.009” Group Record Stood for 40 Years
In 1973 Mac McMillan shot an amazing 100-yard, .009″ five-shot group in a benchrest match. The .009″ group was measured with a 60x microscope for verification. Mac McMillan shot the group using a handbuilt prototype McMillan rifle with an early McMillan stock.
Mac’s .009″ group was the “Holy Grail” of rifle accuracy. This .009″ record was considered by many to be unbreakable, a record that would “stand for all time”. Well, it took 40 years, but someone finally broke Mac’s record with an even smaller group. In 2013, Mike Stinnett shot a .0077″ five-shot group using a 30 Stewart, a .30 caliber wildcat based on the 6.5 Grendel. Stinnett’s NBRSA record .0077″ group now stands as the smallest 100-yard group ever shot in registered benchrest competition.*
Stinnett’s success doesn’t diminish the significance of Mac McMillan’s .009″ group in the history of benchrest competition. For four decades Mac’s group stood as the ultimate standard of rifle accuracy*. For those of you who have never seen Mac McMillan’s .009″ group, here it is, along with the NBRSA World Record certificate. The target now hangs in the McMillan Family Museum.
*Somebody else might claim a smaller group, but unless moving backers or electronic targets were used, it cannot be verified. Moving target backers are used at registered benchrest matches to ensure that five (5) shots are actually fired in each group. That eliminates any doubt.
SSG Greg Markowski of the USAMU at Camp Perry, Ohio.
On July 13, 2025, pistol competition commenced at the National Matches at Camp Perry. Many of the best pistol shooters in the country have been on the firing lines, including members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Service Pistol team. After the last pistol match on Saturday, July 19th, trophies and awards will be presented to the top shooters.
Below is a schedule for the 2025 Pistol Competitions at Camp Perry. For more information about the National Trophy Pistol & Games Matches, visit the CMP’s Pistol Match INFO Page.
This video shows .45 ACP centerfire pistol competitors at Camp Perry
Loading Precision Centerfire Pistol Ammunition
If you want to compete in top competitions like the CMP matches at Camp Perry, you’ll need good ammo. The following USAMU article provides rock-solid reloading advice, explaining how to load accurate, reliable handgun ammo.
The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) fields pistol teams as well as rifle and shotgun competition squads. Consequently the USAMU’s Reloading Shop loads tens of thousands of pistol rounds every year. In this article, the USAMU’s handgun experts talk about reloading for handguns — with smart tips on how to achieve superior accuracy with 100% reliability. This article, which offers important insights on COAL, primers, crimps and more.
Precision Pistol Reloading — Recommended Methods
Optimize the Taper Crimp
One often-overlooked aspect of handloading highly-accurate pistol ammunition is the amount of crimp and its effect on accuracy. Different amounts of taper crimp are used with various handloads to obtain best accuracy. The amount is based on bullet weight, powder burn rate and charge, plus other factors. It is not unusual for our Shop to vary a load’s crimp in degrees of 0.001″ and re-test for finest accuracy.
Use Consistent Brass
Brass is also important to pistol accuracy. While accurate ammunition can be loaded using brass of mixed parentage, that is not conducive to finest results, particularly at 50 yards. It is important for the serious competitor/handloader to use brass of the same headstamp and ideally one lot number, to maximize uniformity. Given the volumes of ammunition consumed by active pistol competitors, using inexpensive, mixed surplus brass for practice, particularly at the “short line” (25 yards), is understandable. However, for the “long line” (50 yards), purchasing and segregating a lot of high-quality brass to be used strictly for slow-fire is a wise idea.
Importance of Uniform COAL
Uniformity of the Case Overall Length (COAL) as it comes from the factory is also important to achieving utmost accuracy. More uniform case lengths (best measured after sizing) contribute to greater consistency of crimp, neck tension, ignition/burn of powder charge, and so on. Cartridge case-length consistency varies from lot to lot, as well as by maker. Some manufacturers are more consistent in this dimension than others. [Editor’s note: It is easy to trim pistol brass to uniform length. Doing this will make your taper crimps much more consistent.]
