By Gerald O’Keefe, CMP Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
This is the second semi-annual update to CMP’s many loyal customers and competitors. I’ll continue to issue these semi-annually to give you some insight into the many activities ongoing at the CMP. When I wrote this six months ago, there were many comments and questions. I think we did a pretty good job answering those, so keep them coming – the dialogue was constructive. As we sit here six months into the fiscal year, it’s amazing how much activity is ongoing at the CMP.
Below is a summary of highlights provided for transparency and to keep you current with upcoming events and new initiatives. In addition to this note, I’ve also included the link to our latest CMP Sales Update which also has some important information – visit https://myemail.constantcontact.com/CMP-Sales-Update-April-10–2024.html?soid=1105372907623&aid=VvvDk3HVJoY to view our latest Sales Update.
Thank you very much for your support, and I hope to see many of you later this spring and summer at our events.
Talladega Marksmanship Park:
Range Pricing: The park remains open weekly, Wed-Thurs (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Fri-Sun (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Rifle and pistol ranges are available for public use for a $30 Daily Fee or $12.50 Hourly Fee. Archery is $12.50 per day, while Shotgun includes variable pricing based on use (one round of Skeet/Trap/Wobble, $8; 5-Stand, $12; Sporting Clays, $45 per 100 clays; Golf Cart Rental, $15 half day, $30 full day). Find more on Talladega Marksmanship Park at https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/.
Corporate Opportunities: With 500 acres of rifle, pistol and shotgun ranges, plus a large crew of qualified individuals to ensure safety on the range, Talladega is a great place to hold team building sessions and other meetings for your business – no prior experience required! Contact the park at (256) 474-4408 or cmptalladega@thecmp.org to inquire about rental and group opportunities!
Talladega D-Day: Part of our Travel Games lineup, the Talladega D-Day matches will be held at the park June 6-9, complete with a full list of outdoor rifle and pistol prospects. The annual event commemorates the anniversary of the Allied Forces landing at Normandy Beach in France back in 1944 and celebrates those brave military members who sacrificed so much for our freedom on that day. Bonus: This year’s D-Day will include shotgun events! Sign up and learn more at https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/talladega-d-day-matches/.
Warm-Up Matches: The facility will also be hosting Highpower National Matches Warm-Up events, June 27-30. The schedule includes a two-person team match, 80 Shot and Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) individual service rifle matches as well as 3×600 Mid-Range matches. The Warm-Up competitions will serve as valuable practice for those attending the National Matches at Camp Perry in July and August. Learn more at https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/talladega-hp-national-match-warm-up/.
Paralympic Tryouts at Talladega and Anniston in April: The CMP is proud to host the third U.S. Paralympic Trials at Talladega and Anniston, April 21-28. As of February 2024, athletes can earn Paris 2024 team selections in the following events where the U.S. has earned quota spots: Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH2; P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1; R6 Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1; and P3 Men’s Air Pistol SH1. Good luck to participating athletes!
Premier Shooting Expo: Don’t forget to “Save the Date” for our second annual CMP Premier Shooting Expo! The trade show event for both vendors and consumers will be held Oct. 26, with food trucks and several members of the media also in attendance. The Expo is the perfect place for marksmanship enthusiasts to gain a hands-on look into the latest products while also allowing businesses valuable exposure. Individual Tickets are on sale now for $40 – get yours today at https://shop.thecmp.org/product/Other/EXPOTICKET. Find individual and vendor information at https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/cmp-premier-shooting-expo/. We hope you’ll join us for this worthwhile opportunity!
Upcoming Events at Camp Perry:
National Matches at Camp Perry: Of course, the CMP is already preparing for the largest event of the year – the annual National Matches. This year’s schedule runs from July 11 to Aug. 10, featuring all the classic Trophy Matches and CMP staple events in rifle (highpower, vintage, smallbore, rimfire sporter), pistol and air gun. Learn more and sign up at https://thecmp.org/cmp-national-matches/. This year’s First Shot speaker is CMP’s own Launi Meili. Launi is a CMP Board member, the coach of the U.S. Air Force Academy Rifle Team and an Olympic gold medal winner. We are thrilled to have Launi officially kick-off the National Matches this year.
Camp Perry Matches Utilizing Electronic Targets!
GSMM Matches at Petrarca Range – April 27 & June 22: The CMP is set to host Garand, Springfield, Vintage and Modern Military (GSMM) rifle match events in the spring and summer – open to all experience levels. These recreational events are designed to create a comforting environment for those new to match procedures while also challenging seasoned individuals through friendly competition.
