Our friend (and fellow Californian) Dennis Santiago recently drove across the country, all the way to Ohio. His mission? To attend the CMP National Matches at Camp Perry. This has become an annual pilgrimage for Dennis, who writes: “My goal is to spend time with as many of my friends as possible — the friends I’ve known and hang out with throughout the year, the ones I only see once a year at Camp Perry, and the many I’ve only conversed with on social media and will meet in person for the first time. More than anything, Camp Perry is where I come home to my shooting family. My mission is to celebrate my love of this sport with them.”
Here are some photos of Santiago’s successful journey across the USA to Ohio. He’s done the road-work, now it’s time to buckle down and shoot 10s and Xs across the course.
“Get your kicks on Route 66 — in Manuelito, New Mexico.” — Dennis Santiago
“The heartland is an ocean of corn. It is an amazing thing to see how much food we make.” — Dennis
“Arrived and I’m hungry… at Camp Perry National Rifle Competition, Port Clinton, Ohio.” — Dennis
Advice for First-Time Visitors to Camp Perry
Dennis first competed at Camp Perry in 2016, writing about the experience in his Dennis Talks Guns Blog. Here are some of Santiago’s tips for first-time Perry competitors:
1. Walk the Base. Do not drive around. Get used to walking. Walk from your hut to everything. Walk to the administration buildings. Walk to the ranges. Walk to commercial row. Walk to the CMP North Store. Walk to the CMP or Army trailer to have the triggers of your rifles(s) weighed. Walk. This is your primary mode of transportation while on base.
2. Go Shopping. It’s called Commercial Row. It is the best shopping mall for competitive shooters ever. The sale prices here are Black Friday quality. You stock up on supplies. You can buy elusive powders in quantity with the same lot number. Same with bullets and primers. I stocked up. Everything you need to keep making your pet loads — except brass. This is a service rifle tournament. Pretty much everyone is using LC or WCC cases.
3. Learn about the Perils of Perry. It rains at Camp Perry. Sometimes that rain comes with lightning. When that happens range controls issues an evacuation order. Depending on where you are and how much time you have, you either grab your stuff and make for a sheltered structure or leave your stuff under whatever rain cover you have and leave it there until the storm cell passes.
Coming Soon — The President’s 100 Match
In past years, Dennis has competed in the historic National President’s 100 Match, which takes place on Monday, July 29th this year. This is a huge event — in recent years there were over 1100 ranked competitors from throughout the nation, making this one of the biggest High Power events of the year.
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For the first time ever, a Civilian Team (from North Carolina) won the Pistol NTT at Camp Perry.
“Civilian teams are not supposed to win the Gold Cup”, said Christopher “Neil” Roberts, a member of the North Carolina Rifle & Pistol Association (NCRPA) team that achieved an historic win at Camp Perry. The NCRPA squad was the first civilian team in history to win the National Trophy Team (NTT) Pistol Match.
The Gold Cup is awarded to the top scoring team in the NTT Match held as part of the CMP’s National Trophy Pistol Matches. Every year since 1920, the prestigious NTT Gold Cup has been won by military teams — that is, until this year.
Breaking the near 100-year history of the event, Roberts, along with teammates Cecil Rhodes, Jon Shue, and Tom Willats, claimed the overall spot and the accompanying Gold Cup after out-shooting all other civilian and military teams, with a combined score of 1109-30X.
Civilians and military shooters competed together at the 2019 NTT Pistol Match.
The NC shooters have known each other for many years, especially from the Eastern CMP Travel Games at Camp Butner in North Carolina. At that event, Shue and Willats have won the Pistol Team Match together in the past. All four team members have earned Distinguished Service Pistol Badges.
Jon Shue Tops Field — Winning Individual Trophies
Leading his team to victory was pistol ace Jon Shue, 38. Shue won individual honors along with sharing the Team’s Gold Cup Trophy and the Oglethorpe Trophy. Shue won numerous awards, including the Military Police Corps Trophy as the highest scoring individual in the NTT. Shue also won the CMP EIC Pistol Match, and the National Trophy Individual (NTI) event. Shue took home the Citizen Military Pistol Trophy as the High Civilian in the NTI and the Anheuser Busch Trophy as the High Civilian in the NTI-NTT Aggregate.
