If you live out west and enjoy rifle and/or pistol competition, then consider signing up for for the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) 2025 Western Games. Featuring a wide variety of Rifle and Pistol matches, the annual event is set for October 16-23, 2025 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Arizona. This big match is run very efficiently, with electronic targets eliminating pit duty. And new this year is a 1000-yard Long-Range Rifle Match.
The Western CMP Games & CMP Cup Matches will feature Garand/Springfield/Vintage & Modern Military Matches, a Carbine Match, a Vintage Sniper Match and a Rifle Marksmanship 101/M16 Match (Introductory Marksmanship Class & Live Fire). The CMP Cup Matches include a CMP Mid-Range 3X600, a 2-Man Team Match, three days of CMP 800 Aggregate Matches and a CMP Service Rifle EIC Match. The Western Games will also include popular CMP vintage rifle events. All rifle matches will be held on the CMP’s outdoor eTargets — recently used at the 2025 National Matches at Camp Perry.
NEW FOR 2025: The CMP will be adding six 20-shot, 1000-yard Long Range matches held October 20-22. Competitors may fire in the Service Rifle, Match Rifle, F-Class, F T/R, AR Tactical or Palma Rifle categories.
RANGE & SQUADDING INFORMATION: All matches fired on the Highpower Range will be using the KTS Electronic Target System (no pit duty required). The CMP 80 Shot Matches, EIC Rifle Match, Carbine Match, Mid-Range 3X600 Match and Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military Matches will be pre-squadded.
2025 Western Games Notable Events:
Rifle Competitions
Garand, Springfield, Vintage & MM Matches
Carbine Match
Rifle Marksmanship 101/M16 MATCH
Rimfire Sporter Match
Mid-Range 3X600
1000-Yard LR Match
80 Shot Rifle
2-Person Rifle Team
EIC Service Rifle
Pistol Competitions
CMP Match Pistol 2700 (.22, .45, Centerfire)
Pistol Marksmanship 101/M17 MATCH
.22 Rimfire Pistol
EIC Service Pistol
EIC Service Revolver
Military & Police Service Pistol
1911 As-Issued Pistol Match
CLICK HERE to To see the Full Schedule of all Matches.
There Will Be Instruction as Well as Competition
The Western Games are open to any adult or junior with an interest in the sport – regardless of experience. Educational sessions will be held by trained instructors in the classroom and on the range. These are suitable for both beginners and more advanced individuals. This training will include Rifle/Pistol Marksmanship 101 training seminars.
Handgun Matches at Western Games
Handgun shooters can compete in four days of Pistol Matches including a Pistol Marksmanship 101/M9 Match (Introductory Marksmanship Class & Live Fire), CMP Match Pistol 2700, CMP .22 Rimfire Pistol EIC Match, CMP EIC Service Pistol Match, CMP Service Revolver EIC Match, Military & Police Service Pistol Match, and CMP 1911 As-Issued Pistol Match.
HOUSING: Competitors who plan to stay overnight near the Ben Avery Shooting Facility should stay north of the Phoenix area. There are numerous hotels, Air BnBs as well as Vacation Rentals (VRBO) in this area.
Hunting season is coming soon in most parts of the country. As part of NRA Women TV, hunting guide Kristy Titus hosts a series of videos that explain important strategies and shooting skills for hunters. These videos can help you prepare for a fall hunt. Titus is a certified instructor who has hunted around the globe. She grew up in the outdoors, running pack mules in Oregon with her father. In these videos, Kristy discusses demonstrates field positions that can be employed during a hunt. She also explains preparation for a hunt, including fitness training.
Click each link below to watch other Kristy Titus Hunting Videos.
Kristy says: “When it comes to bolt-action rifle fit, there is no ‘one size fits all’. When picking out your rifle [consider options] after the purchase to ensure you are as comfortable as possible.”
