Lones Wigger, Jr.
Three-time Olympian (1964, 1968, 1972); three-time Olympic medalist (2 golds, 1 silver) Tokyo 1964, gold (small-bore rifle three positions 50-meters), silver (small-bore rifle prone 50) Mexico City 1968, 25th (small-bore rifle prone 50) Munich 1972, gold (free rifle three positions 300)
2
GOLD
1
SILVER
0
BRONZE
Athlete Bio#
Age
Died (Aged 80)
1937-2017
Hometown
Great Falls, MT
Education
Fort Benton High School (Great Falls, Mont.) Montana State University
Personal
Father ran a local rifle range and a junior shooting program...Began shooting at age 12...Captain of the rifle team at Montana State University...Served in the Army until 1987 as a lieutenant colonel and riflery instructor...Won eight gold medals in five Pan American Games...Deemed “by far the greatest shooter in history” by Gun Week...In 1991, was one of the first four shooters inducted into the USA Shooting Hall of Fame...Has three children, Deena, Rona and Danny, all of whom are successful competitive shooters.Hall Of Fame Bio #
Lones Wesley Wigger, Jr. is considered the most decorated rifle shooter in the world. He was a career Army officer and two-time Olympic champion in rifle shooting who broke 29 world records and won 58 national championships. Wigger won the gold medal in the showcase competition and the silver medal in the small-bore rifle at the Olympic Games Tokyo 1964. He won the gold in free rifle, three-position, at the Olympic Games Munich 1972. The Great Falls, Montana, native was raised by a father who ran a local rifle range and a junior Shooting program, and began shooting at 12 years old. Wigger Jr. was captain of the rifle team at Montana State University. He served in the U.S. Army for 26 years, rising to lieutenant colonel and completing two tours of duty in Vietnam, where he worked as a riflery instructor teaching American soldiers marksmanship. Upon retiring from the Army, Wigger Jr. served as director of the U.S. shooting team, training younger shooters and promoting junior events. He was one of the first four shooters inducted into the U.S. Shooting Hall of Fame. Wigger Jr. passed away on Dec. 14, 2017 due to complications from pancreatic cancer.
