The First Shot Archives

2014      2013       2012      2011      2010      2009      2008      2007      2006      2005      2004      2003      2002      2001 

DECEMBER 08

Test Match For New CMP National Match Air Rifle Program - Camp Perry, Ohio; 10 January 2009 - The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is developing an exciting new adult air rifle event that promises to open the doors for lots of new shooters to participate in air rifle shooting competition. If you live in the Upper Midwest and are interested in trying this new recreation-oriented target air rifle game or are a highpower rifle enthusiast who wants an off-season event to further test and improve your position shooting skills, the CMP invites you to participate in a test match for a new rifle shooting sports game called “National Match Air Rifle.” This Test Match will take place at Camp Perry, Ohio on Saturday, 10 January.

JROTC Cadets and Units Excel in Postal Competitions - CAMP PERRY, OHIO - Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC rifle teams kicked off an exciting 2008-2009 competition year as their rifle teams took to the range for this year's JROTC postal competitions.  For six years now, the Civilian Marksmanship Program has overseen the scoring of Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC 3x10 three-position air rifle postal competitions. These annual postals determine which JROTC unit teams and individual cadets advance to compete in their respective service’s JROTC shoulder-to-shoulder Championship.

David Waters becomes the First Australian to Earn Distinguished Rifleman Badge - CAMP PERRY, OHIO - David Waters literally travelled far and wide to earn the prestigious Distinguished Rifleman Badge, an honor he achieved in late October 2008 at Camp Swift near Bastrop, Texas.  In fact, the born and raised Australian highpower shooter is the first non-U.S. citizen to achieve Distinguished Rifleman status according to contemporary records. Prior to the mid-1980s, National Match and Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) matches were open only to U.S. citizens. It's believed that the regulation was relaxed when the military draft was replaced by an all-volunteer military.

NOVEMBER 08

Ohio Army National Guard and Civilian Marksmanship Program Host First Open House at the Camp Perry Marksmanship Center - In the summer of 2008, the Ohio Army National Guard (OHNG) and the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) opened the Camp Perry Marksmanship Center, which features a state-of-the-art electronic air rifle range and a National Guard Engagement Skills Trainer (EST). Since the new facility opened several events and training sessions have taken place, but the range has not been open for the local community to take a hands-on tour. This was finally remedied on 15 November with the first Camp Perry Marksmanship Center Open House.

CMP’s Inaugural Monthly Air Rifle and Air Pistol Matches a Success - A competitive group of individual and club junior and adult shooters from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Canada help CMP successfully kick off its first Air Rifle and Air Pistol Marksmanship Competition at the new Competition Center North on 24-25 October.  The event drew a number of talented junior precision and sporter air rifle participants and adult air pistol shooters to the first of a series of indoor season competitions. The session was conducted at the 80 firing point joint use facility which was opened in June by the CMP and Ohio National Guard.

Western Creedmoor Cup Matches a Success - In conjunction with the Civilian Marksmanship Program's Western Games held 11-14 October where a record number of shooters participated, the Creedmoor Cup Matches followed at the Ben Avery (Black Canyon) Shooting Facility on 15-19 October.   The Creedmoor Cup Matches, co-sponsored by CMP and Creedmoor Sports, Inc. of Oceanside, California, gave shooters an opportunity to participate in a rifle clinic plus four days of match and service rifle competition.

CMP Welcomes New Program Staff Leader - Robert E. “Rob” Harbison, 42, has joined the Civilian Marksmanship Program, serving in the newly-created role of Director of Program Operations after a 20-year career in the US Army.  Harbison retired from the Army, effective 30 September, as a Lieutenant Colonel, most-recently serving at Fort Benning, Georgia and has begun his assignment at CMP headquarters at Camp Perry.

OCTOBER 08

2008 WESTERN CMP GAMES - More Events--More Entries--More Wind! - The 5th Western CMP Games Matches and the second Western CMP Games to take place at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility north of Phoenix, Arizona concluded this past week. There were three new events on the program as well as new award categories. Shooter entries were more than double 2007 numbers. Winds were bad enough that the Bronze Achievement Medal cut scores had to be adjusted downward, but never as bad as in 2007 when high winds caused the cancellation of one day of shooting. In spite of strong winds, there were lots of excellent shooting highlighted by Californian Mike Miller’s win in a newly introduced GSM Three-Gun Aggregate. Most important of all, the Games trademark value of giving every shooter a great experience was at the forefront during the four days of shooting.

