REGISTER Now for CMP 2026 National Matches at Camp Perry
Registration for the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s 2026 National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches is now. This year’s National Matches will run from July 12 through August 9, 2026. Review the new 2026 National Matches schedule and other event info on the CMP website at TheCMP.org/cmp-national-matches.
The CMP National Matches, held at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Base since 1907, is conducted via a partnership between the CMP and the Ohio National Guard. The National Matches include multiple indoor and outdoor events, with spectators welcome to watch this noteworthy, century-old competition.
Along with several competitive opportunities for adults and juniors of all experience levels, the National Matches features a variety of educational clinics for marksmen and women as well as retail selections from some of today’s leading industry vendors. Whether participating for the first time, a seasoned competitor or simply observing, the National Matches has something for everyone. All events are open to the public, free for viewing. Spectators are welcome to observe firing on the Camp Perry ranges at any time, with ample parking on-site.
Highpower, Service Rifle, and Vintage Rifle
Introduced last year, the National Trophy Rifle series will again be held completely on electronic targets! The schedule of events includes prestigious matches like the President’s Rifle, Hearst Doubles, Rattle Battle, National Trophy Individual and National Trophy Team events. NOTE: The National Trophy Infantry Team Match will still be on paper targets.
A paired Junior Team Match is also on the schedule for young competitors, along with an assortment of vintage and modern military rifle events like the John C. Garand, Springfield and Vintage Sniper matches for individuals at every stage of their marksmanship abilities. Additionally, the M14 Heritage Match is a major attraction.
CMP National Championship Rifle
The CMP National Championship series features three days of 800 Aggregate competitions and a 4-Person Team event. Awards are presented for the leading competitors of each day as well as for the culminating 2400 Aggregate (800×3).
Mid-Range and Long-Range Rifle
The CMP’s National Mid-Range and Long-Range series features both individual and team competitions, fired fully on CMP’s line of outdoor electronic targets. All Mid/Long-Range matches are open to Match Rifle, Service Rifle, Palma Rifle, F-Open, F-TR or AR Tactical categories fired from 600 yards (Mid-Range) and 1,000 yards (Long-Range).
New for 2026: The CMP has added a Mid/Long-Range category for this year: F-Class Practical. This “Practical” class is geared toward new competitors and has more affordable equipment standards. In addition, this summer an International 12-Person Team Match will be held, featuring teams from the United States, Great Britain and Canada. The event will feature a Palma course of fire: record shots at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards.
Rimfire Sporter Rifle
Highlighted as one of CMP’s most popular events, the Rimfire Sporter Rifle Match features .22 caliber competition in open sights (O-Class), telescopic (T-Class), tactical/unlimited (TU) and U.S. military rimfire training rifles (M-Class). The event is perfect for those just beginning in the sport or those looking for a unique challenge on the range.
Like last year, the event will be fired completely on electronic targets! Competitors will be able to enjoy close parking and the covered structure of Petrarca Range.
Smallbore Rifle
Likewise, the National Smallbore events will be fired on the same electronic targets as Rimfire Sporter — also setup on Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range. The schedule includes three-position and prone events, complete with an F-Class category for interested individuals.
National Air Rifle Championship
The National Air Rifle Championship (60 Shot and Team Match) for adults and juniors will be held at the same time as 3-position smallbore to accommodate those competitors wishing to fire in both events. These are sanctioned USA Shooting Designated Ranking Matches.
Pistol Events and Glock Challenge
Fired this year on newly minted paper targets branded with CMP’s insignia, the National Pistol events include a mix of traditional matches like the President’s 100 Pistol, National Trophy Individual and National Trophy Team events, along with a series of 900 Aggregate matches for .22, Center Fire and .45 Pistol. The GSSF GLOCK National Challenge will be returning to the schedule in 2026 along with the Service Revolver EIC Match. The National Air Pistol Championship will be held in the evening to allow competitors to take part in the aggregate matches during the day.