Dramatic Opening Day 2019 at Camp Perry
The 2019 First Shot Ceremony at the Camp Perry CMP National Matches featured former U.S. Army Golden Knights skydiver, SFC (R) Dana Bowman. SFC Bowman lost both of his legs an in-air collision. SFC Bowman descended with a giant 60-foot-long American flag.
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Do you own a Springfield M1A (or wish you did)? Then you should watch this 5-minute video from the American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI). This video shows the basics of the operation of the popular M1A rifle, the civilian version of the military M14. In this video, gunsmith John Bush field-strips the M1A and shows how the bolt, op rod, and trigger group fits together and operates. This video contains excerpts from the M1A Rifle Armorer’s Course, AGI Course #1584. The full Armorer’s Course is available on DVD from www.AmericanGunsmith.com.
Watch Highlights of AGI M1A Rifle Armorer’s Course:
2019 CMP Springfield M1A Match at Camp Perry
The 13th annual Springfield Armory M1A Match will take place during the 2019 CMP National Rifle Matches. The CMP will host the event on Sunday, August 4, 2019, the day after the John C. Garand Match. Competitors of all experience levels are encouraged to bring their M1A rifles to Camp Perry and compete. Online Registration is still possible. The match is open to all individuals ages 12 and above. For more information contact the CMP at competitions@thecmp.org or call 419-635-2141 ext. 724 or 714.
The Springfield Armory M1A match began with one man’s idea and passion. Springfield Armory’s Mike Doy witnessed the waning of classic M1 Garand and M1A rifles from the competitive High Power firing lines. “I really wanted to get those M1A rifles out of safes and closets and back out onto the field. So 11 years ago, I promoted the idea of running an M1A-specific match at Camp Perry. That first year we had over 600 competitors and spectators.” Now the match offers some of the biggest pay-outs at Camp Perry. In recent years, Springfield Armory has donated over $25,000 worth of cash and prizes, including a $2,000 cash award to the overall winner.
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The CMP National Rimfire Sporter Match is a fun competition with affordable smallbore rifles with either scopes or iron sights. All you need are a .22 LR rifle, sling, and ammo.
Each year, the Rimfire Sporter Match attracts hundreds of shooters to the shores of Lake Erie. If there is a single CMP event at Camp Perry that offers the most diverse group of competitors (of all ages), and the lowest cost of entry, that would be the annual Rimfire Sporter Match. This year’s match will be held on Sunday, July 21, 2019 on the Viale Range. The Rimfire Sporter Match is for smallbore rifles that weigh 7 1/2 pounds or less with sights. Firing is done at 25 and 50 yards in prone, sitting and standing positions, in slow and rapid fire modes. The CMP has a special smart-phone App that will help speed up scoring.
Hundreds of shooters will compete in the Rimfire Sporter Match today at Camp Perry.
On Saturday July 20th, Rimfire Sporter Competitors will check-in, have their rifles weighed, triggers checked, and receive their squad assignment. Also on Saturday there will be a free Rimfire Sporter Seminar held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center. More INFO HERE.
Rifles may be manually operated or semi-automatic, in three classes: the standard “O Class” for open-sighted rifles, “T-Class” for telescope-sighted rifles, and the “Tactical Rimfire” Class. Firing is done at 50 and 25 yards on a target with a 1.78″ ten-ring. The target is simple enough for a beginner to hit, yet challenging enough that only one competitor in the history of the match has ever fired a perfect 600 score.
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.
FREE Ammo from SK (One 50rd Box per Entrant):
SK Ammunition will provide 50 rounds of SK .22 LR smallbore ammunition for each competitor in the National Rimfire Sporter Match, but this ammunition will not be enough to shoot the entire match. Competitors will need a total of 60 rounds to fire the Rimfire Sporter Match plus any sighters or range alibis. CPM Programs Chief, Christie Sewell stated, “The CMP is excited to announce SK as the Official Ammunition Sponsor for our 2019 National Rimfire Sporter Match. Participants will receive a complimentary 50-round box of SK ammunition at check-in.”
Getting Ready for the 2019 Rimfire Sporter Match
Competitors need to bring their own .22 cal. Rimfire rifle(s) and ammunition. Special target shooting equipment, shooting jackets, or shooting gloves are not permitted, but feel free to bring a spotting telescope and ground cloth or shooting mat. You will be shooting on a grass firing point. Competitors are strongly urged to wear hearing and eye protection. Assistance for disabled competitors will be provided.
