CMP Guide to Target Shooting with Vintage Military Rifles
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has released VMR: Target Shooting With Vintage Military Rifles, a new book by Gary Anderson, Director of Civilian Marksmanship Emeritus. Gary himself was a world-class marksman who earned two Olympic Gold medals in rifle shooting.
The CMP says this 284-page illustrated book is “likely the most comprehensive manuscript ever written about the methods of training and competing with popular American and foreign vintage military rifles.” Fans of vintage military rifles will likely find this 18-chapter book “to be the most complete coverage of the topic, from a competitor’s and historian’s point of view”, said Christie Sewell, CMP Programs Chief.
Anderson definitely has the credentials — he won Olympic Gold Medals in Tokyo and Mexico City in the 1960s. Gary also set multiple U.S. and international records. The originator of the CMP’s competitive vintage rifle program, Anderson set out to present a detailed manual covering all aspects of shooting vintage military rifles. The book covers 1903 Springfield, U.S. Krag, 1917 U.S. Enfield, M1 Garand, M1 Carbine and many more, including rifles from “across the pond.”
Target Shooting With Vintage Military Rifles Topics:
Origins and Fundamentals of Marksmanship
Operation, Cleaning, Loading & Unloading
Sight Adjustment, Zeroing & Fine Tuning
Highpower Rifle Match Procedures
Firing Rifles in Competition
Prone, Sitting and Standing Position Building
Using a Scorebook/Databook
Strategies for Improvement
Critical Value of the Sling
Rifle and Range Safety
Purchase Online at CMP E-Store
This new Gary Anderson book is sold through the CMP E-Store for $29.95. You can also print out and submit the CMP Publications order form (order item NLU # 792, $29.95). The CMP stores in Alabama and Ohio will also carry the new Gary Anderson book.
We think everyone should have a Garand in their gun collection…
In our AccurateShooter Forum, you’ll find a popular thread: “Anybody Get Gun Stuff for Christmas?”. One notable post featured a very special Christmas-week arrival — an M1 Garand barreled action. A Forum member received this CMP-sourced barreled action from a friend and then transformed it with a stunning wood stock and other components. We’d say this is a very successful and handsome holiday project. And get this — the skilled owner, who works as a volunteer armorer, assembled his new M1 Garand in record time: “Well, it took three weeks in-transit for my [Christmas] gift to myself to arrive, but I picked her up at 1400 hours yesterday. Had her built into a complete rifle by 1530….”
If you would like to put together a handsome M1 Garand like the Christmas rifle shown above, you’ll need to start with a barreled action. You can order these, as well as complete M1 Garand rifles, from the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). Below we explain how to order an M1 Garand from the CMP, and how to select the right grade for your needs and budget.
If you have questions about assembling a Garand, contact us and we will put you in touch with the builder of the Christmas M1 Garand rifle. He is a CMP-trained armorer who works to maintain ceremonial rifles for VFW, American Legion, and Disabled Veterans Posts throughout Kentucky.
Ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP — Qualifications
How to Order an M1 Garand from the CMP
To purchase an M1 Garand through the CMP, you must be an adult U.S. Citizen, and a member of an affiliated organization who has participated in a “Marksmanship Activity”. This basically means you need to join a gun club and participate in a clinic or match. Proof of club membership and citizenship is mandatory for all ages. However, the marksmanship requirement is waived for those over 60 years of age. M1 Garands must be ordered by mail or through official CMP Auctions.
Here are two videos that explain the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP. Along with mail-order sales, the CMP has two stores where M1 Garands can be ordered over the counter and then transferred via your FFL (in compliance with state law). The three CMP stores are located in Anniston, Alabama, Talladega, Alabama, and Port Clinton (Camp Perry), Ohio.
Ordering a Barrel — If you already have an M1 Garand, but the barrel has seen better days, you can order a pre-chambered Criterion barrel in .30-06 Springfield. Criterion tell us: “This is a direct replacement barrel for the M1 Garand rifle, manufactured to mil-spec print #6535448. It has the original G.I. contour and Parkerized finish. Receiver threads are timed, all milling cuts are made, and all M1 Garand barrels are hand-lapped.” NOTE: Each barrel is .010 short-chambered and should be properly headspaced by a qualified gunsmith. These Criterion .30-06 replacement barrels, priced at $259.95, are legal for use in Service Rifle and John C. Garand matches.
