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.
Looking downrange at the 600-yard targets. All Camp Perry photos courtesy Dennis Santiago.
The National President’s 100 Match is a famous competition held at Camp Perry every summer. This year’s President’s 100 will take place on July 28, 2025, three weeks away. SEE 2025 Camp Perry NM Calendar.
This is a huge event. in recent years, there have been over 1000 ranked competitors from throughout the nation, making this one of the biggest rifle events of the year. Credit our friend Dennis Santiago for this report. Dennis has competed in the President’s 100 in recent years.
The President’s 100 Rifle Match is richly steeped in history. This unique match was first held in 1878. Above is the view from the line at 600 yards. The top 100 competitors overall in the President’s Rifle Match are designated as the President’s 100. They receive President’s 100 medallions and certificates.
President’s 100 Shoot Off — The Top 20 shooters compete in the Shoot-Off.
President’s 100 Course of Fire
There is a three-yardage, four-stage Course of Fire for the President’s Rifle Match Course of Fire. Firing is done on the SR target at 200 and 300 yards and the MR target at 600 yards. Scores in stages 1-3 determine the President’s 100 and the final rankings of competitors in 21st place and below. Scores in stages 1-4 determine the match winner and the final rankings in places 1-20. If there is a tie for first place (equal total and X-count), the tied shooters will continue to fire one-shot-at-a-time until the tie is broken. No sighters are permitted in National Trophy Rifle Matches.
Origins of the President’s Match The National Rifle Association’s President’s Match was instituted in 1878, as the American Military Rifle Championship Match. In 1884, the name was changed to the President’s Match for the Military Rifle Championship of the United States. It was fired at Creedmoor, New York until 1891. In 1895, it was reintroduced at Sea Girt, New Jersey. Today, the match is held at Camp Perry, Ohio.
The President’s Match was patterned after the Queen’s Match for British Volunteers. That British competition was started in 1860 by Queen Victoria and the NRA of Great Britain to increase the ability of Britain’s marksmen following the Crimean War.
The tradition of making a letter from the President of the United States the first prize began in 1904 when President Theodore Roosevelt personally wrote a letter of congratulations to the winner, Private Howard Gensch of the New Jersey National Guard.
After a hiatus in the 1930s and 1940s, The President’s Match was reinstated in 1957 at the National Matches as “The President’s Hundred.” The 100 top-scoring competitors in the President’s Match were singled out for special recognition.
E-Targets at 2025 National Matches — Rimfire and Centerfire
After years of testing, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will make full use of eTargets at the 2025 National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, which run July 20 through August 9, 2025. The advanced Kongsberg eTargets will be used at all Highpower rifle matches, National Trophy Rifle competitions, and Rifle Games events. In addition the eTargets will be used for the Rimfire Sporter Match on July 20 and the National Mid/Long Range Matches in August. The use of eTargets eliminates the need for pit duty, drastically cutting down the duration of each match. CLICK HERE to learn more about Camp Perry eTargets.
These matches are conducted by the CMP and Ohio National Guard. Since their inception, the National Matches have become a huge, national shooting sports event with over 4,500 annual participants.
Most gun guys know that the NRA publishes a monthly magazine called American Rifleman. What you may not know is that NRA also offers a series of American Rifleman videos on YouTube, with recent American Rifleman TV episodes on the Outdoor Channel. For today’s Saturday Showcase we offer seven noteworthy NRA-produced gun videos currently hosted on YouTube.
Highlights from American Rifleman TV Episodes
Currently on YouTube you can access dozens of past episodes of the American Rifle television series, along with many recent gun/gear reviews. Here are seven NRA videos featuring important or interesting rifle types plus a Remington ammunition factory tour.
Remington Model 700 ADL and BDL
After Winchester came out with the Model 70, Remington Arms answered with the Model 700, one of the most recognized bolt-action designs of all time. The design emerged in 1962, as Remington sought to improve on its previous Models 721 and 722. Two versions of the Remington Model 700 existed at launch: ADL and BDL models. “You know, you could have it two ways. You had the ADL and the BDL,” said NRA Publications Editorial Director Mark Keefe. “You had the plainer ADL at a better price point, then you had the BDL and that had fleur-de-lis checkering and white spacers and a gloss finish and, you know, it was shinier.” The commercial market wasn’t the only area where the Model 700 was successful, as it was also adapted into the U.S. Army as the M24 sniper rifle. To this day, the Model 700 continues to be a popular bolt-action rifle platform for both commercial and military use.
