TFB Interview: Keith Garcia - IPSC Rifle World Shoot 2024

The 2024 IPSC Rifle World Shoot in Finland is one of the major international shooting competitions organized by the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC). The Rifle World Shoot gathered over 800 competitive rifle shooters from around the world and put their skills in dynamic shooting to the test. Competitors had to demonstrate speed, accuracy, and precision while navigating 30 diverse stages that included targets between 5 to 355 meters, moving targets, different shooting positions, and various props.

The IPSC World Shoot is one of the most prestigious events in the shooting sport. It attracts participants from a wide range of countries, showcasing the best rifle shooters in the world across multiple divisions, such as Open, Standard, and Manual Action. The event emphasizes the combination of athleticism, marksmanship, and strategy, offering an exciting platform for top-tier competitors and shooting enthusiasts alike.

In a series of interviews, TFB will talk to some of the best rifle shooters in the world, and pick their brains about how they configure their rifles, optics, gear and optimize their strategy. They will also share their best tips and tricks on how our readers can improve their own training and drills.

If you missed the background, please update yourself here: TFB Report: IPSC Rifle World Shoot III - 2024.

TFB Interview: Keith Garcia - IPSC Rifle World Shoot 2024

Our first interview is with Keith Garcia. Here we go:

TFB: Congratulations old man! The American team won a bronze medal, and you ended up fourth in the Semi-Auto Open Senior category. How does it feel?

Keith: I was proud of the effort of our team in such a deep field. Senior was the second largest category behind Semi Auto Open, so it was great to reach the podium.

TFB: Traveling internationally with guns and ammo can be a bit of a pain. Was it a first-class experience to fly to Northern Finland, or did you run into any funny issues?

Keith: My trip to Finland was smooth. All the permits and fees were handled ahead of time and it was an enjoyable trip. My ammunition on the other hand was another story. Since I was shooting major in 6.5 Grendel, I could not travel with enough ammo in my baggage and had to ship it. Hornady generously offered to ship the ammo and AAWEE was kind enough to receive it but that was not without some heartburn. My ammo did not arrive until the day before the match. I am very grateful to Hornady, its distributor in Finland and AAWEE for making it happen in time.

TFB: I understand you used to be a California police officer and a SWAT team leader. Please tell us about your shooting background. When and how did you begin, and how has your career developed?

Keith: I just retired after a 30-year career in law enforcement in CA. My first real firearms training took place in the police academy. After a few years, I joined the SWAT team and one of the guys introduced me to competitive shooting. SWAT competitions led to USPSA handgun matches and then multi-gun matches. My passion for shooting has only grown over the years. 

TFB: Please describe how you train? Are you more focused on shooting a lot, or physical training?

Keith: I'm a huge advocate of dry fire training. I believe getting reps every day in dry fire can develop and improve skills. Going to the range is a luxury for many shooters and for me when I shoot live fire it is to confirm what I am doing in dry fire is being effective. In the weeks before a match, I usually up the live fire reps to get the timing of the guns down to manage recoil efficiently. 

TFB: How many shots per year do you shoot? Can you recommend some efficient drills for our readers?

Keith: Adding up all the shots between rifle, pistol and shotgun I'll average around 40k rounds a year. My most effective and efficient drill is one I call the Weapon Manipulation Drill or WMD. In training for multi-gun, you have to be ready for all kinds of different weapon conditions, starting positions and challenges. The WMD prepares me for all the challenges by including empty starts, empty chambers, bolt lock reloads, speed reloads, ammunition on belt and staged on a table. All of the drills are done with less than 50 rounds per weapon.

TFB: Apart from the IPSC rifle, do you compete in any other disciplines?

Keith: I love shooting and competing in handgun, PCC, rifle, shotgun and 3 Gun events. 

TFB: This is The Firearm Blog, so our readers are very interested in guns. Can you please describe your rifle and setup in detail, and why you chose those components and furniture?

Keith: The rifle I shot is a prototype 6.5 Grendel with high-capacity magazines in a standard AR15 size receiver set with the only difference being a larger bolt and magazine well. The rifle used a 20" Proof barrel, Surefire compensator, AR Gold trigger, Kahles 1-8x scope, WARNE scope mount and bi-pod, Magpul grip and PRS stock. I needed custom magazine pouches and Grey Moose Defense came through for me.

TFB: Shooting 6.5 Grendel and major power factor isn’t supposed to work for IPSC Rifle. Yet it did. Can you elaborate on the background behind the choice and your experience?

Keith: The only way shooting major works is if you can shoot it as fast as you shoot a minor rifle and take advantage of the additional points. Until I shot this rifle I did not think that was practical, but then I changed my mind. Even at 326 Power Factor, the gun ran very smoothly and I was able to shoot splits similar to a 5.56 rifle. With more time behind the gun, I think it would be even better. I would do it again.

TFB: What kind of gas system do you use and why? How do you tune the recoil and movement to perfection?

Keith: Rifle-length gas with an adjustable gas block, full-weight BCG, standard buffer and spring did the trick. 

