll have to find your targets and make your decisions right then, with the clock ticking.

12 Hundo In Hondo Team Endurance Rifle Match
courtesy 12hundoinhondo.com

That’s the “endurance” part. But check the team part as well. This is a two-gun event. One of you will engage targets with an AR-15 out to 600 yards. The other team member will engage targets with a bolt gun out to 1,200 yards. The AR can be chambered in any AR-15 format caliber, such as 5.56 NATO, .300 BLK, 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel, etc. AR-10 rifles or chamberings will not be allowed. For the bolt guns, bring anything you want with the maximum caliber being .300 Winchester Magnum. Full rules here.

Check out the full gear list, but note that electronic range finders of any kind are a no-go. You’ll have to figure your holds the old fashioned way, using your eyes and your reticle. You can carry binoculars and spotting scopes and two different tripods along with wind gauges, shooting maps and all sorts of gear. But remember, you’re rucking that as well as all your water for the entire course. Choose wisely, because you have a total of four hours to finish the course.

12 Hundo In Hondo Team Endurance Rifle Match
courtesy 12hundoinhondo.com

The entry fee for each team is $525. That’s not cheap, and I had to look at the wallet a few times before signing up, but that’s the team cost, not the per-person cost. On top of that, the entry fee includes very nice lodging there at the ranch and all of your meals for Saturday and Sunday. It also includes the open bar steak dinner awards ceremony on Sunday.

The Valdina Ranch, where the match will be held, has a pool and a bar, as well as a 5-station shotgun range that any of the competitors can use outside of match time. Maybe somebody there can teach me to shoot a shotgun.

There are plenty of sponsors and prizes from MDT, Proof Research, Hawkins Precision, Manners Precision Stocks, US Optics, ZRODelta, TXT Custom Gun Works, HopticsUSA, Peak Case (they did the amazing case on my Ruger No. 1), J. Allen Enterprises and Tactical Walls.

I’ll definitely be competing, although my teammate and I haven’t decided which one of us will be shooting the AR and which will be shooting the bolt gun. I’m more comfortable with the AR, so I’m hoping to push myself a bit and shoot a new bolt-action rifle in 6mm SLR that should be done in the next month or two.

This should be a fun one, and a little different than other events out there. I’m really looking forward to it. If you’re in the area, or just willing to travel for a great event, I hope to see you there, and I hope your team scores almost as good as mine.

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21 COMMENTS

    • Darin Fink is an adventure and endurance race with some shooting thrown in. This is a very different event.

  3. Man, i’d love to have a range that went out to a 1000, here we’re stuck with a mini 100 yarder. OK for range toys and handgun, but just feels like a waist of ammo with an 06 or the like.

    • Last time I drove through, probably 10 years back, that sign was still there. I can also vouch for it being there in 1972.

    • Sign is still there. Some moron from Austin tried to have it taken down a while back. Even went to court. Locals just laughed at them and basically said come and try it, to both the moron and the court.

  5. OK, so what are the four >1000 yard ranges w/in 45 minutes of Casa de Taylor?

    Best of the West is a good facility, but I really wish there was one closer to western Travis County.

    • Best of the West is more than an hour away from me. I’m on the Blanco Hays border, not Hays Travis.

  6. That’s not cheap no. Really though when you think about it some duck hunts cost $350><. . Me I would rather lay on grass and bang away then sit in cold stinking duck sht water holding a cold cup of coffee, in a drizzle wishing for a hot dog blowing on a duck call with blue lips a rusting shotgun and wet shells.. Hoping for a shot, to bang away .

  7. “Carbine shooter will need to have one 20-round box of 6.5 Creedmoor ammo to use on one stage with the provided gun from ZRODelta.”

    DAMN YOU JEREMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. Do you know if they would allow hybrid sized ARs? Thinking specifically about the CMMG Anvil line in 6.5 Grendel.

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