Primers and Powders — Comparison Test for Accuracy
Pay attention to primer brands, powder types and charges. Evaluating accuracy with a Ransom or other machine rest at 50 yards can quickly reveal the effect of changes made to handload recipes.
Bullet Selection — FMJ vs. JHP
Bullets are another vital issue. First, there is the question of FMJ vs. JHP. A friend of this writer spent decades making and accuracy-testing rifle and pistol bullets during QC for a major bullet manufacturer. In his experience, making highly-accurate FMJ bullets is much more difficult than making highly-accurate JHPs, in large part due to the way the jackets are formed. Small die changes could affect accuracy of FMJ lots dramatically.
The CMP now allows “safe, jacketed ammunition” in Excellence-in-Competition (EIC) Service Pistol matches, although wadcutter ammunition is prohibited. Thus, the option to use very accurate JHP designs simplifies the life of CMP Service Pistol shooters in pursuit of the prestigious Distinguished Pistol Shot badge.
Hopefully, these tips will be helpful to any pistol shooters interested in accurate handloads, not just “Bullseye” shooters. Small tweaks to one’s normal routine can pay big dividends in improved accuracy and make practice and competition more rewarding. Stay safe, and good shooting!
TOP IMAGE: SSG Greg Markowski, a shooter/instructor with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and native of Poland, fires his pistol during the 2018 Civilian Marksmanship Program’s National Pistol Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio July 13, 2018. At that event, Markowski claimed the General Mellon Trophy, General Patton Trophy and the General Custer Trophy. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Michelle Lunato/released by Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
Erich Mietenkorte Wins 2025 Canadian Rifle Silhouette National High Power Championship.
Team Lapua’s Erich Mietenkorte took top honors at the 2025 Canadian High Power Rifle Silhouette National Championships, winning the 240-shot High Power Aggregate with an impressive combined score of 195/240. Held at the Bull River Shooters Association range in Cranbrook, British Columbia, from June 29 to July 5, the national championship featured both Smallbore and High Power rifle disciplines, with competitors engaging steel silhouette targets from the standing offhand position at distances of 200, 300, 385, and 500 meters.
Mietenkorte competed in both High Power categories — Standard Rifle and Hunting Rifle — scoring 99/120 with his 6.5×47 Lapua in the Standard division, and 96/120 with his 6mm BR in the Hunting Rifle division. Mietenkorte’s combined performance earned him first place overall in the High Power aggregate and national titles in both rifle categories.
“Success in this discipline requires absolute confidence in your equipment. When it comes to consistency, reliability, and performance,?Lapua cases and bullets,?Vihtavuori powders, and?Berger bullets?are unmatched,” commented Mietenkorte. “I used Lapua 108gr and 139gr Scenar bullets in my 6.5×47, and Berger 95gr and 115gr bullets in my 6BR, all handloaded with Vihtavuori N140 powder. These components gave me the precision and consistency needed[.]”
What’s next? Mietenkorte will be competing at the U.S. NRA Rifle Silhouette National Championships at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM, July 20-26, 2025.
In addition to his success in the Canadian High Power competition, Mietenkorte finished 4th overall in the Smallbore Standard Rifle category. In the video below Eric demonstrates Smallbore Silhouette marksmanship skills.
Silhouette Champion Shares His Skills
In the video below, silhouette champion Eric Mietenkorte explains proper hold: “Consistency is key! Form a solid stance that is repeatable and allows you to have a natural point of aim. If you don’t come down on target adjust your feet, don’t rotate your body with your torso muscles.”
Erich explains his aiming method: “Pick a spot on the target and shoot for that. Try not to hesitate, if you’re on target, take the shot. It’s easy to get locked up by trying to make a great shot better. Make sure to follow through, keep that trigger pulled back. Don’t forget to have fun!”
