The 2004 National Trophy Rifle Matches are just 11 weeks away and it is time for all of us to make final plans for this year’s matches.  This CMP rifle competitions update is being sent to everyone who competed in the 2003 National Trophy Rifle Matches or who attended the 2003 Rifle Small Arms Firing School.  It provides the latest information from CMP to help you enter and prepare for this year’s matches.

17 MAY 2004

ON-LINE ENTRY IN NATIONAL TROPHY RIFLE MATCHES.  Last year, the CMP took Small Arms Firing School entries on-line through our new Competition Tracker system—it worked great.  This year, you can enter all CMP National Matches events on-line, including matches and schools.  If you plan to shoot in this year’s Rifle President’s or National Trophy Individual Matches, the John C. Garand Match, the Springfield/Vintage Military Rifle Match or the new M16 EIC Match, you can enter them on-line now through the CMP web site.  Just open the CMP Competition Tracker at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi.  Click on “Upcoming Matches and Events,” select National Trophy Rifle Matches “Information” and follow instructions to submit your entry and pay your fees.  Or, if you prefer, you can complete and mail the CMP Rifle Entry Card that will come out with the National Matches mailing the NRA is sending out this month.  This year, if you mail your National Trophy Matches entry in, you will need to send your entry directly to the CMP.

2004 RIFLE SMALL ARMS   FIRING SCHOOL

Many of you received your introduction to the National Matches by attending a Small Arms Firing School.  The 2004 Rifle SAFS will take place on Sunday and Monday, 1-2 August.  Shooters in this year’s school must fire the M16 rifle issued by the school.  This change is intended to make it easier to focus instructors’ and coaches’ efforts on instructing and assisting beginning shooters.  Experienced competitors who want to get some range time with their match rifles should remember that there is an open practice session on Monday afternoon, 2 August.  If you know someone who is thinking about getting started in highpower rifle target shooting, encourage them to go to Camp Perry and attend the 2004 Rifle Small Arms Firing School.  Please let anyone in your club or community who might be interested know that all they have to do to register and get more information is to log on to the CMP web site at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi.

EARLY ENTRY IS IMPORTANT.  The morning relays for the Garand and Springfield Matches fill up fast every year.  This year, there will be almost double the number of morning relay spaces for the Garand Match, but they are still expected to go quickly.  The new M16 EIC Match is limited to 372 entries, which also could fill up quickly.  Last year, we had a waiting list of about 50 shooters for the President’s Match and we were very close to having to waitlist NTI entries.  Thanks to the cooperation we received from NRA range officials, we were able to get every one of the shooters who wanted to shoot the President’s Match on the line on the morning of the match when they filled in for no shows, but we were down to the last two or three available firing points when firing commenced.  Entries in these matches and requests for morning relays will be confirmed in the order they are received.  Make your entries on-line through the CMP Competition Tracker at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi to get your 2004 entry in as soon as possible.  CMP will follow these procedures in taking entries:

 

1. Entries will be confirmed after they are received.  Entries will be confirmed via email if at all possible.  The confirmation will indicate status (accepted, waitlisted, etc.) in each match you enter.

2. In any match where entries or relay requests exceed range capacity, entries will be waitlisted in the order they are received.

3. Any competitor who holds a confirmed entry who learns that they will not be able to attend the matches is urged to contact CMP Competitions (419-635-2141, ext 1132 or competitions@odcmp.com) as soon as possible so that those firing positions can be made available to other competitors.

4. As firing positions become available and competitors move off of the waitlist they will be notified.

5. Competitors who remain on the waitlist will have first priority for filling available firing positions on the day of the match in the order of their waitlist priority number.

6. Walk-on entries on the day of the match will not be squadded until all waitlisted competitors have been given an opportunity to fill empty firing positions.

CMP NATIONAL TROPHY RIFLE MATCHES.  Match operations for the President’s and NTI Matches will be essentially the same as last year.  We are working on a few changes that should make those matches better, however.  We may not be able to get it done in time for this year’s matches, but the CMP is trying to obtain a new speaker system for the ranges.  If successful, this should eliminate some of the range delays encountered last year when the speaker systems repeatedly went down.  In order to improve Garand and Infantry Trophy Match operations, the National Trophy Infantry Team Match has been moved from Viale Range to Rodriguez Range, while the Garand Match will be fired on Viale Range only.

NATIONAL TROPHY RIFLE MATCHES.  The 2004 National Trophy Rifle Matches will take place at Camp Perry on 3-7 August.  Here is a summary of this year’s match schedule:

¥ Saturday, 31 July.  Small Arms Firing School registration.  USMC Junior HP Clinic starts at noon.

¥ Sunday, 1 August.  SAFS and USMC Junior HP Clinic.