New Three-Position Air Rifle Rules Released, 2008-2010 Rulebooks Available - The 2008-2010 7th Edition of the National Standard Three-Position Air Rifle Rules, with changes approved by the National Three-Position Air Rifle Council, are now available in printed version or as a downloadable *.pdf file. The new rules may be accessed immediately through the CMP website at http://www.odcmp.com/3P/Rules.pdf. Printed copies of the new rulebook may be ordered from the CMP at a cost of $2.00 each.

CMP Hosts National Youth Leadership Conference - CAMP PERRY, OHIO - As a coach looking for ways to motivate and train junior shooters, wouldn't it be ideal to spend a couple of days listening to tips, real life experiences and advice from some of the shooting world's best shooting instructors, coaches and match organizers?  Well, in case you missed it, that's what many of your colleagues experienced during the 2008 National Youth Shooting Sports Leadership Conference at CMP's Bataan Armory conference center on 26-28 September. The conference concluded a week of training courses for junior shooting coaches and club leaders.

Bavarian Sport Shooting Federation of Germany Sport Director, Ralf Horneber, Featured Speaker during the National Youth Leadership Conference - CAMP PERRY, OHIO - The nation of Germany is so familiar to generations of Americans for a number of reasons including ancestral and cultural ties, military assignments and countless books, films, documentaries and television shows featuring German content, yet we're still learning about its people and shooting culture.  At the National Youth Leadership Conference in September, Ralf Horneber, Sport Director, Bavarian Sport Shooting Federation of Germany opened the door to his homeland and its rich sport shooting heritage a little wider.

U.S. Olympic Team Rifle Coach, Maj. David Johnson, Speaks at the National Youth Leadership Conference - CAMP PERRY, OHIO - So, what has the U.S. Olympic Team rifle coach been doing since two of his competitors in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing brought home silver and bronze medals in our nation's finest collective Olympic shooting performance at least since 1964?  Major David Johnson, USAR, who is on active duty in the Defense Department’s World Class Athlete Program as the National Rifle Coach, is already preparing for the next four-year Olympic cycle that will culminate with the London Games in 2012. The budgeting process, a primary consideration for training, is well underway at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

JROTC COMPETITION SEASON OPENS, JROTC Postal Targets Can Now Be Ordered - CAMP PERRY, OHIO - It's time for an estimated six to seven thousand Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC Cadets to gather targets, get their gear bags zipped and head to their ranges to prepare for this year’s JROTC Air Rifle Postal Competitions that kick off this month, to mark the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year’s shooting season.

New Jersey Junior is Awarded the John C. Garand Handicap Presentation Rifle - CAMP PERRY, OHIO – If you ever woke up as a child on your birthday, rubbed the sleep from your eyes and walked into your living room to find a new bike with a ribbon on it, then you can relate to how a New Jersey teen felt when a pristine presentation grade M1 Garand rifle arrived on his doorstep after winning the 2008 John C. Garand Match handicap award.

AUGUST 08

2008 U.S. Olympic Shooting Team Claims Six Medals, Sets Five Olympic Records in Beijing - BEIJING, China - The U.S. Olympic Shooting Team turned out an outstanding performance at the 2008 Olympic Games earning six medals to double the medal count from Athens four years ago. Arguably, the most successful showing for the USA in the history of the Olympic shooting competition, the U.S. Shooting team brought home two Gold, two Silver and two Bronze medals and set a total of five new Olympic records.

18th annual American Legion Junior Air Rifle National Championship - USA SHOOTING RANGE, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Xentri Garza, a seventeen year-old female shooter from Ft. Worth, Texas capped off a championship year to capture the sporter crown at the 18th annual American Legion Junior Air Rifle National Championship, August 7-9.

USAMU Rifle Team captures National Trophy Team Matches - CAMP PERRY, OHIO – In the three team matches of the 2008 National Trophy Rifle Matches, the US Army’s SFC Grant Singley found himself playing an important role in his teams’ capture of the Hearst Doubles, National Trophy Team and National Trophy Infantry Team matches.

