Image from 2021 when Amanda was serving with the USAMU.
Amanda Elsenboss has won the 2023 NRA National High Power Rifle (Mumma Trophy) and Service Rifle (Dupont Trophy) Championships with a Grand Aggregate score of 2387-113X. Shooting at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, Elsenboss set a new Service Rifle record and also earned High Woman and High National Guard honors. Amanda was a member of the USAMU Team for many years and now serves in the National Guard. This is not Amanda’s first trip to the podium — she also won the NRA High Power Championship in 2021 shooting a service rifle in all matches (Read More HERE). And last year, Amanda won the prestigious President’s 100 Match at Camp Perry, the first woman in history to do so.
At the 2023 NRA National High Power Rifle Championships, held July 8-14th at Camp Atterbury Elsenboss triumphed over a strong field of 54 of the nation’s top service rifle competitors.
Here are Elsenboss’s individual 2023 Championship scores, event by event:
Grand Aggregate — 2387-113X
Erdman Trophy – 594-21X
Centenary Trophy – 596-28X
Nevada Trophy – 795-34X
Scott Trophy – 200-15X
Crescent Cup – 199-5X
Crowell Trophy – 199-11X
Marine Gunner DI Boyd II Memorial Trophy – 1190-49X
Vandenberg Cup – 796-40X
Clarke Trophy – 796-39X
In addition, Elsenboss, who shoots with Team Berger, was a member of the Veteran’s Family Brigade Anderson team, who won the RNDC Trophy team match with a 1985-93X score. Team members included: Samuel Freeman, Hugo Adelson, Julia Carlson, James Mauer (Captain), and Norman Anderson (Coach).
For her service rifle, Elsenboss used Berger .22 Cal 80.5gr Fullbore Target Rifle bullets and 77gr OTM Tactical Rifle bullets. Elsenboss will also be competing at the 2023 Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry.
About Berger and Capstone Precision Group
Berger manufactures precision projectiles and match-grade ammunition for Target, Hunting, and Tactical applications in Mesa, Arizona. Berger is part of the Capstone Precision Group, the exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Bergerbullets.com.
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The 600-yard target has an X-Ring 6 inches (1 MOA) across, while the 10-Ring spans 12 inches (2 MOA).
The following article is about reloading for NRA/CMP Highpower Rifle competition and is geared toward competitors shooting the AR15 Service Rifle. In Highpower Rifle competition, shooters fire in four stages: Standing slow-fire at 200 yards, Sitting rapid-fire at 200 yards, Prone rapid-fire at 300 yards, and Prone slow-fire at 600 yards. Competitors use a sling for support in all positions but standing. A typical AR15 Service Rifle sports a 20″ free-floated barrel and a 4.5-pound trigger. Service Rifle scopes are limited to maximum power of 4.5X.
Thoughts on Loading for Service Rifles, Particularly for 600 Yards
by Danny Arnold, Team CMP Article originally published in CMP Shooting News
Before we get started, I want to stress that all of the information that follows is geared toward the .223/5.56 Service Rifle. That doesn’t mean that there’s nothing here for anyone else, but the .223/5.56 Service Rifle platform is where I’ve spent the majority of my time, so here we go.
There is only one “Perfect” 600–yard load for my rifle, True or False? This example is more anecdotal than scientific, but it provides some food for thought….
Team CMP spent the early part of March competing in the Orange Blossom Regional. As soon as we got on the range, Sara Rozanski (Team CMP member) started having problems with her 600-yard ammunition. Nearly 1/3 of her cases were exiting the chamber minus the primers. I offered to swap my ammunition for hers, suspecting that my Wylde chamber would be more forgiving than her CLE chamber — a solution that seemed to solve the problem. At least neither of us was blowing primers!
Sara’s ammunition was a factory load using a well-known 80+ grain bullet with an unknown primer and powder, using brass from a respected manufacturer. My load was a different brand of 80-grain bullet, with my choice of powder and primer, all in brass made by someone else. Given the color of the primers, the only thing that our ammunition could possibly have had in common was the brand of powder… maybe. So, how did we shoot?
Sara and I shot the two-person team together and the entire 2,400 Aggregate, although on different relays. Sara’s combined 600-yard score was 780-28X (97.5%). Mine was a 783-24X (97.87%). Our scores were never more than two points apart on any of the four days. Keep in mind that we were using each other’s ammunition the entire time.
So, we had different barrels, chambers and ammunition, but similar results. That goes back to the idea that a good load will perform similarly if fired in a good barrel.
Are We Too Focused on Ballistic Coefficients (BCs)?
The revailing wisdom has always trended toward loading the highest-BC bullet we could find and pushing it as fast as possible. Back in the early ’90s when I got started with the AR15, the 80-grain Sierra was state of the art. Actually, I picked up all of my Leg points with it, although today it looks a bit dated — kinda like me.
So, the question I’ll pose is this: Would you rather shoot a high-BC bullet that groups 3/4-MOA (minute of angle) or a lower-BC bullet that groups into one-half-MOA traveling 50 feet-per-second faster? The reason that I posed this question is a situation I found myself in a decade ago. Our coach decided that he wanted us to pair-fire some 600-yard for practice. Unfortunately, I hadn’t gotten the memo and all that I had available was my normal short-line ammunition, loaded with a 77-grain bullet. The shooter I was paired with was using a higher-BC bullet than I was, but in the end, we both shot 198s.
Admittedly, using 77-grainers meant that coach had to work a little harder to keep us together on target, but it was a teaching moment for me. I knew that my upper shot 77s better than the available bullets in the 80-grain range, so I cranked out a windage table for the 77-grain bullet at 600 yards and shot those for the rest of the season. After all, the wind blows ALL bullets around. It’s just a matter of knowing what YOUR bullet is doing.
With the shortages that we’re experiencing right now, a lighter bullet may be all that you have available for the 2021 season. That doesn’t mean that you’re disadvantaged though.
Danny Arnold teaching Highpower Clinic at 2021 CMP Eastern Games
Loading High-BC Bullets
In the past decade, several bullets have appeared that weigh 80-grains or more. One thing that many of them have in common is a very sharp nose profile, whether metal or polymer. The question is: Are you using the right seating stem?
