The crowd erupted, one person after another standing to applaud 13-year-old Sydney Beiswanger. In less than 12 months of formal competition, she bested one of her mentors to claim the High Woman title in AR-Tactical at the 2025 NRA National Mid-Range Championships. Sydney’s performance also earned her second-place junior, first in the Master class, and fourth overall with a score of 2368-101x out of 2400, just nine points shy of the overall title.
Sydney is mature beyond her years with a penchant for shooting and desire to improve. Quiet and reserved, she listens and applies what her mentors have taught her, then shares it to help others. Retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant Julia Watson Carlson, multi-time National Champion, has been coaching Sydney as an ambassador for the Veteran’s Family Brigade (VFB).
“Sydney is delightful to work with,” Watson Carlson said. “She is calm and observant; she listens intently and watches those around her and is able to apply the knowledge that she has learned to improve her marksmanship skills.”
As the daughter of a gun manufacturer, Sydney grew up around rifles and began shooting and learning firearm safety at seven years old. It wasn’t until last summer, at the age of 12, that Sydney was introduced to formal marksmanship as a student at the Rifle Small Arms Firing School (SAFS). “The Small Arms Firing School in Camp Perry got me involved in marksmanship, and started my love for shooting,” Sydney said. “As well as that, the majority of my knowledge comes from some of the people at the Veteran’s Family Brigade such as Dwayne Lewis, Julia Watson Carlson, and Dan Duitsman. And most importantly it was my dad, who signed me up for SAFS and introduced me to the VFB, who got me into shooting.”
Sydney’s father Shaun Beiswanger has been involved in marksmanship for over two decades, primarily in sniper competitions and precision rifle. As founder of ACME Machine/ACME Rifles, he saw the need for more youth in shooting sports and partnered with the Veteran’s Family Brigade to make it happen. VFB is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that enables world-class veteran marksmen to compete in National-level marksmanship events while giving back to the community through marksmanship clinics and junior training.
Sydney has been fortunate to have been at the heart of this endeavor, learning from national champions with decades of experience to fast-track her marksmanship skills and journey. She has also become a coach herself, helping other kids and introducing members of the outdoor media to AR-Tactical at the 2025 Professional Outdoor Media Association’s Range Experience.
“I plan to inspire juniors to get into this sport, and my goal is to be a role model for them,” Sydney said. She encourages all competitors to practice and recognize that learning happens at all levels, even at the top. “Marksmanship has taught me that practice makes permanent, not perfect, how to stay calm in stressful situations, and a new type of problem solving.” One of her favorite things is making timely decisions on the firing line to keep her bullets center in differing wind conditions.
She shoots an ACME Machine AM-15 AR-T chambered in .22 ARC with a 22” barrel and Geissele two-stage National Match trigger. It is topped with the new ACME 3-16x44 AR-T Scope. AR-Tactical is a prone discipline that requires minimal equipment to get started. Sydney uses a shooting mat and bag from Creedmoor Sports, a Harris Bipod S-BRM, and Hornady ammunition. “I always have a sweatshirt on to get the gun into my shoulder without it getting too sore, and I always have a hat to get the sun out of my eyes. My must-haves are ear plugs, my prescription glasses/shooting glasses, and my iPad if the range has electronic targets. I always write my target number on my hands, so I avoid cross fires.”
In addition to AR-Tactical, Sydney is expanding into high power service rifle this year. Her primary goal is to reach the same level of performance in service rifle as she has achieved in AR-Tactical and pursue her Distinguished Rifleman’s badge, following in the footsteps of her mentors.
Proud father Shaun is excited to see what more Sydney will accomplish and hopes to grow junior programs across the country. ACME Machine and VFB brought a total of 17 juniors to the 2025 NRA Mid-Range Nationals, over eight times 2024 junior participation. Sydney fired on the winning junior team and placed high junior on day two of the matches, but it was watching Sydney beat out Julia Watson Carlson for high woman that stuck with him. “This being only her second competition and first full aggregate I could not be more proud of her and how she impacted the other juniors there,” Beiswanger said.
Sydney will be competing at the National Rifle Trophy Matches at Camp Perry this summer. Visit her on commercial row at ACME Machine, where she makes snack money with her younger sisters by selling crafts.
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