2008 National CMP Games Events Score Again - CAMP PERRY, OHIO – In what has become one of the most colorful and nostalgic series of National Matches events in recent years, the 2008 National CMP Games Matches that feature events for M1 Carbines, Springfield Rifles, Vintage Military Rifles and M1 Garands certainly met or exceeded the expectations of those who cherish competition featuring some of America’s and the world’s most famous military rifles.

Eastern Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship - The Eastern Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship took place at Camp Butner, North Carolina, on 22-27 June. Sixty-four junior highpower shooters attended this years’ clinic - doubling the number of juniors who attended in 2007.

JROTC Cadets Invade Sarasota, Florida For JROTC Cadet Leadership Camp And Newly Introduced Safety & Air Rifle Marksmanship Course - Beginning June 9, 2008 and ending June 12, 2008, JROTC Cadets joined together from five area high schools to attend a JROTC Cadet Leadership Camp (JCLC). Now in its 4th year, JROTC Cadets numbering 120 strong were from Booker H.S., Desoto H.S., River H.S., Sarasota H.S., and new this year Zephyrhills H.S. to participate in their summer camp.

Register Now for Junior Leadership Training Conference - Junior shooting coaches, leaders and parents from all over the country have one common annual opportunity to participate in training courses that are structured to increase their knowledge and skills as junior shooting sports leaders. This one national-level training week occurs each fall as either the National Youth Shooting Sports Leadership Conference (hosted by CMP in even-numbered years) or the National Shooting Coaches College (hosted by USA Shooting in odd-numbered years). The NRA Education & Training Division also plays a major role in each year’s program.

Change of Command Ceremony at Camp Perry - Though the names have changed the commitment to service and tradition will remain the same for Ohio National Guard Camp Perry leadership, according to Colonel Dean Brown, incoming commander of the Ohio National Guard’s Fort Ohio Installations and Camp Perry Training Site Detachment.

California’s Shawn McKenna wins National Trophy Individual Rifle Match - In a close-fought match, Shawn McKenna, 30, of Fountain Valley, California defeated Trenton Hering of Corvallis, Oregon by one point to win the National Trophy Individual Rifle Match, Tuesday, 29 July.

Virginia’s Ben Amonette Becomes Triple Distinguished - For a man who considers himself on the “back side of life” at age 53, Ben Amonette feels fortunate to still be amongst the elite in the world of shooting sports. Amonette, of Radford, Virginia scored the final four points he needed to earn his Distinguished Rifleman Badge in service rifle in the National Trophy Individual Match on Tuesday, 28 July.

Arizona Juniors win Whistler Boy Team Match - Junior shooters beware, there’s trouble brewing in Arizona and it looks like it’s just beginning to reach a boil.  Tyler Rico, 14, of Tucson and his partner Andrew Swazey, 18, of Phoenix just added the Whistler Boy Highpower Trophy to their growing list of recent accomplishments at the National Trophy Matches on Wednesday, 30 July.

M1 for Vets compete in National Matches - For wounded military veterans returning from the Global War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, the idea of picking up a rifle again might seem like it would be the furthest thing from their minds.  But John “JJ” O’Shea, founder of M1 for Vets, an organization founded in 2005 to reintroduce wounded vets to highpower rifle shooting, sees the connection between their plight and the rifle range, and says it’s not a stretch.

Mathew Amore participates in his First National Matches - His name says it all. “Amore,” the Italian word for “love” captures one junior shooter’s passion for participating in his first appearance at the National Matches and CMP Games.   But his love of the sport requires Mathew Amore, 14, of Howell, New Jersey to overcome the thorny obstacle of being a Type 1 insulin-dependent diabetic, a condition he has had since birth but wasn’t properly diagnosed until he was 14 months old.

2008 Western CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches Ready for Entries - The 2008 Western CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches will take place at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility North of Phoenix, Arizona on 11-19 October. Shooters who want detailed information about the events on the program should examine the match program at http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/WesternGames.htm. Shooters can now register on-line at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchInfo.cgi?matchID=3773.

