First Shooting Match I've Ever Been In... CMP!

J

Jorah Lavin

New member
Good evening.

Just a brief celebratory post, since I don't know anyone else to tell about this who would understand why it was exciting.

This afternoon I participated in my first shooting match, sponsored by the newly-formed local CMP club. I shot in the .22 rifle competition, and while I didn't do great, I did better than I expected, and really enjoyed shooting that old peep-sighted rifle. Easy, easy to shoot, and in the seated portion I kept all shots in the black, which surprised me since I could barely even see the target at 50 yards... it just looked like a dot.

I'm looking forward to getting my own rifle... the gun I shot today was a club loaner. I'm starting to see how people shoot so well with peepsights; in some respects it was more fun to shoot than my scoped Ruger 10/22, and shooting against 17 other people in a timed match got the ol' juices flowing.

I've really gotta practice the standing posture, and have to get hold of a proper sling for the rifle when I get it.

-Moss
 
I stated shooting competitively about 15 months ago. Best thing I have ever done to improve my marksmanship.
 
Moss - Good for you! Was this the first time you've shot a rifle with an aperature (peep) sight?

I'm always surprised to hear about folks who have never used any sighting device other than a scope. (I'm not implying this is the case with you.)

You already have the Ruger - what kind of rifle(s) are you considering?

Cliff
 
Cliff, when I was a kid we never had a scope, just the little brass-bead sight on the old Marlin .22 bolt-action single-shot. I shot with that for years.

At the moment, besides the Ruger, I've got a Marlin 30/30 with a cheap vari-power scope on it.

When I mentioned getting my own rifle I meant ordering one of the CMP, the current cost is $75 plus $20 shipping. I'm planning to get the M1 they offer, but can't explain to my wife why we should spend $420 on an M1 rather than paying off part of the Visa bill instead, so it will be a while! ;)

The only other time I used a peep-sight was qualifying to join the CMP club, so it pretty much was the first time. I'd read an old library book that had mentioned how to use that type of sight, so I at least had something of a clue. I aimed so that the base of the bull sat _almost_ on top of the front-sight post, centered, with the slightest trace of a white line between. Looked sorta like a bowling ball balanced on a fence post. :)

Rifles haven't been my favorite thing to shoot, partly because the range is chock full of bench-resters making tiny groups at 100 yards, and it is discouraging to see my groups by comparison. On the other hand, it did my heart good to see these same guys actually have to get out from behind the bench and shoot standing. Gives you a feeling of getting back to basics!

These 1948-era .22s are heavy-stocked and heavy-barreled, and like I mentioned, a lot of fun to shoot, so I'll probably start practicing in the standing/kneeling/seated/prone postures a lot more, once I get my own gun.

-Moss
 
Congrats Moss. I started shooting highpower a year ago and I agree with Mic it's the best thing you can do to improve your skills, shooting positions that is. That Mossberg rifle from the CMP and a good sling will take you far. You gota come up with a good excuse to get that Garand and have fun with a little highpower. I can say I've met some really great folks shooting highpower. I don't know what you know about HP but don't worry about the equipment race as all have fun from beginner to HM. Well I can say the Zanesville Rifle Club in Ohio is first rate club for newbies IMHO, based on my experiences. I think how a club takes new folks and works with them, especially during thier first match makes alot of difference as how long they stick with it. I'm hooked bad.

Yours in marksmanship,
Brian
 
Moss, buy the way check out www.jouster.com . A wealth of info there from folks who have invested alot of money in DCM/CMP rifles and spend alot of time shooting and wrenching on them as well.

Brian
 
Brian, I'll check the link out. One of the things I'm looking forward to with the CMP guns, both the smallbore and high-power, is the feeling that I CAN play around with the weapons... take 'em apart, see how they work.

In another thread on the pistol forum, I mentioned that I am hesitant to tear down my Kimber too far without guidance because it is going to be my primary carry gun soon, if I get my concealed-carry permit. I don't want to risk messing it up.

I'd feel the same way about fixing my communting car. I might tear an old pickup down and try rebuilding it, if I didn't depend on it for daily transportion, but I'm not likely to start fooling around with my Mitsu and risk not getting to work tomorrow.

With the M1, I can always hope to order a second one some day, and play mix-and-match, look for spare parts in the "Gun Parts" catalog, and have fun. If I mess it up, I might miss a Sunday afternoon of HP plinking ;P

I'm looking forward to getting into my allotment of 30-06 cartridges!

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to getting into HP riflery.

-Moss

:) :D :)
 
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