Plan Your Visit: Top 5 Areas to Explore Near Camp Perry Feature based on article by Ashley Dugan, CMP Writer
This summer, many of our readers will visit Camp Perry, Ohio to participate in the historic CMP annual National Matches. There will be smallbore and centerfire rifle matches, along with pistol matches. And this year there will be a number of new mid-range (600-yard) rifle matches. For those competing at Camp Perry this summer, there are many interesting nearby places to visit along the shores of Lake Erie. This article covers some tourism highlights in the area — the Top 5 areas visitors can explore outside of Camp Perry this summer. Many of these tourism attractions are featured in Ohio’s useful Shores and Islands website.
Marblehead and East Harbor State Park
Marblehead is a small village about 18 miles east of Camp Perry. The downtown area offers a strip of quaint shops and restaurants along with an eclectic array of artist galleries and events. Here, catch the Kelleys Island ferry or drive slowly down the picturesque coastline of the peninsula to reach the Marblehead Lighthouse – a state park with the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes (since 1822). The spot has a good nautical museum on the grounds. Fish off the rocks, have a picnic or take in views of the world-famous amusement park, Cedar Point, located just across the bay. For more outdoor activities, Marblehead offers East Harbor State Park, with a public beach, a marsh pond, camping and breathtaking views.
Port Clinton, Put-In-Bay, Liberty Aviation Museum
Port Clinton is the city where Camp Perry is located. Nestled along the shore of Lake Erie, Port Clinton offers beaches, restaurants, festivals. and live outdoor music during the summer months. Ride the fast, Jet Express catamaran ferry to Put-In-Bay, visit the old Port Clinton Lighthouse, reserve your spot on one of the many charter fishing boats or grab a basket of fried Lake Erie perch.
Visitors may also visit the Liberty Aviation Museum, which showcases several authentic World War II aircraft and a fully operational Ford Tri-motor “Tin Goose” — one of only a few still flying. Learn more about Port Clinton at PortClinton.com.
Catawba Island
No more than a 10-minute drive from downtown Port Clinton is Catawba Island, which offers several fun options. The Gideon Owen Wine Company serves up local wines, with roots dating back to the 1870s. Just down the road, The Orchard restaurant offers farm-to-table options in an upscale atmosphere. Try fresh seafood or Wagyu beef, and listen to the live entertainment. Visit the farm stand next door for a salad or hot honey & whipped feta dip, or simply sip on some wine in the garden area. Later you can watch the sunset over the lake at Catawba Island State Park, find yet another ferry to Put-In-Bay, play putt-putt or maybe even take a tour of African Safari Wildlife Park, a member of the Zoological Association of America and home to many exotic animals and drive-through encounters.
Sandusky and Cedar Point
Just a short drive across the bay, you’ll find Sandusky, which is home to Cedar Point, a large amusement park opened in 1870 that now has over 70 thrill rides, including 18 roller coasters. The park is built within its own peninsula and holds a mile-long sandy beach and water park. Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, located in Sandusky, is Ohio’s largest indoor water park. Buy a day pass to the many pools and water slides. This is the USA’s #1 indoor water park according to USA Today. Other Sandusky amenities include the Sandusky Mall, a Merry-Go-Round Museum, a speakeasy bar, and the Jackson Street Pier with a variety of restaurants to enjoy. Learn more about Sandusky at CityofSandusky.com.
Lake Erie Islands
The Western Basin of Lake Erie, where Camp Perry is located, is home to several unique islands. Just a short ferry ride away, guests may rent golf carts, bikes, or take their own transportation. Such islands include South Bass, home to Put-In-Bay. The island is also home to Heineman Winery, founded in 1888. While at the winery, explore Crystal Cave, one of the largest geodes in the world, and Perry’s Cave, a limestone cavern discovered in 1813. Families may also visit the Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial, at 352 feet, one of the tallest monuments in the USA.
Viewable from South Bass is Kelleys Island, another fun destination in Lake Erie. The island offers historic homes, bed & breakfasts, and a State Park where you can camp, sunbathe, swim, or rent kayaks. Next to the beach is the Glacial Grooves, a natural phenomenon created when a massive glacier moved through the area millions of years ago, forming the Great Lakes.
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It’s Pistol Time at Camp Perry this weekend. Today Saturday July 17, 2021, Perry’s Pistol ranges will see hundreds of competitors for the President’s 100 Pistol Match, the National Trophy Individual Match, the National Trophy Team Matches, and the Glock Match. Tomorrow, July 18th, the handgun phase of the CMP National Matches concludes with the Oliver Hazard Perry Pop-Up Pistol Match, Military & Police Pistol Match, 1911 As-Issued Pistol Match, and the final Glock Match. After the last match of each day, the CMP Pistol Games Awards will be distributed to the top shooters. SEE 2021 CMP National Matches Calendar.
This video shows .45 ACP centerfire pistol competitors at Camp Perry
Civilians and military shooters competed together at the 2019 NTT Pistol Match.