US Army Reserve SFC Norman Anderson Sets New National Matches Record for President’s Rifle Match - What was planned to be a match within a match, the 2008 President’s 100 Rifle Match on Monday, 28 July became even more interesting half way through the final stage.  The pressure-filled event gave finalists, fellow competitors, match organizers and spectators each something to talk about for years to come.

Rifle Small Arms Firing School - While few attendees admit that they learn scads of new information at the Rifle Small Arms Firing School (SAFS), one thing is certain – there are very few empty seats in the Camp Perry auditorium on Day One of the school and there is seldom a no-show on the firing line that afternoon for practice firing or at the M-16 Excellence in Competition (EIC) match on the morning of Day Two.

Junior Highpower Shooters Learn Marksmanship the Marine Corps Way - Sometimes folks need an invigorating splash of cold water in the face followed by a warm towel to wake up and see things that really matter in life and, in the case of 146 junior shooters, learning marksmanship the Marine Corps way.

JULY 08

7th National Rimfire Sporter Match sets New Record - Sun and a light breeze chased away the morning rain as a record crop of shooters stepped to the firing line at the seventh annual CMP National Rimfire Sporter Match on Sunday, 20 July. Rimfire Sporter is an informal games match that introduces shooters to a course of fire akin to match competition yet conducted at a pace conducive to new shooters. The match is fired with off-the-rack bolt-action or semi-automatic .22 caliber rifles which bear no specialized target shooting equipment such as heavy fluted barrels, thumbhole stocks or match-grade sights and must meet weight and trigger-pull restrictions.

Henderson, Hemphill and USAMU’s Team Blue take top honors at the 2008 National Trophy Pistol Matches - This year marked the 117th anniversary of the National Trophy Pistol Matches, now sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program. The matches, which trace back to roots in competitions promoted by US Department of War and US Congress in the late 1800s and early 1900, have been hosted at Camp Perry since 1907. Over 900 shooters participated in the 2008 National Trophy Pistol Matches phase which includes the Pistol Small Arms Firing School.

Top Pistol Shooters - Entering the service pistol events at the 2008 National Matches, three US Army Marksmanship Unit members held spots in the top five Civilian Marksmanship Program national rankings with two former military shooters in the mix.

Pistol Shooters win big with the CMP Handicap System - It doesn’t happen too often in sports, but sometimes the average competitor gets an opportunity to compete straight up with the perennial champs and bring home the prize.  With a little help from the CMP Handicap System, Ross Chesley, of East Grand Rapids, Michigan and Ron Hawkins, of Hanover, Massachusetts did just that in the President’s Pistol and National Trophy Individual matches, respectively, Sunday, 13 July.

30 Shooters earn 4-point legs in M9 EIC Match - This year’s winner of the third annual M9 Excellence in Competition (EIC) Pistol Match was Ronald Maksout, 51, of Southfield, Michigan who fired an aggregate 268-4X to earn four introductory leg points that count towards the 30 points needed to earn the Distinguished Pistol Badge.

NRA President John Sigler fires First Shot - Under a warm and cloudy sky on the western shore of Lake Erie, several hundred onlookers, including competitive shooters, officials and guests watched as keynote speaker John C. Sigler, president of the NRA, fired the ceremonial first shot to open the 2008 National Rifle & Pistol Trophy Matches during the traditional First Shot Ceremony on Monday, 7 July.

Pistol Small Arms Firing School - Taking knowledge to a higher level was the theme of this year’s Pistol Small Arms Firing School on 7-8 July, as 365 attendees and competitors benefited from outstanding firearms instruction and the opportunity to participate in the third annual M9 Excellence in Competition (EIC) match the next morning.

Camp Perry Air Gun Range Open and Active - The CMP’s Camp Perry Competition Center with its 80-point electronic target air gun range opened this month with a flurry of activity. Since use of the new range began on 9 June, CMP programs have already trained 276 junior shooters and 45 adult leaders or coaches there, while utilizing the assistance of 20 volunteer instructors and several CMP staff members to carry out four different training programs.

National Service Rifle and Service Pistol Shooter Rankings Released - Sergeant Brandon Green and Staff Sergeant James Henderson, both assigned to the U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit, are the country’s top ranked service rifle and service pistol shooters in national rankings just released by the CMP. Current lists of the Top 100 Service Rifle Shooters and the Top 100 Service Pistol Shooters can now be viewed on the CMP website at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/nationalRanking.cgi.