National Matches Air Gun Events
For air rifle and air pistol competitors, the National Matches Air Gun events will be offered within the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center’s 80-point indoor electronic target range – also located on Camp Perry. The air gun events are available through the entirety of the National Matches and appeal to those of any experience level, with supported bench options included.
Marksmanship Training Clinics and SAFS
Image shows 2023 National High Power Rifle Champion Amanda Elsenboss (left) providing instruction. Amanda was, a former USAMU Team member, now serves in the National Guard.
Small Arms Firing Schools (SAFS) will be held for rifle, pistol and smallbore rifle. Participants in SAFS are trained by some of the top military instructors in the country on firearm safety and competition basics. All firearms and ammo are provided for the live-fire portion of the clinic. Other clinics during the National Matches include a Rimfire Sporter Rifle Clinic, the CMP Junior Rifle Clinic and the CMP Advanced Highpower Clinic, for more experienced competitors. Most clinics include both classroom and live-fire training on the range.
Sales at CMP Store
Behind the range, Commercial Row offers a variety of items for spectators and competitors – with an array of manufacturers selling used firearms, ammunition, competition gear, accessories, apparel and much more. The CMP North Store, located on the grounds of Camp Perry, allows even more buying opportunities at the Matches with a lineup of military surplus rifles, memorabilia and equipment needs.
Housing at Camp Perry
Housing for the National Matches is currently available on the grounds of Camp Perry. Accommodations include four-person huts, cottages, barracks, RV spaces and camp sites. Camp Perry housing info posted on the Camp Perry Lodging Center site. Also, if Camp Perry base housing is full, numerous hotels are available in the surrounding Port Clinton, Fremont, and Sandusky Ohio areas.
Todd Jarrett is one of the world’s best handgun shooters. A multi-time World Champion, Todd knows a thing or two about semi-auto pistols, particularly 1911s and 1911-based raceguns. Jarrett has been IPSC Open Division World Champion, has won the Steel Challenge World title four times (Limited Division), and has won than 100 Area championships, as well as many other action shooting events. Jarrett is the only USPSA Triple Crown Winner and he holds four USPSA National titles: Open, Limited, Production, and Limited-10. Jarrett revealed in an interview that between 1988 and 2001 he shot about 1.7 million rounds during practice: “I had a gun in my hand for two hours every day for 10 years to develop my skill level”.
In the video below, Todd explains how to get the proper grip on your handgun, and how to employ a proper stance. We’ve watched many videos on pistol shooting. This is one of the best handgun instructional videos we’ve seen. Todd explains, in easy-to-understand terms, the key elements of grip and stance. One very important point he demonstrates is how to align the grip in your hand so that the gun points naturally — something very important when rapid aiming is required. If you watch this video, you’ll learn valuable lessons — whether you shoot competitively or just want to have better control and accuracy when using your handgun defensively.
Recommended Thumbs-Forward Shooting Grip for 1911s
“Shooting semiautomatic pistols using the thumbs-forward method really becomes useful … where speed and accuracy are both needed. By positioning the thumbs-forward along the slide (or slightly off of the slide) you are in essence creating a second sighting device: wherever your shooting thumb is pointing is where the pistol is pointing. This makes it incredibly fast to draw the pistol, get your proper grip, and press forward to the target without needing to hunt around for the front sight.” — Cheaper Than Dirt Blog.
Rimfire tactical-style matches are now one of the fastest-growing types of rifle competition in the country. The USA has seen a big growth in rimfire tactical matches over the last six years. NRL22 and PRS Rimfire matches are held throughout the country. Right now there are probably ten times as many rimfire tactical matches as sanctioned PRS and NRL centerfire matches. The reason is simple — rimfire ammo is much less costly, and clubs can run challenging rimfire tactical matches at nearly any outdoor gun range that allows shooting out to 200+ yards.
The National Rifle League (NRL) started off sponsoring major centerfire tactical matches, similar to PRS competitions. That proved successful so the NRL added a .22 LR Rimfire series, called NRL22. The NRL22 rimfire discipline has been a major success, as rimfire guns are fun to shoot and ammo is very affordable. The most popular NRL22 matches have drawn up to 200 rimfire competitors. And now PRS has its own PRS .22 Rimfire series.
