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The following is a document I would send out to any prospective shooters that reached out to me, asking about this style of match. I always thought it more prudent to inform them before-hand rather than surprise them on match day. A bewildered, confuzzled shooter on the line tends to get anxious and pissed off. This is an accident waiting to happen, or a shooter about to leave the discipline. I thought this might make a good 'sticky' for this forum. Any comments are more than welcome.
Disclaimer: The specifics spelled out here apply to the Springwater matches. They may NOT apply to other (especially CMP SANCTIONED) matches that you might find at other clubs, as GCL, Williamson, Attica etc...
A CMP Match Primer
The matches we run are modeled after the CMP Games matches held during the National Matches at Camp Perry each summer. These competitions are designed to get away from very expensive matches, and return to some of the history and culture of militaries past. These matches will use ‘as-issued’ rifles used by the infantry soldier in conflicts prior to 1957. M1 Garand, M1903A3 Springfield, Mauser 98k, Mosin-Nagants, Lee-Enfield are all commonly used during these matches. Each has its own specific match, just to keep it fair.
We understand that this can be intimidating to most new match shooters ( just the title 'National Matches' seems to drive many away). We are looking for new/first time match shooters and will go as slow as we need to make sure the new shooter ‘gets it right.’ These are low-stress matches and each stage is explained as we start it. Safety is our utmost concern, and a confused shooter can be very dangerous. Interrupting the match for questions, especially safety, is encouraged. Raise your hand , get an Range Officers’ attention and resolve the issue.
While attempting to keep true to the National Matches format, there are some(minor) differences. From this point on we will discuss specifics to the CMP matches held at our range:
The Basics:
Rifles:
There are five parts to the match:
1). Sighters: shooters are given 5 minutes to shoot as many rounds as they require to make sure they are ‘on-target.’ This is not the time to zero your rifle or shoot it for the first time (or your first time on a rifle range-ever!), you are expected to know where/how it shoots out to 200 (usually 3 inches lower than 100 yards), and be fully familiar with its operation. This stage can be fired from any position, but prone is most common. Following this stage we will go downrange and paste the targets (cover the bullet holes with stickers) and you will visually see your hits. These hits are not scored, the remaining stages (#2-5) are all ‘for record.’
2). Prone Slow Fire: From the prone position, you will have 10 minutes to shoot 10 rounds. This is to test your accuracy with the rifle without any stress. This stage is single loaded (no magazines-one round is loaded then fired). Relax, take your time, make them count. This is typically a shooter’s best score during the match, and simulated a typical range fire exercise a soldier would experience.
3). Prone Rapid Fire: From the prone position, you will have 80 seconds to shoot 10 rounds, including a mandatory reload. This tests your ability to shoot under stress. Magazines/clips are loaded either 2/8 or 5/5, depending on the rifle (bolt guns will load 5 and reload 5, Garands (or any magazine fed semi-auto) will load a 2 round clip, and reload an 8 round clip). CMP rules call for this stage to start from standing, and the shooter will fall (controlled, not just flop to the ground loosing control of the muzzle) prone and shoot. As a safety concern, the rifles will be loaded on an empty chamber (the rounds will be pushed down into the magazine and the bolt closed over them, so there are no live rounds in the chamber while you are moving), and then rack the bolt to chamber a round once in the prone position. Bolt guns will load 5 and leave the bolt wide-open until in the prone, and then close it when in position. This simulates a combat situation, where a soldier would need to get prone and return accurate fire, to include reloading.
Following this stage, we will go down range, score and paste the targets and move back for the final two stages.
4). Sit Rapid Fire: Same as #3, except you will shoot from a sitting or kneeling position (your choice)
5). Standing Slow Fire: Same as #2, except you will shoot from standing (off-hand). There are certain requirements about resting the rifle from this position that are addressed at range time (10 minutes holding any rifle is tiring). This is typically a shooter’s worst scoring stage. Get used to it. It's horrible.
We will divide the shooters into 2 classes. They are based upon the gear you use when you shoot the match.
The first, the most popular, is called TACTICAL, meaning you have a rifle and a sling. That sling can be used in all stages.
The second is called COMPETITION, meaning you have a shooting jacket & glove etc… They cannot use the sling in the off-hand position, and follow more of the CMP rules concerning rifles etc. This is done to keep the competition from turning into a money game, as the competition gear can get quite expensive. The idea is to get out and shoot safely, and have a good time doing so, not to get wrapped around specific rules regarding the width of front sling swivels on even numbered Tuesdays.
Gear (NEED):
Gear(NICE TO HAVE):
The idea of these matches is to get shooters into a new discipline and have a good time.
Contact: CMPspringwater@gmail.com
LINKS:
CMP: http://www.odcmp.com/
National Match Page: http://www.odcmp.com/NM.htm
THE SR-C (Short Range-Center) TARGET:
sr-c.jpg
Disclaimer: The specifics spelled out here apply to the Springwater matches. They may NOT apply to other (especially CMP SANCTIONED) matches that you might find at other clubs, as GCL, Williamson, Attica etc...
A CMP Match Primer
The matches we run are modeled after the CMP Games matches held during the National Matches at Camp Perry each summer. These competitions are designed to get away from very expensive matches, and return to some of the history and culture of militaries past. These matches will use ‘as-issued’ rifles used by the infantry soldier in conflicts prior to 1957. M1 Garand, M1903A3 Springfield, Mauser 98k, Mosin-Nagants, Lee-Enfield are all commonly used during these matches. Each has its own specific match, just to keep it fair.