¥ Monday, 2 August.  SAFS and USMC Junior HP Clinic ends at noon.  Service rifle squadded practice in the afternoon

¥ Tuesday, 3 August.  President’s Rifle Match.

¥ Wednesday, 4 August.  National Trophy Individual Rifle Match.

¥ Thursday, 5 August.  Whistler Boy Junior Highpower Team Match, or M16 EIC Match for Non-Distinguished Shooters with no EIC points.

¥ Friday, 6 August.  National Trophy Team Match, or Springfield/Vintage Military Rifle Match.

¥ Saturday, 7 August.  National Trophy Infantry Team Match, and/or John C. Garand Match.

 

The official program is being mailed by the NRA this month and should arrive in your mailbox within the next few days, if you do not already have it.  If you do not receive your National Matches program package from the NRA within the next two or three weeks, contact the CMP Competitions Department, 419-635-2141, ext 1132 or 1123; email competitions@odcmp.com.  Match operations this year will be similar to last year.  The CMP and NRA will each handle the entries and results for their respective matches.  The CMP will continue to utilize the services of the outstanding NRA range officials and volunteers who will conduct firing on the ranges.  The only difference this year is that entries in the NRA matches must be sent to the NRA, while all entries for the CMP National Trophy Matches must be sent directly to the CMP and not through the NRA.

M16 EIC MATCH.  The 2004 National Matches Program has an exciting new match.  The CMP has been working in cooperation with the Army Marksmanship Unit to establish an M16 EIC Match that will be fired on Rodriguez Range the morning of 5 August, during the Whistler Boy Junior Team Match.  The event will be fired with rack-grade M16 rifles that are used in the Small Arms Firing School.  Entry is limited to Non-Distinguished competitors who have not earned any rifle EIC credit points.  There will be a maximum of 372 firing positions.  The top ten percent of the eligible competitors in this match will receive an “introductory leg” counting four EIC credit points.  One of its primary purposes is to introduce new shooters to service rifle shooting and the exciting quest for Distinguished status.  Additional information on this match can be found in the National Matches Program that was just mailed by the NRA.  Detailed information on this match can be found in the supplemental program posted on the CMP web site at http://www.odcmp.com/nm/cmpgames.htm.  Enter this match on-line by going to the CMP Competition Tracker start page at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchInfo.cgi?matchID=346.

JOHN C. GARAND AND SPRINGFIELD/VINTAGE MILITARY RIFLE MATCHES.  We had record numbers of entries in both matches last year, with 1344 turning in scorecards for the Garand Match and 614 for the Springfield/Military Rifle Match.  The big change in the Garand Match this year is moving the entire match to Viale Range.  With six morning relays, this will almost double the number of shooters who can be accommodated on early relays.  Firing should also be completed earlier than in previous years.  This move also assures that the colorful atmosphere of the Garand Match that previously was focused on Rodriguez Range will be available to all competitors.  The Springfield/Vintage Military Rifle Match format will be similar to last year except that if the available range capacity of 837 firing positions is not filled, competitors already entered in the match will be given a “double entry option” that will allow them to draw for any available firing positions so they can fire a Springfield rifle on one relay and an as-issued foreign military rifle on another relay.  For full details on these changes and the complete match program, see the supplemental program that is now posted at http://www.odcmp.com/nm/cmpgames.htm.  Enter these matches on-line by going to the Competition Tracker start page at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchInfo.cgi?matchID=346.

CMP COMPETITION TRACKER SYSTEM AND RESULTS POSTING.  The 2003 National Trophy Rifle Matches inaugurated the CMP’s new Competition Tracker and the system worked as planned.  During last year’s President’s, NTI and NTT matches, we posted scores on the CMP web site, within 30 to 45 minutes after they were fired, and had hundreds of people around the country checking scores during the matches.  National Trophy Rifle scores fired during the matches on 3-7 August will again be posted on the Internet.  And we’re working on innovations that will get the results posted even sooner.  Tell your shooting club, team members and family members how they can watch National Match results on the Internet by logging on to the CMP Competition Tracker at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi.

NATIONAL TROPHY RIFLE MATCHES AWARD CEREMONY AND RECEPTION.  The CMP National Trophy Award Ceremony will again take place on Friday evening, 6 August, starting at 6:30 PM.  The CMP will host an informal reception for competitors in the Petrarca Range covered firing point starting at 5:30 PM.  The ceremony will begin with the presentation of the newest class of shooters who earned their coveted Distinguished Rifleman Badges and continue with the presentation of National Trophies for all events, except the Garand and Infantry Team Matches that take place the next day.  Plan to attend this impressive ceremony.  Remember, any of you who earned your Distinguished Rifleman Badges since the last National Matches and who want to be recognized on stage during the award ceremony must bring your badges to Camp Perry and must contact CMP Competitions staff before the ceremony so we can be sure your name is in the list of shooters to be called on stage.

