The CMP 2023 National Matches will take place at Camp Perry from July 7 through August 5, 2023. Camp Perry is a National Guard facility located on the shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton.
The annual Camp Perry National Matches have evolved — the 2023 event calendar has been modified from previous years – allowing overlapping disciplines and new matches, along with updates to the ranges themselves to improve the competition experience. SEE Full Camp Perry NM Calendar.
Unlike past years, the National Matches will now begin with Smallbore and Rimfire Sporter Rifle events, rather than Pistol matches. The National Smallbore rifle series will utilize electronic targets for the first time in its history, and the CMP Highpower Rifle Championships will now also be fired on electronic targets, with three 80-shot matches, followed by a 4-Man team event. The CMP National Trophy Rifles matches will follow and continue to be fired on paper targets.
Other changes for 2023 include the assembly of Pistol target lines at 25 and 50 yards to eliminate moving between strings. Also, an extra category has been added to the GSSF GLOCK National Pistol Challenge. Along with Stock, Unlimited and Rimfire classes, the match will now facilitate a Modular Optic System (MOS) Configuration category.
CMP offers Air Rifle and Air Pistol competitors an opportunity to compete at Camp Perry in the Air Gun National Matches. The National Match Air Gun Events will include a new 3-gun match and team matches for air pistol and air rifle.
Additionally, there will be multiple Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military (GSMM) Matches at the CMP Camp Perry National Matches this year. And, during the Long Range rifle phase, a Mid-Range Match 3×600 match has been added to the schedule.
The John C. Garand match is a Camp Perry classic. Note the signature Garand clip in the air.
Registration for the 2023 National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches is OPEN. CLICK HERE to Sign up and review all the 2023 National Matches event info on the CMP website.
After being held at the Kelbly’s Range in Ohio for decades, the Super Shoot benchrest competition will be held May 22-25, 2023 at the Bench Rest Rifle Club in Missouri. This is a great location, much favored by elite benchrest shooters. This excellent range was the host of the 2022 NBRSA Nationals (photo above).
This will be Super Shoot 49. Historically, the Super Shoot has been the largest 100/200-yard Benchrest score match in the world, drawing over 200 competitors. For the last 40+ years, the Super Shoot has been held at the Kelbly’s Range in Ohio. This year the Super Shoot will be held at one of the premier benchrest shooting facilities in the USA, the Bench Rest Rifle Club of St. Louis situated in Wright City, just northwest of St. Louis. This event will feature the best short-range benchrest shooters in the world. Competition will be fierce, with top places often decided by the tiniest margins in Agg measurements.
To shoot in the big match, it’s best to first register as a member of the SuperShootSports.com website. Membership is free. By becoming a member you will have access to online registration for the 49th Super Shoot and other features. There is no charge to join as a site member but there ARE fees to compete in the actual 2023 Super Shoot. In-person check-in and registration begins on Friday, May 19th. The range will be open for practice Friday through Sunday, May 19-21, closing at 4:00 pm on Sunday. Competition starts on Monday, May 22, 2023. Here is the full schedule:
For more information or to register as a competitor, visit SuperShootSports.com. You can also email info@supershootsports.com or call 972-875-5318.
The Bench Rest Rifle Club of St. Louis hosted the 2015 World Benchrest Championships:
The St. Louis shooting range facility is excellent. Forum member Alex M. posted: “The St. Louis Bench Rest Rifle Club is the finest shooting facility I have seen. The various rifle, pistol, shotgun, and archery ranges are great. They have a nice official trap field, together with manually operated traps. I shoot pistol and rifle with my wife at 25 to 600 yards. They have a very nice dedicated rimfire range, and training bays. I shoot their monthly F-Class matches (600 yards) where they award medals (1st, 2nd, 3rd) for F-Open, F-T/R and F-Bench. They also host the very popular Sierra Cup Challenge.”
Map to Bench Rest Rifle Club Range in Wright City, Missouri.