The CMP’s hugely popular Rimfire Sporter event runs Sunday, July 20, 2025 at Camp Perry, Ohio. Prior to the Sunday match, on Saturday, July 19th, the CMP will host the Rimfire Check-In and a CMP Rimfire Clinic.
New Range Location Will Have E-Targets
Unlike past years, the 2025 National Rimfire Sporter match will be held on Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range — equipped with CMP eTargets. This should please the hundreds of Rimfire Sporter competitors. The Petrarca range features more conveniences, such as a covered firing line and adjacent parking. Moreover, the eTargets should improve the experience for competitors. Brian Williams, CMP Highpower Manager, explained: “The matches should run faster, without the need to hang targets and do the scoring.”
E-Targets for Rimfire Sporter Match This Year
For the first time, this summer the CMP will utilize the electronic targets of Petrarca Range for the National Rimfire Sporter Match. Featuring Kongsberg Target System (KTS) technology, the system includes monitors at each firing point.
The eTargets will permit the Rimfire Sporter Match to run more smoothly and efficiently. Competitors won’t have to walk down-range between relays to change targets, and scores will be tracked and recorded instantly. Monitors placed alongside each competitor will instantly show shot placements during the match, while suspended displays above the firing line will allow spectators to follow along with each shot in real time.
Popular Match for Junior and Adult Competitors
The National Rimfire Sporter Match, one of the most well-attended events of the annual National Matches, is open to both adults and juniors of all experience levels. Using .22 caliber rifles at 25 and 50 yards, participants in the match traditionally chose from three separate classes: Open Sight (O), Telescope Sight (T) and Tactical Unlimited (TU). Due to high demand, the CMP has added an “M-class” for 2025 to give competitors the option to use U.S. military rimfire training rifles during competition. Competitors may enter in Single or Double Entry options and then select the rifle class(es) in which they will fire.
Firing is done at 25 and 50 yards in prone, sitting, and standing positions, in slow and rapid-fire modes. For each Class, awards are offered to High Juniors, High Seniors, and High Women as well as Overall Winners.
If there is a single CMP event at Camp Perry every summer that offers the highest level of shooter satisfaction, the most diverse group of competitors, and the lowest cost of entry, that would have to be the annual Rimfire Sporter Match. Shooters range in age from young juniors to seniors in their 70s and 80s. And persons with disabilities can compete as well, with Adaptive Shooting Programs for physically-challenged competitors.
Each year, the Rimfire Sporter Match attracts hundreds of shooters to Camp Perry. National Rimfire Sporter competitors can use affordable sporter rifles with either scopes or iron sights. All you need are a .22 LR rifle, a simple sling, and ammo. Rifles may be manually operated or semi-automatic, in four classes: the standard “O Class” for open-sighted rifles, “T-Class” for telescope-sighted rifles, the “TU Class” for Tactical and unlimited rifles, and the new “M-Class” for Military Rimfire Training Rifles.
Rimfire Sporter Course of Fire
Competitors will complete slow fire prone, rapid fire prone, slow fire sitting or kneeling, rapid fire sitting or kneeling, slow fire standing, and rapid fire standing shot sequences. To learn more about the National Rimfire Sporter Match, CLICK HERE.
Learn more about the National Rimfire Sporter Match at TheCMP.org website.
Guest Article By Michelle Gallagher, Berger Bullets
Let’s face it. In the world of firearms, there is something for everyone. Do you like to compete? Are you a hunter? Are you more of a shotgun shooter or rifle shooter? Do you enjoy running around between stages of a timed course, or does the thought of shooting one-hole groups appeal to you more? Even though many of us shoot several different firearms and disciplines, chances are very good that we all have a favorite. Are we spreading ourselves too thin by shooting different disciplines, or is it actually beneficial? I have found that participating in multiple disciplines can actually improve your performance. Every style of shooting is different; therefore, they each develop different skills that benefit each other.