The jacket material in the bullet’s nose is very thin. If you section a bullet, you’ll find that there is a surprising amount of air space in the nose. If you’re using older seating dies, your seating stem may be contacting the bullet nose too close to the tip, where the jacket is the both thinnest and is unsupported by the lead core. This can manifest itself either as a deformation at the very tip of the bullet or as a circular dent around the bullet nose that you can see and feel with your thumbnail. I think we can all agree that denting a bullet is usually considered a bad thing.
One company goes so far as to recommend their proprietary seating stem for use with their high-BC bullets. Other companies leave it up to you to find a seating stem that will allow the bullet nose to go deeper into the seating stem, moving the contact point further down the bullet where the jacket is thicker and supported by the core material.
Seating Depth and Bullet Preferences
Some bullets don’t mind some “jump” into the lands, but some really do. Unfortunately, manufacturers don’t tell you much about that. Your chamber configuration (Wylde, CLE, or some hybrid of the two) and the bullet that you choose will determine your optimal seating depth. Long and short of it, a quality measuring tool to determine seating depth is a necessity these days. Keep in mind that if you’re doing this with a brand new barrel, the throat is likely going to change slightly in the first 200 rounds and may need to be re-measured. Actually, since all of your short range ammunition has to be loaded to magazine length, you’re probably better off developing your short range loads before starting on long range load development. That gives the throat a chance to wear in a bit on a new barrel.
Brass Prep — Why It Is Important
When match-grade AR15s first arrived on the scene, it was amazing how little it took to get them to shoot well. Other than making sure that I had brass from the same lot and running it through a set of match-grade dies, I did nothing. Of course, we were also using a post front sight. Was the occasional bad shot me, the rifle, the load or just an archaic sighting system?
Transitioning to optics has caused me to reconsider how and what I do in my reloading process: That, and having some extra time on my hands to experiment.
A little (or a lot) of time spent with a neck turning tool, a primer-pocket uniformer and a flash-hole reamer will quickly show you how consistent brass is by manufacturer and even by individual lot. That exercise also makes the prices charged for high-quality brass seem ridiculously cheap. That doesn’t mean that I advocate neck-turning or other uniforming practices, nor do I advocate spending scandalous amounts of money on long-range brass. However, our sport is about consistency. The consistency of your brass is a matter of choice, whether you choose to simply segregate cases by weight (cheap option), neck turn (labor intensive) or open your wallet a little wider for premium brass.
Weighing Charges vs. Throwing with Powder Measure
To measure or weigh? For a long time, I used a powder measure to throw all of my 600-yard loads. The powder I was using metered well, and the results downrange didn’t justify the extra time spent with a scale. That was in the day of iron sights though. Nowadays, I’m throwing my charges and trickling up to the desired weight as measured on a scale that weighs to a 100th of a grain.
To quantify the difference between individually weighing each charge versus throwing charges with a powder measure, I weighed six kernels of powder that I trickled into the pan and then dumped them into the hopper. Going through that process 10 times, I came up with an average weight of .08 grains for six kernels. Next, I threw 50 charges for weighing using my powder measure. If I felt the measure hanging up as it cut kernels, I put the charge back into the hopper without weighing it.
That’s six kernels of powder sitting in the pan — average weight .08 grains.
Those 50 smoothly-thrown charges varied .26 grains from lowest to highest, with the majority varying no more than .16 grains from highest to lowest. If the desired weight was exactly in the middle, at worst you’d be .13 grains (9-10 kernels) low or high, with the majority being off no more than .08 grains (6 kernels) above or below the desired charge weight. Is that enough to send a shot outside the 2-MOA 10-Ring? Probably not.
Has more consistent brass and weighing charges to one-hundredth (0.01) of a grain added up to higher scores? Honestly, this question is hard to answer. Looking at the results on paper at 200 yards, using a powder that meters well combined with a consistent touch on the loading lever doesn’t appear measurably different than meticulously weighing each and every powder charge. Looking back over my 600-yard plots however, I can see a trend toward a group that is closer to X-Ring height.
Since the bullseye is widest at the center, shooting groups that are the height of the X-ring gives you more room for error when the wind is blowing. That can translate into higher 600-yard scores.
How You Load Your Ammunition vs. How You Load Your Rifle
The loading/chambering cycle of the AR-15 is, in a word, violent. You have a relatively heavy bolt and carrier assembly under power of a stout buffer spring slamming forward to chamber each round of ammunition. By design, those rounds were supposed to be held securely by the magazine feed lips until the bolt stripped them off the follower. Obviously, due to their overall length, 600-yard loads can’t be chambered that way. Although the barrel extension is funnel-shaped, it’s also got a lot of “teeth” ringing the inside of it (see below).
Whether you’re using a standard magazine or a single-round loading device (SLED), dropping a round in the loading port and releasing the bolt is an act of faith in that you’re trusting the bullet to arrive in the chamber undamaged.
Ask yourself, how many times have you seen someone drop a round on the follower, press the bolt release and watch as the bolt jammed on a cockeyed round? If that happens once every 100 tries, how many times did the bolt close on a scratched, dented, or misaligned bullet? Could that be the cause of the occasional errant shot?
My technique is to drop each round on top of the SLED and then push it slightly forward with my finger, partially chambering it before releasing the bolt. Admittedly, some people may be unable to do this due to body configuration or left-handedness, but why go to all the trouble of loading “perfect” ammunition and then damage it on the way into the chamber?
Now that we’ve covered bullets, brass, and assorted errata we can move on to discussing loads for 600 Yards…
The NRA Highpower 600-yard target has a 6-inch (1 MOA) X-Ring, and a 12-inch (2 MOA) 10-Ring.
Load Development for 600 Yards
Finding a load for 600 yards is a lot like finding a load for short range. Once I decide on a bullet, powder, primer, velocity range and a measured guesstimate of seating depth, I load 10 rounds of each test load, increasing in 0.2 (2/10) grain increments. I test them from the prone position at 200 yards. Ideally, I want to see two loads that are 0.2 (2/10) of a grain apart that shoot almost identical groups. The load that I choose will fall in between the two best shooting loads that I tested. If the first load is XX.2 grains and the second is XX.4 grains, my chosen load will be XX.3 grains.
