Soldier of Fortune Magazine The Journal of Professional Adventurers
by Austin Lee
Competitors armed with AKs, Galils, FALs, and Cold War classics battled steel, sand, and the clock at Florida’s first Comrade Cup.
In the sugar sands of Mulberry, Florida, 117 shooters answered the call for the inaugural Comrade Cup on March 28. They convened at Bone Valley Industries for a one-day, balls-to-the-wall AK-inspired practical rifle match that brought relics from the Cold War and their modern cousins together under brutal par times with longer distances than the average AK match.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
As one of the guys on the inside at the inception of this event, I helped shape this beast into reality from the daily messages with the match director Aaron on logistics and sponsors, and then swapped hats to run the timer and score as Range Officer for Squad 8 while still competing. I took point on each stage to get my runs out of the way to run the timer for the rest of the squad.
READ MORE: Comrade Cup Shooting Match: Cold War Rifles Compete in Florida
The stage names alone set the tone for the day’s mayhem and shenanigans. “Mao’s Long March” tested endurance across distance while retreating, while “Florida Gulag” started with the shooter on a porta potty having to engage a single steel target at 75 yards to exit said porta potty and move on to a variety of steel and paper targets.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
Sands of Rhodesia brought that bush-war aggression forcing competitors to dive into the sugar sands under steel barricades to shoot at three steel targets from each barricade and the shots had to be taken from different oriented ratchet straps at each barricade.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
“Larpers of Jadotville” rewarded those who could shoot fast run and move quickly with the shorter distances, “Bunkers of Battlestar Galactica” mixed long distance, C Zone size steel targets with hard cover (aka sand bags Aaron and I filled the weekend before). They did not hold up very well sadly and with the ports being in prone or kneeling, this stage was brutal for the whole squad, myself included.
The “Last Boat Out of Saigon” was one wild ride, moving from a single shot at 500 yards on a jet ski up to a picnic table onto a pontoon boat to engage steel targets from fixed ports before burning down several paper targets at the stern.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
“The IRA is a Vibe” kept the irregular warfare spirit alive, with the shooter having to engage steel at 200 and 250 yard line from three tank traps before ending with a single shot at a steel man sized target at 300 yards while laying in the prone position atop a lush green turf table.
“AK’s and Caviar” capped things with a touch of ironic luxury amid the chaos. Shooters started in the prone position and hustled to stand on tires and engage six steel targets from each of the five tires, which proved to be quite the challenge. The “time plus points” scoring kept it honest; speed mattered, but getting those hits decided the fight.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
Distances stretched from a single 500 yard shot down to a knife-fight range at seven yards across eight savage stages, each locked to a 90-second par time that punished hesitation like the commissar’s stopwatch.
The author on station. (Photo by Dan O’Shea)
Magazine-related malfunctions haunted multiple shooters in my squad, with one lone KNS piston misadjustment adding to the mechanical delays. This was proof that even reliable Kalashnikovs demand respect when pushed hard in the heat and sugar sand. The Galils favored much better in my squad, with a fellow squad member also running a Galil ARM that I had built for him with no issues.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
My well worn-in Hillbilly Firearms Galil ARM 16” with wood handguard, bipod, and carry handle built on a Tortort receiver to original specs and nitrided finish carried me to 20th overall and Gold (1st) in the Irons Light Division.
The guns that other competitors ran were Ruger Mini-14’s, FAL’s, Daewoo’s, and AKs in every variety.
(Photo by Dan O’Shea)
Prizes flowed most generously thanks to our sponsors and vendors who stepped up big for a first-year AK event. From complete rifles, suppressors, high-end optics, and AK-specific accessories to gear bags, ammo, and that coveted Soldier of Fortune mystery prize that drew a few extra grins, the hardware was spread across divisions and random draws to reward top performers and lucky comrades alike.
The vendor area buzzed between squads with everything from custom parts to burgers and hotdogs, turning the match into a proper gathering of like minds. It wasn’t just about the podium finishers, it was about celebrating the AK/retro rifle platforms and the community as a whole that keep these rifles punching above their weight class decades after the Wall came down.
The author with his prize.
The vibe on the line was top tier. There was a mix of serious competitors, history buffs, and colorful characters fully embracing the larp. There was everything from Rhodesian-inspired rigs to an Osama bin Laden costume that somehow made it all the way through the day. Post-stage banter was rife with laughter, war stories, and genuine respect for the effort.
Multiple shooters remarked how refreshing it was to see Soldier of Fortune still in the fight. Even a generation raised on screens lit up with nostalgia at the sight of the SOF brand on prizes and banners. That kind of connection doesn’t happen by accident – it’s built on decades of unapologetic, boots-on-the-ground journalism that still resonates with men and women who value steel, sweat, and marksmanship.
A familiar sight returns to the competition scene. (Photo by Dan O’Shea)
None of this would have happened without the hard work and sheer determination of the small but lethal team led by Match Director Aaron. Against all the usual odds – weather, logistics, last-minute headaches with Practisescrore and tablets, and building something new in an already crowded shooting calendar month – these dudes put in the sweat equity to deliver a bad ass event.
The Comrade Cup proved that with the right crew, you can still throw a proper rifleman’s match in the spirit of the old days; competitive, challenging , and loaded with camaraderie. If you missed this one, start training now. Next year the bar is set higher, the steel is further, and yes, there will be more sand.
Austin Lee is the proprietor of Galilhub, and is a gunsmith and a competitive shooter. He writes frequently for Soldier of Fortune.
