Rediscovering the fun and learning at a CMP match!

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NWPilgrim

New member
Last weekend I shot in my second CMP match. My first was 15 years ago when I shot to qualify to get buy my first CMP firearms (two Garands and a Remington 40x .22LR). It included a brief introduction and demonstration but not much hands-on training for positions, sling, etc.

This second match was fantastic (Douglas Ridge in Oregon). We had almost four hours classroom and hands-on instruction Friday evening. I learned much more about the CMP shooting positions and adjusting the web sling, rather than the leather sling. Covered all the basics of M1 operation, sighting, positions, match rules, and logistics for the match the next day.

Saturday we split into two relays of 10 shooters, about half new CMP shooters and half experienced match shooters on each relay. Relay 1 shot first, while Relay 2 worked the pits. This my was my first time working a range pit pulling and marking targets. We were kept very busy and the time flew.

Relay 2 rotated to the 200 yd line. I tried a different offhand position and shot horribly. Learned quickly that a good position practiced beforehand is more than half the battle for accuracy. Sitting position was much better for me as I found a good natural position and the rifle just settled back on target after each round. We then moved to 300 yd for rapid fire prone, after which we rotated again.

After the pits we rotated again to the 600 yd line for slow fire at 600 yds. I never in my life shot at anything beyond 300 yds. This was exciting for me to even attempt to hit a barn at 600 yds. The slow fire prone was excruciating. We had 22 minutes to shoot 2 sighters and 20 rounds for score. The target marking between shots took much of the minute per shot (newbies matched with newbies in the two relays) so we did not have that much time to actually take the shots. We also scored our own shots so there was a lot of moving out of position to rest and wait for the score, look through scope for shot, mark the score and get back into position. Obviously as we get more experienced with faster scoring and staying in position and having a third relay of shooters to score for you would speed things up. Even so, the 22 minutes flew by.

Overall we had a beautiful 75 degree day and the volunteers ran the match like clockwork. It was great to meet other Garand enthusiasts and learn much more about the proper positions and techniques. I am really pumped up for my trip to Illinois this month from which I will make a drive over to Port Clinton, OH to hand pick service grade Garands with one of my SILs (my third and his first). Yes, Port Clinton is "in the neighborhood" of St Louis when you come from the West Coast. :)

If you have not been to a CMP match before, or not for many years, then consider trying it. A lot of fun and lots of experience to draw from. All dripping with glorious history!
 
Good Write UP

I'm a CMP GSM Master Instructor, and put on clinics and matches. Always a great bunch of people shooting surplus rifles.

I've shot and ran a great deal of different matches over the years, it seems the GSM (Garand, Springfield, Vintage military) rifle crowd wins out when it comes to comradship.

The clinics are a good place to learn to shoot, low or no cost, they often furnish the ammo and have loaner rifles to use to see if its for you.

Every time I run a clinic/match, at the following club meeting, new buyers show up with their CMP purchases.
 
Thanks Kraig. The first match I shot just so I could get a CMP Garand. This second one hooked me to shoot more matches just for fun. Guys like you that put on these matches make it possible for thousands of us newbies to experience a low cost, fun, competition. It cost me $30 for 60 rounds of ammo, 4 hours instruction and 7 hours of shooting and pit work. And I made two new shooting buddies and met several good folks.
 
This second match was fantastic (Douglas Ridge in Oregon). We had almost four hours classroom and hands-on instruction Friday evening. I learned much more about the CMP shooting positions and adjusting the web sling, rather than the leather sling. Covered all the basics of M1 operation, sighting, positions, match rules, and logistics for the match the next day.
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I found this interesting, so I checked out their website. $10 registration gets you the Friday class (6-9:30 PM) in addition to the match Saturday?? That sounds like a great deal for all that instruction as well as range practice. :)

I did the CMP match thing many many years ago to get my M1, but I'm very interested to do this again - sounds like great bang-for-the-buck. Not sure if I have a sling for my M1, what if I don't?

If you can post more info on your experience there, I'd be happy to read it. I live in the Wilamette Valley and am not all that familiar with that area.
 
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Yes, the $30 was for the class, match, loaner rifle and 60 rds of ammo (and two clips). If you provide your own ammo I believe the class and match and loaner are only $10.

They have a couple of web slings (cotton OD) for about $25 (like new USGI). If you use a loaner rifle it has it on it. Other sources:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=966254
http://www.ammogarand.com/m1-garand-sling-usg1.html
http://www.thecollectorsource.com/product/slingvcifoil

They provide all the targets, spotting scopes, shooting mats. You will want to pack a lunch you can eat in the pits, a couple of bottles of water, a leather glove (I used my handyman glove), sunscreen, ball cap, ear and eye protection, and long loose pants and shirt, and sturdy shoes or light boots. They have CMP matches in July, August, December, March and May(?) - five times a year. The summer matches are the 200/300/600 yd course of fire. The winter ones are all shot from 100 yds like the first one I did in Albany.

Charlie McAlister is the long time CMP match coordinator/trainer but he is ramping up a couple of other guys to relieve him so he can get back to shooting the matches with his wife.

The Douglas Ridge Rifle Club is about 8 miles north of Estacada on SR-224. It is right below the high tension power lines so when you see the power lines you know the entrance is THERE. Beautiful rural countryside. All the folks there hosting the match are real friendly and relaxed; safety, learning and fun are priorities.

