Shooter’s Comeback On Target Phillabaum Gains Prominence For His Accuracy With A Pistol

There could have been a million things going through Steve Phillabaum’s mind when he stepped to the line at last year’s National Outdoor Pistol Shooting Championships in Camp Perry, Ohio.

With the July sun beating down, Phillabaum struggled to fix his concentration on a target that would soon swing into view 50 yards away. Standing on a firing line amid 400 of the nation’s top marksmen, words of wisdom from several Spokane-area shooters played through his mind.

“Maintain the proper stance … pull the trigger gently and evenly … don’t overconcentrate …”

A voice broke through the silence: “Ready on the right.”

Phillabaum looked to his right and saw 200 shooters assuming their positions.

The voice called out again: “Ready on the left.” Glancing to his left, Phillabaum saw the remaining 199 shooters prepare their stances.

“All ready on the firing line,” the voice warned, and 400 guns rang out in unison.

“There was a ROAR of all these guns shooting, and there was so much smoke in the air it looked like a Civil War scrimmage line,” Phillabaum said. “It’s something you don’t … anticipate.”

The next few hours were a blur of sights and sounds as participants worked their way through nine shooting events with three types of pistols.

In all, competitors could earn as many as 2,700 points based on their accuracy shooting .22, .45 and center-fire pistols in events ranging from 10 rounds in 10 minutes to five rounds in 20 seconds. Phillabaum finished 20th in the Master’s Division with a score of 2,540, 40 points under his average.

The Spokane attorney, who lives in Deer Park, said he was disappointed. However, he had only been shooting competitively for the past year.

Prior to that, Phillabaum’s experience was limited to participation in two leagues in the mid-1970s. His interest in guns, however, can be traced back to his late childhood.

“My dad shot shotguns,” Phillabaum said. “He didn’t particularly like pistols, and the one he hated the most (he’d been in the army), was the government model .45 because it wasn’t accurate, and he just didn’t like it. That’s my favorite gun.”

Phillabaum’s grandfather taught him to shoot by sending him outside with a .22 and a box of shells when he visited in Colville. Little did Phillabaum know that years later, basic skills he learned stalking ground squirrels would turn into the pursuit of something much greater.

Phillabaum had quit shooting because of family and career demands in the late 1970s. But two years ago, after meeting a pistolsmith who said he could make an accurate .45 pistol, the flame was rekindled.

From 50 yards out, a factory-produced .45 can hit anywhere within a 12-inch radius. An altered gun can strike somewhere within 2 inches. To a competitive shooter, the difference is crucial.

It wasn’t long before Phillabaum was heading out to practice twice a week and traveling to shooting events three times a month.

At the start, he scored around 2,500 points. But in the following months, he watched his scores skyrocket, thanks to the help of several local shooters who are renowned in the sport, including Dennis Schmauch, Bill Campbell, Darius Young, Ruby Fox, Max Barrington, Bob Rector and Clarence Mehlenbeck.

Those competitors, who hold numerous titles and distinctions, offered advice that went a long way toward improving Phillabaum’s scores, he said.

“It seems like all you do is pick up a gun and pull the trigger,” Phillabaum said. “That’s not right. There are a thousand things you can do wrong.

“Like any good athlete, you’ve got to learn to take the anxiety of a big match and focus that in a way that helps you win a championship. Because in shooting, if you start thinking about the score you want to get, or how big a match this is, or about the shot you didn’t do as well on, you’re going to lose a lot of points. You’ve got to focus on doing a good job on the shot you’re taking at that time.”

By honing his abilities, Phillabaum has been able to move into the upper echelon of shooters.

In his last two matches, Phillabaum shot at a 97 percent accuracy rate. His highest score was 2,635, only four points below the winning total at the National Championships.

With the outdoor shooting season finished, Phillabaum is taking part in a number of events at the Spokane Rifle Club’s new indoor pistol range.

Phillabaum said the facility ranks among the nicest in the country. The range will be the site of the state championships and an NRA Sectional Match in coming months.

In addition to looking forward to those events, Phillabaum is also eager to return to Camp Perry in July.

“I think it’s probably like bowling or golf or anything else,” he said. “It’s an athletic event that’s difficult to do - it’s a test of concentration, really. And every time I shoot a match, no matter how well I shoot it, I make a mistake and know I can do better. And that keeps me coming back.”