Rob Leatham

Last updated
Robert Jennings Leatham
Personal information
Born27 January 1961 (1961-01-27) (age 63)
Medal record
IPSC
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
IPSC Handgun World Shoot
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Virginia
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1986 Florida
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1988 Caracas Open
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2002 Pietersburg Standard
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2005 Guayaquil Standard
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2011 Rhodes Modified
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2014 Frostproof Classic
IPSC US Handgun Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1983
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1984
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1985
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1986
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1987
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1988
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1989
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1990
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg1992
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg1994 Open
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1995 Open
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg2016 FrostproofClassic

Robert Jennings Leatham (born January 27, 1961, in Mesa, Arizona) is a professional shooter who is a 24-time USPSA National champion and 7-time International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) World Champion.

Contents

Biography

On Leatham's twelfth birthday, he received his first gun. His family surprised him with a new Smith & Wesson Model 34 revolver on one of their trips to shoot in the desert.

He continued desert shooting throughout his teenage years and became involved in other sports such as basketball. [1]

Competition shooting

Leatham's first competition took place in the late 1970s at a night shoot at the Mesa Police Department range. He shot a Smith & Wesson Model 27 revolver with a 6-inch barrel loaded with 200-grain round-nose bullets that Leatham loaded himself, including a custom holster made by local leather worker, Jess Bird, who had built holsters for Leatham's father for years. Leatham finished third revolver behind Mike Henry and Charlie Mills and cites this competition for causing his addiction to competitive shooting.

He invented the Modern Isosceles shooting stance in the 1980s. [2] A few years later he began shooting the 9x25 dillon handgun round and brought that cartridge into the mainstream. [3]

Leatham first shot the Steel Challenge and The Bianchi Cup in 1982. [4] In 1985, he won the Triple Crown of practical pistol shooting: the IPSC US Nationals, the Bianchi Cup and the Steel Challenge. He is the only competitor to ever win all three matches in the same year. [1]

In 1989, he was offered a major contract with Springfield Armory, Inc. that enabled him to become a full-time, professional shooter. Since that time, Leatham has been practicing, competing, and conducting live-fire demonstrations for sponsors around the world. [5]

Personal life

Leatham married fellow Team Springfield member Kippi Boykin, a three-time USPSA National Champion. They have one daughter together, Patience Leatham, and Leatham has 2 sons, Robert and Thomas, from a previous marriage.

Titles

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Landers, Mike (2014). "Zeroed In – Rob Leatham". RECOIL.
  2. Lessler, Peter (5 August 2013). Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Handgun Marksmanship. Iola, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. pp. 43–44. ISBN   978-1-4402-3606-8.
  3. Mann, Richard A. (7 September 2012). Cartridges of the World: A Complete Illustrated Reference for More Than 1,500 Cartridges. Gun Digest Books. p. 215. ISBN   978-1-4402-3063-9.
  4. Mann, Don (1 August 2010). The Modern Day Gunslinger: The Ultimate Handgun Training Manual. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. p. 182. ISBN   978-1-60239-986-0.
  5. Sweeney, Patrick (17 November 2009). Gun Digest Big Fat Book of the .45 ACP. iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 44. ISBN   978-1-4402-0219-3.