Why develop loads in 0.2-grain (tenths) increments if I have a scale that measures in 0.01-grain (hundredths) increments? Or, why not test in 0.1-grain increments?
For me, working in 0.2-grain increments gets me to the results quicker. Also, there is a difference between accuracy and consistency in this scenario. Developing loads in 0.2-grain increments gets me to an accurate load. Producing that load using a scale that accurately measures to .01-grain insures a consistent load, assuming that I do my part.
Once I’ve settled on a load, it’s time to play with seating depth, if I choose to. If I’m lucky and the groups are acceptable as-is, I won’t do anything. If I think there’s room for improvement, I’ll experiment a little. Depending on the bullet, changing the seating depth by a couple of thousandths one way or the other may change the group size. During this phase of testing, it’s a good idea to chamber a round and see if the entire round will then extract. If you leave a bullet stuck in the throat, your rounds are too long. Finding that out at a match can ruin an otherwise good day.
Danny Arnold shooting his AR15 Service Rifle, standing position at 2021 CMP Eastern Games.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your barrel is not static. Every round fired has an effect on the throat, vaporizing and scouring away metal until the distance the bullet travels before meeting the rifling measurably increases. If you have chosen a bullet that shoots best when close to the lands, you’ll need to periodically re-measure and possibly change your bullet seating depth to maintain that optimal relationship.
The Elephant in the Room — User Skill Level
There’s really not a delicate way to put this, so I won’t try. There’s little point in spending time and effort developing a load that shoots into half-MOA off the bench if you’re only capable of shooting 2 MOA using a sling right now.
That doesn’t mean that there’s no hope. On the contrary, it just means that your time and effort is better spent practicing with some good short-range ammunition on reduced targets at a 100 or 200-yard range. At that distance, wind is not a factor and your technique can be improved more quickly so you’re in a position to benefit from that ½ MOA ammunition.
About Team CMP
CMP has created a Highpower Team with top competitors. Team CMP competes at several events throughout the year and most importantly, helps to teach Highpower Clinics at CMP Competition Events. Learn from Team CMP at Camp Perry during the Advanced Highpower Clinic, scheduled this year for July 30 through August 1, 2021. Visit the Highpower Clinic Web Page for more information.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally-chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, visit www.TheCMP.org.
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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.”
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Each summer for the past 100 years, the nation’s top Service Rifle Teams have competed in National Trophy Infantry Team (NTIT) Match at Camp Perry, Ohio. In this match, known informally as the “Rattle Battle”, six-member teams shoot at 200, 300, 500 and 600 yards with time limits — 384 rounds total. To win this match, the six shooters must work like a finely-tuned machine. This is a popular match with spectators as there is plenty of action in a short time span.
The National Trophy Infantry Team Match (NTIT) was first fired in 1922. Only two civilian teams have ever won the prestigious Infantry Trophy that goes to the winner of this match. The first civilian team to win this honor was the Nebraska Civilian Team which won in 1930. Seventy-nine years later, in 2009, the California Grizzlies Junior Team won the Infantry Trophy.
The Infantry Trophy Team Match is a unique event where scoring is based on how many hits six-person teams, which begin the match with 384 rounds of ammunition, can score on banks of eight silhouette targets at distances of 600, 500, 300 and 200 yards during 50-second firing periods. The NTIT is sometimes called the “Rattle Battle” because it requires firing, moving to the next firing point with all gear in tow. The match emphasizes extremely fast, accurate fire and good communication among teammates. CLICK HERE for more information.
This video shows the winning 2011 NTIT team at Camp Perry. Six USAMU shooters started with a combined load of 384 rounds to be fired at 8 targets from 600 and 500 yards prone, then 300 yards seated, and finally 200 yards standing.
For the past two years (2021 and 2022) the USAMU-Greenwood Team has won the title with a 1431 score in 2021 and 1344 in 2021. The record team score for this match is 1466, set by the USAMU-Remily Team in 1996. For more information about this great team event, read Unraveling the Mystery of the Rattle Battle on the Shooting Sports USA website.
The National Trophy Infantry Team Match (NTIT) was first fired in 1922 and has been part of the the CMP’s annual National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry. The NTIT is called the “Rattle Battle” because it emphasizes extremely fast, accurate fire.
Our friend Grant U., who runs the Precision Shooting Journal on Facebook, says the NTIT is a special match, a real “crowd-pleaser: “The National Trophy Infantry Team Match (Rattle Battle)… was always one of my favorite team events. It takes a hell of a lot more planning, practice, and precision than one might expect. You get one shot at it and the entire team had better be running on all cylinders because there are no alibis. Each team of six shooters is allocated 384 rounds and when the teams fire at 600 and 500 yards, it sounds like a war.”
SFC Brandon Green, one of the nation’s finest marksmen, won the 2018 NRA High Power Rifle Championship at Camp Atterbury, Indiana.
PHOTOS courtesy U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. U.S. Army photos by Michelle Lunato/released. See more on USAMU Facebook Page.
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The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) has created a series of instructional videos about High Power Rifle shooting, Service Rifle shooting, 3-Gun matches, and pistol competition. We’ve linked five of these informative USAMU videos today along with a special profile video on Amanda Elsenboss, who, as a USAMU shooter, has won both the Long Range and High Power National Championships in recent years.
In addition, as a major BONUS, we link twenty (20) informative articles authored by expert USAMU shooters and coaches. Those excellent, detailed articles covering a wide range of topics including rifle positions, wind reading, fitness training, trigger control, nutrition, training plans, and much more.
Amanda Elsenboss — National HP and Long Range Champion
The gifted SSG Amanda Elsenboss won the 2019 NRA Long-Range Championship and the 2021 High Power National Championship. In 2022 Amanda also won the National President’s Rifle Match, the first woman ever to do so. Those accomplishments place Amanda among America’s legendary shooters. Amanda started shooting at age 8 with her father, then began competitive marksmanship at age 13. In 2009, she joined the U.S. Army as part of the USAMU rifle team. She has left full-time service, but is now a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Sight Alignment and Trigger Control
In this USAMU Shooter’s Corner instructional video, SFC Kenneth Rose explains key elements of using sights on a service rifle. Rose also explain how to make the trigger pull at the optimum moment when the sights are perfectly aligned and steady.
