2009 CMP Competition Rules - Rules for Service Pistol, Service Rifle, As-Issued Military Rifle - The annual release of the CMP Competition Rules usually coincides with the release of National Matches programs and the opening of National Matches on-line entries, which were posted on the CMP website on 1 April. The 13th edition 2009 CMP Competition Rules are also now posted on the CMP website and can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/Rulebook.pdf.

7th National JROTC Air Rifle Championship - The 2009 JROTC marksmanship competition season concluded on 27-28 March with the 7th National JROTC Championship at Fort Benning, Georgia. 156 JROTC Cadets representing 61 JROTC units from 24 states qualified for the event. The National Championship was the culmination of a long season that began last fall for these Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC Cadets. For many competitors, reaching the National Championship was also the culmination of many years of marksmanship training and goal setting to qualify for this event.

The 2009 U.S. Army Junior Open Air Rifle Postal Phase Complete - The competitor field is set for the 2009 U.S. Army Open Air Rifle Championship. Over 1,121 shooters sent in targets to the CMP for the Postal stage of the competition, this stage determined the State Champions who then advance to the U.S. Army Open Air Rifle Nationals that will be held at Fort Benning, GA 14-16 May.

Navy Wraps-Up 2009 JROTC Service Championships at Camp Perry - The last of the 2009 JROTC Air Rifle Service Championships concluded on 27-28 February at Camp Perry, Ohio when the Civilian Marksmanship Program played host to the best Navy JROTC shooters from all over the country. This was the third weekend in a row that a major junior championship was held in the CMP’s new Camp Perry Marksmanship Center, with its 80-firing point electronic target equipped air gun range.

Creedmoor National Match Air Rifle (NMAR) Unveiling at Anniston Air Rifle Test Match on 14 March - A brand new concept in target air rifles will be unveiled at an air rifle competition that will take place at the CMP’s Anniston (Alabama) Competition Center this Saturday, 14 March. Creedmoor Sports Inc., one of the major shooting sports equipment suppliers in the USA, has designed an AR style air rifle built around an Anschütz 8001 barreled action.  This rifle was designed in conjunction with the development of the CMP's new National Match Air Rifle shooting discipline.  The first Creedmoor prototype will be unveiled at a test competition for the new discipline in Anniston on 14 March.

2009 Eastern U.S. Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship Enrollment Now Open - The Eastern U.S. Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship will take place on 20-26 June at Camp Butner, North Carolina. The Eastern U.S. Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship offers a full week of clinics, coaching and competition for junior service rifle competitors. Juniors attending the clinic will have the opportunity to expand their current level of experience and expertise as well as build friendships and camaraderie with other shooters. The Civilian Marksmanship Program and the Junior Marksmanship Support Group organize this event in cooperation with the North Carolina National Guard, North Carolina Rifle and Pistol Association and the USMC Rifle Team.

JROTC Championships Series Continues with Marine Corps and Air Force - On 20-21 February, the best junior three-position air rifle shooters representing all of the Marine Corps and Air Force JROTC units around the country made their way to Camp Perry, Ohio for second round of the 2009 JROTC Air Rifle Championship series being hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

2009 Dixie Challenge - On 14 February 2009 the Civilian Marksmanship Program played host to the Dixie Challenge. This 3x20 three-position air rifle competition took place at the new CMP Competition Center-South in Anniston, Alabama, which features an 80-point air rifle range. The event drew 65 shooters and a total of 10 junior teams. In all four states were represented in the match.

Everything you ever wanted to know about checking M1 Garand head space - Why should I care about the headspace of my rifle?  When a rifle is fired, the pressure generated inside the chamber rises to tens of thousands of pounds per inch. This pressure generated by the primer and burning powder can do serious harm to you or others around you if something goes wrong and the hot, high pressure gasses escape through a breech in the brass cartridge case.

Round One of JROTC Championships Completed - The first of three championship weekends took place 12-14 February at Camp Perry, Ohio when the Civilian Marksmanship Program played host to the 2009 National Army JROTC Air Rifle Championship. 215 individual high school age Cadets representing 65 different schools from the Continental USA, Alaska and Department of Defense Schools in Europe competed in the event.