If you want to re-chamber your M1 Garand to .308 Winchester, the CMP eStore sells brand new Criterion-made barrels in .308 Win for $199.95. These authentic-profile barrels are chambered and headspaced within .010″ of finished size, with final fitting to be done by a competent gunsmith. The barrels are also externally Parkerized to match your vintage M1 Garand.
Once you have an M1 Garand in your collection, you’ll want to keep it in tip-top condition so it works flawlessly for vintage military matches and fun shoooting. Below we’ve linked two good SSUSA articles on M1 Garand maintenance. Following that you’ll find two excellent videos covering M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication. Finally there are links to recommended print manuals for the M1 Garand.
M1 Service and Maintenance Shooting Sports USA (SSUSA) published an excellent article on Service and Maintenance of M1 Garand Rifles. This offers some smart tricks, such as using smoke from burning masking tape to darken the front sight post. There is also an older SSUSA article that covers basic cleaning and servicing and also explains how to upgrade the performance of your Garands. READ Article HERE.
M1 Garand Disassembly, Cleaning, and Lubrication
Recommended M1 Garand Service Manuals
Among the many M1 Garand manuals available, we recommend the CMP’s U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, M1: ‘Read This First’ Manual. This booklet covers take-down, reassembly, cleaning, lubrication, and operation. The manual comes with CMP rifles or can be purchased for $3.25 from the CMP eStore. The author of Garand Tips & Tricks says: “It’s one of the best firearms manuals I’ve seen and I highly recommend it.” The CMP also offers many other M1 Garand print resources including:
Do you own an M1 Garand, or have you always wanted to acquire one of these legendary semi-auto battle rifles? Well then here is a valuable new resource: The Essential M1 Garand: A Practical and Historical Guide for Shooters and Collectors. This new book by Jim Thompson covers the history of the M1 Garand, and offers practical advice for Garand owners, along with complete parts lists. The book includes annotated military and National Match manuals, a troubleshooting chart, and a section on hand-loading for the Garand. The final Section addresses common questions about the rifle and offers detailed instructions for maintaining this wartime classic. First published in February, 2020, The Essential M1 Garand is available in Print Paperback and Kindle eBook versions. View Table of Contents.
If you ordered from the CMP this month, perhaps an M1 Garand may arrive as a Christmas gift this week. We think every serious collector should, as some point, have one of these historic rifles in their collection. The CMP has, in the past couple of years, received over 90,000 Garands from overseas arsenals, so there are plenty to be had currently. This article explains how to order an M1 Garand from the CMP, and how to select the right grade for your needs and budget.
How to Order an M1 Garand from the CMP
To purchase an M1 Garand through the CMP, you must be an adult U.S. Citizen, and a member of an affiliated organization who has participated in a “Marksmanship Activity”. This basically means you need to join a gun club and participate in a clinic or match. Proof of club membership and citizenship is mandatory for all ages. However, the marksmanship requirement is waived for those over 60 years of age. Garands must be ordered by mail or through official CMP Auctions. CLICK HERE to Start Order.
Here are two videos that explain the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP. Along with mail-order sales, the CMP has two stores were M1 Garands can be ordered over the counter and then transferred via your FFL (in compliance with state law). The three CMP stores are located in Anniston, Alabama, Talladega, Alabama, and Port Clinton (Camp Perry), Ohio.
Military pistol collectors take note — you will soon be able to order classic military-issue Model 1911 pistol from the CMP. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will begin accepting orders to purchase CMP 1911 Type Pistols at the beginning of the new year. Orders will be accepted from January 4 to March 4, 2021. NOTE: All 1911 requests must be made through the mail. No 1911s will be available in CMP stores, and no in-store orders will be accepted. For CMP 1911 Pistol Order Forms and additional INFO CLICK HERE.