How to Set Up Sling and Rifle for Prone Shooting
In this video, the USAMU’s SGT Jonathan Wannemacher explains how to set up a service rifle sling for prone rifle shooting. Wannemacher has earned a number of coveted awards including the the Distinguished Rifleman Badge and President’s Hundred Tab.
Rifle Grip, Stance, and Body Position for 3-Gun Action Matches
SFC Daniel Horner, now with SIG Sauer, is arguably the best 3-Gun action shooter on the planet. Horner has won multiple major 3-Gun Championships, shooting rifle, shotgun, and pistol in timed action matches. Horner’s speed, accuracy, and mobility is without peer. In this video, Horner shows techniques for AR-type rifle shooting in 3-Gun competition.
Amazing Trick Shot with Air Rifle
In this Trick Shot Tuesday video SPC Ivan Roe shoots a pill (at two different angles) off the top of a balloon. Very impressive shooting! Ivan hails from Manhattan, Montana and has been a notable member of the USAMU International Rifle Team.
How to Use Data Books During Matches
Data books can be very valuable tools during marksmanship training. In this video, USAMU shooter SGT Lane Ichord explains Data Book basics and how to log information during practice and matches.
BONUS: 20 Marksmanship Articles from USAMU Experts
USAMU shooters and coaches have written an excellent series of articles on highpower and service rifle shooting. Many of these originally appeared in The First Shot, the CMP’s on-line magazine. Here are twenty notable USAMU expert articles:
The prone position demonstrated by two talented Service Rifle shooters. At top is SFC Brandon Green, multi-time High Power National Champion. Below is Tony Chow, a gifted match shooter. NOTE: Current Service Rifle rules allow the use of optics up to 4.5X.
Jay Christopherson, 2020 Southwest Nationals F-Open Champion, is one of the nation’s best F-Class shooters. When shooting F-Class, Jay uses a SEB Mini front rest and a large rear sandbag to support his big 22-lb F-Open rifle. Though he loves F-Class, Jay was also interested in Service Rifle competition where no external supports are allowed. You hold the rifle with your arms and a sling. Some Service Rifle competitions involve three position (Standing, kneeling/sitting, and prone), while others are prone only. Even in the prone position, the sling is a vital accessory.
Jay dramatically improved his Service Rifle “hard-holding” technique by enlisting the help of Emil Praslick III, former U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) rifle coach. Emil’s guidance and advice resulted in an immediate increase in Jay’s scores on target, as recorded by his ShotMarker electronic target system. Jay noted: “These targets show the difference between hacking it on your own, and spending an hour with someone who knows what they are doing and can tell you that you are doing it wrong.” These targets show Jay’s “before and after” Service Rifle results shooting slung up prone at 600 yards:
Service Rifle, Prone with Sling at 600 Yards
Here is Jay’s target BEFORE training with Emil Praslick — a 194-3X with lots of vertical.
And here is Jay’s improved target AFTER putting Praslick’s advice to work — impressive 199-8X with significantly less vertical.
You can see on this second target much improved vertical. All 20 shots were in a vertical range much smaller than the vertical height of the 10-Ring. Had shot 16 not gone wide left, this would have been a 200. Shot 16 was OUT of the 10-Ring to the left, but note that vertically it has almost perfect elevation.
Jay stated: “I was pretty amazed at not only the difference on the target, but how much difference the changes Emil suggested made to how my hold felt. The entire feel was different and a ton less stress in my neck and arms compared to what I was feeling before. I was actually feeling pretty good about that 194 yesterday, because I hadn’t slung up in two years and that was my highest score (by one point) after doing some load fixing. But having someone explain what you are doing wrong and why makes a world of difference.
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The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) has published a great series of reloading “how-to” articles on its Facebook Page. This post covers key factors to consider when loading ammunition for Match Rifles and Service Rifles, with a particular focus on self-loading “gas guns”. Visit the USAMU Facebook Page regularly for other, helpful reloading and marksmanship tips.
We offer some “cardinal rules” to help new gas-gun handloaders with safety and efficiency. These address both Match Rifle and Service Rifle versions of the AR15, M1 Garand, M1A, and M110. However, they can also improve safe reloading for many other auto-loaders such as M1 Carbines, FALs, SIGs, etc. The author distilled these principles many years ago to help focus on the essential aspects of these rifles.
RULE ONE: Service Rifles Are Not Benchrest Rifles
Gas-guns require a relatively loose fit between ammunition and chamber (vs. bolt actions) for safe, smooth operation. Many techniques, such as neck sizing and keeping cartridge headspace quite tight, are popular in the extreme bolt gun accuracy realm. However, they are of little value with Service Rifles, and some could even be hazardous. Before adopting a specialized technique, seriously consider whether it is appropriate and beneficial in a gas-gun.
RULE TWO: Never Compromise Safety to Obtain Accuracy
Example: If choosing a brand of great, but ultra-sensitive match primers offers possibly better accuracy at the risk of slam-fires in your design of rifle, don’t do it! You are issued exactly two eyes and ten fingers (best-case scenario). Risking them trying to squeeze 0.25 MOA better accuracy out of an M1A, etc. simply isn’t worth it.
RULE THREE: Tailor the Precision to Your Individual Skill and Your Rifle’s Potential
This has been addressed here before, but bears repeating for newcomers. If you are struggling to break out of the Marksman Class, or using a CMP M1 “As-Issued,” then laboriously turning the necks of your 600-yard brass is a waste of time. Your scores will improve much faster by practicing or dry-firing. On the other hand, if the reigning champions anxiously check your scores each time you fire an event, a little neck-turning might not be so far-fetched.
Verifying Load Improvements — Accuracy hand-loading involves a wide variety of techniques, ranging from basic to rather precise. Carefully select those which offer a good return on investment for your time and labor. In doubt? Do a classic pilot study. Prepare ammo for at least three or four ten-shot groups with your new technique, vs. the same with your standard ammo. Then, pick a calm day and test the ammo as carefully as possible at its full distance (e.g. 200, 300, or 600 yards) to verify a significant improvement. A little testing can save much labor!
This video explains the procedure for ordering an M1 Garand from the CMP.