A free Shooters’ Clinic will be held Saturday, July 20, from 4:00-6:00 PM.The Clinic covers Rimfire Sporter rules, safety instructions, course of fire, and competition procedures. Shooters who have not previously attended a CMP Rimfire Sporter Match are strongly encouraged to attend.
Do you want to see more match photos? CLICK HERE to view the CMP Zenfolio Archive with 500+ photos from 2016 National Rimfire Sporter Match.
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Gliding to the ground with SFC Bowman will also be an incredible 60-foot American flag.
The 2019 CMP National Matches event at Camp Perry commences today, July 8, with the First Shot Ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on Camp Perry’s Rodriguez Range. Firing the ceremonial First Shot will be CMP Vice Chairman E.C. “Chris” Stone. While a West Point Cadet, he shot in the All-Army Matches at Camp Perry. He was commissioned in the Infantry and completed Army Airborne, Ranger, and Jungle Schools. Mr. Stone served in Vietnam and Iran, with awards for service and valor in combat.
The National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches have been held at Camp Perry since 1907.
The 2019 First Shot celebration features former U.S. Army Golden Knights skydiver, SFC (R) Dana Bowman. SFC Bowman lost both of his legs in 1994 after an in-air collision that also took the life of one of his Golden Knights teammates. SFC Bowman became the first double amputee to re-enlist in the U.S. Army. He will descend from the sky with a 60-foot American flag in tow. This 2019 Opening Day at Perry will also include free rides in Model T Ford automobiles and a static display of military vehicles.
Year 2019 Camp Perry NM Competition activities begin with NRA/CMP pistol matches on July 8-14, 2019. The CMP Junior Rifle Camp, USAMU SAFS, and Smallbore matches run the next week, with the hugely popular Rimfire Sporter Match on July 21. High Power Rifle events kick off on July 23 with the 4-Man Team Match and rifle events run continuously for the next two and a half weeks.
Here are some key dates for RIFLE events:
July 27 – CMP/USAMU Rifle SAFS
July 29 – President’s 100 Rifle Match
July 30 – National Trophy Individual Rifle Match
July 31 – National Junior Team Match
August 1 – National Trophy Team Match, National Carbine Match
August 2 – National Trophy Infantry Team Match (“Rattle Battle”)
August 3 – M1 Garand Match, Springfield/Vintage Bolt Rifle Match
August 4 – M1A Match, Springfield/Vintage Bolt Rifle Match
August 5 – CMP Vintage Sniper Rifle Match
August 5-8 – CMP Long Range Individual Matches
August 9 – Camp Perry Palma Match
“The National Smallbore Outdoor Rifle Championships, born in the aftermath of World War I, celebrates its Centennial this year. Since 1919, smallbore competitors have gathered 94 times at seven locations to contest for the champion’s laurels.” (Hap Rocketto for Shooting Sports USA). 2019 marks the 100-year anniversary of the NRA Smallbore Championships — the Centennial of this historic rifle competition.
Over the past 100 years many things have changed including the course of fire. In the 1920s, “The shooting program would have modern-day competitors scratching their heads. There was an à la carte menu of matches, which were shot at 50 and 100 yards and with re-entry matches a regular feature. There was a good deal of long-range shooting at 150, 175 and 200 yards. On occasion there was a position match but, by and large, the courses-of-fire were all prone.” READ History of Smallbore Championships.
The Championships are limited to 200 competitors per Championship (Metric 3-P, Conventional 3-P and Conventional Prone). Competitors MUST have a current NRA Classification Card. Competitors will receive squadding after registration and payment of entry fee; a confirmation will be sent confirming registration and squadding. Shooters who wish to shoot near each other must register together.
Situated just 10 miles away from Elkhart, Indiana, the Wa-Ke’-De Rifle Range is located on Highway 120 just a mile and a half east of Bristol. Nestled among pine trees, the range boasts 100 covered firing points laid out on an asphalt firing line.
The 2019 Smallbore Rifle Championship will be held at the Wa-Ke’-De Range in Bristol, Indiana.
