The PRS competitive landscape saw a significant shift in early 2024 with a comprehensive update to the standardized Skills Stage. This revision didn't merely introduce variety; it entirely reset the benchmarks for speed and efficiency previously held by the singular, well-known barricade stage. Before the change, top competitors chased times like Francis Colon’s 25.92-second clean on the old format (8 shots from 4 positions), but now, with three new standard stage options in rotation, the slate has been wiped clean. Each of these new options requires 10 shots from 5 positions, ensuring consistency across two-day major competitions, according to precisionrifleblog.com.
Match directors have shown a clear preference for Option #1, the big/small target setup. This popularity led precisionrifleblog.com to pull and crunch stage data from four of the biggest PRS pro matches over the past several months, each featuring 175+ shooters. The analysis focused on clean runs, one-miss runs, and overall time distributions, aiming to provide much-needed context for what constitutes a truly competitive time on these new stages. For Option #1, the data reveals that a clean run under 60 seconds places a shooter solidly within the top 25%, while breaking the 45-second mark signifies an elite-level performance.
Recent standout performances underscore these demanding benchmarks. Ben Gossett, for instance, delivered an impressive 37-second clean run at K&M, a performance captured on video by Austin Buschman. His technique exemplified extreme efficiency: seamless movement, eyes locked on target between shots, and no discernible rifle movement during bolt manipulation. Such executions highlight the meticulous skill and relentless practice required to excel at these speeds without incurring misses.
The drive to achieve these blazing times is fueled by more than just personal bests. The PRS Skills Stage is often the only stage in a two-day match where time is officially tracked and used as a tiebreaker. This mechanism proved critical last season, deciding the winners in seven PRS pro matches that otherwise ended in a tie after hundreds of rounds. Adding to the pressure, Nightforce generously awards an ATACR 7-35x56 scope, valued at approximately $3,600, to the shooter with the fastest clean run at every pro match. While times from the old 8-shot stage aren't directly comparable, foundational techniques from shooters like Francis Colon remain universally applicable. As reported by precisionrifleblog.com, these benchmarks will undoubtedly continue to tighten as competitors push the limits of speed and precision throughout the season, with the pursuit of faster clean runs remaining a key focus for the sport's top competitors.