RULE FOUR: Be Your Own Efficiency Expert
Serious Service Rifle shooters generally think of ammunition in terms of thousands of rounds, not “boxes”, or even “hundreds”. Analyze, and WRITE DOWN each step in your reloading process. Count the number of times each case is handled. Then, see if any operations can be dropped or changed without reducing safety or accuracy. Eliminating just two operations saves 2000 steps per 1000 rounds loaded. Conversely, carefully consider any measurable benefits before adding a step to your routine.
RULE FIVE: In Searching for Greater Accuracy with Efficiency, Look for System Changes
For example, instead of marking your 300-yard rounds individually to differentiate them from your 200-yard ammo, would a simple change in primers work? If accuracy is maintained, using brass-colored primers for 200 and silver for 300 provides an indelible indicator and eliminates a step! Similarly, rather than spending hours selecting GI surplus brass for weight and neck uniformity, consider splurging on some known, high-quality imported match brass for your 600-yard loads. Results should be excellent, time is saved, and given limited shooting at 600 yards, brass life should be long.
RULE SIX: Check All Your Primers Before Packaging Your Loaded Ammo
This seems simple and even intuitive. However, many slam-fires (which were much more common when M1s and M1As were the standard) are due, at least in part, to “high” primers. Primers should be seated below flush with the case head. The USAMU has addressed this at length in a previous column, but each round should be checked for properly-seated primers before they are packaged for use.
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Dennis DeMille shows a young competitor at the CMP Western Games how to adjust his leather sling.
The NRA High Power Over-the-Course (OTC) National Championship will be held at Camp Atterbury over the next 7 days. Firing will be done in multiple positions — prone, sitting/kneeling, and standing. Proper support and adjustment of the sling is vital for successful High Power competition. In this short article, Dennis DeMille, a past Service Rifle Champion, explains how to set-up a sling on match rifles.
Setting-Up a Leather Service Rifle Sling for Competition
So you made the mistake of disassembling your leather service rifle sling, or are intimidated about how to use one? In this Creedmoor Sports InfoZone video, Dennis DeMille (past Creedmoor G.M.) explains how to set up and use a sling. The covers the basics — Dennis starts with a totally disassembled leather service rifle sling and shows you how to set it up properly.
Tip: “Many shooters shy away from using a leather sling because they have never been taught how to use one. That’s unfortunate. In my opinion a leather sling offers more support than a web sling, which is important when competiting with the heavier than normal rifles.”
Configuring the Sling for the Standing (Offhand) Position
In this second in a series of Creedmoor InfoZone videos on the setup and use of the leather service rifle sling, Dennis DeMille details how to configure and best utilize the leather service rifle sling while shooting from the standing position.
Tip: “Putting the Frogs in different hole will change the amount of added elevation a sling provides.”
Looking at Sling Types — Comparing the Features
In this video Dennis showcases a large variety of shooting slings. He explains the strong points of each type so you can choose the sling best suited to your discipline and shooting style.
The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
Once you know how to set up your sling properly, you’ll want to practice. Dennis DeMille stresses the importance of dry-fire practice with sling and shooting coat. Dry-Fire training is essential to the sling disciplines. Dennis DeMille, a national Service Rifle Champion, told us that, for every minute he spent in actual competition, he would spend hours practicing without ammunition. While in the USMC, Dennis would practice in the barracks, working on his hold and dry-firing:
“The most important thing is to spend time off the range practicing. Most of what I learned as a High Power shooter I learned without ammunition — just spending time dry firing and doing holding exercises. Holding exercises will really identify the weak parts of your position. The primary purpose of dry firing is to get you used to shooting an empty rifle. If you can shoot a loaded rifle the same way you shoot an empty rifle then eventually you will become a High Master.”
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Many of our readers use AR-type rifles for Service Rifle matches, varmint hunting, 3-Gun competition, or defensive use. AR-platform rifles can be configured in a multitude of ways to suit the application. But if you plan to put together your own purpose-built AR rifle, how do you get started?
For AR Do-It-Yourselfers, we suggest reading the late Glen Zediker’s book, the Competitive AR-15 Builders Guide. Following on Zediker’s The Competitive AR15: Ultimate Technical Guide, the Builders Guide provides step-by-step instructions that will help non-professional “home builders” assemble a competitive match or varmint rifle. This book isn’t for everyone — you need some basic gun assembly experience and an aptitude for tools. But the Competitive AR-15 Builders’ Guide provides a complete list of the tools you’ll need for the job, and Zediker outlines all the procedures to build an AR-15 from start to finish.
One of our Forum members who purchased the AR-15 Builders Guide confirms it is a great resource: “Much like any of the books Mr. Zediker puts out this one is well thought-out and is a no nonsense approach to AR building. I can not stress how helpful this book is from beginner to expert level.”
Along with assembly methods, this book covers parts selection and preparation, not just hammers and pins. Creedmoor Sports explains: “Knowing how to get what you want, and be happy with the result, is truly the focus of this book. Doing it yourself gives you a huge advantage. The build will honestly have been done right, and you’ll know it! Little problems will have been fixed, function and performance enhancements will have been made, and the result is you’ll have a custom-grade rifle without paying custom-builder prices.” Other good resources for AR projects is Gunsmithing the AR: The Bench Manual, and the Building Your AR from Scratch DVD.
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For today’s Sunday GunDay story, we feature a very talented young lady shooter, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant (SSG) Erin McNeil. Erin, who started shooting as a young teen in a 4H program, is now one of the leading service rifle and high power shooters in the nation. Erin McNeil claimed the 2021 Interservice Individual Rifle Championship with an impressive score of 996-52X, beating out 86 other service members (mostly guys BTW). That score also earned Erin the title of High Woman.
The 2021 Interservice Rifle Championships (IRC) continued with other events, including the 1000-yard match. Shown below is SSG McNeil competing in the IRC 1K Match. CLICK HERE for more match photos.
Staff Sgt. Erin McNeil hails from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She has a B.S. in Mathematics from Texas Christian University (TCU), and holds the military occupational specialty of battle management system operator. With the USAMU, SSG McNeil has served on the International Shooting Team and the Service Rifle Team. As a USAMU team member, SSG McNeil has earned the President’s 100 Tab, Rifleman’s EIC Badge, and Bronze Medal at the 2014 World Championship in 3-Position/50m Smallbore Rifle.