Precision Rimfire Match with Through-the-Lens Video
Here’s an interesting video featuring a top-tier .22 LR MDT-chassis rifle. The host, Pieter “Piet” Malan from South Africa, runs the excellent Impact Shooting YouTube Channel, which now has 320+ videos on target shooting and hunting. This video features a TriggerCam unit attached to the scope, so you can see hits on the targets, just as the shooter does.
NRL22 — Affordable, Challenging Rimfire Competition Series
NRL22 is a great way to get into competition shooting with minimal expense. There are currently eight (8) classes: Open, Base, Young Guns, Ladies, Air Rifle, Old Guns, Semi-Auto, and Adaptive. Base Class is for the budget-minded shooter — the combined MSRP of Rifle and Optic may not exceed $1650.00 (for example spend $800 on a rifle and $850 on a scope). That keeps the sport affordable. The other classes have no price limits on Rifle and Optic. The “Young Guns” division is for competitors 17 years or younger. Visit NRL22.com to find an NRL22 match near you. CLICK HERE for full NRL22 rules with 2026 updates.
Precision Rimfire Competition Match Report
This excellent video covers a big rimfire precision match, the King of 0.28 Miles event, held at the Rush Lake Range in MN. The video shows multiple stages with targets out to 300 yards, followed by a 465-yard challenge. Host Dave shot the match with a Vudoo Gunworks V22 rifle in a Grayboe Ridgeback stock, with a Trijicon Accupower 4.5-30x56mm FFP scope. The ammo was Lapua Center-X, a top-tier choice.
Rimfire Ammo Selection — Why Comparison Testing Is Important
Every gun and barrel is different, so you should test various ammo types in YOUR rifle. Additionally, you can benefit from lot testing with particular ammo types to optimize your ammo choice even more. If you’re serious about rimfire accuracy, lot testing can be very helpful, whether at your own rage or a testing center. There is no replacement for starting with a good lot of ammunition your rifle likes.
First Rimfire Precision Match — Lessons Learned
Here’s a helpful video for folks getting started in the Precision Rimfire game. Our buddy F-Class John, a top F-Open competitor (and YouTube video creator), is getting starting in the .22 LR precision discipline. Here he provides lessons learned from his first .22 LR precision match.
Tripod Review — Options for Precision Rimfire Shooters
The NRL22 match format is a great shooting discipline. NRL22 offers a high fun factor at relatively low cost. You don’t have to reload match ammo. A couple of 50-round boxes of .22 LR ammo will get you through the match. While some people bring lots of gear to matches, that’s by choice and not by necessity. You can keep it simple and still be competitive (and win).
Tips for NRL22 Competitors by Jonathan Ocab
I am a match director at my gun club and run our local NRL22 matches. People often ask me for tips for competing in NRL22. First, I recommend getting the course of fire for the month in advance and practicing those stages at the range. Here are other specific tips that should help NRL22 competitors improve their gun-handling and match results.
1. Dry Fire Practice — If you are not able to do live fire practice at the range, I encourage shooters to practice their shooting positions at home via dry fire. Setup props or barricades with pasters or other faux targets on a wall in the garage or inside the house and run through each stage.
2. Scope Magnification Level — The most common issue I see with newer shooters in NRL22 is the tendency to maximize their scope magnification. The timer will start, and the shooter gets into position on a target, but the scope is set to 15x or higher and the shooter can’t find the target. The shooter lowers the magnification, locates the target, and then increases the magnification again, takes the shot, transitions to another target, and repeats the process of decreasing magnification, locating target, etc. Novice NRL22 shooters should try using the mid-range magnification. Try shooting 7x-12x and learn to balance field of view and target image.