Recent Move from Camp Perry to Indiana
After many years at Camp Perry, Ohio, the Smallbore Championships event was relocated to Indiana to accommodate the World Long Range Shooting Championships at Perry. The move was made in 2014 to the St. Joseph Valley Rifle and Pistol Association’s Wa-Ke’-De Range, Bristol, Indiana. There will be yet another move in 2020 — the NRA smallbore championship will be held in Camp Atterbury Indiana. So, in 2020 the Smallbore Championship will once again be held alongside the High Power Rifle and Pistol National Championships, with three events at Camp Atterbury.
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2019 NRA National Pistol Championships
The National Pistol Championships have been conducted at Camp Perry for over 100 years. For 2019, the Camp Perry Joint Training Center in Port Clinton, Ohio will host the NRA National Pistol Championships from July 7-12, 2019.
Important Registration Requirements
for 2019 Pistol Competitors
This year, competitors will be required to create a login on the Competitive Shooting Web Portal before registering for any NRA Championship Match. The NRA claims “This new feature will enhance the competitor experience moving forward, by streamlining event scorekeeping, contact management, and more.” If you don’t do this on or before July 9, 2019, you won’t be able to compete. Got that?
Competitor registration for the NRA National Pistol Championships will close on July 9, 2019. For more information regarding registration for this event, email pistol@nrahq.org or call 703-267-1468.
Learn from Brian “Gunny” Zins, 12-Time Nat’l Champion
Want to be a better pistol shooter? This video provides expert advice from 12-time NRA Pistol Champion Brian Zins who explains how to correct anticipation errors in bullseye pistol shooting.
Like that video? CLICK HERE to access five more pistol marksmanship training videos featuring Brian Zins.
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Competing at the Camp Perry National Matches is a “bucket list” item for every serious marksman. The National Matches were first held in 1903, moved to Camp Perry, Ohio, in 1907 and continue to take place every summer at Camp Perry. The National Matches have become a huge, national shooting sports festival with well over 6,000 annual participants.
Year 2019 Camp Perry NM Competition activities begin with NRA/CMP pistol matches on July 8-14, 2019. The CMP Junior Rifle Camp, USAMU SAFS, and Smallbore matches run the next week, with the hugely popular Rimfire Sporter Match on July 21. High Power Rifle events kick off on July 23 with the 4-Man Team Match and rifle events run continuously for the next two and a half weeks.
Here are some key dates for RIFLE events:
July 27 – CMP/USAMU Rifle SAFS
July 29 – President’s 100 Rifle Match
July 30 – National Trophy Individual Rifle Match
July 31 – National Junior Team Match
August 1 – National Trophy Team Match, National Carbine Match
August 2 – National Trophy Infantry Team Match (“Rattle Battle”)
August 3 – M1 Garand Match, Springfield/Vintage Bolt Rifle Match
August 4 – M1A Match, Springfield/Vintage Bolt Rifle Match
August 5 – CMP Vintage Sniper Rifle Match
August 5-8 – CMP Long Range Individual Matches
August 9 – Camp Perry Palma Match
Firing an “off-the-rack” M1903 Springfield, using GI-issue “tin-plate” ammunition, George Farr shot 71 consecutive bullseyes at 1000 yards (70 for record), a record that has never been broken.
Today’s Sunday GunDay story is, literally, a blast from the past — 1921 to be precise. We feature a “magic rifle” that set one of the most impressive records in history — one that has never been broken. Here is George Farr’s legendary .30-06 M1903 Springfield. This story is provided courtesy the NRA Blog with photos supplied by the NRA Museums.
An Old Man at the National Matches:
‘Dad’ Farr’s Golden Afternoon at Camp Perry by Doug Wicklund, NRA Museums Senior Curator
It was 1921. Warren Harding was President of the United States, and “The War to End All Wars” was less than three years past. The nation was getting back to a normal routine, and for competitive shooters, that meant an annual pilgrimage through the state of Ohio to the shores of Lake Erie, where the National Matches had been held since 1907 at Camp Perry. In those lighter days of the “Roaring Twenties”, marksmen from states banded together to make the journey, housing together in tent clusters on green lawns well behind the firing points.