This 12″ Bullseye Pistol Diagnostic Target helps improve handgun marksmanship. The target diagnoses common problems with one-handed shooting based on shot impact zones. While this target is designed for righties, left-handed shooters can use the target too. Just observe the opposite tips.
Do you know someone who wants to get started in pistol shooting? Here’s a helpful resource. The NRA now offers its Basics of Pistol Shooting Course in an online format. That makes it easy to cover the “classroom” phase of the course on your own time. The $60.00 online course includes 11 step-by-step lessons (to be followed by live range training). CLICK HERE to enroll in online Pistol Training Course.
Train Online, Then Register for a Range Session
For the NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting course, Phase 1 is conducted in an online environment, completed on your own time (cost is $60.00, non-refundable). After successfully completing the online exam, students can register for Phase 2, the instructor-led training session. Phase 2 is conducted at your local range with an NRA-Certified Instructor. NOTE: There will normally be an additional fee for Phase 2. You must successfully complete BOTH Phase 1 and Phase 2 in order to receive your NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting course certificate.
Designed and developed by experts to accommodate busy schedules, the web-based course takes a blended learning approach to firearms training with both online and physical components. Students have 90 days to work through 11 online lessons before registering for Phase 2, the NRA Certified Instructor-led phase at a local range.
“Thanks to our online courses and network of more than 125,000 NRA Certified Instructors, it has never been easier to learn basic firearm skills,” said Kyle Weaver, NRA General Operations Exec. Director. The NRA offers other online training courses at Onlinetraining.nra.org. Along with pistol course, these offerings include Rifle Training, Shotgun Training, a Range Safety Office (RSO) course, and a Range Development and Operations course.
Know someone getting started with handguns? Here is a useful video focusing on safety:
Have you ever wondered how Olympic-class position shooters hold their aim so steady? Those bulky shooting coats help, but there is a lot of bio-mechanics involved also. Top shooters employ their body structure to help support the weight of their rifles, and to steady their aim. This interesting video, produced by GOnra Media, demonstrates rifle hold and body alignment for prone, standing, sitting, and kneeling positions. Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Corkish (formerly Jamie Gray) demonstrates the proper stance and position of arms and legs for each of the positions.
Ideally, in all of the shooting positions, the shooter takes advantage of skeletal support. The shooter should align the bones of his/her arms and legs to provide a solid foundation. A shooter’s legs and arms form vertical planes helping the body remain stable in the shooting position.
Jamie Corkish, London 2012 Gold Medalist in Women’s 3 X 20, has retired from top-level competitive shooting. However, Jamie remains involved in the shooting sports as a Public Relations/Marketing representative for ELEY, a leading maker of rimfire ammunition. Jamie also works with shooting clubs and educational institutions to promote smallbore target shooting.
Images are stills from GOnraMedia video linked above.
Do you often carry a concealed handgun? Then you can benefit from Beretta’s FREE 15-page e-book, Ten Essential Tips for CCW Holders. This eBook, in handy PDF format, helps gun owners select an appropriate handgun (and holster), understand legal obligations and responsibilities, and train effectively with the firearm. This short PDF eBook offers many useful tips to consider, in particular for gun owners who are contemplating the pros and cons of everyday carry for themselves.
As the Beretta CCW booklet says, “Carrying a concealed handgun requires a certain amount of confidence. You need to be confident in your knowledge of laws and regulations. You have to have confidence in your accuracy, and you need to trust that you can carry a gun effectively, securely and comfortably. If a gun is a burden for you to carry, you probably won’t.”
Surprising Facts About Actual Defensive Handgun Use
You may be surprised to learn when and how handguns are actually used for self-defense. Most defensive uses are at very short range and the incident only lasts a matter of seconds. You need to be prepared, and train to be proficient drawing and aiming your weapon. And remember, shooting is a last resort, when a safe retreat is not available.
55% of gunfights take place in 0-5 feet.
20% of gunfights take place in 5-10 feet.
20% of gunfights take place in 10-21 feet.
