CMP Releases 2019 Competition Rules

CMP Competition Rulebooks that will govern all CMP sponsored and sanctioned competitions in 2019 have now been approved by the CMP Board’s Rules Committee and posted on the CMP website. Significant changes in this year’s rulebooks include dividing the former Service Rifle and Pistol Rulebook into two separate rulebooks, the establishment of a new program to give persons with disabilities an opportunity to earn Distinguished Badges, and the creation of separate unlimited classes for Modern Military Rifles and Rimfire Sporter Rifles. 2019 CMP Competition Rulebooks are effective immediately and can be downloaded from the CMP website by using the following links:

Highpower Rifle Competition Rules, governs Service Rifle and Long Range Rifle
LINK: http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/HighpowerRifleRules.pdf

Smallbore Rifle Competition Rules, governs CMP traditional Smallbore Rifle Position and Prone
LINK: http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/SmallboreRulebook.pdf

Pistol Competition Rules, governs Service Pistol and 22 Rimfire Pistol
LINK: http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/PistolRules.pdf

CMP Games Competition Rules, governs As-Issued Military Rifle, Modern Military Rifle, Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match, Rimfire Sporter Rifle and As-Issued Pistol
LINK: http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/CMPGamesRules.pdf

Access All 2019 CMP Competition Rulebooks HERE »

Here are key 2019 CMP Rule Change Highlights. For a more complete list of important changes, read the official CMP 2019 Rule Change Summary.

New Distinguished Marksman Program For Shooters with Disabilities
A major new CMP program being introduced in 2019 is the Distinguished Marksman Badge Program for competitors with medical or physical limitations or disabilities. To implement this program, the CMP is establishing a new Distinguished Badge called the Distinguished Marksman Badge. Any rifle or pistol competitor with a disability or limitation that previously prevented them from fully meeting rules requirements for earning EIC credit points is invited to apply to the CMP for a “Distinguished Marksman Authorization” (contact acantu@thecmp.org or phone 419-635-2141, ext. 602).

Electronic Scoring Target Rules
New electronic target (EST) installations at the Talladega Marksmanship Park and CMP Travel Games necessitated special rules to govern irregular shot entries that may appear on electronic targets. CMP EST rules were updated this year, based on EST experiences. CMP Rules now define EST complaint resolution processes for: 1) a protested shot value; 2) a missing slow-fire shot; 3) a missing rapid-fire shot; 4) an extra slow-fire shot and 5) an extra rapid-fire shot.

Highpower Rifle Rule Changes

Separate Highpower Rifle Rulebook
Until this year Service Rifle and Pistol events all had the same rulebook. As a result, rules frequently skipped from rifle to pistol and back and this often caused confusion. Now there are two separate rulebooks, one for Highpower Rifle and a separate rulebook for Pistol.

Long Range Rifle Classification System
The CMP brought Long Range Rifle competitions at 800, 900 and 1000 years back to Camp Perry and the National Matches in 2018. This successful new program attracted 182 competitors who made 454 event entries. This year’s change features the introduction of a Long Range Rifle classification system that will expand the CMP Highpower Rifle classification system implemented in 2018 (HP Rule 3.11.4).

National Matches Program
The 2018 National Matches Program that introduced CMP Cup Matches, Long Range Rifle Matches and the Roosevelt Match (for U.S. Krag and M1903 rifles) will be unchanged in 2019. All of the highpower rifle events that were on the 2018 National Matches Program are already in this year’s National Matches Schedule. If you have not done so already, download the 2019 National Matches Calendar.

In 2019, the “Standard Modern Military Rifle” will return to its original rules for AR-type rifles that featured a 7.5 lbs maximum weight and metallic sights only. In 2019, AR-type rifles that weigh more than 7.5 lbs or that have optical sights will compete in a separate Unlimited Class. In addition, Modern Military Rifles with optical sights will now all be in the Unlimited Modern Military Rifle Class. Free-floating handguards will be allowed in both the Unlimited and Standard Modern Military Rifle Classes.