Major Sponsors for Super Shoot 49
Super Shoot 49 has many sponsors including Bruno Shooters Supply, Creedmoor Sports, Lilja Barrels, PMA Tool and a dozen other companies. Creedmoor Sports has explained the importance of the Super Shoot:
“We’re excited to sponsor the Super Shoot and give back to the Bench Rest community. The firearms and reloading innovation that has come out of this discipline has benefited every single shooting sport. Bench Rest Rifle Club of St. Louis is a great facility that is capable of hosting very large matches. I know that Wade Hull and the members at BRRC will do an exceptional job hosting the match.” — John Teachey, VP Operations/Marketing for Creedmoor Sports.
Erik Cortina is one of the world’s top F-Class shooters. Erik won the 2023 Southwest Nationals in F-Open Division, and he was a member of Team USA which won the F-Open World Championship in South Africa. And Erik also won the individual F-Open title at the South African National Championship which preceded the 2023 F-Class Worlds. Erik also has competed successfully in Long-Range and Precision Rifle matches. Along with his shooting skills, Erik is a respected video host. His Erik Cortina Video Channel now boasts nearly 500 videos, covering a wide range of shooting disciplines, along with reloading, load tuning, and other gun tech topics.
This Saturday we are featuring nine of Erik’s informative videos. These cover reloading techniques, marksmanship tips, and more. We start with two vertical-format “shorts”, both worth watching. In the first video you can see Erik nail five straight targets at 500 yards, with the last one a tiny square.
Two “Shorts” — Precision Steel and Advanced Reloading
500-Yard “Know Your Limits”
Cortina with 6mmBR Nails ‘Em All
Loading Cartridge with
SuperTrickler and AMP Press
Barrel Break-in — Don’t Waste Barrel Life
A factory barrel can benefit from a break-in regimen. Some custom barrels shoot great from the get-go and don’t require elaborate break-in rituals. In this popular video, Erik explains how he determines the appropriate break-in procedure for his barrels: “Deciding if you need to break-in a barrel is not as easy as many think. In this video, I discuss the thought process I go through in deciding if I need to break in a barrel or not.”
Smallest 1000-yard Group Ever Caught on Camera
This 1000-yard group was NOT shot in a match, so it is not a record. But Erik shot a truly spectacular group during practice. This shows what modern F-class rifles can do with ideal conditions. Erik drilled five shots in 1.3″ inches, with 4 shots in under 1/2″ (see 1:15 – 2:20 time). And the first 3 shots landed right on top of each other (about 1/4″). Erik notes: “While shooting, I decided to set up my camera and record the screen on my phone so I could see the shots on my Electronic Target. To my surprise, the shots kept stacking up on top of each other. I had a 3-shot group under 1/4 inch! Most shooters would be happy with that at 100 yards, but this is at 1,000 yards!”
Common Sense Reloading
All novice reloaders should watch this video. Erik explains the three key items when reloading for accurate rifles. Erik explains: “We as humans have a tendency to complicate things, and reloading is no different. For some reason, we think that the more complicated it is, the better the end product will be. It doesn’t have to be that way, today I explain the three different things that must be in check to ensure you have a consistent and efficient load. Once you get these three things corrected, you’ll always have a good load.”
Team USA F-Open World Champions
The 2023 F-Class World Championships were recently held in South Africa. There were talented teams from many countries. With a strong, come-from-behind performance on the last day of the team match, The U.S.A. F-Open Team topped South Africa to win the F-Open Team Championship with a 3540-366V score (South Africa finished with 3535-374V — a “V” is like an “X” in the USA). Congratulations to the 2023 USA F-Open team, the new World Champions! Erik Cortina was a member of Team USA.
Stop Neck-Sizing Brass
With over 400,000 views, this is one of Erik’s most popular videos. Erik explains why it is NOT smart to neck-size only. For almost all rifle applications, you’ll get better case life and more consistent loads if you full-length size your cases. Full-length sizing also provides vital shoulder bumping, which is essential for proper case-feeding and smooth bolt closure. Proper full-length sizing will also help optimize ES and SD.
Precision Reloading Class at PRS Expo 2022
This 8-minute video records a seminar Erik conducted at the 2022 PRS Expo. In this segment, Erik explains the key elements of accuracy. He advises that the bullets are the most expensive element of each cartridge, and are critical to accuracy, so competitors should always buy the best — never attempt to cut costs on projectiles. CLICK HERE for PART TWO of Erik’s presentatiion.