95% of gunfights take place in 0-21 feet. (Source: FBI)
The average man can cover 21 feet of ground in 1.5 seconds.
The average gunfight is over in 3-5 seconds.
3 to 4 shots are usually fired.
Most gunfights take place in low-light conditions.
On average, one shot in four strikes someone.
Here are two (2) sample pages from Beretta’s CCW eBook.
Hunting season is starting soon in most areas of the country. Here’s a way you can improve your hunting skills/knowledge. The NRA is offering a FREE online Experienced Hunter Education Course for those preparing to take advantage of the 2025 hunting season.
“Our Experienced Hunter Education Course provides those who might have taken a season or two off a convenient way to sharpen their skills before heading back into the field,” said Peter Churchbourne, director of NRA’s Hunters Leadership Forum.
NRA’s free 2-hour course is a firearm and hunting safety-training refresher in a convenient online format available through desktop, tablet, or smartphone. The course is available to everyone at www.NRAEHE.org. NOTE: The course is NOT a substitute for state-mandated hunter safety requirements and does not offer any certifications.
The NRA’s NRA Experienced Hunter Education Course, is an online training program designed to help hunters brush up their skills. Free to all, this comprehensive hunting refresher course will help hunters become safer and more confident before heading out into the field. CLICK HERE for more information.
“If you’ve taken a break from the shooting sports or haven’t hunted in a season or two, our Experienced Hunter Education Course is the perfect refresher for firearms safety and safe hunting practices,” explained Elizabeth Bush, managing director of NRA Community Engagement. “Best of all, we’re offering this service completely free of charge.”
Course Description
This online training course is specifically designed for individuals who have not hunted in the past year or more and are looking for a safety refresher before they head back out in the field. In this course, hunters will have the opportunity to refresh their skills by taking a look at safe hunting practices and firearms safety. Once completed, you will be a safer hunter in the field.
Sometimes you have an opportunity to go shooting but you’re a long way from home and don’t have your regular tall target frame(s). Here’s a handy product — a 28″ tall foldable cardboard cone — you can easily carry in your vehicle and deploy any time.
With this innovative Target Cone you can easily carry a target-holder wherever you go. The Target Cone from Re-Nine Safety transports flat so it can be easily stowed in the trunk of your car (or even under a seat). When you’re ready to use it, simply fold the flaps to create a self-supporting cone with pre-printed targets on one side. Place a rock on the base to hold it steady. The Target Cone can be used by itself or, as shown below, you can attach other targets, such as Re-Nine’s Silhouette Target (below right).
We think this is a great innovation. Keep a couple Target Cone flats in the back of your car or truck and you’ll always have a target support. For spur-of-the-moment range sessions, this is much easier than toting around a big target frame. The Re-Nine Safety Target Cones come flat, fold together and interlock forming a sturdy 28″ tall stand-alone target. These are sold as a 5-pack for $25.00.
The International Precision Rifle Federation (IPRF), is a governing organization for tactical-style precision shooting, both centerfire and rimfire. Recently IPRF conducted its second-ever .22 LR Precision Rimfire World Championships, held this year in the United Kingdom. We’re proud to announce that Team USA won the 2025 IPRF rimfire title. Team USA took top honors at the 2025 IPRF PR22 World Championships, securing the gold medal with a dominant performance.
The IPRF Rimfire World Championships were held August 17-24, 2025 at the West Midlands Shooting Centre in Drayton, UK. Competing against the world’s best, Team USA finished with an impressive team score of 2089 to win the 2025 IPRF PR22 world title.
The victory was a result of outstanding individual and team achievements across multiple divisions. In the Open Division, Team USA not only secured team gold but also saw Matt Stiner take 2nd place individually, with an honorable mention to Erich Leipold for a strong performance that tied for third. The Lady’s Division was a clean sweep, with the team earning gold, Camdyn Powers winning 1st place, and McKenzie Burns securing 2nd. The Juniors Division also brought home team gold, with Dakota Wright and Reagan Stahmer earning 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. The Seniors Division added another team gold, with Dave Ostrowske claiming the 3rd place individual medal, while the Factory Division team earned a bronze medal, with Ronald Verran finishing in 3rd place.