The CMP’s Historic Model 1911 Handguns
In 2018, the National Defense Authorization Act granted the first transfer of 1911s to the CMP for sale and distribution. Arguably one of the most iconic handguns ever produced, the M1911 served as the standard issue handgun for the U.S. Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985. The single-action, semi-automatic pistol uses .45 ACP rounds and is comprised of a comfortable, basic design.
New orders for CMP 1911s will not be accepted before January 4, 2021, or after March 4, 2021. Any packets received or postmarked outside of those dates will be discarded. Only one CMP 1911 order form per customer per envelope may be submitted. Those who have already purchased a CMP 1911 through the CMP RGN system or the Auction site will NOT be eligible to purchase a second 1911 at this time.
The Model 1911 Pistol — An American Classic
Designed by J.M. Browning, the M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. It served as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
CMP 1911 Pistol Grades and Prices
Each pistol is inspected and test fired by the CMP before it is shipped. Prices for the 1911s are marked at fair market value, in accordance with CMP’s enabling legislation, at the following levels (shipping cost included):
Service Grade, $1050: Pistol may exhibit minor pitting and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips are complete with no cracks. Pistol is in issuable condition. Pistols may contain commercial parts.
Field Grade, $950: Pistol may exhibit minor rust, pitting and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips are complete with no cracks. Pistol is in issuable condition. Pistols may contain commercial parts.
Rack Grade, $850: Pistol will exhibit rust, pitting and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips may be incomplete and exhibit cracks. Pistols may require minor work to return to issuable condition but are functional. Pistols may contain commercial parts.
Auction Grade — Sales by auction. The condition of the auction pistol will be described when posted for auction.
Selection Priority Procedures
Since these firearms are in high demand, a Random Number Generator will be utilized to provide a list of names in sequential order. Customers will be contacted in the sequence provided by the Random Number Generator. When contacted, CMP 1911 customers will select their grade of pistol (Service, Field or Rack). Customers with higher generated numbers may have fewer grades from which to choose. When the allotment of 1911s is exhausted, the remaining orders will be held in the existing sequence for all future allotments of 1911s. For questions, call CMP 1911 customer service number at 256-770-4744 or send email to: cmp1911@thecmp.org.
Background Checks Are Mandatory
As part of the CMP’s enabling legislation to supply these firearms, all customers will be subject to and must be approved by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), conducted through the FBI, to assure eligibility to purchase prior to shipment to a required Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program will postpone its November Talladega 600 rifle and pistol event due to storm damage to portions of its 500-acre marksmanship park. The annual event, scheduled for November 16-22, will likely be rescheduled in January or February 2021. The new date will be set based on what works best for the 125+ competitors who had registered for the November 2020 event. Participants will be contacted by the CMP to determine the best dates to hold the event in early 2021.
The Talladega 600 features a wide variety of service rifle, vintage rifle, rimfire rifle matches, and pistol matches plus firearms training programs.
Hurricane Zeta Damaged Kongsberg Electronic Targets
“Unfortunately, our facility suffered damage to portions of our electronic targetry when Hurricane Zeta made landfall in our area,” said Mark Johnson, chief operating officer of the CMP. “Key components necessary to repair the system ship from [Kongsberg in Norway] and the timing will not allow us to complete repairs by November 16. That takes us into the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, leaving us no choice but to move the event into next year”. Organizers hope to have the big event in January or February 2021.
Talladega 600 Will Be Rescheduled
The CMP will reschedule the event as quickly as possible to best fit the schedule of more than 125 competitors who have registered for the event. “Participants can expect contact from us soon to determine the best time slot to get the competition back on track,” Johnson said. “We recently performed a number of upgrades to our High Power range, so the timing of the damaging storms is unfortunate. We look forward to providing our participants with the best experience possible.”
Yes, the Pandemic is still here, but at least we are seeing major shooting events taking place again (with health precautions). One of the most popular multi-discipline matches in the Southeast, the Talladega 600, IS going forward in 2020. The CMP’s Talladega 600 kicks off Monday, November 16. A variety of matches and training sessions will run through Sunday, November 22, at the CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. CLICK HERE for registration info, entry forms, and complete match schedule.