NATIONAL TROPHY MATCHES FESTIVAL CLOSING.  Many who attended the Centennial Celebration that ended the 2003 National Trophy Matches remarked about how much they enjoyed its relaxed, festival atmosphere where competitors could eat, drink refreshments, have conversations with their friends, see the last group of trophies be presented and even have their photos taken with the trophies that were displayed outside.  We’re planning a similar event this year.  A National Trophy Rifle Matches Festival Closing will take place outdoors, weather permitting, on Saturday evening, 7 August, starting at 6:00 PM or as soon as possible after Garand Match firing concludes.  Garand and Infantry Trophy awards will be displayed for presentation later in the evening.  Tables and chairs will be set up under the Petrarca Range covered firing points.  The CMP will provide beer and soft drinks.  Food vendors will be invited to set up next to the range so that competitors can have their evening meal there.  Plan your trip to Camp Perry so that you can attend this festive event.

EIC MATCHES NOW POSTED ON CMP WEB SITE.  If you log on to the CMP Competition Tracker site, http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi, and look at “Upcoming Matches and Events,” you also will find a complete list of all upcoming Rifle EIC Matches with contact information for those matches.  If you check “Competition Results,” you will be able to check scores from EIC matches that have already been fired.  The CMP’s ultimate goal is to make it possible for shooters who compete in EIC matches to check the results and the lists of EIC credit point winners for matches they fire during the days immediately following the match.  To make this work, the CMP is now asking all EIC Match Sponsors to send scorecards for their EIC matches just as soon as possible after the match.

AWARD RIFLES CONFIRMED.  The schedule of award rifles for the 2004 CMP Matches will again offer eight special presentation rifles.  Compass Lake Engineering is providing a CLE AR-15 competition rifle for the top junior service rifle shooter.  Bushmaster is providing a Bushmaster DCM AR-15 competition rifle for the top service rifle shooter overall.  National Match Armory is providing presentation M1 Garands for the winners of the Pistol President’s, Pistol NTI and Rifle NTI matches.  National Match Armory is also preparing presentation rifles for special drawing winners in the Springfield and Garand Matches.  Arrington Accuracy Works is providing a presentation M1 Garand for the Rifle President’s Match winner.  We express our sincere gratitude to Arrington Accuracy Works, Bushmaster, Compass Lake Engineering and National Match Armory and for their outstanding support of the 2004 National Trophy Matches and the shooters who compete in them.

USMC JUNIOR HIGHPOWER SERVICE RIFLE CLINIC.  Junior highpower shooters who have previous experience in highpower rifle competition and who plan to attend the 2004 National Matches can now register for this year’s clinic on-line.  Log on to the same CMP web site at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi, select “Upcoming Matches and Events,” then select “CMP-USMC Junior Highpower Clinic” and follow the instructions to fill out the registration form.

CMP NATIONAL MATCHES JUNIOR HIGHPOWER SUPPORT PROGRAM.  Junior service rifle competitors who are 18 years of age or younger and who have not received support from this program for more than one year may be eligible to receive financial assistance from the CMP to partially reimburse them for expenses incurred in attending the National Matches.  For a complete description of the program and application forms, check the CMP web site at http://www.odcmp.com/NM/JrHPSupport.htm.

SPECIAL CLINICS.  In addition to the Rifle SAFS and USMC Junior clinic at the beginning of the week, there are other special clinics that provide valuable instruction, especially to newer National Matches competitors.  Infantry Trophy shooters will want to attend the USMC Infantry Trophy Clinic that takes place on Thursday, 5 August, starting at 2:00 PM or as soon as the Whistler Boy Team Match concludes.  This clinic will be offered on Viale Range.  Bring your rifle and ammo to this clinic because it also offers a valuable opportunity to establish an Infantry Trophy zero through 500 yard firing.  Springfield and Garand Clinics will be conducted on Petrarca Range on Thursday, 5 August, at 6:00 PM, on Friday, 6 August at 4:00 PM and on Saturday, 7 August, at 9:00 AM.  First-time Garand and Springfield shooters are required to attend these informative clinics that are open to all competitors in those matches.

ENTERING NRA CHAMPIONSHIPS.  You can also enter the NRA national championships on-line.  Click on http://www.nrahq.org/compete/camp_perry_signup.asp.  And don’t forget to enter the CMP National Trophy Matches through the CMP web site at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi.  Good luck to all of you as you practice and compete in preparation for the 2004 National Matches.  We look forward to welcoming you back to Camp Perry and we hope you will bring some new shooters and juniors with you.

 

Gary Anderson

Director of Civilian Marksmanship