No. 1 With A Bullet

A cluttered wall of awards and trophies highlights James McGinty's blossoming career as a competitive shooter. The scars on his wrist remind him how lucky he is to still have a shot in life.

Not many could shoot faster and more accurately than the township resident, especially for his age. A quick hand and an even faster trigger finger had made McGinty, 20, one of the most gifted pistol shooters in the country. By age 18, he had the shooting world in his holster and national championships in his scope. McGinty had already won prestigious titles, including finishing high overall at the New Jersey International Defensive Pistol Association match and receiving titles such as division champion and high junior in 2008.

That same year, he was a division champion in the Custom Defense Pistol category at the Pennsylvania International Defensive Pistol Association match and followed with the open division title at the Summer Blast charity pistol match in the same state. A trip to compete in the International Practical Shooting Confederation World Shoot XV in Bali, Indonesia, soon followed, and McGinty's team of four shooters finished first in the world in the Junior category held every three years.

As good as 2008 treated this sharpshooting modern-day cowboy, 2009 took him for the ride of his life — just not what he was aiming for. One late summer night, McGinty was driving his BMW down a dirt road near his home when he swerved to avoid hitting a deer. His vehicle slammed into a tree as the deer scampered away. His vehicle was totaled.

Among other injuries, McGinty's shooting wrist was broken in two places, leaving his career in jeopardy. "You learn from your mistakes," McGinty said last week behind the counter at the Ready Aim Fire shooting range and gun shop in Bristol, Pa., which his father, Joe, owns. "A well-built car saved my life," he said.

A photo of the smashed vehicle hangs on the same cluttered wall of awards and trophies in the gun shop and steals more attention than the polished plaques bearing impressive shooting accomplishments.