About Erik Cortina Precision Products Cortina Precision makes some of the best barrel tuners on the market. The EC Tuner was developed over a decade ago and has many championships under its belt. The EC Tuner was recently revamped and released as the EC Tuner V2. The V2 model employs a spring to maintain load on the tuner at all times and eliminate backlash. That helps with consistency. The EC Tuner V2 works well for centerfire, rimfire, and even air rifles.
Cortina Precision also offers the EC Tuner Brake. The Tuner Brake combines a barrel tuner with a muzzle brake. The EC Tuner brake greatly reduces recoil and allows you to tune your rifle to your load. These Tuner Brakes are a good choice for hunters and PRS/NRL competitors, as they work equally well with handloads and factory loads. For more information, visit ShootSmallGroups.com. – Erik Cortina
Want to see the details?CLICK HERE to view full-screen photo.
Here are five targets, each with FIVE shots in essentially one hole. This amazing feat of accuracy was accomplished six years ago. We are reprising our report because this five-target Aggregate arguably represents the most impressive feat of 100-yard accuracy in the history of marksmanship on this planet.
Check out those five targets. The Aggregate (average) of all five targets is a tiny 0.0840 inches! These were shot by Gary Ocock at 100 yards in a California benchrest match on August 6, 2017. Though Gary’s amazing 0.0840 Five-Target Agg beats existing records, this was not a “sanctioned” match, so Gary’s killer Agg will NOT be submitted for IBS or NBRSA records. So, sadly, the Agg won’t appear in the record books, but this remains a spectacular, verified feat of rifle accuracy, accomplished in competition.
The argument can be made that this is the Most Accurate Gun Ever Built. As far as we can determine, no one has ever shot a smaller 5-target Agg anywhere, at any time.
The Unlimited Benchrest Record That Will Never Be (Official)
Report by Boyd Allen
Gary Ocock’s stunning unlimited Aggregate is beyond amazing. That’s an average of five, 5-shot groups of .0840. Shot under sanctioned match rules, but at an unsanctioned 100-yard fun match, this Aggregate is well under the current 100-yard official records of the IBS (.1386), and the NBRSA (.1242). The fourth of the five groups measured a minuscule .018, less than half the size of the existing NBRSA Unlimited record of .049 (also shot by Gary). Check it out:
When the top 15 shooters all post teen Aggs, conditions must be pretty favorable. However there were some light switchy winds — Gary said that he shot better in the left to right condition.
GUN SPECIFICATIONS
Ocock’s red Jay Young Unlimited Railgun features one major difference from Young’s typical Railgun designs. The bottom of the barrel block is integral with the top (moving part), of the gun. The barrel is Ocock’s usual 1:13.5″-twist Krieger chambered for the 6 PPC. The BAT Neuvo action is unusual in that its lugs are horizontal at lock-up instead of the usual vertical. With horizontal lugs, both lugs maintain contact with their abutments when the action is cocked. In the more normal configuration when cocked the top lug is forced off of its seat by a combination of the angle of the trigger cocking piece interface, the pressure of the striker spring, and bolt clearance at the rear of the action.
LOAD SPECIFICATIONS
Gary shot this remarkable Agg with well-used brass, Vihtavuori N133 powder, and self-made 66gr BT bullets* seated at “jam”. This amazing Agg was shot on the second day of a 2-day Unlimited Benchrest match. On Day 1 Gary had experimented with various loads using both surplus IMR 8208 and Vihtavuori N133, but was not satisfied with the results. For his first group on Day 2, Gary tried a light load of N133. After seeing the result, however, he decided to go to the other extreme — a super stout N133 load — with the same powder. As you can see, Gary’s willingness to experiment paid off.
Notably, Gary used light neck tension. Ocock found that for these bullets and this barrel, light neck tension worked best (contrary to “normal” N133 benchrest practice). Ocock used a bushing that only produces .001″ difference between the diameters of sized and loaded case necks.
Comment on Ocock’s Achievement
Congratulations to Gary Ocock for superb shooting (and smart loading). Even though the match was not sanctioned (so the Agg will never be a record), Ocock has raised the bar very high, and given us a new standard of ultimate accuracy.
Though this 0.0840 Aggregate and 0.018 group will never go into the record group, they are still noteworthy. There’s virtually no doubt that they would have survived inspection by any record committee. Except for the lack of fixed backers, an IBS requirement (for detecting cross-fires), all other conditions were met for an officially-sanctioned match.