We understand that this can be intimidating to most new match shooters ( just the title 'National Matches' seems to drive many away). We are looking for new/first time match shooters and will go as slow as we need to make sure the new shooter ‘gets it right.’ These are low-stress matches and each stage is explained as we start it. Safety is our utmost concern, and a confused shooter can be very dangerous. Interrupting the match for questions, especially safety, is encouraged. Raise your hand , get an Range Officers’ attention and resolve the issue.
While attempting to keep true to the National Matches format, there are some(minor) differences. From this point on we will discuss specifics to the CMP matches held at our range:
The Basics:
- We shoot at 200 yards
- We shoot at the SR-C target (13†bull, 2†X-Ring)
- We will shoot both slow and rapid fire stages
- We will shoot prone, seated, and standing (no benches, bipods etc…) stages
Rifles:
- CMP matches call for ‘As-Issued’ infantry rifles. These are rifles used by ANY military, and in the condition that they were given to the soldier. Modifications are not permitted (scopes/red dot, fancy stocks, muzzle brakes etc…). Those are the CMP rules at Camp Perry
- We will allow just about any rifle:
- Must be safe to shoot, along with your ammunition.
- Must have iron sights. No scopes/optics/red dots.
- SHOULD have some way to reload by a magazine/clip. Single shot rifles (i.e. a break open (Thompson Encore) would be VERY difficult to use during these matches)
- CANNOT have a front-loading tubular magazine that requires the muzzle to aimed at your face to reload it.
There are five parts to the match:
1). Sighters: shooters are given 5 minutes to shoot as many rounds as they require to make sure they are ‘on-target.’ This is not the time to zero your rifle or shoot it for the first time (or your first time on a rifle range-ever!), you are expected to know where/how it shoots out to 200 (usually 3 inches lower than 100 yards), and be fully familiar with its operation. This stage can be fired from any position, but prone is most common. Following this stage we will go downrange and paste the targets (cover the bullet holes with stickers) and you will visually see your hits. These hits are not scored, the remaining stages (#2-5) are all ‘for record.’
2). Prone Slow Fire: From the prone position, you will have 10 minutes to shoot 10 rounds. This is to test your accuracy with the rifle without any stress. This stage is single loaded (no magazines-one round is loaded then fired). Relax, take your time, make them count. This is typically a shooter’s best score during the match, and simulated a typical range fire exercise a soldier would experience.
3). Prone Rapid Fire: From the prone position, you will have 80 seconds to shoot 10 rounds, including a mandatory reload. This tests your ability to shoot under stress. Magazines/clips are loaded either 2/8 or 5/5, depending on the rifle (bolt guns will load 5 and reload 5, Garands (or any magazine fed semi-auto) will load a 2 round clip, and reload an 8 round clip). CMP rules call for this stage to start from standing, and the shooter will fall (controlled, not just flop to the ground loosing control of the muzzle) prone and shoot. As a safety concern, the rifles will be loaded on an empty chamber (the rounds will be pushed down into the magazine and the bolt closed over them, so there are no live rounds in the chamber while you are moving), and then rack the bolt to chamber a round once in the prone position. Bolt guns will load 5 and leave the bolt wide-open until in the prone, and then close it when in position. This simulates a combat situation, where a soldier would need to get prone and return accurate fire, to include reloading.
Following this stage, we will go down range, score and paste the targets and move back for the final two stages.
4). Sit Rapid Fire: Same as #3, except you will shoot from a sitting or kneeling position (your choice)
5). Standing Slow Fire: Same as #2, except you will shoot from standing (off-hand). There are certain requirements about resting the rifle from this position that are addressed at range time (10 minutes holding any rifle is tiring). This is typically a shooter’s worst scoring stage. Get used to it. It's horrible.
We will divide the shooters into 2 classes. They are based upon the gear you use when you shoot the match.
The first, the most popular, is called TACTICAL, meaning you have a rifle and a sling. That sling can be used in all stages.
The second is called COMPETITION, meaning you have a shooting jacket & glove etc… They cannot use the sling in the off-hand position, and follow more of the CMP rules concerning rifles etc. This is done to keep the competition from turning into a money game, as the competition gear can get quite expensive. The idea is to get out and shoot safely, and have a good time doing so, not to get wrapped around specific rules regarding the width of front sling swivels on even numbered Tuesdays.
Gear (NEED):
- Safe rifle, iron sights only
- Ammunition, safe. Minimum 45 rounds (allows 5 sighters, more if desired)
- Magazines/Clips/Stripper Clips, 2ea, need to hold a minimum of 5 rounds. There are tricks to get 2 rounds into a 8 round garand clip….
- Ear/Eye protection
- Goddamned pen. Stop stealing mine.
Gear(NICE TO HAVE):
- Shooting mat, or rug, or camping sleeping mat from Walmart, something to keep you off the ground for prone, more for comfort, keep you clean & dry
- Sling, really useful, and will help you stay on target. We can show you how to use both deliberate and hasty slings. Should be at least 1†wide. Issued slings are preferable.
- Spotting Scope, we have one & try to help out as many as we can, but seeing the impact of your rounds is a great help. They also have stands that will hold the scope for standing stages
- Shooting Jacket, sized correctly, padding helps recoil and keeps blood flowing when the slings are wrapped tight. Also keeps torso straight during standing stages
- Shooting Glove, as jacket, keeps blood flowing and helps grip
The idea of these matches is to get shooters into a new discipline and have a good time.
Contact: CMPspringwater@gmail.com
LINKS:
CMP: http://www.odcmp.com/
National Match Page: http://www.odcmp.com/NM.htm
THE SR-C (Short Range-Center) TARGET:
sr-c.jpg
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