Along with centerfire shooting, Erin enjoys smallbore competition. She won the Bronze Medal competing in 3-Position/50m Smallbore Rifle at the 2014 World Championships.
Erin enjoys shooting competition because “It’s really between you and the gun. It’s a very mental game. I think shooting is a great sport… as long as you are able to compete within yourself.”
McNeil started shooting through a 4-H program while in the 8th grade and then shot in college with the TCU Rifle Team. Now, she serves as a shooter/instructor on the USAMU International Rifle Team. In the video below, SSG McNeil talks about her career in competitive shooting, and what she enjoys most about rifle competition — both smallbore and High Power. She notes she enjoys instructing young high school and collegiate shooters (see video below):
SSG Erin McNeil of the USAMU (left) competes in NTI match with a young lady shooter.
Like Father, Like Daughter — Both Great Shooters
Erin noted: “My father was very influential in my shooting career. As a child, I looked up to him. I knew that he had been a world-class shooter in his youth. He asked me a few times if I would be interested in starting the 4H Rifle program. He was excited when I started showing interest in the program. Although he never coached me for fear of crossing the father/daughter relationship with the athlete/coach relationship, but he was always my biggest supporter and even gave assistance when I asked for it. I had a natural talent for shooting and ended up joining my high school’s Army JROTC. I was given a NCAA scholarship to TCU during my senior year. After completing college, I was accepted into the USAMU. My dad [was] the quiet, proud encourager of my shooting career[.]”
Words of Praise for SSG Erin McNeil from Facebook
“Congrats Sergeant McNeil from an old shooter from the 1964 ARADCOM Interservice Rattle Battle matches at Fort Carson Colorado, Ft. Campbell, Ft Sheridan, et cetera. You make me proud of all you folks who carry on the tradition.” — Walter Colbert
“I’ve watched Erin shoot while I was calling the matches from the Tower at the Camp Perry smallbore championships. [She was] never bothered and never ruffled. Just keeps shooting those Xs.” — Ken Kelley
SSG Erin McNeil of the USAMU
Staff Sergeant Erin McNeil, an international rifle shooter with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Fort Benning, Georgia, has distinguished herself through her many accomplishments. Erin started shooting in 2001 and has numerous shooting accomplishments.
Her awards include the Army Commendation Medal, three Army Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, Army Service Ribbon, President’s 100 tab, and Distinguished Excellence in Competition Rifleman’s Badge.
After graduating from Texas Christian University with a B.S. in Mathematics in 2010, Erin enlisted in the Army on February 15, 2011. After she completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Advanced Individual Training as a battle management system operator at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, she was assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, where she has competed in smallbore, service rifle, and long range disciplines, and she also serves as a marksmanship instructor.
SSG McNeil Offers Lessons to Junior Shooters
SSG Erin McNeil, as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Fort Benning junior shooters club, enjoys sharing her skills and knowledge with the next generation. “You cannot come to one of these without learning something.” The photo shows SSG McNeil during the 2014 Montgomery Bell Academy Rifle Classic in Nashville, Tennessee. At that event, Erin and other top USAMU shooters provided instruction/coaching to High School competitors from all over the Southeast. “The kids who know us, and know of us, come to every clinic and benefit from them. You cannot come to one of these [clinics] without learning something.”
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“Ever had trouble calling your shots? Everything looked and felt great and you swore it was a 10, but it came up as a wide 9? This may be a result of inconsistent eye placement behind the optic. Here’s an affordable solution to help you stay in the 10 Ring.” — Creedmoor Sports
Here is an interesting new product. This scope accessory attaches to the rear (ocular) lens on a scope. It has a center hole in the middle that can help get you on target faster, and get your eye exactly centered in the scope. That will eliminate certain parallax errors.
This scope accessory was invented by White Oak, which calls it a lens reducer assembly. This features a transparent lens with a chamfer around the center hole which acts as a ghost ring, centering your eye in middle of the optic. The transparent lens allows a full field of view so you can still see surrounding targets and target numbers. The lens is held in place by a Butler Creek lens cap.
White Oak’s unique “ghost ring” design allows a full field of view so you can still see surrounding targets and target numbers but acts as a ghost ring centering your eye in the hole, minimizing effects of parallax and helping you call your shots better.
The Lens Reducer Assembly is currently offered by Creedmoor Sports for these three optics PLUS other scopes which use the same Butler Creek Cover listed after each scope:
Konus XTC-30, $34.95, (Butler Creek #18 lens cover) Weaver K-4, $34.95, (Butler Creek #09A lens cover) Vortex PST 1-4, $34.95, (Butler Creek #14 lens cover)
To Install: Simply press the lens into the lens cap until it is against the shoulder inside the cap. It will be a snug fit, the snug fit ensures the hole is centered. Then install the lens cap on your scope as usual.
NOTE: Some folks may look at this and be concerned that the grayish chamfered ring will obscure vision. Yes and no. The actual “image” that comes through the scope is a very small-diameter circle of light (“exit pupil”) that will fit fully inside the small, unobscured, fully open circle. So if your head is properly centered there will be NO obstruction. However, if you get out of alignment, then, yes, you’ll see the gray chamfered area, just as you’d see the outside of a ghost ring sight.
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Hi-Lux Optics has created three videos of interest to across-the-course and service rifle competitors. The first video highlights the appeal of service rifle shooting, with comments from 2021 Camp Perry competitors. The second video offers five tips for new service rifle shooters. The third video focuses on the CMP matches at Camp Perry this past summer. If you have ever wanted to share the Camp Perry experience, this last video provides a great over-view of the event.
Four Reasons to Shoot Service Rifle
Service Rifle shooting is fun yet challenging. You need to develop skills with multiple positions and be able to make rapid wind calls. However, the modern AR-based service rifle is affordable and has relatively low recoil. Highly-customizable, modern service rifles can be fitted with adjustable stocks and optional magnified optics. Older military rifles, such as the M1A and M1 Garand, offer different challenges with heavier-recoiling cartridges, greater weights, and classic iron sights. Hi-Lux asked competitors at Camp Perry during CMP’s 2021 summer games what they enjoyed most about competition with service rifles and Military rifles such as the M1 Garand. The shooters’ responses had four key themes: Self-Improvement, Comradery, History (enjoying shooting rifles with heritage), and Challenge.