The silver plate affixed to George Farr’s M1903 Springfield states: “With this rifle and using issued ammunition Mr. G.R. Farr of Seattle Wash in the Wimbleton Match, 1921, Camp Perry O., made 71 consecutive bulls eyes at 1000 yards”.
But one man at the 1921 National Matches stood out amongst the rest. George “Dad” Farr was a 62-year-old man from the state of Washington, and this was his first time heading east to shoot in the “big leagues”, as some of his fellow Evergreen State friends termed the annual competitions.
Aptly nicknamed, “Dad” was a good bit older than the average shooter during that late summer season, striding forward hesitantly clad in a khaki shirt and dungarees. He wasn’t a practiced High Power shooter — he showed up at Camp Perry without a rifle, and relied on a crude monocular for a spotting scope that he had fashioned from a pair of French opera glasses.
Counting his second sighting shot, George Farr fired 71 consecutive bullseyes at 1,000 yards using an unfamiliar rifle plucked from an ordnance rack earlier that day. It was an amazing feat.
At the previous day’s shooting, he had experienced issues with the initial .30-06 rifle he had chosen from the rack, a Model 1903 Springfield that didn’t seem to hold a consistent zero. This day, he chose a different gun, just another off-the-rack rifle no different from the one next to it. Though he didn’t realize it, George Farr had just made the best selection of his life.
Farr readied his bolt-action and prepared a clip of five rounds of Government Issue ammunition, then went to his position. He was ready to fire on a 1,000-yard target with a rifle he had never shot before.
Perhaps he had resigned himself somewhat to the outcome — after all, it was the last relay of the day on September 9. Off to the west, the sun was beginning its slow trip down to the horizon. But Farr shouldered his Springfield and prepared to fire. The time was 4:30 p.m. Shooters nearby were puzzled by this shooter who squirmed and shifted repeatedly, but were amazed as he made his first hits on paper. Farr was shooting Frankford Arsenal tin-plate ammunition, the standard G.I. .30-06 rounds. More experienced marksmen, like Marine Sgt. John Adkins — who had just won the Wimbledon Cup — were using commercial Remington match ammunition and had spurned the government ammo.
The Historic String of Bullseyes
At that distant 36-inch target, Farr scored two hits for his two sighters, with the last sighter being a bullseye. He then prepared to fire 20 shots for record. Each of those 20 shots went into the center. Each scored as a “5”. At the end of this amazing string, Farr gathered up his monocular and prepared to depart. His fellow shooters quickly advised that match rules required him to continue firing until he missed “the black”, the inner 5-Ring bullseye at the center of the target. Farr had only brought one box of ammunition with him to the firing line, and had run out. As he waited for more of the tin-plate ammo he had been using, the sun continued its retreat. Farr continued his shooting, racking up growing strings of bullseyes – 30, 40 50, 60 – each impact on target being carefully recorded on his scorecard in the growing darkness.
Then, at the 71st shot with daylight completely gone, the bullet strayed outside the target center, and Farr’s incredible string came to its conclusion. But counting his second sighting shot, George Farr had fired 71 consecutive bullseyes at 1,000 yards using an unfamiliar rifle plucked from an ordnance rack earlier that day. It was an amazing feat, one immediately recognized by those in attendance. His fellow shooters quickly took up a generous collection, contributing in recognition of Farr’s natural skill and enabling him to purchase that bolt-action Springfield he had worked magic with on that distant target. Enough funds remained that a silver presentation plate, inscribed with the names of the states whose competitors had contributed, was ordered and mounted on the side of the rifle’s buttstock.
The next year, the Civilian Team Trophy was re-designated as the Farr Trophy, and George Farr’s record, fired on the old target system, was never beaten. Farr’s rifle went home with him to Washington and remained there, never again traveling eastward to Camp Perry. In 2011, The Farr family donated this legendary piece of shooting history to the NRA National Firearms Museum collection.
In 2013, as NRA Museums curators began assembling the collection for display at the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri, the museum staff created a unique exhibit featuring George Farr’s Model 1903 Springfield rifle and its special place in competitive shooting history. Alongside the rifle rests Farr’s simple monocular, another mute witness to Camp Perry history made on that September evening in 1921.
Farr’s Springfield… is one of thousands of historically significant firearms found in the NRA Museums collections on display across three locations. To view the collection and learn more about the incredible stories behind each gun, visit the NRA Museums in person or browse the NRA Museums website.