CMP Games Rule Changes

The CMP Games Rulebook that governs As-Issued Military Rifle and Pistol events as well as Rimfire Sporter Matches has some of the most significant 2019 rule changes. These include the establishment of an Unlimited Modern Military Rifle Class and the expansion of the Rimfire Sporter Tactical Class to become a combined Tactical and Unlimited Class (TU-Class). Changes in this rulebook are.

Modern Military Rifle
For 2019, after much debate and inputs from many, the CMP decided to return the first Modern Military Rifle Class to its original rules as a Standard Modern Military Rifle and to establish a separate Unlimited Modern Military Rifle Class. The Standard Modern Military Rifle will go back to its original 7.5 lbs. weight limit for AR-type rifles and 9.0 lbs. for M1As. Standard Modern Military Rifles will be restricted to metallic sights only. Rifles that weigh more than 7.5 lbs. or 9.0 lbs. or that have optical sights will now be in the Unlimited Modern Military Rifle Class. Restrictions against float tubes or metallic sights with finer adjustments were removed for both classes.

As-Issued Military Rifle Events
The core of the CMP As-Issued Military Rifle program is the ever-popular Garand-Springfield-Vintage Military Rifle triad. Those events and the Carbine Match, which accompanies them on many match programs, remain unchanged.

Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match
The challenge CMP rule makers faced with the Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match was how to coordinate rules for shooting on either pit-operated targets or electronic scoring targets so that the commands, procedures and marksmanship skills tested would be comparable. The basic match remains unchanged, but the LOAD AND STANDBY command now means the same thing regardless of the type of targets. The uniform 2019 version of this command authorizes firers to load, close rifle actions and shoulder their rifles. Target exposures on pit-operated targets remain at 20 sec., but firing times on electronic targets are shortened to 15 seconds. This shorter firing time compensates for the fact that teams firing on electronic targets know their shot locations instantly[.]

Rimfire Sporter Rifle TU-Class
The main Rimfire Sporter rule change is an expansion of the Tactical Class into a Tactical and Unlimited Class (TU-Class). The problem that arose in Rimfire Sporter competitions was increasing interest in using non-conventional rifle configurations with features like thumb-hole stocks, adjustable stock features, different pistol grips and innovative barrel configurations. Fundamentally, Rimfire Sporter Rifle shooting is supposed to be done with “standard sporter-type rifles of standard appearance.” CMP rule makers had to decide what to do with customized and non-conventional rifles while still trying to keep T-Class and O-Class rifles as close as possible to standard production rifles. To do this, the Tactical-Class, which was originally created for a wide variety of AR-clones, was expanded into a Tactical and Unlimited Class (TU-Class). All rifles in the TU-Class still need to comply with the 7.5 lbs. weight limit and have 3 lb. triggers.

Pistol Rule Changes

Separate Pistol Rulebook
One of the biggest changes impacting the CMP pistol program is that pistol match officials and competitors now have their own separate rulebook.

Pistol Classification System
The new rules include provisions for a pistol classification system that the CMP plans to implement in 2019 (Pistol Rule 3.11.4). Scores from Service Pistol and 22 Rimfire Pistol matches have turned out to be very similar so both events will be incorporated into one system.

Range Safety Procedures
Previous rules required safety flags to be in pistols whenever they were carried on a range. There was some confusion, however, regarding whether this meant pistols carried in pistol boxes needed to have safety flags inserted. A new rule clarifies that when pistols are carried on ranges, safety flags must be inserted whether pistols are carried in pistol boxes, cases or uncased (Pistol Rule 3.6.1). When CMP Rules Advisors evaluated this rule, CMP Armorers who weigh triggers before matches reported encountering more than one loaded pistol that arrived at a check station.

Pistol Scoring Procedures
The new rules also seek to clarify procedures for when competitors score each other’s targets. When competitors score, they must make all initial scoring decisions. If there is a dispute between a scorer and a competitor, a Scoring Officer makes the final decision. Competitors are authorized to use scoring templates. Plug gauges can only be inserted by a Range or Scoring Officer (Pistol Rule 3.10.1).