The Talladega 600 will include a mix of rifle and pistol competitions for all ages and experience levels.
Matches include Garand, Springfield, and Vintage/Modern rifle events, and versions of prestigious National Trophy Rifle Matches. A rifle Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) match, a 4-Man Team match, M1A Match and the retitled Congressional 30 and Dixie Double competitions add an elite level of competition. Additionally, Carbine, .22 Rimfire Sporter, and Vintage Sniper will be held at the Talladega 600.
NEW Garand Benchrest and Rimfire Sporter Benchrest Matches
New for 2020, two test matches will also be fired at the Talladega 600: a Benchrest Garand Match and a Rimfire Sporter Benchrest Match. Competitiors at these new events can use sandbags to support/stabilize their M1 Garands and .22 caliber rimfire sporter rifles. The use of sandbags should help competitors of any age, with increased ease and safety on the firing line.
Pistol Matches Are Always Popular
Those eager for pistol events will be able to look forward to .22 Rimfire EIC and Service Pistol EIC matches, along with As-Issued 1911 and Military & Police matches.
Rifle Marksmanship 101 Class Is Open
For an educational experience, a Rifle Marksmanship 101 Class (which features an M16 EIC Match) is also open to both new and advanced individuals looking to enhance their marksmanship knowledge.
State-of-the-art Kongsberg target systems are used at the CMP’s Talladega Marksmanship Park.
About Talladega Marksmanship Park
The 500-acre CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park is one of the most advanced outdoor shooting facilities in the Western Hemisphere. The facility includes a 600-yard rifle range, a 100-yard multi-purpose range, and a 50-yard pistol range, equipped with Kongsberg electronic targets and scoring monitors. Since the 54 targets at each line register hits and calculate the scores instantly, no pit duty is required at Talladega. The park regularly hosts rifle, pistol and shotgun events throughout the year.
Safety Protocols in Effect
During the match, CMP staff will be monitoring and assuring safety guidelines are followed. Please note that Masks will be required when off of the firing line. Sanitation procedures will also be administered, along with other precautions to ensure the well-being of staff and guests.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program has announced the cancellation of the Oklahoma CMP HP Rifle & CMP Games Matches due to considerations brought on by the COVID-19 virus. The event was scheduled for 12-18 October at the Oklahoma City Gun Club in Arcadia.
All OK Games Events Will Be Cancelled
The CMP had planned a full slate of events in Oklahoma, including CMP Games rifle, EIC service rifle, multiple pistol matches, M1 Garand, vintage sniper rifle, rimfire sporter rifle, and testing of a new benchrest M1 Garand rifle discipline.
“In seeking a sense of normalcy in its marksmanship event schedule for the balance of 2020, the CMP was looking forward to conducting match activities in Oklahoma,” said Judy Legerski, CMP Board Chairman. “Unfortunately, recent flare-ups of the COVID-19 virus have prompted us to cancel the event in the best interest of our competitors, Oklahoma City Gun Club staff and CMP personnel,” she said.
“We look forward to renewing our Oklahoma rifle and pistol match series in brighter times in 2021,” Mrs. Legerski said. The next scheduled CMP highpower, pistol and games event, the Talladega 600 conducted at the CMP’s marksmanship park near Talladega, Alabama, is planned for 16-22 November.
The CMP continues to follow prudent health practices and is monitoring conditions of all future event locations. Event cancellations will be announced by the CMP on www.TheCMP.org and through social media.
2020 has been a pretty rotten year so far — with the Pandemic, shutdowns, riots, and, yes, cancellation of major shooting tournaments, including the big summer National Matches at Camp Perry.
But, not daunted, the CMP organized a series of shooting matches around the country, called the Home Range Appreciation Series. Over 1200 Rifle and pistol competitors shot Home Range matches in 32 states this year. In total, 11 smallbore events, 33 air rifle, 9 GSMM rifle, 13 Highpower Rifle Aggregate, 2 pistol and 4 Rimfire Sporter rifle events were fired in 32 states. Nearly 1,500 entries were recorded throughout the events, with competitors from 43 states.