2008 Eastern Creedmoor Cup Matches - Army Marksmen Take Top Places in the EIC, Creedmoor Cup and Team Matches - The 2nd Eastern Creedmoor Cup Matches took place at Camp Butner, NC on 8-11 May 2008. These matches were held in conjunction with the Eastern CMP Games Matches that concluded earlier in the week. 343 competitors attended the Camp Butner competitions this year.

JUNE 08

New and Improved Facilities Await 2008 National Matches Competitors - Several new Camp Perry facilities, building renovations and facility improvements are now in their finishing stages and will be ready when 2008 National Matches competitors, volunteers and visitors begin to arrive in early July. Among these new or revitalized facilities are an 80-point CMP air gun range, an expanded National Guard electronic skills trainer, a bathhouse to support RV and tent camping, a new Shooters Memorial Plaza, a new speaker system for the Viale Range pits, CMP Store renovations and major renovations to CMP administrative facilities in its Camp Perry headquarters building. New beach cottages also are under construction, but will not be finished in time for the National Matches.

Creedmoor Cup Highpower Clinic: A Student’s Perspective - Recently I had the rare opportunity to be the student instead of the administrator at the Creedmoor Cup Highpower Clinic. The experience was far and beyond what I expected to get out of the clinic since I entered it as a semi-experienced shooter. Shooters often have the impression that clinics are just for beginners, and once they know the basics they often think that they have nothing to gain from a clinic, but this is where they have it wrong. Clinics are for shooters of all levels. Unless you are cleaning every position (shooting perfect scores) every time you shoot in competition, you will have something to learn in a clinic. The main thing to remember is to always be a student of the game, and you will always find ways to improve.

Reading Rifle Junior Highpower Clinic 2008 - Despite the rain, cold and wind the 2008 Reading Rifle Club Junior Highpower Clinic, held 3-4 May, was a great success. This was the third year that the Reading, PA club has held a highpower clinic for juniors and coaches in the spring, and the program seen a great deal of growth in that time.  Safety and efficiency were the key issues addresses at this year’s clinic, and a new format was developed for the overall clinic presentation. To help address the needs of new shooters attending the clinic, more hands-on instruction was incorporated this year.

2008 National Junior Olympic Three-Position Air Rifle Championship - The 2008 National Junior Olympic Three-Position Air Rifle Championship is just around the corner and the program is now posted on the CMP website. The event will take place along with the Progressive Pistol Championships, 9-18 July in Anniston, AL. This will be the first event held at the CMP Competition Center-South, which will feature 80 firing points in the brand new facility.

MAY 08

2008 Eastern CMP Games Matches—More Entries and Great Shooting - The 2008 edition of the Eastern CMP Games saw a big jump in event entries and, with a break in the weather, some great scores. The first Eastern CMP Games Matches took place in May 2007 at Camp Butner, North Carolina. There were 267 event entries in those matches. This year the final event entry count ended at 398, a significant increase over the first year’s participation.

CMP Awards $100,000 in Scholarships:  2008-2009 CMP ROTC Scholarship Recipients Announced - The primary mission of the Civilian Marksmanship Program is to promote marksmanship programs across the country, with a special emphasis on youth. The CMP provides multiple training opportunities throughout the year for juniors and their coaches including three-position air rifle camps and clinics, JROTC instructor courses and highpower clinics. CMP also supports major junior events like the JROTC Nationals and Junior Olympics. In addition to training and match support, each year CMP makes a substantial financial contribution to junior shooters entering or attending college with the CMP ROTC Scholarship Program. The program awards $1000 scholarships to 100 JROTC and ROTC cadets who plan to participate in both ROTC and compete on a rifle team while in college.

Bushmaster Presents $10,000 for Junior Shooter Support - Bushmaster Firearms of Windham, Maine, recently made a $10,000.00 contribution to the CMP National Matches Junior Highpower Support Fund. A formal check presentation ceremony took place at Camp Butner, North Carolina on 7 May during the Eastern CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches that took place at Camp Butner on 3 to 11 May. The check represents the proceeds from a special series of Bushmaster DCM-XR competition rifles that were produced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Matches coming to Camp Perry, Ohio.

