Travel Guide: USPSA Factory Gun Nationals 2026

USPSA Factory Gun Nationals is the production-side half of USPSA Nationals for 2026: Carry Optics, Single Stack, Revolver, and Production divisions. It runs at Southern Utah Practical Shooting Range in Hurricane, Utah, 30 minutes east of St. George and about 2 hours northeast of Las Vegas. The logistics are longer-haul than Ohio, but the payoff is a destination trip with serious desert scenery and some of the best national parks in the country a short drive away.

Getting there

There are two useful airports:

• St. George Regional (SGU) - The closest option, about 30 minutes from Hurricane. Small airport with limited flight coverage - mostly Delta to Salt Lake City, American to Dallas and Phoenix, and United to Denver. Flight prices tend to be higher. Worth checking first if you can find a reasonable nonstop.
• Las Vegas Harry Reid (LAS) - 2 hours southwest on I-15. Massive airport, every major airline, Southwest hub, frequent flights from every US city. Almost always cheaper than SGU and gives you more schedule flexibility. The practical choice for most travelers.

If you fly into LAS, the drive to Hurricane is pleasant - I-15 east through the Virgin River Gorge, which is genuinely one of the more beautiful stretches of interstate in the country. Plan for 2 hours 15 minutes with one stop. Gas up in Mesquite or St. George.

Lodging

You have several options in order of convenience and quality:

• Hurricane itself - Small town with a few chain hotels: Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn. Closest to the range (10 minutes). Books out fast for match week because Hurricane is also the gateway to Zion National Park.
• St. George - 30 minutes west. Much more hotel inventory, restaurants, and amenities. Home to several well-reviewed Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt properties. The bigger city feel if that matters to you.
• Springdale, UT (Zion gateway)- 45 minutes northeast of Hurricane, at the entrance to Zion. More expensive, more touristy, but genuinely stunning if you're making a vacation of this trip. Unique lodges and boutique hotels.
• Mesquite, NV - 1 hour southwest on I-15. Casino hotels, cheaper rates, and Nevada gun laws are more permissive if that matters to you. A reasonable backup if everything else is full.

For most shooters, stay in Hurricane or St. George. Zion gateways are worth the premium only if you're planning vacation time.

At the range

Southern Utah Practical Shooting Range (SUPS) is a newer venue that's grown fast. The facility has the infrastructure for a Nationals-scale event - multiple bays, proper classification structure, and an experienced match director team. Expect desert conditions: dust, sun, and wide-open bays.

The early match runs September 16-17 and the main match runs September 18-20.

Weather and what to bring

Mid-September in southern Utah:

• Highs in the upper 80s to low 90s
• Lows in the low 60s
• Extremely dry. The humidity is single digits.
• Sun intensity is high due to elevation (Hurricane is at ~3,300 feet) and lack of cloud cover. This is where your sunscreen gets serious.
• Rain is essentially a non-factor - southern Utah in September is reliably dry.

Pack:

• Maximum sun protection. Wide-brim hat, long sleeves in lightweight fabric, SPF 50 sunscreen you reapply hourly.
• More water than you think. Desert dehydration is sneaky - you're not sweating visibly because it evaporates instantly.
• Lip balm with SPF. The dry air cracks lips fast.
• Eye drops or saline spray. Dust is a real thing on desert ranges.
• A pair of shooting glasses with good dust sealing.

First-timer tips

• Carry Optics is the deepest field.If you're shooting CO, expect the front of the division to be loaded with top 5% classifier shooters. Manage your own expectations - a first Factory Gun Nationals is not the match where you'll suddenly shoot GM performance.
• Zero adjustments at altitude.Hurricane at ~3,300 feet isn't as dramatic as Whittington at 6,700, but if you're coming from sea level your 25-yard dot zero may shift a touch. Verify on the zero range.
• Production shooters: chrono your reloads the week before.Minor power factor is 125 in Production. Hot summer range temperatures can push your loads up or down depending on powder. Don't get bumped to Minor.
• Factor travel fatigue into your day one performance. Long flights to LAS plus a 2-hour drive plus time zone changes plus dry desert air plus altitude all add up. Top shooters often arrive 2-3 days early for this specific match because of how much the environment affects day-one performance.

If you're bringing family

This is the travel guide where you should absolutely bring family. Southern Utah has three world-class national parks within 2 hours:

• Zion National Park- 45 minutes from Hurricane. The Narrows, Angel's Landing, Emerald Pools - this is one of the best national parks in the country and a must-visit.
• Bryce Canyon National Park - 2 hours northeast. Iconic hoodoos, sunrise views, surprisingly accessible rim drive.
• Grand Canyon North Rim - 3 hours east. The less-crowded side of the Grand Canyon. Only open May-October so September is your window.

Las Vegas is 2 hours if you want a completely different day trip. St. George is the local commerce hub with a good downtown, breweries, and restaurants.

Summary

Fly into Las Vegas, rent a car, drive to Hurricane, stay locally or in St. George, and budget extra days before or after the match to see Zion. Factory Gun Nationals is the destination-match version of USPSA Nationals - it's worth the logistics specifically because of where it is. If you're going to travel across the country for a match anyway, this is the one where your non-shooting spouse will actually enjoy the trip.