How can cross-training in other disciplines help you? For example, I am most familiar with long-range prone shooting, so let’s start there. To be a successful long-range shooter, you must have a stable position, accurate ammunition, and good wind-reading skills. You can improve all of these areas through time and effort, but there are other ways to improve more efficiently. Spend some time practicing smallbore. Smallbore rifles and targets are much less forgiving when it comes to position and shot execution. Long-range targets are very large, so you can get away with accepting less than perfect shots. Shooting smallbore will make you focus more on shooting perfectly center shots every time. Another way to do this with your High Power rifle is to shoot on reduced targets at long ranges. This will also force you to accept nothing less than perfect. Shoot at an F-Class target with your iron sights. At 1000 yards, the X-Ring on a long range target is 10 inches; it is 5 inches on an F-Class target. Because of this, you will have to focus harder on sight alignment to hit a center shot. When you go back to the conventional target, you will be amazed at how large the ten ring looks.
Also, most prone rifles can be fitted with a bipod. Put a bipod and scope on your rifle, and shoot F-TR. Shooting with a scope and bipod eliminates position and eyesight factors, and will allow you to concentrate on learning how to more accurately read the wind. The smaller target will force you to be more aggressive on your wind calls. It will also help encourage you to use better loading techniques. Nothing is more frustrating than making a correct wind call on that tiny target, only to lose the point out the top or bottom due to inferior ammunition. If you put in the effort to shoot good scores on the F-Class target, you will be amazed how much easier the long-range target looks when you return to your sling and iron sights. By the same token, F-Class shooters sometimes prefer to shoot fast and chase the spotter. Shooting prone can help teach patience in choosing a wind condition to shoot in, and waiting for that condition to return if it changes.
Benchrest shooters are arguably among the most knowledgeable about reloading. If you want to learn better techniques about loading ammunition, you might want to spend some time at benchrest matches. You might not be in contention to win, but you will certainly learn a lot about reloading and gun handling. Shooting F-Open can also teach you these skills, as it is closely related to benchrest. Benchrest shooters may learn new wind-reading techniques by shooting mid- or long-range F-Class matches.
Position shooters can also improve their skills by shooting different disciplines. High Power Across-the-Course shooters benefit from shooting smallbore and air rifle. Again, these targets are very small, which will encourage competitors to be more critical of their shot placement. Hunters may benefit from shooting silhouette matches, which will give them practice when shooting standing with a scoped rifle. Tactical matches may also be good, as tactical matches involve improvising shots from various positions and distances. [Editor: Many tactical matches also involve hiking or moving from position to position — this can motivate a shooter to maintain a good level of general fitness.]
These are just a few ways that you can benefit from branching out into other shooting disciplines. Talk to the other shooters. There is a wealth of knowledge in every discipline, and the other shooters will be more than happy to share what they have learned. Try something new. You may be surprised what you get out of it. You will certainly learn new skills and improve the ones you already have. You might develop a deeper appreciation for the discipline you started off with, or you may just discover a new passion.
This article originally appeared in the Berger Blog. The Berger Blog contains the latest info on Berger products, along with informative articles on target shooting and hunting.
With the New Year approaching, we thought our readers might enjoy some historical background on the National Rifle Association, an organization which has served American firearms owners and marksmen for over 150 years.
Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) has a good article on the origins and history of the National Rifle Association. This feature story covers the first 36 years of NRA history from 1871 to 1907. The NRA was founded in 1871, and 1907 marked the first year of Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio.
SSUSA explains the NRA’s original mission: “The NRA’s program during its youthful years centered mainly on improving marksmanship among the military. Rifle tournaments at ranges in Creedmoor (NY), Sea Girt (NJ), and Camp Perry (OH) captured the country’s spirit of nationalism and resulted in key improvements in rifles and target scoring. NRA also set standards for military rifle training and even inspired the federal government to form its own segment within the War Department to focus on promoting rifle practice among soldiers as well as civilians.”
1871 — A group of New York National Guardsmen founded the National Rifle Association to promote marksmanship training. Figures such as Capt. George Wingate had called for better rifle marksmanship to support the nation’s defense.