The 2021 National Matches encompass multiple pistol competitions, including a Centerfire Pistol 900 Aggregate, a .45 Pistol 900 Aggregate, and a CMP Revolver Match. To learn more about CMP events at the 2021 National Matches at Camp Perry, visit the CMP Nat’l Matches Website.
It took decades of competition to acquire all those patches — that’s dedication to the sport.
See Photos from 2019 NRA Pistol Championships
Shooting Sports USA has a slide-show featuring 40 images from the 2019 NRA Pistol Championships at Camp Perry. SSUSA Editor John Parker noted: “A big thank you to Mr. John Rickards for his hard work on the firing line to grab the majority of these great images.”
HOW TO SEE 40 PHOTOS — IMPORTANT: Click the above photo. Then when you get to the SSUSA.org site, put your finger (or mouse arrow) on the first photo. Then SWIPE LEFT to see the next of 40 total images. As you progress, you can then swipe back and forth.
An American Tradition — National Pistol Matches at Camp Perry
The National Matches at Camp Perry are a great American tradition. Over the past 114 years, hundreds of thousands of competitors have attended the matches at Perry on the shores of Lake Erie. Don Weihl, an avid shooter now in his 80s, has great memories from pistol matches at Camp Perry. In a story for the CMP, Don recounts the halcyon days of pistol competition at Camp Perry, when thousands of shooters competed on the pistol firing lines each summer. Don attended over 40 matches at Camp Perry starting in 1963. Here is part of his account:
Best Camp Perry times were in the Sixties
The 1963 through 1967 years were the best…
There were more than 2,000 competitors each year. There were 600 targets — numbered 1 through 600, from left to right — across the ranges and grouped into six ranges, 100 targets wide. The matches ran like a well-oiled machine. There was a print shop on the base. All competitors could get a printed match report for each match, not too long after scores were in.
Most nights in those years, there were movies for the competitors and their families in the base theater. The mess hall in those years served three meals a day to over 3,000 hungry mouths – every day.
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Long Range Competition at Camp Perry
For rifle shooters, the ability to shoot out to 1000 yards on the historic ranges of Camp Perry is a definite “bucket list” item. The CMP invites competitors to test their skills in the CMP’s Long Range events at the National Matches. The series features five full days of competition — all from 1000 yards. To learn more, visit the CMP’s Long Range Info Page.
Camp Perry has been a sought-after destination for marksmen since 1907, when the National Rifle and Pistol Matches moved to the Ohio facility. Since then, it has become a coveted journey for hundreds of thousands of guests through the generations. Learn more about the 2021 Camp Perry National Matches through the CMP website: https://thecmp.org/nationals.
Smallbore Training Provided by USAMU Experts
This summer, the CMP will offer a Smallbore Rifle Small Arms Firing School during the 2021 National Matches. The course, taught by members of the Army Marksmanship Unit, will cover .22 LR rimfire competition and fundamentals. This should be a great opportunity for young smallbore competitors.
Camp Perry’s famous Commercial Row has long been a big attraction at the National Matches. Take a stroll down Commercial Row and check out a wide variety of products and gear for a variety of disciplines, all in one location. CLICK HERE for a list of all 2021 Commercial Row Vendors.
25 Days and Counting…
The 2021 CMP National Matches will get underway very soon. You can get more info, view the Official Match Programs, and Register Online at the CMP National Matches homepage. If you have questions or need assistance with registration, call the CMP at (419) 635-2141.
114 Years of National Match History at Camp Perry
The National Matches have been hosted at Camp Perry since 1907. The National Matches, which have now spanned 114 years and five generations of Americans, have a rich history. Here are two covers of the American Rifleman magazine, from 1931 on the left and 1971 on the right.
History of Camp Perry
Federal legislation originally launched the National Matches. The 1903 legislation also established the National Matches, commissioned the National Trophy and provided funding to support the Matches. The National Matches have been held at Camp Perry since 1907. The range is located along the shores of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. The site was first acquired in 1906, in response to the need for a larger facility for military training and the NRA’s shooting programs. In 1906 Gen. Ammon B. Crichfield, Adjutant General of Ohio, ordered construction of a new shooting facility on the shores of Lake Erie, 45 miles east of Toledo, Ohio. The original land for Camp Perry was purchased in 1906, and the reservation was named after Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the American naval commander who won the Battle of Put-in-Bay during the War of 1812.
On August 19, 1907, Cpl. L. B. Jarrett fired the first shot at the new Camp Perry Training Site. And that year, 1907, Camp Perry held its first National Pistol and Rifle Championship events. This location has hosted the annual National Matches ever since (though they were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID). Typically over 4,000 competitors attend the National Matches each year, making it the most popular shooting competition in the western hemisphere.
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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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This summer, many of our readers will visit Camp Perry, Ohio to participate in the historic CMP annual National Matches. There will be smallbore and centerfire rifle matches, along with pistol matches. And this year there will be a number of new mid-range (600-yard) rifle matches. For those competing at Camp Perry this summer, there are many interesting nearby places to visit along the shores of Lake Erie. This article covers some tourism highlights in the area — the Top 5 areas visitors can explore outside of Camp Perry this summer. Many of these tourism attractions are featured in Ohio’s useful Shores and Islands website.