Emil Praslick III is widely recognized as one of the greatest wind wizards on the planet — a master at identifying wind value and direction, and predicting wind cycles. As coach of the USAMU and top civilian teams, Emil has helped win many high-level championships. In the three videos we feature today, Emil, who works with Capstone Precision Group (Berger, Lapua, SK, Vihtavuori) and Team Applied Ballistics, explains how to determine wind direction and velocity using a variety of indicators. Praslick, now retired from the U.S. Army, was an 18-time National and 2-time World Champion coach with the USAMU.
Video ONE: Wind Theory Basics — Understanding “Wind Values”
In this video from UltimateReloader.com, Emil explains the basics of modern wind theory. To properly understand the effect of the wind you need to know both the velocity of the wind and its angle. The combination of those variables translates to the wind value. Emil also explains that the wind value may not be constant — it can cycle both in speed and velocity. Emil also explains some of the environmental conditions such as mirage that can reveal wind conditions.
Video TWO: Determining the Direction of the Wind
Key Point in Video — Find the Boil
Emil explains how to determine wind direction using optic. The method is to use spotting scope, riflescope, or binoculars to look for the “Boil” — the condition in mirage when the light waves rising straight up. The wind will generate that straight-up, vertical boil in your optics when it is blowing directly at you, or directly from your rear. To identify this, traverse your scope or optics until you see the boil running straight up. When you see that vertical boil, the direction your optic is pointing is aligned with the wind flow (either blowing towards you or from directly behind you).
Video THREE: The No Wind Zero Setting
In this second video, Emil defines the “No-Wind Zero”, and explains why competitive shooters must understand the no-wind zero and have their sights or optics set for a no-wind zero starting point before heading to a match. In order to hit your target, after determining wind speed and direction, says Emil, “you have to have your scope setting dialed to ‘no wind zero’ first.”
Coach of Champions — Emil Praslick III
SFC Emil Praslick III, (U.S. Army, retired) works with Berger Bullets and Applied Ballistics. Emil served as the Head Coach of the U.S. National Long Range Rifle Team and Head Coach of the USAMU for several years. Teams coached by Emil have won 33 Inter-Service Rifle Championships. On top of that, teams he coached set 18 National records and 2 World Records. Overall, in the role of coach, Praslick can be credited with the most team wins of any coach in U.S. Military history.
Registration is now open for the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) 2026 National Smallbore and Air Rifle events. These will be part of the 2026 CMP National Matches held at the Camp Perry National Guard Training Base in Clinton, Ohio. Review the 2026 National Matches schedule and event info on the CMP website. CLICK HERE for 14–page Smallbore and Air Gun Championships summary, and CLICK HERE for National Matches 2026 Event Calendar.
Smallbore (Rimfire) Events at Petrarca Range
The National Smallbore lineup includes iron sights and any sights prone events as well as 3×20 (three-position) individual and team matches. Smallbore events are fired on the covered outdoor electronic target line of Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range.
This video covers the Smallbore competition at the 2021 CMP National Matches at Camp Perry.
National Air Gun Matches at Gary Anderson Competition Center
Air rifle and/or air pistol competitors can participate in the National Air Gun Matches, held on the electronic target range at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. The CMP Air Pistol Matches will take place at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center located on Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio.
Schedule Allows Competitors to Shoot Both Smallbore AND Air Rifle Events
The National Smallbore and National Air Gun phases have been arranged in tandem to allow athletes the option of competing in both disciplines, with an aggregate event included for those firing in air rifle and three-position smallbore competitions.
About the National Matches:
The National Matches event is comprised of the CMP National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches, National Games Matches, National Smallbore Matches, National Air Gun Championships, and the National Mid-Range and Long Range Matches. The month-long series also includes a variety of educational clinics for all experience levels. All events are open to the public, with spectators welcome.
Sierra Bullets has published load data for the 6mm Creedmoor cartridge, a necked-down version of the popular 6.5 Creedmoor. Sierra has released very comprehensive 6mm Creedmoor load data, covering fifteen (15) different bullets from 55 to 110 grains. NOTE: Hornady-brand brass was used for Sierra’s 6mm Creedmoor load tests, not the newer, stronger Lapua 6.5 CM brass with small primer pockets. Hand-loaders using Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass necked to 6mm may have to adjust their loads.
