The sound of bullets is ringing out from Briar Rabbit this weekend as over 300 United States Practical Shooting Association shooters descended on the premiere shooting facility for a weekend full of competition.

Throughout the day Friday, almost 50 volunteers shot their way through 11 stages in preparation for the 322 shooters that have been competing in the thirty-second annual Buckeye Blast competition since Saturday morning.

For the third year in a row, Briar Rabbit has hosted the state-wide competition that attracts about 450 people from far beyond Ohio.

The shooting facility is decorated with “stages” where each shooter must maneuver through while shooting various targets that are positioned along the stages. Shooters receive points based on speed and accuracy.

“You’re always battling the speed and accuracy of your shots,” Jeff Timmins, a certified range officer and member of the Maimi Rifle and Pistol Club in Cincinnati, said.

The amount of time between placing competitors can be fractions of a second.

Prior to the competition, certified USPSA clubs were required to submit their stage designs to the national organization 60 days before shooters flocked to Zanesville.

Of the submissions, 11 were chosen, set up and inspected by range masters certified by the USPSA.

Buckeye Blast is not a qualifying competition for nationals, although each shooter that plans to compete in the national competition is required to have a variety of previous competition experience, to which Buckeye Blast contributes.

The owners of Briar Rabbit, Jan and Elaine Crawmer, purchased Briar Rabbit about five years ago and have been hosting certified competitions for three of those years.

“We didn’t have a USPSA range, I shoot USPSA, we didn’t have USPSA range right in this area,” Chuck Rucker, the operations manager for Briar Rabbit and son to the owners, said. We’ve got, the closest one to us is Reyner’s in Blue Rock.”

Not only does Briar Rabbit bring USPSA shooting closer to home for some southeastern Ohio residents, it also brings shooters together to weave a community.

Rucker said the individuals involved in the shooting community are unmatched. If a shooter’s gun malfunctions at a competition, another shooter will offer their backup gun, or a necessary piece from it, to the other shooter.

The comradery between shooters is strong, but Timmins said the bond between certified range officers is close to family.

“The RO community that work these (competitions) is like a little family,” Timmins said of the 47 range officers working this weekend.

Between the range officers, hundreds of shooters and additional spectators visiting the area, Rucker said the competition is not only beneficial for local shooters but for the community, as well.

“All the competitors are coming in, they all come in the night before, stay in a hotel because they have to be at the range at 7 o’clock in the morning. A lot of them are driving from out of state. They’re all going to restaurants every night to eat.”

The visitors also rent vehicles if they fly in from farther states and contribute to local businesses in the area.

Buckeye Blast is open to the public’s viewing and community members are invited to attend.

Briar Rabbit is located at 2949 Granger Hill Rd. in Zanesville.