National Match Highpower Warm-Up – June 20-23: Featuring both individual and team events, these matches are ideal for those in the hunt for a Distinguished Rifleman Badge as well as those looking to gain more time on the range before this summer’s National Matches. The Warm-Up series also includes 3×600 Mid-Range competitions.
CMP June Long Range Match – June 29-30: For the first time, the CMP will host a 1,000-yard, long range rifle event prior to the National Matches – yes, all fired on electronic targets! The match is open to Service, Palma, Match/Any Sight, AR Tactical, F-Open and F-T/R rifles.
Registrations for the Petrarca GSMM, Warm-Up and Long Range events are available on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/competitions/matches/camp-perry-matches/.
Camp Perry Open – May 31-June 3: Don’t miss the 2024 Camp Perry Open! The annual event features 60 Shot Air Rifle & Air Pistol, 3×20 Junior Air Rifle, 3×20 Smallbore Rifle and a fun Super Final match. Learn more and sign up at https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/camp-perry-open/.
Upcoming Events Around the Country:
CMP Travel Games: We’ve begun our Travel Games season, with the successful run of the Talladega Spring Classic at our Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama in March. A total of 189 participants competed in the lineup of rifle and pistol events. Next up will be our Eastern CMP Games, CMP Pistol & CMP Cup Matches, set to fire April 26-May 5, in North Carolina. We’re also excited to again host our New England CMP Games, September 23-29 in Vermont and our Western CMP Games, Oct. 7-13 in Arizona! View info on all our Travel Games at https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-travel-games/. Sign up early, and bring a friend or two!
CMP Bianchi Cup: Our second CMP Bianchi Cup international pistol tournament is set for May 21-24, at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Hallsville, Mo. We’re happy to again have MidwayUSA as the title sponsor of the event, along with several other excellent sponsors who have donated money or prizes to the match. New for 2024, the CMP Bianchi Cup will include a Rimfire Division for juniors, novice competitors and those looking to save on cost, along with Provisional Divisions for Production and Production Optics. Learn more: https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-pistol-program/cmp-bianchi-cup/. Sign up early (before May 1) to be entered into a special raffle for a chance to win great prizes like a 1911 pistol or one of 20, 500-round bricks of pistol .22 ammo.
CMP Junior Rifle Camps: Registration for the CMP’s Junior Rifle Camps is now available! The Junior Rifle Camps, held around the country during the summer months, are excellent tools in developing each athlete’s physical and mental aspects of the sport. Camps offered include 3-Position Air Rifle, Advanced Standing and 3-Position Smallbore – all led by current collegiate rifle athletes. Find a full schedule, review camp information and register today through our website at https://thecmp.org/camps/.
Be sure to register early for all CMP events in order to allow us ample time to prepare!
CMP’s Laser Shot Simulator:
JTS Training for Local Officers: We held a successful first Judgmental Training Software (JTS) training session in Ohio with the nearby Danbury Township Police Department on March 5, 7, and 12. All nine officers in the department ran through virtual scenarios to train their judgment in high-pressure situations.
Simulator Competition: The first “Simulator Competition” was held in conjunction with the 2024 JROTC National Championships at Camp Perry, March 21-23. Cadets in the competition had the chance to qualify for a head-to-head elimination final, with winners receiving gift cards and new CMP merchandise. Winning the inaugural match was Joshua Romero of Pueblo County High School Army JROTC from Colorado. Maximus Wilcox, also of Pueblo County HS Army JROTC, found second, as Alex Johnson of the Utah Military Academy Air Force JROTC ended in third.
National Matches Simulator Event: Likewise, a simulator match for both rifle and pistol has been added to the Camp Perry National Matches schedule for 2024. These competitions are part of the simulator’s “Steel Challenge” application and allow participants a chance to view the simulators in a competitive environment. We will be offering additional competitions to follow in the future.
Rent Our Simulators! Simulators are now available to rent by the hour! Only $100 for access to both of the units as well as any of the simulator firearms. Contact Ryan Hinson at (419) 635-2141, ext. 707 or email rhinson@thecmp.org for more details.
Alabama Installation: Mobile simulators for the Alabama locations are expected to be delivered in late April, along with the new M1 Garand simulated firearms for CMP South – set to be available for D-Day events at Talladega!