CMP M1 Garand Matches
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) runs matches throughout the country, including the major summertime Camp Perry matches. This American Rifleman video covers the CMP’s M1 Garand Match, one of the most popular matches at Camp Perry every year. The Garand shoots the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. It is a surprisingly accurate semi-auto rifle, when fitted with an aftermarket barrel. The CMP recently started a program where the CMP is producing M1 Garands with completely new actions and barrels.
Model 1903-A3 Springfield — History of Wartime Rifle
While the U.S. Army’s Model 1903 Springfield rifle is one of the most well-recognized small arms of the 20th century, a lesser-known variant served as an important stop-gap rifle in the early years of World War II. Thanks to the efforts of engineers and arms designers at Remington, the U.S. Army eventually adopted an official pattern of the Springfield termed the “Model of 1903A3.” This NRA video covers the interesting history of the Springfield model 1903-A3.
Revival of Remington Ammunition Production by Vista Outdoor
Remington Ammunition filed for bankruptcy in July 2020. Vista Outdoor, owner of Federal, CCI, and Speer, purchased the assets of Remington Ammunition. This video explains how Vista Outdoor revived Remington’s Lonoke, Arkansas plant. “This is one of the largest ammunition manufacturing plants in the world. It was set up in 1969 by DuPont, who owned Remington at the time” notes Mark Keefe, NRA Publications editorial director. Over the first 18 months of Vista’s ownership of Remington Ammunition, the facility added more than 1500 employees and increased centerfire-handgun ammunition production more than 40 percent, while shotshell production increased 15 percent.
Henry U.S. AR-7 Survival Rifle
This is an interesting video of a compact rimfire rifle originally issued to U.S. Air Force crews. In the event a crew was downed in a wilderness area, the rifle could be assembled and used to shoot game for food. Civilian versions of this ultra-lightweight 3.5-lb rifle are also available. In this video, American Rifleman contributor Jeremiah Knupp puts the Henry U.S. AR-7 Survival Rifle to the water test. The civilian version is sold by Henry as the Henry U.S. Survival Rifle. With the action, barrel, and magazines housed INSIDE the stock assembly, this rifle can easily be carried in a pack or stowed in a vehicle.
Springfield M1A — Popular .308 Win (7.62×51) Semi-Auto Rifle
The M1A is one of the most popular rifles sold today by Springfield Armory. The M1A is a semi-auto version of the select-fire military M14 rifle developed in the 1950s. Designers adapted the action of the M1 Garand with a different gas system and dropped the 8-round internal magazine for 20-round detachable box magazines. Chambered for the 7.62×51 NATO cartridge, the M14 was adopted by the military in 1959, replacing the M1 Garand. However, its term as the official U.S. service rifle was short-lived, as Armalite was developing the M16, which evolved into the semi-auto AR15 for civilian use. Despite the M14 having a short-lived career as a service rifle, the semi-auto M1A remains quite popular for CMP rifle matches.
Can a human, with a sling, shoot as well as a mechanical rest? The answer is “yes” (at least once in a great while) IF that sling shooter can deliver a record-breaking performance. Here’s an interesting tale of man vs. machine from our archives…
The USAMU posed an interesting challenge — could one of their shooters match the performance of a mechanical rest? Who would win in this battle between man and machine? You might just be surprised. At 600 yards, with an AR-platform rifle, the results can be remarkably close, based on targets provided by the USAMU. When clamped in a test rig, a USAMU M16A2 produced a 200-18X group with handloads. The USAMU says this was “one of our better 20-shot groups at 600 yards, testing ammo from a machine rest”. Can a human do better?
Remarkably, a human soldier came very close to matching the group shot from the machine rest. The photo below shows a 20-shot group shot by a USAMU marksman with sling and iron sights, using USAMU-loaded ammunition. The score, 200-16X, was nearly the same. As you can see, the USAMU rifleman didn’t give up much to the machine rest, even at 600 yards!
In fairness, this was no ordinary human performance. The 200-16X score represented a new National Record set in December, 1994. This was fired by PFC Coleman in an Interservice Match at Okeechobee, Florida. Brilliant Performance.
The Vihtavuori and Applied Ballistics-sponsored duo of Chad Heckler and Francis Colon topped the Precision Marksman field at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Airgun Challenge. Held June 18-22, 2025, this 5-day event at the Garth Killpack Shooting Range drew a big crowd, with competitors from over 19 countries. Heckler with a score of 930 and Colon with a score of 900 placed 1st and 2nd respectively in the Precision Marksman Challenge event. Heckler’s victory earned him a $20,000 prize while Colon took home $10,000. Those are some of the biggest cash prizes in any rifle event.