1872 — The NRA acquires Creed’s Farm in Long Island, New York for $26,250. Renamed “Creedmoor”, this becomes the NRA’s first range. The first match was held in 1873.
1874 — The NRA hosts its first International Match, shot at the Creedmoor Range in New York.
The First-Ever Creedmoor Challenge Match in 1874
The Irish International Shooting team arrived in New York on the 16th of September and proceeded to “take in the sights”, which was understandable, before some practice at the Creedmoor range. On September 26th they presented themselves for the match with confidence and in high spirits. The crowds that day were reported to be between 5,000 and 10,000 strong, which showed the huge support already growing for the fledgling sport in America.
The course of fire was 15 shots to each man at 800, 900, and 1000 yards. Unfortunately, the details of each mans scores at the individual distances have been lost to time but we do know that the Americans were well ahead after the 800-yard shoot. The Irish then caught up after the 900-yard and finished the 1000-yard shoot ahead by 1 point. The Americans still had one man left to shoot and it came down to his very last shot with which he scored a 4 giving the American team the win over the Irish by 3 points.
1892 — The NRA moves its Annual Matches to the Sea Girt Range in New Jersey, which was less than 60 Miles from New York City, NY. The Sea Girt Range was maintained by the New Jersey State Rifle Association, founded in 1878.
1903 — The U.S. War Department sets up a National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP). In 1903, an amendment to the War Dept. Appropriations Bill established the NBPRP to promote both Military and Civilian marksmanship. This government advisory board became the predecessor to today’s Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety that now governs the CMP.
1907 — The NRA commences National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio.
History of Camp Perry
The National Matches have been held at Camp Perry since 1907. The range is located along the shores of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. The site was first acquired in 1906, in response to the need for a larger facility for military training and the NRA’s shooting programs. In 1906 Gen. Ammon B. Crichfield, Adjutant General of Ohio, ordered construction of a new shooting facility on the shores of Lake Erie, 45 miles east of Toledo, Ohio. The original land for Camp Perry was purchased in 1906, and the reservation was named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the American naval commander who won the Battle of Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812.
On August 19, 1907, Cpl. L. B. Jarrett fired the first shot at the new Camp Perry Training Site. And that year, 1907, Camp Perry held its first National Pistol and Rifle Championship events. This location has hosted the annual NRA National Matches ever since. Today, over 4,000 competitors attend the National Matches each year, making it the most popular shooting competition in the western hemisphere.
Federal legislation originally launched the National Matches. The 1903 legislation also established the National Matches, commissioned the National Trophy and provided funding to support the Matches.
We’re in the middle of summer now, with the 4th of July holiday just last Friday. Most public ranges and private shooting facilities are now open for business — so there are plenty of places to have fun shooting. Now’s a great opportunity to get out of the house, enjoy some fresh air, and dust off those skills. To help you have fun on your range trips, here are 12 FREE printable targets.
FREE FUN Targets from NSSF
The Billiards Table Target above offers 15 brightly-colored numbered balls with the cue ball at the bottom. Aim for the numbers, shooting 1-15 in sequence, or alternate between stripes and solids. You can also draw an “X” on the white cue ball (or attach a paster), and use that to set your zero. This target is fun for shooting outdoors with rifles at 50 or 100 yards or indoors with pistols. This billiards target is part of a set of 12 Fun Targets from the NSSF. These were issued a couple seasons back for National Shooting Sports Month, held in August of each year.
FREE NSSF Fun Targets — Dartboard, Golf, Billiards, Bowling, Baseball and More…
HERE are a dozen FREE Targets. Along with Bullseye targets, there are some very cool specialty targets here, including a Golf Course Target, Baseball Diamond Target, Billiards Target, Light Bulb Target, Bowling Pin Target, and even a Windmill Target. Enjoy the myriad possibilities with these 12 fun targets.
This impressive 15-round group was shot by Jim See of Elite Accuracy.