“We are incredibly proud of Team USA’s remarkable success at the World Championships,” said Adam Braverman, V.P. of Sales & Marketing for Lapua. “Their dedication, skill, and unwavering commitment to excellence have rightfully earned them the title of world champions. Congratulations to every member of the team on this phenomenal victory.”
2025 Team USA shooters were chosen based on their performances at the U.S.A. PRS Rimfire and NRL22 championships, along with 8 qualifier matches held between January 2024 and March 2025. This selection process ensured that Team USA had great shooters who could dominate the IPRF PR22 Championship.
Video from Previous IPRF Rimfire Championship in Italy in 2023
American team member Camdyn Powers at the 2023 IPRF Rimfire World Championship in Italy. Photo courtesy Burris Optics.
One side has MOA (Minute of Angle) grid for MOA-based scopes. Flip target over for MIL adjustment grid.
Here’s a clever product that can speed up the process of sighting-in your rifles, whether you have a scope with MOA-based clicks or an optic with MIL-based clicks. Sport Ridge offers a pair targets that are printed on BOTH sides with precise grids based on your scope’s click values. One side has an MOA-based grid while the other side of the target has 1/10th Milliradian (MIL) grid.
Choose between two, double-sided printed targets: the 16″x16″ 100-yard Precision Rifle Target and the 10″x10″ 25/50-yard AR15 Sight-In Target. For both target types, side one has an MOA-based grid for scopes with 1/4-MOA or 1/8-MOA click values. Flip the target over to use the grid for MIL scopes with 1/10th Milliradian click values.
Sport Ridge’s Premium Precision Sight-In Targets allow you to adjust the point of impact quickly because the target’s grid boxes precisely match the click values of MOA and MIL measurement systems. Sport Ridge states: “No more guesswork at matching your optic’s adjustment value, saving your ammunition and time spent sighting-in firearms.” Get the 16″x16″ Precision Target 40-pack for $49.95, or the 10″x10″ AR Target 10-pack for $6.49.
Manufacturer Video Explains How to Sight-In with MOA/MIL Grid Target:
For MOA-type scopes, Sport Ridge also offers a single-sided Reflex Sight-In target with an MOA-based adjustment grid. This has a large center sighting bullseye so it can be used to confirm MOA-based click values at longer ranges (300+ yards) with rifles. Or use it at close range (for 10, 25, or 50 yards) for red-dot equipped pistols or shotguns. A 10-pack of these targets is $6.49.
REFLEX DOT SIGHT-IN TARGET
• Large Central Bull with MOA Grid
• Table of distance MOA optic click values
• Grid adjustment in direction Up/Down, Left/Right
This video explains general principles of sighting-in rifles, including dialing to Point of Impact:
A while back our Aussie friend Stuart Elliot of BRT Shooters Supply filmed some interesting videos at the QTS range in Brisbane, Australia. Stuart told us: “I was shooting in an Air Gun Benchrest match here in Brisbane, Australia. I finished my target early and was awaiting the cease fire and took a short, slow-motion video of windflag behavior.” You may be surprised by the velocity changes and angle swings that occur, even over a relatively short distance (just 25 meters from bench to target).
Here are windflags in slow motion:
The flags show in the videos are “Aussie Wind Flags”, developed by Stuart Elliot. These are still produced in Australia, and are now available through BRTFlags.com.
Here is a video in real time:
Stuart says this video may surprise some shooters who don’t use windflags: “Many people say the wind doesn’t matter. Well it sure does — whether for an airgun at 25 meters or a long range centerfire at 1,000.” This video illustrates how much the wind can change direction and velocity even in a small area.
For MOA-type scopes, Sport Ridge also offers a single-sided 