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In 2020, Camp Atterbury will host Smallbore, High Power, and Pistol National Matches.
Big changes are coming to Indiana. First, all the major NRA National Match Championships — Smallbore (.22 LR) Rifle, High Power Rifle, and Precision Pistol — will be consolidated at Camp Atterbury, IN, starting in 2020. In addition, the NRA plans to create a major competition center at this National Guard facility, a “brand new, competitive shooting Mecca in Indiana.” This was revealed in an NRA-TV interview with Cole McCulloch, NRA Director of Competitive Shooting.
McCullough declared: “This is a great opportunity to establish a state-of-the-art facility at Camp Atterbury in cooperation with the Indiana National Guard[.]” As reported by John Parker, Editor of Shooting Sports USA, major upgrades are coming to Camp Atterbury in the upcoming months:
“State-of-the-art facility is an understatement…. For example, the pistol range will feature a mind-boggling, 300 individual points of fire, all of them covered. There will be two, 1000-yard High Power rifle ranges, which will include the proper pit/target systems and parking that will operate on one area of the base. Pistol and smallbore will be located on a totally separate part of the base, meaning they won’t have to split range time. This provides more flexibility for scheduling matches.”
The NRA has big plans for Camp Atterbury, envisioning that it will host other popular shooting disciplines, beyond the traditional NRA Smallbore and High Power events. According to Shooting Sports USA, in the future Camp Atterbury may host Precision Rifle Series (PRS) competitions, 3-Gun Events, America’s Rifle Challenge matches and more. “The possibilities are limitless.”
As part of the development of Camp Atterbury as a central hub for firearms competition, the current Camp Atterbury welcome center will be converted to a training center with “multiple training simulators” open to the public. At this training facility, jointly leased by the NRA and the Indiana National guard, visitors will be able to learn about a variety of shooting disciplines.
All Major Disciplines at Camp Atterbury in 2020
Starting in the summer of 2020, Camp Atterbury will host the NRA National Matches for Smallbore Rifle, High Power Rifle, and Precision Pistol. It will also continue to host the NRA Long Range Championship. This will consolidate multiple major National Championships all in one location.
How is Camp Atterbury as a match venue? Very good. Here is a report from a 2017 Nat’l Match competitor, as posted on Facebook:
Just got back from U.S. Nationals at Camp Atterbury … Here are my observations:
1. The range was outstanding. Facing the south wasn’t a problem.
2. On-base accommodations were great and inexpensive.
3. The base is only 45 minutes from Indianapolis International Airport.
4. The base is close to towns with restaurants and shopping.
5. The transportation to and from the pits [was in] air conditioned vans.
6. By all accounts the event ran smoothly.
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How would you like to get marksmanship training from the reigning High Power National Champion? Get yourself to Oregon this June and you can. SFC Brandon Green of the USAMU will be one of the instructors for the CMP Small Arms Firing School in Eagle Creek, Oregon in June. A three-time National High Power Champion, Brandon is one of the greatest marksmen on the planet. Yesterday he posted: “Three of us will be at the SAFS/junior clinic in Oregon. Come check it out!” If you can make it to Oregon June 8-9, we definitely recommend this class. It will be the only SAFS in the Western USA this year.
Along with the June SAFS in Oregon, there will be eight other rifle SAFS programs this year at locations nationwide. Some of these will be held in connection with major matches, such as the Eastern CMP Games in April at Camp Butner.
CMP Rifle SAFS Locations and Dates:
1. Eastern Cup & Games Matches, April 30 | Camp Butner, NC
2. Douglas Ridge Rifle Club, June 8-9 | Eagle Creek, OR (Range Officer Class is Jun 7)
3. Fairfax Rod & Gun Club, June 22-23 | Manassas, VA
4. National Matches, July 27-28 | Camp Perry, Port Clinton, OH
5. Oak Ridge Shooting Assoc., August 24-25 | Oak Ridge, TN
6. Camp Ethan Allen, September 19 | Camp Ethan Allen Training Site, Jericho, VT
7. Fort Hill Rifle & Pistol, September 28-29 | Keyser, WV
8. Oklahoma Cup & Games Matches, October 10 | Oklahoma City Gun Club, OK
9. Talladega 600 Matches, November TBD | CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, AL
Led by certified military and/or civilian instructors, SAFS programs offers high level training in a safe, supportive setting, with rifles and ammo provided. The school is structured toward teaching new shooters, so no past firearm experience is required, though intermediate and advanced marksmen are also welcome to participate. During the course, students will learn basic instruction and firing practices, competition skills and live range firing, as well as compete in a real M16 EIC Match.