The 2008 U.S. Army Junior Open Air Rifle Championship - The competitor field is set for the 2008 U.S. Army Open Air Rifle Championship. Over 1,541 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 7-9 August.

Howell Gun Club Holds Second CMP Sanctioned Rimfire Clinic & “Half-Match” - Record numbers of families attended the second CMP Rimfire Sporter Clinic & Half-Match held at the Howell Gun Club (HGC), CMP Affiliate #56164. The event was held on 13 April 2008 in Howell, MI. News of the club’s comprehensive and “novice” friendly shooting clinic is spreading throughout Southern Michigan and Northern Ohio, and contributing to the greater attendance numbers. The events have earned the reputation of being well organized, comprehensive and full of “hands-on” instruction.

APRIL 08

2008 National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches Programs Available, On-Line Entry System Open - It’s hard to believe that the time to make plans for another National Matches is already here. The Official Program for the CMP National Trophy and CMP Games Matches that will take place this summer at Camp Perry, Ohio, is now posted on the CMP website and the CMP Competitor Tracker system is now open to receive on-line entries. Competitors who want to secure their places in this year’s matches can now do so.

Air Rifle Tournament at Winterfest 2008 - On 1-3 February 2008 the Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, TN was converted into a rifle range for the Boy Scout Explorer and Venture Crews Winterfest 2008. Winterfest is an exciting weekend focusing on competitive events for all Boy Scout Explorer Posts and Venture Crews, and this year the event drew over 2,600 participants. Of those, over 300 took part in an air rifle tournament that was set-up at the request of the Northeast Georgia Boy Scout Council and USA Shooting Manager of Youth and Coach Programs, Bob Foth.

2008 National JROTC Championship - Pool Range at Fort Benning, GA is known as the Home of Champions, a name that usually refers to the Army Marksmanship Unit’s International Rifle Team that calls Pool Range their home. On 27-29 March 2008 the range was home for the 6th annual National JROTC Three-Position Air Rifle Championship. 140 JROTC cadets and 26 Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force JROTC unit teams qualified for the championship. Reaching the National Championship was an outstanding achievement for all athletes and JROTC Units involved, they were all champions in their own right.

2008 Small Arms Firing Schools Enrollment Now Open - One of the best ways for new shooters to learn good pistol and rifle marksmanship skills and get started in service pistol or rifle target competition is to attend the Small Arms Firing Schools at Camp Perry, Ohio during the National Matches. The official program for the 2008 schools is now available and on-line entry in the CMP Competitor Tracker system is now open.

MARCH 08

Qualifiers for the JROTC Nationals - 144 JROTC Cadets representing 62 JROTC units in 25 states and one Defense Department high school in Germany qualified for the 2008 National JROTC Air Rifle Championship that will take place on Army Marksmanship Unit facilities at Fort Benning, Georgia on 27-29 March. This year’s qualifiers include, for the first time, Air Force Cadets. The JROTC Nationals now take place in early spring and culminate the shooting seasons for Army, Marine Corps, Navy and now Air Force JROTC Cadets.

2008 CMP Competition Rules Released - Final decisions have now been made on proposals for changes in the CMP rules for service rifle, service pistol and as-issued military rifles. The 12th 2008 Edition of the CMP Competition Rules is now posted on the CMP web site at http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/Rulebook.pdf. Printed copies of the 2008 rulebook can also be ordered from the CMP.

2008 JROTC Western Region Championships - On 21-23 February, the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO hosted the 2008 JROTC Western Region Three-Position Air Rifle Championship. This competition was the final qualifying round for the 2008 JROTC National Championship, which will be held at Fort Benning, GA on 27-29 March. In all 324 juniors and 61 teams qualified for the Western Region from a pool of nearly 6,000 competitors in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC Postal Competitions that took place in November and December 2007. Only the top ten percent of the competitors who fired the postal advanced to the Eastern and Western Region Championships. The Eastern Region took place at Fort Benning on 14-16 February, and those shooters will join the qualifiers from the Western in the upcoming JROTC National Championship.