Open to both adult and junior athletes, the Home Range Appreciation Series events were fired in local club matches and scored by the CMP to be compared against overall scores from participating marksmen around the nation. Matches included the White Oak 1600 Rifle Aggregate, a 200-Yard Reduced Course 800 Rifle Aggregate, a Garand/Springfield/Vintage/Modern Military Rifle Match, Rimfire Sporter Rifle, CMP Pistol 2700 (featuring .22 Rimfire, Center Fire and 45 Caliber pistols), Smallbore 3×20, Smallbore Prone 3200, and air rifle 3×20 and 60-Shot matches.
The CMP conducted a Virtual Awards Ceremony on Friday, October 2, 2020, to honor the top competitors in various discpline. A drawing for all sponsor-donated items also took place during the Virtual Awards Ceremony. You can watch this virtual awards ceremony on YouTube:
The CMP thanks all participants, volunteers, clubs and others who helped to make this inaugural event a true success. To see the top performers, CLICK HERE for full list of Home Range Match Results.
This is heartening — folks are shooting at Camp Perry again. Some normalcy has returned to the world (despite the ongoing pandemic). Though the CMP National Matches were cancelled in summer 2020, shooting returned, on a smaller scale, in the fall. The CMP hosted a Garand-Springfield-Modern and Vintage Military (GSMM) Rifle Match on Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range on September 14th.
Competitors on the line greeted each other with warm smiles and swapped stories of missed competition over the last few months – some traveling from as far as Virginia with the hopes of enjoying Camp Perry after the cancellation of the National Matches (typically an annual tradition for marksmen). Others admitted the Petrarca Match was their first time in competition since last year’s National Matches. So, for those in attendance, this event did represent a positive return to normalcy during this challenging year.
The GSMM Match was subject to strict health and safety guidelines. Participants practiced social distancing and wore masks when not firing. The CMP team also employed sanitation procedures for the facility.
The morning started off soggy as rain moved through the range area along the shores of Lake Erie, clearing off before the first relay to leave a gray backdrop. The weather quickly improved through early afternoon as the sun appeared and warmed the air, making for a pleasant return to the firing line for later relays.
Winning overall in the Garand competition was Jeffrey Cramer, 66, with a 266-3X Aggregate. Jace Diezman, 59, led the Springfield category with 266-2X, as SFC Charles Novak, 55, won the Vintage Military class, with a score of 254-1X. Joe Rondon, 53, won Modern Military with a score of 281-5X over the day.
Modern Kongsberg Electronic Targets for Rapid Scoring
Petrarca Range is home to CMP Targets, powered by the Kongsberg Target Systems (KTS) of Norway. The lineup of electronic targets utilized on the range allows competitors to watch their shots on monitors located at each firing point eliminating the need for pit duty and dead range time.
William “Tom” Collins earned the CMP’s Distinguished Rifleman Badge #2500 this July. Collins earned his final EIC points at the Washtenaw Sportsman’s Club in Michigan.
One of the highest honors in competitive shooting is earning the Distinguished Rifleman Badge. This Badge was created by the War Department in 1884 to recognize members of the U.S. Army for Excellence-in-Competition (EIC) with the Army’s service rifle. Other U.S. Armed Forces soon adopted a similar program and in 1926 civilians were authorized to participate. This story is about William “Tom” Collins, 50, of Maumee, Ohio, who earned his badge in July 2020. His achievement was a landmark — Civilian Distinguished Rifleman Badge number 2500.
Collins Earns Distinguished Rifleman Badge Number 2500
Story based on Report by Ashley Brugnone, CMP Staff Writer
For over 20 years, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has issued Distinguished Badges to competitors who collect at least 30 Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) “leg” points — earned by placing in the top 10% of an EIC match. This story is about Ohio shooter William “Tom” Collins, who recently earned Distinguished Rifleman Badge number 2500. [Editor: To learn more about the history of the Distinguished Rifleman Badge and what is takes to earn it, read Distinguished Rifleman — the Chase for Excellence by Jonathan Ocab.]