Sierra writes: “As soon as the 6.5 Creedmoor was released in 2007, a 6mm version was being envisioned. After the 6mm Creedmoor demonstrated its worth at 1000 yards it began to catch the attention of Precision Rifle Series (PRS) competitors. The 6mm Creedmoor is a great fit for those looking for an AR platform-friendly cartridge. It delivers velocities very similar to the .243 Win and yet fits the AR10 magazine length[.] The 30-degree shoulder makes this a very efficient case and helps prolong case life as well. The 6mm Creedmoor works well with powders such as H4350, [RE-16], RE-17, and Ramshot Hunter for heavier long-range bullet weights. Slightly faster powders such as RE-15, Win 760, and Vihtavuori N540 work well with lighter weight bullets.”
Sierra Bullets Tested for 6mm Creedmoor Load Data
55gr BlitzKing (#1502)
60gr HP (#1500)
70gr HPBT (#1505)
70gr BlitzKing (#1507)
75gr HP (#1510)
In developing its 6mm Creedmoor load data, Sierra tested a very wide selection of propellants, two dozen overall. For the smaller bullets, fast-burning powders such as Benchmark, H4895, and CFE223 were tested. For the heavier 100+ grain bullets, Sierra tested a selection of medium-burn-rate powders including H4350, Reloder 16, Reloder 17, Varget, and Superformance. Sierra did a very thorough job. We know this information will be welcomed by 6mm Creedmoor shooters.
Don’t know what powder to try first? For the 107-110 grain bullets, if you want best accuracy and low ES/SD, our Forum members recommend Alliant Reloder 16 and Hodgdon H4350. If you are seeking max velocity with the 110-grainer, look at Hodgdon Superformance and Reloder 19.
Here are Sierra’s 6mm Creedmoor Load Data Charts for 90-95 grain bullets plus the 107gr MK and 110gr MK. There are five other tables for other bullet types.
BONUS: PRB 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor Load Survey
The Precision Rifle Blog compiled Load Data from PRS Competitors, for both 6mm Creedmoor and 6.5 Creedmoor. This is a good place to start. PRB surveyed the match loads for “173 of the top-ranked precision rifle shooters in the country”. One cautionary note: These PRS guys may be loading fairly hot, so work up gradually, 0.3 grains at a time. CLICK HERE.
The March 4, 2026 episode of Shooting USA TV features the Vintage Sniper Rifle match at Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. Vintage Sniper competitions use period correct battle rifles with older-style optics. Teams of two engage targets at three hundred and six hundred yards. “It’s a match that brings … a nostalgic competitor out. You’ll see World War II time-period rifles, sniper-type rifles that were used during World War II, [and] Korean War era”, noted Mark Johnson of the CMP. “The optics are either original optics or current reproduction of old optics.”
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central on the Outdoor Channel. In Canada, Shooting USA is broadcast on the Sportsman Canada Channel. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
Vintage Sniper Rifle matches have proven popular with competitors of all ages, from 18 to 80. These matches are conducted with two-man teams, using vintage rifles with scopes. Most shooters use bolt-action rifles such as the 1903 Springfield and Swedish Mauser, but there is also a semi-auto class popular with Garand shooters. Along with today’s Shooting USA episode, you can watch a previous Vintage Sniper match on YouTube. Click the arrow below to start the 48-minute show:
Vintage Sniper Rifle Competition at Talladega
The Vintage Sniper Match at the CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park is a popular two-man team event, for shooter and spotter, using military rifles in service up to 1953. One added challenge is the time limit. The team has only 20 seconds to complete each shot — That’s 20 seconds for the spotter to read the conditions, and for the shooter to pull the trigger.
Who can identify this vintage European rifle, with its unusual scope mount?
Old “Number 2″ belonging to Ray Gross. Click Photo for full-screen Image.