Coats, Gloves, and Mitts - By PFC Evan Hess - Sight Alignment and Trigger Control are the two principles of shooting. A properly constructed shooting position supports these principles. In Highpower rifle competitions, we use both artificial support (either a leather or webbed sling) and bone support (letting the weight of the rifle be supported by your bones instead of your muscles) to help us build a solid shooting position.   Some important factors in achieving this solid shooting position are the use of a shooting coat and a glove or mitt. The choice to use a coat made entirely out of canvas, canvas and leather or solid leather is up to you. The same goes for gloves and mitts, some prefer different combinations than others but most importantly, everything must fit and be comfortable.

CMP North Store Re-Opens - The CMP North Store at Camp Perry officially re-opened on 12 March. A line with anxious customers formed outside in the 30 degree Ohio March weather. The North Store closed at the end of January for remodeling to give the store a “new look” which increased the size of the rifle selection area, improved physical security and the customer shopping experience

CMP Introduces New Competitor Handicap System - Many competitive shooters who recently looked at competition results posted on the CMP website noted new Handicap Results lists that included scores fired by competitors in that match plus a new Handicap number and Handicap Aggregate. Most CMP competitors who looked at these new results lists have been wondering what these Handicap numbers are and what they might mean to competitors in CMP sanctioned matches.

2008 Eastern U.S. Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship Enrollment Now Open - The Eastern U.S. Junior Highpower Clinic and Championship will take place 22-27 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 within the sport.  This event is sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and Sir Walter Junior Highpower Team with the co-operation and support of the NC National Guard Training Site, North State Shooting Club (NSSC) and the USMC Rifle Team.

Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association First CMP GSM Clinic of the Year - The Oak Ridge Sportsmen’s Association (ORSA) held its first Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) rifle clinic on Saturday 23 February. The clinic was instructed by CMP-certified instructors. Attendance was high with 23 new shooters braving the cool winter weather. The clinic consisted of a 4-hour class covering CMP History, Range Safety, Range Procedures, Pit Operations, Shooting Equipment, Shooting Positions, and Purchasing Rifles and Equipment from the CMP. Along with the new shooters, more than 20 experienced shooters acted as coaches to assist the new shooters on the range after the classroom session.

FEBRUARY 08

Eastern Region JROTC Championship -  JROTC Rifle Shooting Continues to Grow - There could be no better proof of how much junior rifle shooting is growing in the USA than to see the signs of growth on display at the 2008 Eastern Region JROTC Air Rifle Championship. The Championship was conducted by the CMP on U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit facilities at Fort Benning, Georgia on 15-16 February.

Keep it Steady-The Elements of a Good Prone Position - Part 1-Building the Position - By SPC Matthew Sigrist - Imagine the following scenario: You are at the last stage of fire in the National Trophy Individual Match, firing at the 600 yard line in the prone position and every point matters. What should you reflect on as you prepare to shoot this final string? As your eyes cloud from sweat, you realize that all you have to rely on is your experience and knowledge of the fundamentals.  During the National Trophy Individual Match, you will fire 60 percent of your shots from the prone position. This article will address the fundamentals of a good prone position and help you learn the techniques required to be successful in both the slow and rapid-fire stages of National Match competition.

2008 Palmyra Invitational - The 9th Annual Palmyra Invitational took place over 12-13, 19-21 and 26-27 January 2008 at the Palmyra Sportsman’s Association in Palmyra, PA. This smallbore and air rifle match has gained tremendous popularity in recent years attracting some of the top collegiate and junior shooters from across the country.

JANUARY 08

CMP Hosts 2nd Annual Camp Perry Junior Open - For the second year in a row CMP’s newest three-position air rifle event, the Camp Perry Junior Open, was filled to capacity with juniors from different parts of the country. Travelers from as far away as Auburn, Alabama and Waukegan, Illinois made the trek to Camp Perry, Ohio, the home of CMP North, for the sanctioned precision and sporter air rifle match.

8th Annual SMGC/CMP "SNOW SHOOT" Vintage Rifle Match - The cold snowy weather didn't stop the diehard shooters from enjoying the friendly competition and supporting the M1 for Vets Program, which provides M1 Garand Rifles to disabled vets of the War in Iraq and Afghanistan. In all a total of 52 shooters participated in rifle match, along with 20 pistol shooters and 15 period dressed competitors, and over $1000 dollars was raised for the M1 for Vets Program.

