New and Revised CMP Rules for 2022 Released

CMP 2022 Competition Rules Are Now Available

Article based on report by Gary Anderson, DCM Emeritus
The CMP has posted updated 2022 rulebooks on the CMP website. The CMP competition program began in 1996 with two disciplines, Service Rifle and Service Pistol. CMP competitions have now grown to include separate disciplines for Service Rifle, Service Pistol, .22 Rimfire Pistol, Service Revolver, As-Issued Military Rifle (Garand, Springfield, Vintage Military Rifle, M1 Carbine, Modern Military Rifle, Vintage Sniper Rifle), As-Issued Pistol (M9, M1911, M&P Service Pistol) and Rimfire Sporter Rifle competitions where the CMP is the national governing body. The CMP also issues rules for Match Pistol (3-gun pistol), Long-Range and Mid-Range Rifle, Smallbore Rifle (position and prone), Air Rifle, and Air Pistol to govern events it conducts in conjunction with the National Matches, CMP Competition Games, and other match sanctioning programs.

To govern all these target rifle and pistol disciplines, the CMP now publishes five different rulebooks. Here are links to download the 2022 editions of these rulebooks:

2022 CMP Highpower Rifle Competition Rules (25th Edition — 2022)
2022 CMP Smallbore Rifle Competition Rules (4th Edition — 2022)
2022 CMP Air Rifle and Air Pistol Competition Rules (1st Edition — 2022)
2022 CMP Pistol Competition Rules (25th Edition — 2022)
2022 CMP Games Rifle and Pistol Competition Rules (9th Edition — 2022)

If anyone has questions about any 2022 CMP Competitions Rulebooks, contact the CMP Competitions Department at competitions@thecmp.org or (419) 635-2141, ext. 714 or 729. For Smallbore Rule questions, contact (419) 635-2141, ext. 730 or bdonoho@thecmp.org. For Air Rifle/Air Pistol questions, please contact (419) 635-2141, ext. 702 or airgun@thecmp.org.

Photo courtesy Jonathan Ocab, who himself earned the Distinguished Rifleman Badge.

Here are the Highpower (Centerfire) and Smallbore (Rimfire) Rifle Rules Changes for 2022. Other changes (e.g. Pistol Rules Changes) are provided below that:

CMP HIGHPOWER RIFLE COMPETITION RULE CHANGES

The CMP Highpower Rifle program includes 1) traditional Service Rifle events conducted according to National Trophy Match rules (no sighters, starting rapid-fire series from standing), 2) Highpower Rifle events conducted according to CMP Cup Match rules (with sighters, starting rapid-fire in position), 3) Long-Range Rifle (prone and F-class events at 800, 900, and 1000 yards) and Mid-Range Rifle (prone and F-class events at 600 yards). The CMP program for Mid- and Long-Range competitions now includes: 1) Match Rifle Prone Long-Range, 2) Service Rifle Prone Long-Range, 2) F-Class Long-Range, 3) AR Tactical Long-Range, 4) Prone Mid-Range, F-Class Mid-Range 6) AR Tactical Mid-Range, and 7) Service Rifle Mid-Range events.

There are no major changes in the 2022 Highpower Rifle rules, but there are several technical changes that competitors and match sponsors will want to note. For example, Eye and Ear Protection is now required during Pit Duty:

Rule H2.6.9. Residency requirements for National Trophy Team Matches were changed to allow competitors who live in states that do not enter teams to join and compete for a team from an adjoining state. Competitors who wish to take advantage of this authorization must apply to CMP Competitions for annual approvals.
Rule H3.6.2. The rule requiring the wearing of eye and hearing protection on active Highpower Rifle ranges was clarified to also require wearing eye and hearing protection when in Highpower Rifle target pits.
Rules H3.8.2 & H6.5. Firing times for rapid-fire series on electronic targets are clarified. To equalize firing times between pit-operated and electronic targets, 3 seconds are added to electronic target firing times to compensate for the time it takes for pit-operated targets to rise from the pits to their fully elevated positions.
Rule H3.9.3 c). The allowance for an extra sighter when CMP Cup Matches at 600 yards are interrupted for more than 3 minutes was extended to also apply in all Long-Range events at 800, 900, and 1000 yards.
Rule H3.10.1. A CMP sanctioned Highpower Rifle match may be fired on ranges that have both electronic and pit-operated targets if random squadding is used. A new rule clarifies that for Service Rifle EIC Matches, all Non-Distinguished competitors must fire on the same type of target.
Rule H3.10.9. A procedure for correcting scores recorded in error was added.
Rule H3.10.10 h). A procedure for handling shots that were inadvertently not recorded was added.
Rule H3.10.11 b). If there is a missing shot with no evidence of a crossfire or off-target miss and it is confirmed that the competitor fired all ten shots, the competitor will be given the score of the lowest value hit for the missing shot. The previous requirement that the nine visible hits all had to be nines or tens was dropped.
Rule H5.2.2. F-Class Mid-Range 600-yard 3×20 competitors will be allowed unlimited sighters before the first 20-shot stage.
Rule H6.6.6 d). A procedure was added for allowing a sighter in matches where electronic targets are used for events where an additional sighter may be authorized after an interruption.

SMALLBORE RIFLE COMPETITION RULE CHANGES

The first CMP Smallbore Rifle Competition rulebook was released in 2018. These rules were used to conduct National Matches Smallbore Rifle Position and Prone Championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021. (The 2020 Championship was cancelled due to covid.) One of the most encouraging 2021 National Matches developments was an increase in competitors in the National Matches Smallbore Rifle Position Championship and the high percentage of those competitors who were juniors. Entries were up 44%, with 137 competitors. An impressive 88% of those competitors were juniors!

There are no significant Smallbore Rifle rule changes for 2022, but there are a couple of program developments to note:

Smallbore Rifle Distinguished Badges. Smallbore Distinguished Badges were introduced in 2020, but Covid prevented this new award opportunity from getting off the ground. With a new Camp Perry Open Smallbore Rifle event in May, the National Matches Smallbore Championship in July, and the expectation that there will be sanctioned Smallbore EIC Matches in 2022, the first presentation of Smallbore Distinguished Badges could occur in the coming year.

Smallbore Position Course of Fire. The CMP Smallbore Rifle rulebook mandates that Smallbore Rifle Position EIC Matches be 3×40 120-shot courses of fire, but if the pending ISSF change to 3×20 three-position events is finalized, CMP Smallbore Position EIC Matches likely will be changed to recognize 3×20 courses of fire as EIC Matches later in 2022.

Junior Age Limit Change. Since the Smallbore Rifle matches attract a high percentage of juniors, the age group rule change that extends junior eligibility to the day of a competitor’s 21st birthday, intermediate junior eligibility to the 18th birthday and sub-junior eligibility to the 15th birthday will impact many juniors who compete in these matches.

(more…)