Precision Marksman match winner Chad Heckler was elated: “Team CHANCIS secures the top two spots at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Airgun Challenge! Winning this event last weekend wasn’t easy, Justin and his Utah Airguns family and friends have created something special with this event. The attention to detail and love that was poured into this match was second to none”, said Heckler. “I feel honored to become the 2025 champ alongside [team-mate] Francis Colon. Congrats buddy.”
“There aren’t many times that I’m happy after taking second place, but earning the top two spots with my best friend is epic…” stated Colon. “Massive thank you to Justin Jacobson and the crew at Utah Airguns! This is not just a match… it is an experience! With 5 days of shooting over four disciplines and custom themes, props, music and food, it makes me excited for 2026!”
Tech Tip: If these rifles don’t look like conventional airguns it is because they employ a new design with a slim diameter air tank wrapped around the barrel. These FX DRS Pro MDT 700 Airguns are “designed with the air tank wrapped around the barrel … lowering the profile of the overall rifle, resulting in a very slim front end and an overall more balanced rifle.”
The Rocky Mountain Airgun Challenge
The Rocky Mountain Airgun Challenge (RMAC) is a challenging, multi-class tactical-style airgun competition. The RMAC event, hosted by Utah Airguns, is one of the biggest outdoor air rifle matches in the country. It combines the low-cost of air rifle shooting with the fun of PRS/NRL-type multi-stage shooting.
RMAC features four distinct events designed to test diverse shooting skills. The 100-Yard Benchrest event focuses on precision and wind-reading — most other airgun BR matches are at 50 yards or 50m max, so this is tough by comparison.
The Precision Marksman Challenge is a physically demanding event that requires shooters to engage reactive steel targets from various positions and obstacles under time pressure, utilizing both slugs and pellets. The Speed Challenge is a high-energy, head-to-head competition where shooters race through diverse courses of fire. Finally, the Big Bore Slug Challenge showcases the power and accuracy of slug-shooting airguns, with competitors engaging steel targets at distances from 100 to 450 yards.
Modern Tactical-Style Air Rifles
Here are two state-of-the-art tactical air rifles, the BinTac MCAR ($2790.00 from Airgun Tactical) and the FX IMPACT M4 ($2099.99 from Utah Airguns). The BinTac MCAR almost looks like a centerfire rifle at first glance but the air chambers on the buttstock tell the real story.
Protect Your Hearing — Wear Protection Whenever You Shoot
Noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus are two of the most common afflictions for recreational shooters and hunters. Everyone knows that gunfire is loud, but very few people understand the repercussions that shooting can have on their hearing until it’s too late.
The better quality suppressors can reduce the noise of a gunshot by 20 to 35 decibels (dB). Good muffs or plugs will reduce sound by 23 to 33 dB. By decreasing the overall sound signature, suppressors help to preserve the hearing of recreational shooters and hunters. Even the most effective suppressors, on the smallest and quietest calibers (.22 LR) reduce the peak sound level of a gunshot to between 110 to 120 dB. To put that in perspective, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), that is as loud as a jackhammer (110 dB) or an ambulance siren (120 dB). For normal caliber handguns and rifles, suppressed sound levels routinely exceed 130 dB, just shy of OSHA’s “hearing safe” threshold of 140 dB.
According to Dr. William W. Clark, the current Director of the Washington Univ. School of Medicine’s Audiology/Communication Sciences Program, a “serious threat to hearing comes from recreational hunting or target shooting”. This is in large part due to the fact that many people choose not to use traditional hearing protection devices like earplugs and earmuffs because they want to be able to hear their surroundings. Multiple studies have found that between 70 to 80% of hunters never wear earplugs or earmuffs, and nearly half of all target shooters don’t consistently wear traditional hearing protection. Thus, it should come as no surprise that for every five years of hunting, hunters become seven percent more likely to experience high frequency hearing loss.
This article is based on information from the American Suppressor Association (ASA). Since the ASA’s formation in 2011, three additional states have legalized suppressor ownership and 18 states have legalized suppressor hunting. For more information, visit www.AmericanSuppressorAssociation.com.
The NRA Blog ran an feature on Silhouette shooting by NRA Silhouette Program Coordinator Jonathan Leighton. Here are selections from Leighton’s story:
NRA Silhouette Shooting
The loud crack from the bullet exiting the muzzle followed by an even louder ‘clang’ as you watch your target fly off the railing is really a true addiction for most Silhouette shooters. There is nothing better than shooting a game where you actually get to see your target react to the bullet. In my opinion, this is truly what makes this game so much fun.
