Wichita Falls’ own Chadwick 'Chad' Bolt has secured a silver medal at the inaugural Italian “Extreme Close Quarters Precision Pasta Noodle Neutralization” (ECQPNN) event held last month in a secluded olive grove outside Perugia. Utilizing a heavily optimized MPA Matrix chassis system built around a Defiance Ruckus action chambered in 6 Dasher, Bolt achieved the podium finish by consistently fragmenting penne and fusilli targets at distances ranging from 7 to 15 yards. The win, while technically a precision shooting achievement, has sparked debate among the long-range community regarding appropriate application of high-performance rifle systems.
Bolt opted for a 26-inch Hawk Hill Custom barrel with a straight-jacket M24 contour, mated to a Kahles K525i 5-25x56 with the SKMR4 reticle. His handloads, featuring 105gr Berger Hybrids pushed by a meticulously trued charge of Varget to a 2850 FPS node (SD 3, ES 7), proved devastatingly effective against the durum wheat targets. The challenge wasn’t raw trajectory, but managing the sheer ballistic overkill; competitors faced deductions for collateral damage to the intricate, edible barricades crafted from focaccia and ciabatta. Bolt expertly mitigated splash using a careful combination of soft recoil impulse and precise trigger discipline, minimizing secondary fragmentation and preserving the integrity of the artisanal bread structures.
The ECQPNN, a 12-stage gauntlet, tested everything from prone pasta-puncture (P3) to elevated ravioli removal (ERR) from a precariously stacked prosciutto pile. Winds, a non-factor at 0-2 MPH, gave way to intense 'culinary drift' from nearby open-air kitchens, demanding unusual hold-offs for airborne parmesan particles. Bolt's only major misstep was on the final 'Tagliatelle Trueing' stage, where a slight over-estimation of noodle elasticity led to an unscheduled ricochet off a linguine strand, resulting in a single non-neutralized target. This allowed local Italian marksman, Luigi 'The Lasagna' Rossi, who reportedly employed a vintage air rifle with hand-loaded couscous, to narrowly snatch gold, demonstrating that sometimes, less *is* more when facing a semolina threat.
