Shooting Competition
Montana’s Governor’s 20 Showcases Top Law Enforcement Marksmen
Annual Governor’s 20 competition highlights camaraderie, precision, and pride among Montana’s best pistol shooters
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✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Helena, MT
Helena, MT For nearly three decades, Montanas Governors 20 competition has stood as one of the states premier tests of law enforcement marksmanship. This years event, held August 8-9 in Helena, once again brought together officers from across the state to determine who among them ranks in the top 20 pistol shooters. While at its core a test of accuracy and speed, the Governors 20 has evolved into something much more: a venue for professional growth, tactical education, and camaraderie among the states law enforcement community. The course of fire demands versatility. Competitors faced a challenging paper match requiring both left- and right-hand shooting out to 50 yards, followed by a timed steel plate rack designed to push shooters under pressure. Each officers scores were tallied into classes factory iron sights, optics-mounted, and enhanced. The range echoed with both the discipline of precision fire and the speed-driven urgency of timed drills, creating a balanced test of fundamental skill and applied competition tactics. Among the standouts was Corporal Matt Coleman, a Motor Carrier Services officer from Superior, Montana. Competing in the factory irons class with his duty-issued Smith & Wesson M&P9, Coleman took first place, surprising even himself given the depth of talent present. Ranked 14th overall in the final Governors 20 standings, he described the achievement as both humbling and motivating. There are guys whove been competing here since before I was born, Coleman noted, underscoring the generational continuity of the event. Colemans path to the Governors 20 began with an internal MCS competition earlier in the year. The winner of that match earns sponsorship to represent the agency at the statewide shoot. His victory in the agency match gave him the opportunity, and his consistent training shooting thousands of rounds annually carried him through to success on the larger stage. Shooting has been a passion since I was a kid, he said. But the real reward is the camaraderie among fellow officers across Montana. Beyond the competition itself, the Governors 20 also included educational opportunities, such as a session led by the FBI Ballistic Research Facility on terminal ballistics. Vendors and industry experts were present, offering shooters exposure to new gear and training concepts. The event further served a charitable cause, with proceeds benefiting the Mason Moore Foundation, which provides grants to law enforcement agencies for special programs and equipment not covered by government funding. Organizers stressed that the Governors 20 is not just about marksmanship but about building connections and sharpening skills under conditions that simulate the stress of real-world encounters. Officers must balance speed, accuracy, and composure while representing their agencies and communities. For many, participation is as much about pride and tradition as it is about competition. Looking ahead, Coleman expressed his intent to return annually, with the goal of breaking further into the top tier of the rankings. I want to improve at the 50-yard line and clean up my plate runs, he said, already identifying areas for growth. His remarks reflected the spirit of the competition: that even among the best, there is always room to improve.