Metallic Silhouette — A Mexican Import
Silhouette shooting came to this country from Mexico in the 1960s. It is speculated that sport had its origins in shooting contests between Pancho Villa’s men around 1914. After the Mexican Revolution the sport spread quickly throughout Mexico. ‘Siluetas Metalicas’ uses steel silhouettes shaped like game animals. Chickens up front followed by rows of pigs, turkeys, and furthest away, rams. Being that ‘Siluetas Metalicas’ was originally a Mexican sport, it is common to hear the targets referred to by their Spanish names Gallina (chicken), Javelina (pig), Guajalote (turkey) and Borrego (ram). Depending on the discipline one is shooting, these animals are set at different distances from the firing line, but always in the same order.
Before Steel There Was… Barbeque
In the very beginnings of the sport, live farm animals were used as targets, and afterwards, the shooters would have a barbeque with all the livestock and/or game that was shot during the match. The first Silhouette match that used steel targets instead of livestock was conducted in 1948 in Mexico City, Mexico by Don Gonzalo Aguilar. [Some matches hosted by wealthy Mexicans included high-ranking politicians and military leaders].
As the sport spread and gained popularity during the 1950s, shooters from the Southwestern USA started crossing the Mexican border to compete. Silhouette shooting came into the US in 1968 at the Tucson Rifle Club in Arizona. The rules have stayed pretty much the same since the sport has been shot in the US. NRA officially recognized Silhouette as a shooting discipline in 1972, and conducted its first NRA Silhouette Nationals in November of 1972.
Great Video of Silhouette Shooting in Canada with Drone Footage
Now There Are Multiple Disciplines
The actual sport of Silhouette is broken into several different disciplines. High Power Rifle, Smallbore Rifle, Cowboy Lever Action Rifle, Black Powder Cartridge Rifle, Air Rifle, Air Pistol, and Hunter’s Pistol are the basic disciplines. Cowboy Lever Action is broken into three sub-categories to include Smallbore Cowboy Rifle, Pistol Cartridge Cowboy Lever Action, and regular Cowboy Lever Action. Black Powder Cartridge Rifle also has a ‘Scope’ class, and Hunter’s Pistol is broken into four sub-categories. Some clubs also offer Military Rifle Silhouette comps.
Where to Shoot Silhouette
NRA-Sanctioned matches are found at gun clubs nation-wide. There are also many State, Regional, and National matches across the country as well. You can find match listings on the Shooting Sports USA website or contact the NRA Silhouette Department at (703) 267-1465. For more info, visit SteelChickens.com, the #1 website dedicated to Silhouette shooting sports.
Shooting USA TV has a good show this week. Shooting USA’s Wednesday episode features the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge, an AR-based competition program for shooters of all levels. On April 19, 2025, at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, the NRA held the America’s Rifle Challenge, a one-day competition giving participants an intro to action shooting sports with AR-15 type rifles. The NRA provided awards/prizes for competitors and winners. ShootingUSA filmed the match and conducted interviews with competitors.
Shooting USA SHOW TIMES: This Shooting USA Episode airs Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 9:00 PM Eastern and Pacific; 8:00 PM Central. If you miss the regular broadcast, you can stream the show online at any time on Vimeo for $0.99 per episode.
On April 19, 2025, at Camp Atterbury the NRA held the America’s Rifle Challenge, a one-day, multi-stage competition with AR-15 type rifles. This is a new shooting sport format designed with two competition classes to challenge both novices and experienced practical shooters.
In this video, Professional shooter, Ryan Muller, shows three typical AR-15 platform configurations and shares what he looks for in an AR-15 rifle for long-range shooting, competitive shooting, and home defense — all of which are also suitable options for AR Challenge competition.
America’s Rifle Challenge Match Gear Requirements:
AR rifle in .223/5.56, .300 Blackout, or .308 Win
Level 1 Ammo Requirement: 125 Rounds (bring 180 Rounds)
Level 2 Ammo Requirement: 150 Rounds (bring 200 Rounds)
All firearms must have Empty Chamber Indicator
At least three magazines
Magazine holders
AR Sling required
Hearing protection
Eye protection
America’s Rifle Challenge Event Levels:
Level 1: The Level 1 course of fire is conducted from 10 out to 100 yards with competitors firing from different positions under time constraints. Level 1 is intended for AR owners new to competitive shooting. This event focuses on building skills to improve accuracy, speed, and mechanics. L1 matches are conducted from 100 yards and inward, with a balance of both time and accuracy being measured in every event. There are currently five total stages of fire in this match, with more in development. NOTE: Level 1 is limited to the first 32 competitors (4 squads). Space in level 1 is limited, so sign up quickly.