Ray Gross, one of America’s great rifle competitors, has served as captain of the United States F-TR Team. While Ray is best known for his F-Class shooting and leadership, Ray is also an experienced service rifle shooter, who secured his Distinguished Rifleman Badge 31 years ago. Ray has shot many rifles during his competitive shooting career, but the M1A rifle above held a special place in Ray’s heart. This old semi-auto earned Ray his Distinguished Badge, and he’ll never forget that, though he parted with the rifle in 2016.
Posting back in 2016, Ray told us:
“I said goodbye to an old friend… Affectionately known as ‘Number 2′, she is the rifle that I earned my Distinguished Rifleman Badge with in 1995 (#1159).
That rifle was also responsible for a fair amount of Venison in the ’90s, as well. But since then, she has spent a lot of time in the closet. Last time I got her out was to destroy a bunch of hard drives containing evidence collected during my Computer Forensics days. She deserved better than that.
I will miss the beautiful sound of all that American steel slamming into battery when I tripped her bolt.” – Ray Gross
Ray Gross was profiled in Shooting Sports USA a few seasons back. Ray explained how he started his competitive shooting career with an M1A rifle:
How did you begin in competitive shooting?
I began competing in 1991, at age 27. I bought an M1A and joined the Midland County Sportsman’s Club. One day I was at the club shooting the M1A when a member, Rich Koskela, came over and invited me to join them shooting competitions. Up until that point, I had no idea there was such a thing as NRA Competitive Shooting and I had been a member since 1986. Anyway, Rich and some of his friends showed me the basics and at my first match, I finished in the top half and first MU.
What are your major accomplishments in the shooting sports?
In 1995, I earned the Distinguished Rifleman Badge and a few years later switched to Palma rifle. On the way to making my first Palma team in 2003, I won the Army Cup, the Andrus trophy twice and the Sierra Trophy once. As a coach, I won the Herrick match, and seven F-TR National Championship team matches. Internationally, I’ve coached three gold medal America Match teams (The USA has only won four in Palma Rifle), and earned a Silver and Bronze coaching on the Palma Team in 2015 and 2019. In 2017, I led the U.S. F-TR Team to a World Championship. In 2019, I also won the NRA ELR National Championship (25-lb max Division).”
“Descended from the M1 Garand, the M14 utilized multiple improvements that made it a far superior firearm for combat and a much better rifle for competition.” — Dick Jones, Shooting Sports USA.
In the April 2018 issue of Shooting Sports USA, you’ll find a good article on the civilian version of the M14, now sold commercially as the Springfield M1A. An evolution of the battle-proven M1 Garand, the M14 was designed to shoot the 7.62×51 (.308 Win) round instead of the larger .30-06 Springfield cartridge used in WWI, WWII and Korea. While the vast majority of today’s M1As are chambered for .308 Win/7.62×51, Springfield Armory also produces a 6.5 Creedmoor version.
Dick Jones reports that accurized M14/M1As could post remarkable scores: “The accuracy potential of the M14/M1A is unquestionable. During their reign as service rifles, they produced multiple perfect 200 scores at 600 and 1000 yards in the hands of top shooters. This is a difficult feat with a modern, scoped, magnum-caliber rifle and remarkable with an iron-sighted battle rifle. Good competition rifles can group 10 shots under one MOA, and the meticulously-massaged rifles used by the top shooters during my career would consistently put up 10 shots under an inch at 200 yards off a test cradle.”
For many years, the semi-auto version of the M14 was “top dog” in iron sights Service Rifle competition. Now that discipline is dominated by .223 Rem (5.56×45) AR-type rifles, but the bigger .308-caliber rifle, now sold as the M1A, remains popular. And in non-pandemic years, the CMP hosts a major M1A Match at Camp Perry, sponsored by Springfield Armory. This is a very popular event with 100+ competitors and significant cash prizes.
This Springfield Armory video explains M1A field-striping, cleaning, and maintenance.