Smallbore Rifle Rulebook

Provision Rulebook Becomes Official
The CMP also returned traditional Smallbore Rifle Position and Prone Matches to Camp Perry and the National Matches in 2018. Part of the process of bringing smallbore rifle back to Camp Perry involved the creation of “provisional” Smallbore Rifle rulebook. This rulebook was tested in 2018 and now, with CMP Rules Committee approval, has become an official CMP rulebook. The 2019 CMP Smallbore Rifle Competition Rules are essentially unchanged from the rules that governed the 2018 Smallbore Rifle Championship.

We all enjoy shooting rifles, but it’s also fulfilling to share your knowledge as a mentor. Serving as a rifle instructor can be very rewarding. Now the CMP offers a program to certify Master Instructors for the CMP’s most popular rifle programs — Vintage Military and Rimfire Sporter.

CMP Master Instructor Training Workshops

As a CMP Instructor you can help novices learn to safely shoot the M1 Garand, M1903 Springfield, and other vintage military rifles. You can also help with the very popular Rimfire Sporter program. Later this year, the CMP is offering an excellent program to help train new Master Instructors.

Experienced rifle marksmanship instructors and shooters who wish to receive advanced training and be certified as “Master Instructors” to teach CMP-sanctioned Clinics are invited to apply to attend a CMP Master Instructor Training Workshop. These workshops will train instructors to conduct Garand, Springfield, and Vintage Military Rifle Clinics and/or Rimfire Sporter Clinics. There will be two (2) instructor training workshops this year, one at Camp Perry in October and the second in Talladega in December. Dates and locations are:

Camp Perry, Ohio: Oct. 6-7, 2018 | Talladega Park, Alabama: Dec. 4, 2018

For more information or to register, visit http://thecmp.org/training-tech/gsm-rifle-master-clinics/ or contact Kim Filipiak at kfilipiak@thecmp.org, 419-635-2141 ext 706.

M1903 Springfield shooter at Camp Perry. From GarandThumbBlog’s 2015 CMP Games Video.

CMP Master Instructor Class — In the Beginning
Our friend Dennis Santiago has been a CMP instructor for many years. He reports this has been a great experience and the CMP is a great organization. Dennis earned his “teaching credentials” at the first-ever GSM (Garand/Springfield/Vintage Military) Master Instructor Class.

CMP Director Gary Anderson is top row far left, with Dennis in front row center.

My Decade as a CMP Master Instructor by Dennis Santiago
I was in the first GSM Master Instructor class. It was taught at Camp Pendleton (CA) in November 2006 as part of the CMP Western Games. It was a three-day class by then-head of the Civilian Marksmanship Program, Gary Anderson.

We were the guinea pigs for an experiment. Our mission would be to take what we learned back to our clubs and create programs to teach the sport of High Power riflery to Americans, most of whom, were unfamiliar with shooting, let alone the details of serious competition. It was one of the most rewarding shared experiences of my life and it began a 10-year journey that helped build my love for the sport.

Gary spent lots of time not only teaching his prepared material but working with us on feedback about how to improve the curriculum. I took what I learned back to the Burbank Rifle and Revolver Club (BRRC) and, working with Wayne Fenner (left in photo), my friend and fellow sponsor of the California Grizzlies Junior Rifle Team, adapted BRRC’s training match program to the CMP’s approach.

Over the course of almost a decade, I taught a battalion of Americans from every walk of life and every political and ethnic background how to operate and compete with the U.S. Rifle M-1 Garand. It defined one weekend of every month of my life. We experimented with every CMP match format that came out, often discussing concepts with Gary and the CMP team.

Many of the students I taught went on to become accomplished competitors in their own right. I’ve watched them win medals, major tournaments, become distinguished riflemen. Some set national records. One made it to the Olympic Trials. The true reward was to hear from all of them again and again over the years. I’m from the old school that says you pass on what you have learned because you pay forward in gratitude to those who taught you. And so it was the decade I was BRRC’s GSM Master Instructor of record.

If you want to make a difference to the growth of our sport, consider taking the time to become a GSM Master Instructor. Teach another battalion of Americans what it means to be the caretakers of our heritage from behind every blade of grass.

DCM Emeritus Gary Anderson Teaches Clinic at Camp Perry, Ohio:

Here a Springfield M1903 shooter (in period-authentic uniform) competes in CMP Legacy Match.