Level 2: The Level 2 course of fire covers the full spectrum of what is possible with an AR. L2 matches are conducted from 500 yards inward. Competitors will face a variety of stages designed to test skills — shooting and moving, positional shooting skills, long-range precision, speed, stage planning, and use of barricades, as well as close-quarters exercises. Level 2 offers a higher round count and more dynamics to the stages. NOTE: Level 2 is limited to the first 60 competitors (6 squads).
Do you enjoy shooting pistols for sport, or perhaps you carry a handgun for self-defense? If you’re like most of us, you might benefit from a “refresher course” on the fundamentals of handgun shooting. The NRA has created a useful Infographic that covers important basics of handgun marksmanship — key things such as Sight Alignment, Trigger Control, and Handgun Hold.
Here are the first two (2) lessons. Click the link below to see all SIX (6) training topics: Sight Alignment, Sight Focus, Trigger Control, Breath Control, Hold Control, and Follow-Through.
Video Shows Sight Alignment, Grip, Stance, Trigger Control and More
In this USAMU video, SGT Shane Coley talks about the basics of sight alignment and trigger control. But then SGT Coley talks about other important control factors such as grip, arm position, and body stance. For rapid-fire shooting, you need to have a good arm and body positioning to control recoil and get back on target quickly. This video is a valuable complement to the NRA Infographic because it demonstrates all the important pistol fundamentals during live fire, at the range.
On Father’s Day, time spent together is more important than any gift that comes in a box…
Today is Father’s Day, a special Sunday when we acknowledge our patriarchs and show our gratitude for all their hard work and sacrifice on our behalf, and the love they have shown us over the years. If you’re lucky, you’re reading this after having spent a day at the shooting range (or the local fishing hole, or golf course) with your Dad. The important thing is to be together with “Pops” and do something you both enjoy together. If you haven’t finalized your Father’s Day planning, here are some suggestions:
1. Hand-wash and wax your father’s truck or car.
2. Clean your dad’s rifles, or help him put together some handloads.
3. Take your dad out to a live music concert, go to a ball game, or maybe head down to the local fishin’ hole.
4. Go for a hike together or just a drive in the country.
5. Head down to Sears or the local hardware store and let you Dad pick out some new tools.
6. Sit down with your dad, bring a note pad, and ask him to tell you some stories about his youth, or his military experience. This Editor learned some amazing things about his own father this way.*
Whatever you choose to do with your father, use your time wisely. Turn off your computer, and go be with your father today. Do something with him that makes him smile. The time spent together is more important than any gift that comes in a box. And, if he lives far from you, give him a call and let him know how important he is to your life. Remind him of the old adage: “Good fathers make good sons”.
When my father, a disabled WW2 Army vet, passed away I received the flag that was draped on his coffin. On most days I fly one of those nylon flags that you can pick up at hardware or department stores. But on holidays, like today, and his birthday, Dad’s flag is out there snapping in the breeze on top of the pole. I find myself talking to him as it gets put up in the morning and comes down at sunset. Hope when the time comes one of my boys will fly my flag. — Bill Slattery Jr.
My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass”! “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply, “We’re raising boys”. — Harmon Killebrew.
* My father was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in WWII. He was part of three different amphibious landings — North Africa, Sicily, and Operation Dragoon in the South of France. During one conversation about the French invasion, he showed me the invasion armband he wore in 1944. He had kept that band, with its faded American flag, for over 50 years. It is now a cherished memento of his life and service to his country.
The National Rifle Association’s President’s Match was instituted in 1878, as the American Military Rifle Championship Match. In 1884, the name was changed to the President’s Match for the Military Rifle Championship of the United States. It was fired at Creedmoor, New York until 1891. In 1895, it was reintroduced at Sea Girt, New Jersey. Today, the match is held at Camp Perry, Ohio.
RMAC features four distinct events designed to test diverse shooting skills. The 100-Yard Benchrest event focuses on precision and wind-reading — most other airgun BR matches are at 50 yards or 50m max, so this is tough by comparison.
The 
Metallic Silhouette — A Mexican Import
Before Steel There Was… Barbeque
Today is Father’s Day, a special Sunday when we acknowledge our patriarchs and show our gratitude for all their hard work and sacrifice on our behalf, and the love they have shown us over the years. If you’re lucky, you’re reading this after having spent a day at the shooting range (or the local fishing hole, or golf course) with your Dad. The important thing is to be together with “Pops” and do something you both enjoy together. If you haven’t finalized your Father’s Day planning, here are some suggestions:
