Once titled “The King of the Long Ball” in the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) magazine, the title he’s most proud of winning is “Top Law Enforcement” on the Eddy Rhodes Memorial traveling trophy. Tate says: “I truly enjoy shooting competitions, and the people who are there with me. I believe in working with young and new shooters and I have had amazing complements from parents of new shooters. I believe any shooter wearing a fancy shooting shirt should be helping the young and new shooters get into the sports.”
What age were you when you first started shooting?
I started shooting when I was nine years old, with my pellet gun and 22LR rifle and I was hunting that same year. My mom and dad bought my first Daisy pellet rifle and my granddad bought my first single shot 22LR rifle. I hunted with my granddad and dad and fell in love with it. I grew up in the country and could just walk in any direction to hunt birds and rabbits until my parents came home from work. I drove to high school with my shotgun and rifle in the window rack of my truck so when the bell rang, I could go out in the country hunting and shooting. I would rather be out hunting than almost anything else.
Who introduced you to shooting?
My dad first taught me to shoot and I have had some amazing shooters teaching me since. I have been very blessed to hang out with awesome competition shooters over the years, who have taught me many practical techniques and I have been to A LOT of shooting schools. I had a good friend named Rod Current, who took me under his wing when my dad passed. Rod was a paint and body guy who knew more about competition shooting than a lot of the pros do today and he tried very hard to get that information and technique into my thick skull. Rod and I spent hours each day for several years practicing and he was the one to take me to my first major match in 2000.
I chose the many disciplines I compete in because there are so many fun and exciting shooting sports. I really enjoy shooting almost everything, but I just need more time and more money to shoot them all. I have shot 3-Gun Outlaw, IPSC, 3-Gun Nation, Precision Rifle Series, Precision Rifle Series Gas Gun Series, Law Enforcement SWAT, Law Enforcement/Military Only, Sporting Clays, Industry Masters, Action Handgun, International Defense Pistol Association (IDPA) as an adult and IPSC, 3-Gun and indoor 22 matches when I was a young boy to middle-school age.
What’s been the most valuable lesson you have learned from shooting?
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from shooting sports, which I only learned as an adult and try to pass along to as many young and new shooters as I can, (besides being safe of course) is to have fun!
Why did you choose to specialize in long-range and 3-Gun competitions?
I shoot long-range and 3-Gun competitions mainly because there just isn’t enough time to shoot everything. I have the most fun and have excelled at 3-Gun Outlaw and long-range matches over the last decade, mostly due to spending more time in these two disciplines. I also feel these two disciplines complement each other really well.
Tell us about your competition set up.
My long-range set up is a FNH SPR rifle (in either 6.5mm or 6mm Creedmoor) with a Leupold MK 6 3.5–25 mounted with WARNE rings or a Seekins AR with Leupold VX3i LRP, mounted with a WARNE 20MOA mount. Some matches require a handgun where I either take an STI or Glock 9mm. I use an Eberlestock GSII pack to carry ammo, food, pillows, slings, elbow pads, Kestrel, pen, paper, tools, and anything else I can throw in. I love shooting factory Hornady Match ammunition in my rifles and American Gunner handgun ammunition. I will also load ammunition to as close to the same load as factory Hornady ammunition.
My 3-Gun set up varies from match to match, depending on the rules. I have mostly shot He-Man, Heavy Metal or Heavy Tac Ops for close to 15 years. The rifle that is my favourite and go to for most matches is my DPMS GII Lightweight Hunter, with Leupold MK 6 1–6 and WARNE SKEL mount. I use either a Benelli Supernova pump or Remington Versa Max semi-auto shotgun and either an STI 1911 45 ACP or STI 2011 9mm depending on the rules. I also use a Safariland belt, mag pouches and shell holders. I only use factory Hornady ammunition for major 3-Gun matches.
How do you prepare for competitions in terms of training and practice?
You must confirm your rifle zero and data for long range targets. Plus match up your ballistics program and tools to the rifle and ammunition for the atmosphere you are in and are going to be in. I use a Kestrel which is worth its weight in gold. Practicing is extremely important. The visual experience during practice is what helps with the visualization at major matches.
The most important thing I can say about training and practice is: Those who want it bad enough will do what it takes to ensure they win. A lot of focused training at the highest level of effort, as often as you can is what gets the wins. The better physically fit you are, the better you will perform in competition period. If you want to win your class/division/category, you better prepare both mentally and physically.
What has been your greatest achievement in your shooting career?
I have been awarded some amazing titles and achieved many goals, from “King of the Long Ball” to Champion to Match Champion and Top SWAT to Top Law Enforcement. I’ve won six or seven gold medals at the Law Enforcement Olympics one year and I have continuously won the Eddie Rhodes Memorial High Law Enforcement Trophy for 10–13 years straight. However my greatest achievement in my shooting career has been having fun while doing something I love and helping young and new shooters to enter the sport to share that fun.
Do you have any goals for the future?
My son Tristan has expressed some interest in the shooting sports. I would like to help him compete in some major matches and spend that time bonding, while showing him some of the shooting sports I’ve had so much fun competing in.
How long have you been a Hornady sponsored shooter?
I have been a Hornady sponsored shooter for 15-17 years. I am very blessed to have amazing sponsors and for that I am very grateful. Hornady ammunition is accurate, deadly and dependable. That isn’t just a slogan, it’s true.