CMP Provides Rifles and Ammo at Small Arms Firing Schools
At each SAFS, equipment, including rifles and ammunition, will be provided. Personal equipment, such as a shooting jacket or glove, will be permitted during the course as well. Participants are required to bring hearing protection and eye protection is strongly encouraged.
For more information or ask additional questions, please contact Amy Cantu at acantu@thecmp.org or (419) 635-2141 ext 602. The Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) has been an instrumental source for individuals to delve into firearm safety and competition technique. The SAFS course has been a staple event in the National Matches at Camp Perry since 1918 and has expanded its outreach to other areas of the country through CMP’s Travel Games matches in recent years.
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By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer
At the 2018 National Matches at Camp Perry this past summer, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) introduced a new series of Long Range events. Three days of long range rifle matches, held at 800, 900 and 1,000 yards, were added to the summer 2018 schedule to allow long range marksmen the opportunity to fire on the Camp Perry grounds following the NRA’s decision to move the NRA High Power Long Range Championship (and HP Championship) to Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Long Range matches will be held again at Camp Perry next year, from August 6-9, 2019 — put those dates on your calendar.
Camp Perry Photo by Scott McKenna from past event.
Competitors at the 2018 Long Range Matches at Camp Perry fired in Service, Match, and Palma rifle classes. Six matches were fired during the Long Range series. Those who participated in the inaugural LR matches were pleased that Long Range was featured again at Camp Perry after a two-year absence:
“Camp Perry is one of the best ranges in the U.S. with a long and proud history. Thank you, CMP, for all of the work expended on the 2018 season.”
“The matches were well-organized and went smoothly.”
“I liked the fact that they were held at Camp Perry. That’s where the National Matches should be.”
“Good job! I enjoyed the matches. It was great being back at Perry for long range.”
“Overall a very positive and fun championship for me. I applaud your efforts in bringing long range back to Camp Perry….”
Winning the overall Aggregate was USAMU shooter SFC Shane Barnhart with 1244-71X. Teammate SGT Lane Ichord won the service rifle division with 1228-48X, while Robert Steketee topped the Palma rifle class with 1233-56X. As the “top gun” for the match, SFC Barnhart was the first recipient of the Coats Brown Memorial Trophy – donated to the CMP by the Military Marksmanship Association. Chief Warrant Officer 4 Coats Brown, was a repeat National Matches champion and became the head coach of the newly-formed Army Marksmanship Unit in 1956.
John Whidden cleaned the Viale Memorial event with the match rifle, with a score of 200-12X. Robert Gill, 59, of Visalia, CA, led the Palma rifle portion. The Bataan Memorial 4-person Team Match, which included 20 shots by each member at 1,000 yards, saw wins from the AMU in both the match and service rifle categories. Members of AMU Green (SFC Barnhart, SFC Brandon Green, SGT Ben Cleland, and SSG Amanda Elsenboss), each dropped only one point in the match rifle class to record an Aggregate score of 796-54x.
Major Sponsors for Camp Perry Long Range Matches
Geissele Automatics served as a generous sponsor for the new Long Range events, donating a prize to every winner in each category. Capstone Precision, the parent company of Berger, Lapua, SK and Vihtavuori, also donated prizes to several winners during the National Long Range Matches.
SAVE THE DATE in 2019: The CMP’s Long Range Matches will take place August 6-9 at Camp Perry, in Port Clinton, Ohio. Events include three days of Individual Long Range Matches, two days of Team Matches, the Camp Perry Palma Match, Shooter’s Reception and Long Range Awards Ceremony.
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1. Walk the Base. Do not drive around. Get used to walking. Walk from your hut to everything. Walk to the administration buildings. Walk to the ranges. Walk to commercial row. Walk to the CMP North Store. Walk to the CMP or Army trailer to have the triggers of your rifles(s) weighed. Walk. This is your primary mode of transportation while on base.