Five Tips for New Service Rifle Shooters
This summer at Camp Perry, Hi-Lux reporters asked competitors “What advice do you have for new shooters getting into service rifle?” The most common responses, explained below, were: Keep Learning, Don’t Quit, Stay Calm, Practice Fundamentals, and “Get Started!”. These tips will actually apply to a wide variety of shooting disciplines.
00:21 Keep Learning
Every shot you take is a learning experience. There are so many ways to learn — talk to fellow shooters, watch training videos, attend a training clinic such as those hosted at the CMP Regional Games. Don’t be afraid to ask, and never stop learning.
01:38 Don’t Quit
You may hit a performance plateau. Don’t let that stop you. The only way to get better is to continue moving forward. Persevere and continue your training off-season with dry-fire practice.
03:10 Stay Calm and Focused
Go into each shot with a clear and empty mind. While you’re up on the line, it’s just you and your rifle.
04:20 Practice Fundamentals
With the right mindset in place, practice will strengthen your fundamentals. Dry firing can reveal issues with follow-through and trigger pull that might not be noticeable under recoil. This is especially true with offhand shooting.
05:48 Get Started
You’re not too old to start a new discipline. There are many free clinics available, and many local ranges have regular service rifle competitions where you can hone your skills. Learn more about Service Rifle shooting clinics on the CMP website.
The 2021 National Matches at Camp Perry — Return of the Games
After cancellation in 2020 due to COVID, the CMP National Matches at Camp Perry returned in summer 2021 with a full selection of matches for pistol and rifle. This video showcases the unique experience that is Camp Perry — the leading venue for American marksmanship competition since 1907. The video covers different disciplines, including Service Rifle, M1 Garand matches, Vintage Sniper, and more.
History of Camp Perry
“In the year 1907 the machinery of the National Matches, now grown to immense proportions, was moved to the mammoth new range at Camp Perry.”
—James Drain, Arms and the Man, August 1911
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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Hail the new Champion — SSG Amanda Elsenboss is the 2021 NRA High Power Rifle National Champion. Amanda secured the High Power title with a Grand Aggregate score of 2386-133X. This is a major achievement for Amanda. In winning the coveted High Power title, Amanda is now just the third female to earn this honor, along with Nancy Tompkins and Nancy’s daughter Sherri Gallagher. And we believe this is the first time a woman won the High Power title shooting a Service Rifle in all matches.
Elsenboss, formerly with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, now competes with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard Team. She is classified as a High Master in NRA High Power. Finishing second overall was SSG John Coggshall of the Army National Guard with a score of 2380-125X. Coggshall, like Amanda, shot a Service Rifle. Kenneth Lankford, shooting a Match Rifle, finished third with 2379-104X.
The match was held August 22–28 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. On her Facebook Page, Amanda posted:
“Today was a great day. After four long, hot days on the range I won the 2021 NRA [High Power] Rifle Championships. Thank you to everyone for the support and encouragement along the way. Congratulations to John Coggshall for coming in second overall and second Service Rifle, and to Kirk Freeman for being third Service Rifle. It was some great shooting by the Guard… and everyone really making the last day count.”
Amanda added: “I have to thank my biggest supporter — Perry Sabertooth X Mayfly” (shown above in Amanda’s shooting cart at Camp Atterbury).
Before Her High Power Victory, Amanda Took 2nd in Long Range
Before winning the 2021 High Power National Championship, Amanda took second in the 2021 NRA Long Range National Championship, also held at Camp Atterbury.
This has been a great summer for Amanda at Camp Atterbury. She finished second overall at the 2021 NRA Long-Range Nationals, behind Oliver Milanovic, and she also won the Canadian Cup at Atterbury. Prior to that, competing at Camp Perry with the National Guard All Guard Marksmanship Team, Amanda shot perfect individual scores in both the National Trophy and Hearst Doubles team events. Her 500-34X in the National Trophy Team (NTT) event set a National Record.
Amanda, then shooting with the USAMU team, previously won the NRA Long Range National Championship in 2019. Now that she has won BOTH High Power and Long Range National Championships, Amanda can truly be ranked among the most notable shooters in U.S. history.
Amanda Elsenboss — America’s New Leading Lady of Shooting
Before his retirement from the U.S. Army, Emil Praslick III coached Amanda as a shooter with the U.S. Army Markmanship (USAMU) team. Emil, considered one of the greatest shooting coaches in the nation, was impressed with Amanda’s skill and dedication. Emil posted: “[Amanda is] by far the easiest shooter to coach I’ve ever worked with. A machine.”
Video Interview with SSG Amanda Elsenboss
This video, featuring SSG Amanda Elsenboss, was created by the USAMU to mark Women’s History Month. Amanda talks about her career in the military, and her love of competitive shooting. This is a great video, well worth watching. There are images from many shooting ranges around the nation.
SSG Amanda Elsenboss. CLICK Speaker Icon to Hear Sound!
When serving with the USAMU, Amanda shot the sling division at the Berger SW Nationals:
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Dennis DeMille shows a young competitor at the CMP Western Games how to adjust his leather sling.
The NRA High Power Over-the-Course (OTC) National Championship will be held at Camp Atterbury over the next 7 days. Firing will be done in multiple positions — prone, sitting/kneeling, and standing. Proper support and adjustment of the sling is vital for successful High Power competition. In this short article, Dennis DeMille, a past Service Rifle Champion, explains how to set-up a sling on match rifles.
Setting-Up a Leather Service Rifle Sling for Competition
So you made the mistake of disassembling your leather service rifle sling, or are intimidated about how to use one? In this Creedmoor Sports InfoZone video, Dennis DeMille (past Creedmoor G.M.) explains how to set up and use a sling. The covers the basics — Dennis starts with a totally disassembled leather service rifle sling and shows you how to set it up properly.
Tip: “Many shooters shy away from using a leather sling because they have never been taught how to use one. That’s unfortunate. In my opinion a leather sling offers more support than a web sling, which is important when competiting with the heavier than normal rifles.”