Boyd Allen notes: The reason that the match was not sanctioned was that the sanctioning bodies like to have a month’s notice when scheduling a sanctioned match and because the range had been down for modifications and this was the first match after that, there was some question as to whether the work required to have stationary backers could be finished in time for the match. Rather than promise what might not be deliverable, the decision was made to hold the match under all of the usual competition rules as a non-sanctioned “fun” match. None of this diminishes Gary’s performance.
* Gary Ocock shot his own, boat-tail match bullets, made with George Ulrich-crafted dies using Hood cores. Although he said that it had been a while since he had weighed any, his best guess was that they weigh something around 66.5 grains.
Watch the video below to learn about the kneeling position, as explained by National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth and 2012 Olympian Amanda Furrer. Three-time Olympian and Silver Medalist Bob Foth details the proper techniques (both body position and gun-handling) for kneeling position shooting. Putting Foth’s coaching tips into practice, three-Position smallbore shooter Amanda Furrer demonstrates how to properly shoot from a kneeling position using a .22 LR match rifle.
Amanda, a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, shows how to set up the right body position when kneeling, how to support the rifle, and how to relax breathing to steady the shot. This takes practice, but remarkable accuracy can be achieved from the kneeling position by top-level shooters. This is a great video, well worth watching.
The video uses superimposed graphics and diagrams to show rifle hardware/sights, and key aspects of the head position, sling set-up, and hold. If you are a position shooter, this is a “must-watch” video. Narrated by Olympian Bob Foth, it is very informative.
Watch Kneeling Position Video
As a member of the U.S. Olympic Team, Amanda Furrer competed in the Womens 3P 50m event at the 2012 Olympics, finishing 15th. Amanda first started shooting at 11 years old with the Spokane Junior Rifle Team. Shooting is a family sport and all compete and shoot guns together. Furrer’s father shoots tactical matches and her mom shoots pistols. Amanda qualified for the national team as a member of the 2007 Pan American Team at the age of 16. She won bronze in the 2011 National Championships. Amanda is currently a student at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, majoring in Finance and competing on the Rifle Team.
When shooting pistols do your shots normally land smack dab in the middle of the target? If not, you may have some technique problems that are causing your shots to move off center. Top Shot Champion Chris Cheng has produced a good video for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) that helps handgunners diagnose accuracy issues. By shooting 3-shot groups and looking at the pattern and location of the shots, you can see what you’re doing wrong (or right). Here are some examples. Note, this process works best for shooters whose shots fall typically in one target zone. If your shots are all over the target, your form is inconsistent and problems will be harder to diagnose.
1. Low Left — Jerking Trigger: Here we see three (3) shots at the 7 O’clock position. This shows that the shooter is jerking the trigger, meaning that the shooter is pulling the trigger too quickly and therefore forcing the barrel to drop when breaking the shot. This is a very common problem, particularly with novices who are reacting to the noise/recoil of the pistol.
2. 9 O’Clock — Too Little Trigger Finger: If we see three (3) shots at the 9 O’clock position, what this can be indicative of too little trigger finger on the trigger. And therefore with every shot, the shots are getting pushed to the left. Try moving your trigger finger on to the pad of your index finger. Also try dry firing drills.
3. High Left — Anticipating Recoil: In this next example, we see three shots around the 11 O’clock position. What could be happening here is that the shooter is anticipating the recoil, and is actually lifting the gun up when he shoots. We recommend slowing down, working on your breathing, and, again, do dry-firing drills.
4. 3 O’Clock — Too Much Trigger Finger: Finally, if you see three (3) shots at the 3 O’clock position, this can indicate that there is too much trigger finger on the trigger. Therefore when the shot breaks the shooter is pulling each shot to the right.