As racing improves automobiles, competition improves firearms, and the current crop of Springfield M1As, from the Basic to the top-of-the-line Super Match and Loaded models, reflects the years of development. The M14 and its variants are … still considered by many to be the best battle rifle in the history of the U.S. Military. — Dick Jones, Shooting Sports USA
Military Version Operation Revealed — M14 Training Film
The original military version of the M1A was the select-fire M14. The 27-minute official U.S. Army video below demonstrates the operation of the M14. Field-stripping is shown from the 5:13 time-mark through 8:30. Cut-away drawings show the M14’s gas operation at 8:40.
Watch M14 Functioning Cycle Starting at 9:25 Mark:
The M14’s complete 8-step functioning cycle is demonstrated from the 9:25 time-mark through 22:41. These eight operations are: 1) Feeding; 2) Chambering; 3) Locking; 4) Firing; 5) Unlocking; 6) Extracting; 7) Ejecting; and 8) Cocking. This movie is fairly long, but fans of battle rifles will find it well worth their time. Every M1A owner should definitely watch this video start to finish.
What’s wrong (or right?) with this picture? Does the “F” in F-class refer to “Fauna”? Look carefully at this Bisley Range photo taken by Australian R. Hurley while looking downrange through his March 8-80X scope. The photo was taken in 2015 at the Bisley National Shooting Centre in the UK.
The Story Behind the Photo
British shooter T. Stewart reports: “I was there when this photos was taken. All I can say was that Mr. Hurley was firmly reminded that should said deer accidentally jump in front of his bullet … he would spend five years ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’.”
“That morning we had five deer moving across the targets, literally blocking the V-Bull. Since we were on the 900-yard Firing Point, and elevated for such, obviously the bullet would pass well above them. But they do NOT move or flinch at the noise or passing bullets since they are not hunted on the Bisley Ranges. Earlier this year we saw a herd of 20 or so deer grazing slowly across the Range.”
More Fauna Findings…
Apparently Bisley is not the only place were “the deer and the antelope play”. In Canada, on the Connaught Ranges near Ottawa, Ontario, shooters often encounter a variety of wildlife. William McDonald from Ontario says: “Animals are a common sight on the Range. Along with deer we see geese, turkeys, and coyotes on a daily basis.”
Likewise, E. Goodacre from Queensland, Australia often sees ‘Roos on his home range: “I shoot at Ripley, Australia, and shooting is regularly interrupted by kangaroos. Our last silhouette match was delayed by an hour while 30 ‘Roos dawdled across — silly buggers!”
R. Hurley wasn’t the first fellow to view deer through his F-Class rifle’s scope. After seeing Hurley’s photo from Bisley, B. Weeks posted this image, saying: “Been there, done that!”
Precision Rifle fans should watch Shooting USA this week. On Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Shooting USA features coverage of the 2025 Armageddon Gear (AG) Cup Invitational. The 3-day AG Cup posts the biggest cash money match in precision rifle competition. This challenging multi-stage, elimination-format competition is one of the top tactical matches of the year. On the final day, the top competitors faced ten courses of fire to determine who will claim the Armageddon Gear AG Cup. This is an invitation-only match for America’s top Precision Rifle shooters, with the potential reward of huge cash prizes — $20,000 for the winner plus $1000 for each top scorer on the ten final courses of fire.
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central on the Outdoor Channel. In Canada, Shooting USA is broadcast on the Sportsman Canada Channel. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
This Video Shows Highlights of the Armageddon Cup
The AG Cup is the brainchild of Tom Fuller, the owner of Armageddon Gear, and to say it’s a success is a bit of an understatement. This invitation-only match is the richest tactical/precision competition on the planet.
This AG Cup video has good footage of the stages in a previous 2022 AG Cup.
Armaggedon Gear — Tactical Accessories Armageddon Gear, founded by former U.S. Army Ranger Tom Fuller, sells support bags, gun cases, slings, suppressor covers, scope covers, and a wide variety of other accessories popular with the PRS/NRL crowd. Armageddon Gear now provides products to the U.S. Military, Law Enforcement, as well as PRS/NRL competitors.
Ray Gross was profiled in 