TFB: Did you bring a spare rifle to the competition, and does it differ in any way from your primary setup?

Keith: Since this was a prototype rifle, I brought a second upper in case there were any issues during the match. Thankfully it ran great.

TFB: What kind of main optic do you use, and which reticle do you prefer? (Your mount as well)

Keith: I used a Kahles 1-8x scope with the 3 gun reticle and a WARNE scope mount skel mount.

TFB: Do you click for each stage, or do you use a set zero and do holdovers?

Keith: I zeroed the top dot at 100 meters and that put my second hash on 300 meters. Based on this set up I did not anticipate having to dial during the match. My understanding was that the longest shots would be 300 meters and I was surprised to find that was incorrect.

(Author’s note: Just before the match was about to begin, it was announced that there were going to be some paper targets at 355 meters.)

TFB: Do you use a secondary red dot, and how and when do you use it compared to your main optic? 

Keith: I used a Holosun red dot in a Dueck Defense mount for my side dot and zeroed it at 100 yards. I did not need the offset very often during the match because the Kahles has such clear glass it is superior at all ranges. 

TFB: What kind of ammunition do you use and what IPSC power factor did you achieve? Is it a ”Hornady special”, or is it available on the market? Do you reload?

Keith: The 6.5 Grendel ammunition I shot was a max load from Hornady and is not available for purchase. Hornady was very supportive of the effort to shoot Major and worked up the load with a 123g SST and one of their proprietary powders. I was sent to the chrono on day three of the match and the ammo was tested to be 326 in Power Factor.

(Author’s Note: In IPSC rifle a minimum Power Factor of 325 is needed to reach major power scoring, so this is just above the limit) 

TFB: I understand your ammunition showed up at the last minute. Were you and the American senior team worried at all?

Keith: My teammate Barry Dueck was shooting the same type of rifle and our ammo was shipped together. We were prepared for the ammo not arriving, but luckily it arrived just in time.

TFB: How did you manage on stage 1 with the longest range, 355 meters?

Keith: LOL... I aimed a little too high on that stage and ended up with misses and zeroed the stage.

TFB: I find shooting on the move with a rifle very difficult. Do you master the technique, and how do you do it?

Keith: Shooting on the move with a long gun is a skill that needs to be developed over time and needs constant upkeep to remain proficient. I have spent a lot of time training to shoot on the move as I see it as an advantage in time and efficiency. I used a PCC with the same scope on it to get lots of reps at a lower expense to the major rifle ammo. I find that extending my stride helps keep the rifle on target longer and helps me while shooting on the move.

TFB: How are your off-hand shooting skills? How far out can you reliably take shots with reasonably good hits (A or C) on an IPSC Classic target?

Keith: With a 5.56, I feel very comfortable shooting .15-.17 splits to 75 yards. With the major rifle, I could manage those splits of 50 yards. 

TFB: Is it weird to move from 3Gun/USPSA to IPSC rules, and what would you say are the biggest differences?

Keith: The biggest difference is shooting paper or non-reactive targets past 50 yards. In 3 Gun we shoot reactive targets (falling or flashing steel) at a distance. I'll go a whole season without a miss on long-range targets in 3 gun matches. Shooting paper is a much harder skill to master. Next World Shoot I will spend more time on this aspect.

TFB: What do you think about the electronic Kongsberg targets? Are they the future for long-gun competitions, or would you prefer some other targets?

Keith: The electronic targets kept the match moving and I like that. I prefer knock down steel but I did like the system. 

TFB: What were your highlights during the match?

Keith: Stage 3 was one of the highlights for me. I shot fast and got good hits and since there was a digital scoreboard showing the time my squad mates cheered me at the end. Apparently, it was a good run for a major rifle because I was stopped by an official and told to turn over rounds for the chrono before I left the stage.

(Author’s note: Keith’s feeling is correct, as he shot the stage in 30.77 seconds and got 89%. To compare I shot the same stage in 35.22 seconds with the same points for 77%.)

TFB: And your worst stage?

Keith: I struggled on some of the long-range stages so I definitely need to focus more time on shooting paper at a distance. 

TFB: If you got to shoot the same World Shoot match once again, what would you practice more or do differently?

Keith: I would focus more on long-distance paper targets.

TFB: Please tell us about your sponsors and how they help you?

Keith: I would not have been able to make this trip without help from my sponsors: Hornady Manufacturing, Surefire, WARNE scope mounts, AR Gold triggers, Kahles Scopes, Grey Moose Defense, and Taran Tactical Innovations.

TFB: Do you carry? Can you describe your EDC and what made you choose that particular gun and holster?

Keith: Every day I carry a Sig Sauer 365 in a Safariland model 25 pocket holster. This setup is small and easy to carry and I feel confident shooting it to 25 yards. 

TFB: Do you have any special guns in your collection?

Keith: No

TFB: The IPSC Rimfire and PCC World Shoot is up in 2025. Are you going to be there? What’s next?

Keith: I love shooting PCC so the World Shoot definitely interests me. My next big match is the USPSA PCC nationals.