For Collins, this fulfilled a dream to join generations of elite marksmen before him. “The Distinguished Rifleman Badge has been a goal of mine since I learned about it,” Collins said. “I like to think back on the history of the badge … It makes me proud to be a part of that.”
Collins earned Distinguished Rifleman Badge #2500 in July. “Shooting is almost like meditation to me”, Collins said. “You really can’t think about anything other than the current shot. It’s very relaxing.”
He gives simple advice to other competitors hoping to one day earn a Distinguished Badge of their own: “Anyone working on it – quit thinking about it. Just shoot.”
Collins is congratulated by his friend Jamie Root after “going Distinguished”.
Collins has been shooting most of his life. Growing up in rural Ohio, he received his first BB gun around seven years old and his first .22 at age 11. It wasn’t until he joined the Army Reserves in 1987 that he received any formal marksmanship training. After he left the Reserves nine years later, he started looking toward organized shooting sports.
One day, back in 2014, he picked up his rifle and took the 45-minute drive to Fremont, Ohio, to fire in his first GSM (Garand-Springfield-Modern/Vintage Military) Match at the Sandusky County Sportsmen’s Club. It was there that he met Jesse Bragg, who was running the event.
Jesse Bragg, a retired staff sergeant from the Marine Corps Reserve Rifle Team, took Collins under his wing and showed him the ropes. Collins says Bragg seemed to want to teach more than run the match. In fact, Bragg was the one who introduced Collins to the idea of pursuing a Distinguished Badge. Collins admits that he had no clue what “going distinguished” meant. Bragg went over the terms – legging out, finishing “first leather” and other related expressions.
In 2015, Collins went to the National Matches at nearby Camp Perry, Ohio, and fired in his first President’s Rifle Match. Watching the elite shooters take their final shots inspired Collins: “Learning about the Distinguished Badge, learning about the President’s Match — I just knew that I had to get this Distinguished Badge on my way to, hopefully, getting into the President’s 100 or even the Top 20.” So Collins began traveling to GSMM competitions with his match rifle in tow, just to get in a little extra practice. It became his main focus. In June 2019, he earned his first set of six leg points at the CMP Viale Range 800 Aggregate and EIC Service Rifle Match at Camp Perry. It was a breakthrough.
When I first started, I was shooting the Garand and the M1A. [But] once I realized I wanted to get my Distinguished Badge, I said, “None of the wood guns. It’s all my match rifle until I go Distinguished”.
He went on to earn eight points at his next match in July, followed by eight more in August. With one more match left in 2019 and only seven points away from the required 30 to earn a badge, his goal was within sight. But it wasn’t until the EIC match at the Washtenaw Sportsman’s Club in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in July 2020 that he was able to conquer his nerves and earn his final points: “The most rewarding thing – it’s when you get there. When you finally earn it, everybody knows it. Everybody at the range celebrates with you. All of your friends are there with you. It’s just rewarding in itself. You’re part of that tradition that spans three centuries.”
Friendships Made on the Road to Distinguished
More so than the time, effort, and skill it took to earn the badge, the journey to become Distinguished was almost as rewarding as the badge itself for Collins, given the relationships he’s made along the way:
“These guys I’ve met and hung out with — we’ve given jobs to each other, we celebrate each other’s birthdays, we know each other’s families. It’s just been a great group of guys. You always are rooting for your friends, regardless of how well you’re doing. If you’re doing bad, you root for them even more.”
Distinguished Badge-Earning Marksmen Will Be Honored in 2021 at Camp Perry
Part of the tradition of earning a Distinguished Badge is walking across the stage at Camp Perry during the National Matches award ceremony. There, badge winners are formally pinned by their peers on a stage that has felt the footsteps of prominent marksmen for over a century.
“Last year, when I got the first points, I told myself, ‘I’m going to walk this stage at Perry next year'”. Collins and all others who earned a Distinguished Badge in 2019 or 2020 will still have the opportunity to take the stage next year at the 2021 National Matches — and that’s just what Collins plans to do.
All OK Games Events Will Be Cancelled