Different Shooting Disciplines Demand Different Levels of Precision/Accuracy
In the rapid-fire 3-Gun game, you could probably “clean” most stages with a 2-MOA rifle. By contrast, in the short-range group benchrest game, to compete with the best, you’ll need a rifle that shoots in the “ones” (i.e. 0.1-0.19 MOA) in perfect conditions. In 1000-yard F-Class competition, the top shooters want a rifle that will hold one-third-MOA of vertical at that distance.
What is your standard of accuracy? How good is “good enough”. Jim See, a skilled gunsmith and successful PRS competitor, recently answered that question for his tactical discipline. For the kind of matches Jim shoots, he likes to have a rifle that will hold half-MOA for five (5) shots, 3/4-MOA for 15 shots, and 1 MOA for twenty shots. Remarkably, Jim’s rifle can do that with factory ammo. Above is an impressive 15-shot group shot with .260 Remington Federal Premium Ammo.
“I say it all the time, my loads need to print 5 under 1/2″, 10 under 3/4″, and 20 under 1″. It’s simple, if a hot barrel will keep 20 rounds fired in succession under my standard it will be a good barrel and load for Precision Match Shooting. Federal Premium Gold Metal Match .260 with Sierra bullets made the cut for me today. 15 consecutive shots under 3/4 MOA.” –Jim See
It’s said that you “can never have too much accuracy”, but there are acceptable standards for each discipline, and they’re not the same. A 100/200 yard Benchrest shooter will be sorely disappointed with a rifle/ammo set-up that can only deliver half-MOA. On the other hand, a PRS competitor like Jim See can achieve great success with a lesser degree of precision. This means you can save time and money. You can run your barrels longer between cleanings, and you don’t have to go “full OCD” when loading your ammo. The PRS shooter does not need to weigh-sort primers, or load powder to single-kernel standards. Proof is the performance. Jim See has been a podium finisher at many PRS and tactical events. Learn more about Jim’s gunsmithing and training operations at Jim’s Facebook Page.
Download This Load Development Target
Jim’s target seemed a bit familiar. AccurateShooter.com created this Diamond and Dot Target a few years back. On each aiming point, there are high-contrast black horizontal and vertical lines for aligning your cross-hairs. The gray circle lets you see the bullet impacts above, without obliterating the red diamond, which is quite useful for precise aiming (we put fine cross-hairs on the points of the diamond). This target sheet includes data entry tables below each of the three aim points. There are many other free targets out there, but this format is very popular. We’re pleased to see Jim using it. You can download this and dozens of other FREE Targets from the AccurateShooter.com Target Page.
This coming week, July 7-9, 2025, the National 3PAR (Three-Position Air Rifle) Precision Championships take place at Camp Perry, Ohio. This 3-day event for junior shooters is the culmination of a series of shooting competitions organized by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The annual CMP 3PAR competition begins with postal matches, followed by regional championships (in multiple states), and culminates in a national championship held at Camp Perry, Ohio. There will be both individual and team competition. All matches will be fired on electronic targets. CLICK HERE for Match Program PDF.
Prizes and Scholarship Awards for Top Competitors
This 3PAR Championship is an event for young shooters — qualifying juniors and high school seniors who have just graduated are eligible. There will be monetary awards for both individual and team winners. In addition, the top three competitors who just graduated from high school will each receive a $1000 CMP Scholarship award. In addition, USA Shooting will present a National Futures Team slot to the top male and female shooters in the precision class.
Precision Air Rifle is modeled after Olympic-style shooting and allows the use of very high-tech (and pricey) target rifles and equipment. By contrast, Sporter Air Rifle employ simple, much less expensive rifles. In both types of shooting, competitors fire at targets at a distance of 10 meters in three different positions, prone, standing and kneeling. The Sporter match took place June 21-25, 2025. The Precision match, with the high-tech, ultra-accurate rifles (like the Feinwerkbau shown below), kicks off tomorrow, July 7, 2025.
Location and Facilities: The championships will take place at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center, located at Camp Perry Training Site, 1000 N. Lawrence Road Bldg. #5042, Port Clinton, OH 43452.