2008 Camp Counselor Announcement - The Civilian Marksmanship Program is seeking qualified individuals to fill counselor positions for its Three-Position Air Rifle Summer Camps. This premier program has a long established history of providing the highest quality air rifle instruction for high school athletes in the country.

The First Allied Carbine Match? - A little-known sidelight in the history of the U.S. Cal. 30 M1 Carbine during WWII is an impromptu “Carbine Match” that was precipitated by Great Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He was an avid firearms enthusiast and owned several carbines, including a pre-production prototype.

Registration Opens for 2008 Eastern CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches - In 2007 the Inaugural Eastern CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches drew over 300 competitors to Camp Butner, North Carolina for the nine-day shooting event. The Eastern Games was modeled after the popular Western CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches that have been held each Fall in the Western United States since 2004. This event is co-sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and Creedmoor Sports. North State Shooting Club (NSSC) hosts the event at their home range at Camp Butner, North Carolina, which is located north of Durham. The 2008 Eastern CMP Games will take place on 3-6 May, followed by the Creedmoor Cup Matches on 7-11 May.

Junior Smallbore Rifle Available Through Special Purchase Program - The CMP and Savage Arms Company have just announced a new special purchase program that makes the Savage Mark I-FVT junior smallbore rifles available to CMP-affiliated organizations sponsoring junior shooting activities. This program is part of a CMP effort to make it possible for more of its affiliated junior clubs and youth marksmanship programs to obtain the basic target shooting equipment they need to expand their programs and serve more youth with rifle instruction. The CMP tested numerous rifles that might fulfill this need and concluded that the Savage Mark I-FVT offers the best overall combination of features and price that make it especially suitable for junior training and entry-level competition.

A Primer on Scoring Gauges - A frequently asked question at CMP concerns what are the correct gauges to use for scoring different targets and where can they be obtained. This is not a simple question to answer. There are inward gauges and outward gauges for most 10 meter and 50 foot targets and when each must be used varies from target to target. There are actually three different smallbore or .22 cal. inward gauges. And in highpower rifle matches governed by NRA Rules, the gauge used depends upon the caliber of the rifle being fired at each target. Moreover, ISSF and USA Shooting Rules give legal gauge dimensions in millimeters and NRA Rules use inches, while National Three-Position Air Rifle Council gives both. With so many rulebook variations, it is not difficult to understand why questions about scoring gauges are commonplace.

2008 Achievement Medal and Achievement Pin Cut Scores - 50-Shot Cut Scores Now Available for Sanctioned Matches - One of the most popular goals for participants in CMP As-Issued Military Rifle Matches is to fire a score that earns a Gold, Silver or Bronze Achievement Medal or Pin. Competitors in the CMP Games Matches at the National Matches are awarded medals with neck ribbons when they fire scores that exceed Achievement Medal cut scores. Competitors in the Eastern and Western CMP Games Matches also are awarded medals with neck ribbons. Clubs that sponsor As-Issued Military Rifle or Rimfire Sporter Matches can award, Gold, Silver and Bronze Achievement Pins for scores fired in matches sanctioned by the CMP.

CMP College Scholarship Program Enters Eighth Year - The Civilian Marksmanship Program annually provides one hundred $1000 scholarships to current Army, Marine Corps and Navy JROTC seniors and ROTC cadets who are underclassmen enrolled in college Army or Navy ROTC programs. Applicants must also have a good academic record and have a record of success as a member of a college club, ROTC or varsity rifle team. This highly-acclaimed program has allowed the CMP to reward JROTC and ROTC cadets who display leadership and excellence both in the classroom and on the rifle range.

2008 CMP Three-Position Air Rifle Summer Camp Registration Opens - As the holiday break ends and schools start back across the country, it is already time for students to begin planning how they want to spend their summer vacation. For air rifle shooters we hope that one of the events that will be marked on their new 2008 calendars will be a CMP Three-Position Air Rifle Summer Camp. To help make this planning easier, the 2008 schedule has already been posted online, and registration forms will begin being accepted on 14 January.

TFS Home