Note: Each of these descriptions is for a RIGHT-handed shooter. If you are a left-handed shooter you’ll want to reverse those descriptions with respect to shot position left/right of the centerline. For example, in example number 4, the lefty would have his shots fall at the 9 O’clock position
Berger’s James Fox won the 2023 California Regional High Power Service Rifle Championship shooting Berger factory ammunition and 80.5gr bullets. Fox had a Grand Aggregate score of 1282-48X. Notably, at the closer ranges, Fox shot Berger factory-loaded .223 Rem 77gr OTM ammunition in his AR-platform rifle. For the 600-yard targets, Fox shot ammo loaded with Berger 80.5gr Fullbore bullets. Fox noted: “The Berger 80.5 Grain Fullbore bullets are truly the ‘easy button’ for Service Rifle, because they seem to just shoot in any barrel I have[.]”
The 2023 California Regional Service Rifle High Power Championship was hosted by the Coalinga (CA) Rifle Club on April 1st and 2nd, 2023. With two days of shooting, Fox finished in first on Day One with a score of 792-33X, and first again on Day Two with a 490-15X. In High Power Service Rifle, competitors test their skill in four stages: 200yd Slow-fire Standing, 200yd Rapid-fire Sitting (or kneeling), 300yd Rapid Prone, and 600yd Slow-fire Prone.
With the vast amount of rain California has received in 2023, the Coalinga Range was lush and green. The shooting conditions were also quite good at this April match, with minimal mirage, and mostly consistent winds, making for fairly “easy” shooting and high scores. Competitor Greg Brown noted: “The weather conditions were very pleasant and the winds mild this year. This wind was not a factor for off-hand which helped everyone to generally good scores at the 200-yard line. The winds were somewhat swirly for 300-yard Rapid Fire stage both days and cost some points lost. Conditions for the 600-yard stage looked benign, but tricky enough to prevent any perfect scores, but several 199s were fired on Saturday.”
Archive photo from a past year. The Coalinga Range was far more green and lush in April 2023.
Berger Ammo and Bullets Used by James Fox
“The California Regional Service Rifle Championship was the start to my 2023 shooting season. It was 23 years since the last time I shot at the Coalinga Rifle Club, which both times have resulted in very favorable outcomes for me”, stated Fox. “The first time in 2000 I earned my last Leg Points to become a CMP Distinguished Rifleman, and this year winning the Championship for the first time. During the two-day Aggregate match, I found some early success in the Rapid-fire Sitting stage at 200 yards, where I shot a sub 1-MOA group using Berger’s .223 Remington 77gr OTM ammunition. And later in the day at 600 yards, I fired Berger 80.5gr Fullbore bullets as they held great elevation allowing me to keep rounds in the middle, despite the wind conditions. The Berger 80.5gr Fullbore bullets are truly the ‘easy button’ for Service Rifle, because they seem to just shoot in any barrel I have, with a wide range of powder charges, Vihtavuori N140 seemingly being the best.” Fox will compete next month at the CMP Eastern Games.
Abundant Grass After Much Rain Attracted Cattle to the Range
Greg Brown noted that there were some special challenges at this match — grazing cattle: “The Coalinga Range was at its most scenic this early April time with deep green hills and the grazing yearling steers getting fatter by the hour. Several times the cattle grazed too lose and the shooters turned cowboys had to wrangle them safely off the range.”
Do you occasionally get completely unexplained flyers, or have a shot land straight down at 6 O’Clock, right below your point of aim? That could be caused by poor or inconsistent trigger technique. How you pull the trigger can and does affect your accuracy.
Many gun enthusiasts start with pistols. When they later start shooting rifles they may carry over some not-so-good practices acquired from shooting handguns with heavy 4 to 6-pound trigger pulls. You may want to “re-learn” your trigger techniques to get better rifle results.
Shooting Sports USA has a good article on trigger technique that offers many useful tips. That article also has many helpful illustrations, including the one shown above. Another illustration shows different types of trigger shoes (straight vs. curved) and explains how each makes a difference: “With a lightly curved trigger, the shooter’s finger can contact the trigger either high or low according to preference. Higher contact will increase the resistance.” READ ARTICLE HERE.
The article analyzes common errors, such as pulling the trigger with the very tip of the finger rather than the pad of the index finger: “Using the tip of the finger can lead to lateral pressure on the trigger, which throws off the shot.”
The article also explains that you should check your trigger regularly to make sure it is functioning properly and is not out of adjustment: “Just like any other moving part, the trigger can suffer from wear. In such a precise mechanism, tiny amounts of wear can cause major problems.”