For the Future: Stay close to the CMP for updates to our simulator offerings, including the start of virtual competitions across the country! Learn more about our simulators at https://thecmp.org/ranges/cmp-competition-centers/indoor-marksmanship-simulator/.
Competition Center Rentals: Don’t forget, our CMP Competition Centers in Ohio and Alabama are great locations for your meetings and team outings. Contact Catherine at (419) 635-2141, ext. 704 or email cgreen@thecmp.org for more information.
Sales: First, it’s important for you to understand that proceeds from firearms sales reduce the cost of CMP marksmanship competitions and firearms safety programs and make possible CMP marksmanship innovation, youth programs, scholarships and competition centers. These sales effectively enable all we do.
M1911 Pistol Options: A couple of months ago, we received the fiscal year 2024 tranche of surplus M1911s from the Department of the Army – 10,000 of them, which is fantastic. In terms of orders and availability, we are still in the process of filling M1911 orders for Round 4. We expect to announce Round Five this fall, once Round 4 starts winding down. And, I’ll give you a status update on that in October in my next update. While we are still assessing the pistols we just received, it looks like the quality is pretty good.
Commercial Gun Sales: The tentative release of commercial gun sales at the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park is set for June 1. Such commercial firearm companies to be featured within the facility’s Pro Shop includes GLOCK, Tisas and Kimber Manufacturing, with more to come in the near future. The CMP is pleased to announce our partnership with Tisas USA to provide an extraordinary CMP-branded, museum-grade replica of the M1911A1 to our many customers and competitors. Stay tuned for updates as we release more information in the near future.
Surplus Ammo Transfer: We received a tranche of surplus ammunition from the Army in January of this year. While most of it was .22, we did get some .45 caliber ammo, and we’ll begin selling that on the CMP e-store on May 1, with a set amount reserved for competitors at reduced pricing. We have just over 400,000 rounds of .45, and we expect the demand to be high. So, as we stressed in our CMP Sales Update . . . please get your paperwork in order prior to May 1!
Update on M1917s, M1903s, Navy rifles: The M1917s and 1903 rifles are limited in quantity, with no future plans for those models in the foreseeable future. Navy Mod 0 and Mod 1 rifles were just released in April, as many of you saw from our CMP Sales Update. Again, we are selling what we have in inventory for all of these fantastic rifles, and once they are gone, we don’t expect to see more transferred from the Department of the Army/Defense – at least not in any significant quantities.
Lockton Insurance Relationship: The CMP continues to offer clubs and members of the CMP community access to a wide range of affordable insurance solutions through our partnership with Lockton Affinity Outdoor. Starting at $50 per year, coverage with Lockton Affinity Outdoor helps protect against loss to personal items, property damage, third-party injuries and more. Learn more at https://locktonaffinityoutdoor.com/cmp/.
Missouri Facility: Recently, the CMP Board members revisited the project for the facility in Columbia, MO., (donated to the CMP from the MidwayUSA Foundation in 2022) and are developing use cases in terms of how that facility can best meet the shooting and training needs of the MO and Midwest population. I’ll provide a status update on this in my next semi-annual note.
CMP Scholarships: The CMP received over 400 applications for this year’s scholarship program! The deadline to apply ended on March 31, and the CMP Scholarship Committee is already hard at work reviewing the accomplishments of our talented junior student-athletes. CMP is offering one-year $1,000, $3,000 and $5,000 scholarships, along with four $20,000 scholarships ($5,000 over four years)! Special scholarships to those local to Camp Perry, Ohio, and Anniston/Talladega, Ala., will also be awarded.
