Team Beretta pistol shooter Ben Hardt kicked off his 2026 competition season with a decisive win at the North Texas Race Gun Sectional, a Tier II United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) match and official qualifier for the Race Gun Nationals later this year in Marengo, Ohio.
Competing against a strong field of 121 shooters in the Limited Optics division, Hardt secured first place, marking his first major match of the 2026 season and his first major victory of the year. The North Texas Race Gun Sectional attracts some of the top practical shooting competitors in the region, making Hardt's performance an impressive start to the season and a strong statement as he sets his sights on continued success in the months ahead.
Hardt competed with the Beretta 92X Performance Carry Optic, a purpose-built competition pistol engineered for the demands of modern practical shooting. Built on the 92X Performance platform, the pistol features a steel Vertec frame for improved balance and recoil control, Beretta's adjustable Xtreme-S trigger system, and a red-dot-ready slide designed to maximize speed and precision. Compliant with the USPSA Carry Optic division regulations, the 92X Performance Carry Optic provides an uncompromising performance aimed at earning you a spot at the top of the podium with power, speed, and accuracy.
"This is my first major match of 2026 and my first win of the year, but it won't be the last of either," said Hardt. "The 92X Performance is such an awesome pistol, it wants me to win, it needs me to win."
Team Beretta shooters compete across multiple disciplines throughout the year, demonstrating the performance and reliability of Beretta firearms at the highest levels of competition. For more information on Team Beretta and its competition firearms, visit www.beretta.com/en-us/team-beretta.
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About Beretta: Established in 1526, Beretta is the world's longest-standing industrial dynasty, with a legacy spanning 16 generations of continuous family ownership. For 500 years, firearms bearing the Beretta name have been trusted and used around the world. Beretta USA Corp. was established in 1977 and quickly became the provider of the most widely deployed sidearm in the U.S. Armed Forces. Today, Beretta USA is part of Beretta Holding Group, which includes over 50 global subsidiaries and 20 renowned brands. Beretta manufactures, distributes, and markets a complete range of firearms, accessories, and apparel. The company also owns and operates six Beretta Gallery retail stores worldwide.
For more information, visit www.Beretta.com.