Configuring the Sling for the Standing (Offhand) Position
In this second in a series of Creedmoor InfoZone videos on the setup and use of the leather service rifle sling, Dennis DeMille details how to configure and best utilize the leather service rifle sling while shooting from the standing position.
Tip: “Putting the Frogs in different hole will change the amount of added elevation a sling provides.”
Looking at Sling Types — Comparing the Features
In this video Dennis showcases a large variety of shooting slings. He explains the strong points of each type so you can choose the sling best suited to your discipline and shooting style.
The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
Once you know how to set up your sling properly, you’ll want to practice. Dennis DeMille stresses the importance of dry-fire practice with sling and shooting coat. Dry-Fire training is essential to the sling disciplines. Dennis DeMille, a national Service Rifle Champion, told us that, for every minute he spent in actual competition, he would spend hours practicing without ammunition. While in the USMC, Dennis would practice in the barracks, working on his hold and dry-firing:
“The most important thing is to spend time off the range practicing. Most of what I learned as a High Power shooter I learned without ammunition — just spending time dry firing and doing holding exercises. Holding exercises will really identify the weak parts of your position. The primary purpose of dry firing is to get you used to shooting an empty rifle. If you can shoot a loaded rifle the same way you shoot an empty rifle then eventually you will become a High Master.”
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2021 CMP Springfield M1A Match at Camp Perry
Today we feature the M1A rifle. This is the one day in the year when the rugged M1A rifle, descended from the M1 Garand, is the star of the show at Camp Perry. The 14th Annual Springfield Armory M1A Match takes place today, August 8, 2021 at the CMP National Rifle Matches.
History of the Springfield M1A Match
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 [13] 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.
Folks, take the time to WATCH this 3-minute video. It has great match footage of Camp Perry and interviews with M1A competitors. Well worth watching!
Nick Till in 2009 M1A Match. Nick was the 2007 Service Rifle Nat’l Champion. Photo courtesy NRA Blog.
Springfield M1A at Camp Perry National Matches
For many years, the semi-auto version of the M14 was “top dog” in iron sights Service Rifle competition. Now that discipline is dominated by .223 Rem (5.56×45) AR-type rifles, but the bigger .308-caliber rifle, now sold as the M1A, remains popular. The CMP hosts a major M1A Match every year at Camp Perry, sponsored by Springfield Armory. Significant prizes are awarded. In past years M1A Match competitors took home over $25,000 worth of cash and merchandise. This year’s Springfield M1A match will be held at Camp Perry on August 8, 2021.
Springfield M1A Match 2016 — Rapid Fire Sitting Stage
In the April 2018 issue of Shooting Sports USA, you’ll find a good article on the civilian version of the M14, now sold commercially as the Springfield M1A. An evolution of the battle-proven M1 Garand, the M14 was designed to shoot the 7.62×51 (.308 Win) round instead of the larger .30-06 Springfield cartridge used in WWI, WWII and Korea. While the vast majority of today’s M1As are chambered for .308 Win/7.62×51, Springfield Armory also produces a 6.5 Creedmoor version.
Dick Jones reports that accurized M14/M1As could post remarkable scores: “The accuracy potential of the M14/M1A is unquestionable. During their reign as service rifles, they produced multiple perfect 200 scores at 600 and 1000 yards in the hands of top shooters. This is a difficult feat with a modern, scoped, magnum-caliber rifle and remarkable with an iron-sighted battle rifle. Good competition rifles can group 10 shots under one MOA, and the meticulously-massaged rifles used by the top shooters during my career would consistently put up 10 shots under an inch at 200 yards off a test cradle.”
In this video, YouTube Reviewer Hickok 45 compares the M1 Garand and the M14/M1A:
“Descended from the M1 Garand, the M14 utilized multiple improvements that made it a far superior firearm for combat and a much better rifle for competition.” — Dick Jones, Shooting Sports USA.
M1A Match Equipment Rules and Course of Fire
Renewed interest in the M1A, coupled with major sponsorship from Springfield Armory, led to the the first dedicated Camp Perry M1A match in 2008. That first-ever match proved a huge success, drawing over 500 shooters. This year, match organizers also expect hundreds of shooters.
Equipment rules allow pretty much all types/grades of M1As in the match. The one-day course of fire consists of 50 shots at 300 yards on the NRA MR-65F target, as follows: 5 sighters; 20 shots slow-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire prone; 10 shots rapid-fire, kneeling or sitting; and 10 shots slow-fire standing. Here are photos from the 2014 Springfield MIA match, courtesy NRA General Operations.
See how the modern M1A is built in this Springfield Armory Video:
As racing improves automobiles, competition improves firearms, and the current crop of Springfield M1As, from the Basic to the top-of-the-line Super Match and Loaded models, reflects the years of development. The M14 and its variants are … still considered by many to be the best battle rifle in the history of the U.S. Military. — Dick Jones, Shooting Sports USA
Military Version Operation Revealed — M14 Training Film
The original military version of the M1A was the select-fire M14. The 27-minute official U.S. Army video below demonstrates the operation of the M14. Field-stripping is shown from the 5:13 time-mark through 8:30. Cut-away drawings show the M14’s gas operation at 8:40.
Watch M14 Functioning Cycle Starting at 9:25 Mark:
The M14’s complete 8-step functioning cycle is demonstrated from the 9:25 time-mark through 22:41. These eight operations are: 1) Feeding; 2) Chambering; 3) Locking; 4) Firing; 5) Unlocking; 6) Extracting; 7) Ejecting; and 8) Cocking. This movie is fairly long, but fans of battle rifles will find it well worth their time. Every M1A owner should definitely watch this video start to finish.
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The Benefits of Dry-Fire Training
Many of our readers use AR-type rifles for Service Rifle matches, varmint hunting, 3-Gun competition, or defensive use. AR-platform rifles can be configured in a multitude of ways to suit the application. But if you plan to put together your own purpose-built AR rifle, how do you get started?
SSG Erin McNeil of the USAMU
Here is an interesting new product. This scope accessory attaches to the rear (ocular) lens on a scope. It has a center hole in the middle that can help get you on target faster, and get your eye exactly centered in the scope. That will eliminate certain parallax errors.