Course of Fire: The course of fire will be one 3×20 three-position air rifle event on each competition day, with all events fired at 10 meters. Teams will be comprised of four members selected before the competition begins. A final will be fired for the top 8 individuals.
The modern Gary Anderson Competition Center boasts a long row of indoor electronic targets, which can provide multiple target distances from fixed firing points.
Electronic Targets with Results Streamed Online
The Gary Anderson Center boasts state-of-the-art electronic targets that record scores the instant each shot is fired. Shot-by-shot feeds (and scores) are then displayed on large screens. For some matches, live target images are uploaded to the web for display on mobile devices.
About the National 3PAR Championships — Key INFO
Phase 1 Postal Matches: Competitors shoot on their home ranges and submit scores to CMP.
Phase 2 Regional Championships: Top postal match shooters advance to regional competitions.
National Championship Finals: The final event, held at Camp Perry, features both precision air rifle competitions (July 7-9, 2025) and sporter competition (June 19-21, 2025).
3PAR Competition Classes: There are separate competitions for sporter (designed for new competitors) and precision (modeled after Olympic-style shooting) classes.
National Matches: 2025 3PAR competitions at Camp Perry are held in conjunction with the larger National Matches, offering opportunities for additional shooting events.
National Championship Dates: The Sporter Championship was held June 19-21, 2025. The 3PAR Precision Championship takes place July 7-9, 2025 at Camp Perry.
Championship Rules: The 3PAR Championships are conducted under the 2024-2026 15th Edition National Standard Three-Position Air Rifle Rules (NS3PC). CLICK HERE to download the rules from the CMP website.
About the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center
The Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Ohio, is open to the public, year-round. This modern facility features an 80-point range equipped with the CMP’s own electronic targets. The facility also includes a retail center for equipment and memorabilia sales.
There will be major rimfire and centerfire pistol competitions at the 2025 CMP National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. Hundreds of shooters will participate in these popular individual and team events, which commence in mid-July.
The pistol competitions begin on July 13, 2025 with Military & Police and CMP 1911 pistol matches. These continue through the 14th, when the CMP will also conduct a Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) led by USAMU, Military Team, and CMP instructors. Following classroom instruction and practice on the range, SAFS participants will fire an M17 EIC Match.
On July 15 the GSSF Glock Challenge match will be held. On the 16th the .22 Rimfire 900 Aggregate, Team Matches, and Rimfire EIC matches will be held. In the past, these matches have been hugely popular — with 480+ Rimfire competitors from novices to experts.
Following the rimfire pistol matches, there will be centerfire Pistol Aggregate and Team Matches on July 17, followed by .45 Pistol Aggregate and Team matches on July 18. Then, on the 19th, the big President’s 100 Pistol Match, National Trophy Individual Match, and National Trophy Pistol Team Matches will be held. There will be plenty of talent on the firing line. In recent years, over 90% of the top 50 Service Pistol shooters were Distinguished. The Pistol Games conclude on Saturday the 19th, with Pistol Games Awards at the end of the day.
This video shows .45 ACP centerfire pistol competitors at Camp Perry
Interested in competing in the Camp Perry Pistol Matches this summer with either a .22 LR Rimfire pistol or centerfire pistol? It’s not too late to register. CLICK HERE for Pistol Match Online Registration.
.009” Group Record Stood for 40 Years
Use Consistent Brass
E-Targets for Rimfire Sporter Match This Year
Position shooters can also improve their skills by shooting different disciplines. High Power Across-the-Course shooters benefit from shooting smallbore and air rifle. Again, these targets are very small, which will encourage competitors to be more critical of their shot placement. Hunters may benefit from shooting silhouette matches, which will give them practice when shooting standing with a scoped rifle. Tactical matches may also be good, as tactical matches involve improvising shots from various positions and distances. [Editor: Many tactical matches also involve hiking or moving from position to position — this can motivate a shooter to maintain a good level of general fitness.]