Even the 100 yds version would be great fun and learning, and a lot faster as there would be no time spent transitioning to other firing lines. But I enjoyed the opportunity to actually shoot at 200/300 and especially 600 yds. Even though the target stays the same size relative to the front sight post, it seems the shots fly much wilder at 600 yds. I tried using very slight Kentucky windage to fine tune 7-ring hits when I was sure I had a good center hold on the bullseye. But every time I tried to hold a nanometer to the side I would get a miss. I gave up and just held dead center and settled for a string of 7s. (I didn't want to mess with the windage as it was a loaner and that is harder to reset to zero when used by many people.)

In the excitement of shooting at 600 yds I was so focused on my hits, reacquiring position and sighting that I forgot to score my first 6 shots! I had to score them as misses. I actually did my best at the 200 yd sitting rapid fire.

The instruction also covers how to zero each M1, starting with 6-8 clicks up from bottom. Each loaner rifle has a card in the buttstock with its zero setting. They also give recommendations on how many clicks to go up from 100 to 200 yds (+2), 200 to 300 yds (+3) and 300 to 600 yds (+10). Ends up around 21 or more clicks up from bottom IIRC.

I can't make the August match but I am planning to do the December match. Estacada is about 25 miles SE of Oregon City (I-205). Other area CMP matches I know of are at Tri-County Gun Club in Sherwood, and Albany Rifle Club in Albany, OR.
 
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That sounds like a lot of fun. It's been ~20 yrs since I did any 500-600 yd shooting. I checked out the one you mentioned in Albany but couldn't find any CMP match info. Do you recall if there was any difference in the instruction session @ Albany vs. Douglas Ridge? Fom your original post:
... It included a brief introduction and demonstration but not much hands-on training for positions, sling, etc.

This second match was fantastic (Douglas Ridge in Oregon). We had almost four hours classroom and hands-on instruction Friday evening. I learned much more about the CMP shooting positions and adjusting the web sling, rather than the leather sling. Covered all the basics of M1 operation, sighting, positions, match rules, and logistics for the match the next day.
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What you've written above I'm finding of most interest.
 
Wow, what a fun time! I was visiting my daughter and SIL in Illinois and we thought, "Since we are already east of the Mississippi, why not swing by Port Clinton, OK?" Actually, we have been planning this for a few months.

We left IL at 5am and arrived at CMP Store about 3:00pm on a Saturday. Looks like some shooting competitions were going on as lots of guys were wandering in with competition T-shirts, etc.

That late in the day there were only 5 service grade Springfield Armory rifles in the rack. There was several H&R service grade rifles but they were a little bit more worn on the metal. We found two nice rifles, both graded 1+ and 1+ for muzzle and throat. One is a H&R in the 4.7 million range and the other SA in the 5.7 million range. Both have near pristine barrels and receivers and the older milled trigger guard. They both have gouges in the stocks where other rifles were obviously stacked against them, but not much wear and tear on the wood otherwise (the fit is tight and the corners are sharp).

It is way more fun and much better to visit one of the CMP stores in person than take your chances via mail. I ought two via mail from Oregon, and this last one is WAY better condition. The racks had service grade rifles from 1+/1+ like ours to 2/4 or worse. Some H&Rs had NEW wood but slightly more worn metal and 2/2 barrels. It was really nice to get exactly what we wanted.

I suspect that if you show up in the morning or early in the week there may be more selection in service grade (seems to be plenty of rack and field grade rifles). I think the gouges in the wood is what kept these 1/1 beauties on the rack waiting for us. :D

I could have spent a lot more time there, but we decided to drive back to IL that evening and so hit the road just before closing at 4:30pm. Showed them my passport (citizenship), M1 Garand Collectors membership card, and certificate from the CMP Match shoot, and gave them my credit card info. Order form goes into a inbox while the rifle is packed up in a pretty decent hard plastic case (free with rifle purchase now). After about 20 minutes our names were called and we were given our receipts to take to the exit window where they gave us the cased rifles.

Just spent this afternoon steam cleaning the cosmoline off the wood and metal, then wiping the metal down with mineral spirits and finally wiping with Break Free. Dried the wood in the sun and then lightly sanded with 150 grit. Debating how much to clean and sand the wood. May leave it with some of the "old" stuff embedded.

I LOVE THIS RIFLE! Pictures to follow when I get it assembled and ready.
 
We left IL at 5am and arrived at CMP Store about 3:00pm on a Saturday. Looks like some shooting competitions were going on as lots of guys were wandering in with competition T-shirts, etc.
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Did you show up Saturday, August 6? That would have been the vintage and games matches. Talk about good timing to show up at Camp Perry! :D (I left Friday 8/5, having been there for the President's 100, NTI and NTT. Oh, and spending too much time renting their AiR-15s at the airgun range. Very much fun!)

Anyway, welcome to the world of Highpower! Perhaps you will find yourself eager to attend some NRA matches, or participate in a local league, or do all of the above. Let us know when you're hooked and looking for your first AR-15 Service Rifle! The M-1s are great fun, but I can't imagine shooting an issue-grade Garand at 600-yards, even with handloads. A tuned-rifle with NM sights and a Kreiger would change the equation. ;)
 
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