Lones Wesley Jr. WIGGER

Little argument can be given to the statement that Lones Wigger is the greatest competitive rifle shooter yet produced in the United States. Leaving aside his Olympic record, which includes making four Olympic teams, including 1980, he held or co-held 27 world records – 14 team and 13 individual. He won 58 National Championships of almost every variety since 1963. He was a member of 16 major U.S. international teams, starting with the 1963 Pan-American Games and his record includes: 22 World Championships (two individual, 20 team); 13 Pan-American Games gold medals and 18 medals; seven Pan-American titles; 18 victories in the Championship of the Americas meet; 16 victories in the Council Internationale Sport du Militaire meet; and in all his international meets, he won 111 medals.

Wigger attended Montana State University where he earned a degree in agronomy and All-American honors in rifle shooting three times. He had a 26-year career in the US Army, retiring in 1987. He then went to work for the National Rifle Association (NRA) as director of training for the USA Shooting team until 1994. Wigger continued to work as a volunteer with the US Junior Olympic Shooting Program, and served on the board of USA Shooting for various terms through 2016. On his 80th birthday, USA Shooting renamed the interior of its headquarters and upper range the Lones Wigger Legacy Hall and Range.