The ergonomics of the Eliseo Tubegun allow a nice, straight trigger pull.
Trigger Tips
Six Suggestions for Making your Trigger Control More Consistent.
1. If your triggers are adjustable, set the pull weight appropriate to the discipline. For a hunting rifle, you don’t want an ultra-light trigger pull. For High Power, you may want a two-stage pull, while on a Benchrest rifle you may prefer a very light trigger.
2. If you have a two-stage trigger, experiment with different combinations of First Stage and Second Stage.
3. Have a friend watch you as you pull the trigger, and maybe even take a close-up video as you pull the trigger. This can reveal a variety of flaws.
4. Practice dry-firing to see if flaws in trigger technique are causing gun movement.
5. As an experiment, try pulling the trigger with your middle finger. Ergonomically, the middle finger has a more straight alignment with the tendons in your hand. This exercise can help you identify alignment issues with your index finger.
6. For stocks with adjustable Length of Pull you may want to set the LOP differently for bench shooting vs. prone or F-Class shooting.
When Only the Best Will Do…
German-made Bix’N Andy triggers, available from BulletCentral.com, are among the very best you can buy. Available in both single-stage and two-stage, Bix’N Andy triggers are extremely precise, repeatable and smooth. The unique internal, friction-reducing roller ball system allows for extremely low reset force, yielding an ultra-crisp let-off. Bix’N Andy triggers can be fitted with a variety of trigger shoes according to shooter preference.
The CMP Offers Pistol Marksmanship 101 courses, with handguns and ammunition provided.
Those wanting to enhance their pistol skills now have a great opportunity thanks to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The CMP will offer Pistol Marksmanship 101 Courses at the 2023 CMP Eastern Games Matches and the CMP’s Talladega Quarterly Matches. These hands-on pistol courses are designed for seasoned pistoleros as well as those completely new to bullseye pistol shooting. Notably, pistols and ammo will be provided by the CMP.
The CMP Eastern Matches will be held April 28 to May 7, 2023 at the Camp Butner National Guard Training Facility in North Carolina, with the Marksmanship 101 Course set on the opening day. In addition, Pistol Marksmanship 101 courses will be conducted during the CMP’s Talladega Quarterly Matches, held at the Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama, on May 13 and August 26, 2023.
The CMP’s Marksmanship 101 Courses, taught by highly skilled instructors, train individuals on firearm essentials and competition basics in a closely monitored setting. Participants learn safety, positioning, how to load/clear a pistol and more through classroom work and active training on the range. At the close of the course, students will shoot an Excellence-In-Competition match. NOTE: Hearing and eye protection are required during live firing. Juniors must be at least 14 years old to participate.
About the CMP Travel Games:
The Travel Games are regional competitions held throughout the year, featuring CMP’s own rifle and pistol outdoor events. A common part of the CMP schedule for the last decade, the Games are centered around recreation-oriented competition and educational activities that are designed to accommodate experienced marksmen as well as those hoping to learn more about the sport. See CMP’s full lineup of Travel Games at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-travel-games.
When it comes to shooting targets, “Variety is the spice of life”. Shooting the same old target over and over again can get boring. We like to shoot a variety of targets. And we have to admit, the arrival of a new set of colorful targets in the mailbox has been known to motivate us to grab our guns and head to the range.
Midsouth Shooters has a large selection of colorful Champion and Birchwood Casey printed targets, both the splatter variety and conventional types. Here are some of our favorite fun-shooting targets available from Midsouth Shooters. These are in-stock currently or can be back-ordered. For sighting-in a hunting rifle, we really like the Big Burst 12″ adhesive orange-on-black grid target. This offers the aiming benefits of a precision grid along with bright shot splatter effects so you can instantly see shot point of impact.
And here are a couple of FREE fun targets, courtesy the NRA Blog. Right-Click for printable PDFs.
Watch the video below to learn about the kneeling position, as explained by National Paralympic Coach Bob Foth and 2012 Olympian Amanda Furrer. Three-time Olympian and Silver Medalist Bob Foth details the proper techniques (both body position and gun-handling) for kneeling position shooting. Putting Foth’s coaching tips into practice, three-Position smallbore shooter Amanda Furrer demonstrates how to properly shoot from a kneeling position using a .22 LR match rifle.