Upcoming Events:
| 11- 13 April | CMP 3P Regional | Anniston, AL |
| 11- 13 April | CMP 3P Regional | Port Clinton, OH |
| 13-14 April | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament – Alabama ASA State Qualifier | Talladega, AL |
| 18 – 20 April | CMP 3P Regional | Sandy, UT |
| 20-21 April | Sporting Clays Monthly Match | Talladega, AL |
| 22-28 April | USA Shooting Para Trials | Anniston & Talladega AL |
| 26 April | Level II – HP Rifle & Pistol RO Classes | Eastern Games – Camp Butner, NC |
| 26 April – 5 May | Eastern Games | Camp Butner, NC |
| 27 April | GSMM Master Instructor Course | Eastern Games – Camp Butner, NC |
| 27 April | GSMM Matches – Petrarca Range | Camp Perry, OH |
| 4 May | CMP Monthly Match – 60 Shot Standing, Rifle & Pistol – 60 shot, 3 Position Air Rifle | Anniston, AL – Judith Legerski CMP Competition Center Camp Perry, OH – Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center |
| 18-19 May | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament | Talladega, AL |
| 21-24 May | CMP Bianchi Cup | Hallsville, MO |
| 25-26 May | Sporting Clays Monthly Match | Talladega, AL |
| 27-31 May | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 1 | Anniston, AL |
| 31 May – June 3 | Camp Perry Open | Camp Perry, OH |
| 3-7 June | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 2 | Anniston, AL |
| 6-9 June | Talladega D-Day | Talladega, AL |
| 8-9 June | Buckeye Open – Prone Smallbore Match | Camp Perry, OH |
| 10-14 June | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 3 | Anniston, AL |
| 10-14 June | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 4 | Denver , CO |
| 15-16 June | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament | Talladega, AL |
| 17-19 June | Summer Camp – Standing Camp 1 | Anniston, AL |
| 20-22 June | CMP National Championship – Sporter | Camp Perry, OH |
| 22 June | GSMM Matches – Petrarca Range | Camp Perry , OH |
| 20-23 June | 2024 National MatchWarm- Up Camp Perry | Viale Range – Camp Perry, OH |
| 23-30 June | Interservice Rifle Matches | Quantico, VA |
| 25-28 June | Summer Camp – Smallbore Camp 1 | Tacoma, WA |
| 26-28 June | Summer Camp – Standing Camp 2 | Anniston, AL |
| 27-30 June | 2024 National Match Warm-Up – Talladega | Talladega, AL |
| 29-30 June | Sporting Clays Monthly Match | Talladega, AL |
| 29-30 June | Long Range Test Match | Viale Range, Camp Perry, OH |
| 1-3 July | Summer Camp – Standing Camp 3 | Camp Perry, OH |
| 8-10 July | CMP National Championship – Precision | Camp Perry, OH |
| 11 July | Level II – Smallbore/ Rimfire RO Classes | Camp Perry, OH |
| 11-13 July | National Air RifleChampionships | Camp Perry, OH |
| 11 July – 10 August | National Matches | Camp Perry, OH |
| 13-14 July | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament | Talladega, AL |
| 14 July | Level II – Pistol RO Classes | Camp Perry, OH |
| 15 -19 July | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 5 | Anniston, AL |
| 15-18 July | National Air PistolChampionships | Camp Perry, OH |
| 22-26 July | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 5 | Anniston, AL |
| 26 July | GSMM Master Instructor Course | National Matches – Camp Perry, Ohio |
| 27 July | Level II – HP Rifle RO Class | Camp Perry, OH |
| 27-28 July | Sporting Clays Monthly Match | Talladega, AL |
| 29 July – 2 August | Summer Camp – 3P Camp 7 | Camp Perry, OH |
| 10- 11 August | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament | Talladega, AL |
| 22-30 August | National Veterans Golden Age Games | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| 24-25 August | Sporting Clays Monthly Match | Talladega, AL |
| 24-25 August | Ohio State Prone Smallbore Championship | Camp Perry, OH |
| 14 September | CMP Monthly Match – 60 Shot Standing , Rifle & Pistol- 60 shot , 3 Position Air Rifle | Anniston, AL – Judith Legerski CMP Competition Center Camp Perry, OH – Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center |
| 14-15 September | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament | Talladega, AL |
| 23-29 September | CMP Travel Games – New England Games | Camp Ethan Allen, Jericho, VT |
| 24 September | Level II – HP Rifle & Pistol RO Classes | Eastern Games – Camp Ethan Allen, Jericho VT |
| 5-6 October | Monthly 3D Archery Tournament | Talladega, AL |
| 7-13 October | Western Games | Phoenix, AZ |
| 8 October | Level II – HP Rifle & Pistol RO Classes | Western Games, Phoenix, AZ |
| 12 October | GSMM Master Instructor Course | Western Games – Phoenix, AZ |
| 12 October | CMP Monthly Match – 60 Shot Standing , Rifle & Pistol- 60 shot , 3 Position Air Rifle | Anniston, AL – Judith Legerski CMP Competition Center Camp Perry, OH – Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center |
| 26 October | Talladega CMP Premier Shooting Expo | Talladega, AL |
| 31 October – 3 November | Dixie Double | Anniston, AL – Judith Legerski CMP Competition Center |
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.