Nineteen-year-old Gabriel “Gabe” Gavrock of Hernando, Mississippi, secured his place in the history books this August when he became the first junior to win the F-Class F-TR Mid-Range National Championships in the sport’s history, breaking his own national record in the process.
Gabe currently competes in F-TR as a member of the United States Under 25 (U25) F-Class Team. He uses a .308 rifle featuring a Defiance Action, Nightforce 15-55x52 scope, and barrels his father Jimmy chambers in his home shop (Bartlein and Brux). Gabe takes great pride in loading his own ammunition, favoring a 200-gr. Berger Bullet with Vihtavuori Powder in Lapua brass. “I never show up to a match without a rifle that has a perfectly in-tune load.,” Gabe said.
Jimmy taught his son about firearm safety and introduced him to marksmanship at eight years old, but recognized that by age 15, his son needed more. “Gabe would help me in our shop making ammo for shooting long range,” Jimmy said. “We would go to the range afterwards and compete against each other. I saw that he had a competitive spirit and encouraged him to try out competition.” A family friend invited them to an F-Class match at Desoto Rifle and Pistol Club. Surprisingly, Gabe emerged victorious, claiming the match win in his first-ever formal competition at age 15.
From this first match on, Gabe continued winning, claiming the Midsouth regional championship the same year. He has continued this momentum, currently on track to be the DeSoto Rifle and Pistol Club’s Shooter of the Year for the fourth consecutive year, dating back to his very first year of F-Class!
Gabe set two junior national records in 2023; a 200-16x fired at 600 yards at the Missouri State High Power F-Class Mid-Range State Championship and a 600-41x fired at 600 yards at the Midsouth Regional in Lakeland, Tennessee. This second record accompanied another overall win. His 2025 Nationals score of 1784-100x included a 200-17x that beat his own 2023 junior national record.
While his 2025 National Championship win has turned heads, it’s impressive to note that Gabe was very close to this feat in 2024, placing second overall. This finish inspired him to work even harder towards top honors in 2025. With this goal achieved, Gabe has his sights set on becoming the F-TR 1000-Yard Long Range National Champion. “Marksmanship has taught me to be much more patient,” Gabe said. “It has helped me with self-discipline so that I can be successful at whatever I set out to achieve.” He regularly reviews his past scores to see the growth he has made since the start of his shooting career, and is grateful for the lasting memories he’s been able to create with his family on the range.
Described by friends and family as quiet and humble, Gabe always retains an enviable focus that his father believes gives him an advantage. “He is known for not smiling much and not because he is unhappy, but this is just his nature,” Jimmy explained. “I find it sometimes amusing that it gets under people’s skin when he wins a competition and people don’t see him smiling and bragging. Gabe has an amazing ability to focus under pressure and never appears or shows any signs of being nervous when most people would completely fall apart.”
Gabe encourages new competitors to find and learn from a mentor, advice that applies to any skill. In addition to shooting, Gabe wants to learn to chamber precision rifle barrels from his father. He is currently an honor roll student at Northwest Mississippi Community College, considering a career in real estate investment.
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