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| The only equipment needed to compete in Rimfire Sporter is a sporter-class .22 cal. rimfire rifle, a sling, ordinary glove, shooting mat, scope and ammo. Nothing else is required to be competitive. |
The CMP Rimfire Sporter Match that took place at Camp Perry, Ohio on Sunday, 23 July, had the largest attendance of any of the CMP Rimfire Sporter events conducted since this unique championship started five years ago. The 2006 Rimfire Sporter competition had 212 event entries, up from 180 in 2005. After suffering rainy and windy weather in 2005 and 2004, this year’s match was blessed with glorious Camp Perry weather.
Rimfire Sporter is an informal, recreation-oriented competition shot with sporter-type .22 cal. rimfire rifles that cannot weigh more than 7.5 pounds and must have at least a three-pound trigger pull. There are two classes of competition, an “O” class for open-sighted rifles and a “T” class for rifles equipped with telescopic sights (max. 6X).
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| The 5th National Rimfire Sporter Match took place on a temporary 60-firing point covered range that was set up by CMP staff. The benches between the targets and firing line are for standing position firing at 25 yards. Prone and sitting position firing was done under the cover at 50 yards distance. |
The Rimfire Sporter Match began with a clinic on Saturday afternoon that was taught by the Chief Range Officer Duane Tallman and Gary Anderson, CMP Director. The match was fired on Camp Perry’s Viale Range. Four relays of firers filled the covered 60-point range to capacity. The match has become something of a holiday for CMP staff members who work the match in jobs that include registration, rifle inspections, scoring and at the end of the day cooking a barbecue for all competitors.
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| Rimfire sporter attracts lots of juniors who are able to compete successfully with a variety of lever, bolt, pump and semi-auto rifles. |
The day concluded with an awards ceremony where the top scorers were recognized along with all of the competitors who fired gold, silver or bronze achievement medal scores in the O and T classes. Altogether, 45 O-class competitors went home with new gold, silver and bronze achievement medals while 65 T-class competitors earned medals.
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| The top junior in the O-class was Eric
Curavo from Northwood, Ohio. Presenting the plaque award is Marsha Beasley, a member of the CMP Board of Directors. |
Top O-class scorer for the day was Michael Craycraft from Beaverton, Michigan with a 575 total. The top O-Class junior was Eric Curavo from Northwood, Ohio who fired a 552 total.
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| Chad Cleland, New Swanton, Ohio, had the top T-class score with a 591 total. |
The contest for the top T-class shooter was extremely close between last year’s winner, Ron Springsteen, from Otsego, Michigan and Chad Cleland, from Swanton, Ohio, who had the high score in 2003. This time Cleland ended up on top with a 591 total. Springsteen had a 590. The top junior was Lucas Boord from New Stanton, Pennsylvania with a 588.
Complete results for the Rimfire Sporter Match are posted on the CMP web site at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=1448 and pictures can be viewed at http://www.odcmp.com/Photos/06/Rimfire/index.htm. Anyone interested in learning more about Rimfire Sporter is invited to check out the CMP Guide to Rimfire Sporter that can be downloaded from the CMP web site at http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/rimfire.pdf.
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| CMP staff members cooked brats and hot dogs for all competitors at the end of the match. |
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