Something about Rod Formosa, Founder Rifletalks.com & Extreme Shot Italia.

Rod participating at the match he founded, Extreme Shot Italia IV, 500-2000m

I was born in Malta, a tiny island in the Mediterranean and also the smallest nation in the European union with a strong British influence having been a British colony till 1979. Most of our forefathers served in the British navy or regiments within the British Army and were familiar with the venerable SMLE .303 cal rifles which they shot in territorials training camps.

rod shooting Fclass Europeans 2019
Me at the 2019 Fclass European Championships shooting a custom Nesika 284Win with nightforce optics

Until a few years ago we only had these rifles… till the day when the Maltese firearms lobby together with the authorities drew up the current firearms act after years of working for this. From then on, things changed at a faster pace to a much more prosperous future for sports shooting enthusiasts which enabled law abiding citizens to own and venture out to experience this amazing sport, which brings me here. 

This was my first gun, an FAC air rifle of some 50ft-lbs with which I use to shoot to 180 yards to practice with before i migrated to centre fire rifles. That was my initial footing into long range shooting. Once I got into powder burners I never looked back.

shinsung FAC air rifle
long range shooting with an air rifle – fac 0.25 cal at 180yards.

My main interests

My main interest lies in precision rifles, tactical rifles and ultra long range rifles with some interest in fine hunting rifles. I own custom rifles in all these categories mentioned which I had built over the last years by some of the best European gunsmiths. 

I enjoy making sure that other shooters get the best rifle for their intended discipline far away from media driven decisions.

RPA rangemaster 300 Norma Mag
RPA rangemaster 300Norma Mag which I had customised in the UK – Amazing rifle! This is my choice for the upcoming Prince of 1 mile in France, May 2020.

I love high quality optics and have owned a few; mainly Nightforce, Leupolds, Schmidt bender, IOR, March, Swarovski and Zeiss. I believe I am a talented hand loader and trained with some of the best European shooters which taught me to develop some of the most accurate ammunition for competition. 

I wish to thank Vince Bottomley, Russell Simmonds, Tim Stewart, Assad Wahid, Mik Makismovic, Harry Drescher, Gary Costello, Paul Philips and Ryan Pierce for their assistance along the way. Their combined knowledge is worth a fortune!

 

Anyways, fast forward to joining the EU and in my late teens, I got to travel more to pursue my obsessive interest in precision rifles. The internet was a major turning point connecting many people with common interests including the shooting community. As an offspring of the internet generation, forums, blogs and eventually facebook provided the perfect learning and networking link.

Sig sauer 300m rifle practice in switzerland
Sig sauer 300m rifle practice in Thun, Switzerland

During my student years in Switzerland, I had the opportunity to practically fire any rifle I wanted and even joined the Swiss FCSA to try out the 50cals and shoot long range with my friend Thomas Baumgartner, an avid Steyr HS50 shooter. There in 2008, I also met Reid Woodward, US FCSA president. I would put away money from my weekly budget to be able to purchase ammo to train with. I was HOOKED!

Rod at FCSA SWISS on Mcmillan rifle
2008 shooting with the Swiss FCSA with Marco on his Mc Millan Tac 50 suppressed at Yverdon Swiss army range

 

Handloading ammo at the North London rifle Club ammo room
Handloading with two of the best at the North London Rifle Club

Since then I have lived overseas and travelled exclusively to receive training in shooting precision rifles at long range and beyond. I’m a passionate F-Class rifle shooter with a close interest in the PRS and ELR scene. I shot with some of the best Europe has to offer and was lucky and grateful enough to receive tuition from them in handloading precision ammo, wind reading and long-range competition.

European championships Fclass 2018 UK

What do you do for a living?

Professionally, I work for an international tech firm managing paid search marketing campaigns across a number of channels. I also enjoy anything about Search Engine Optimisation, a key marketing channel for this industry together with community building. I also provide marketing advisory services. Extreme Shot Italia is probably my best marketing and operations product to date.

Extreme Shot Italia. ELR match

 

In 2021 I started Extreme Shot Italia as a European alternative to other matches with the wish to have training and competition in the same week and bring international shooters to Sicily. This event is broadcasted via livestream with the input of some 23 live commentators from multiple countries and languages.

The event took off and from a small gathering of 17 teams in 2021, we progressed to 23 teams in 2022, 29 teams in 2023, 78 teams in 2024 and 150+ teams pre-registered for 2025 Edition! We also had 26 paying sponsors in 2024 that helped us to fund the commercial side that such a spectacle requires..

I look forward to learn about your interests, email me at rod@rifletalks.com

Rod Formosa

Founder Rifletalks.com

Extreme Shot Italia, 500-2000m international match.