John C. Garand CMP-Sanctioned Rifle Match

Truly a great experience, every M1 Garand owner, enthusiast and shooter should enter a John C. Garand rifle match. What better way to compete with some of the best shooters in your area and, if so inclined, at the national level at the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio.

For me, the competition was one element, but the learning experience and instruction I received from fellow shooters were the most rewarding parts of this event.


With a few of the shooters-reenactors

This day had over 100 participants and 5 relays. I was shooting in Relay 3 working the target pits for Relays 1, 4, 5 and scoring for Relay 2. I'll get into "working the pits" later.


With one of the first shooters I met when I first started

The Course of Fire (CoF) is the 50 shot NMC with 5 sighters All stages are preceded by a three minute preparation period.

The match is divided into 4 separate stages. The aggregate of stages 1, 2, 3, and 4 determines the overall Match Winner.

Stage 1 - Prone position, 200 yards, slow fire, 5 sighting shots and 20 shots for record in a time limit of 25 minutes.

Stage 2 - Prone position from standing, 200 yards, rapid fire, one string of 10 record shots in a time limit of 70 seconds, 1 required reload during string.

Stage 3 - Sitting position from standing, 200 yards, rapid fire, 1 string of 10 record shots in a time limit of 60 seconds, 1 required reload during string.

Stage 4 - Standing offhand position, 200 yards, slow fire, 10 shots for record in a time limit of 10 minutes.


On the 200 yard firing line

Since all shots are made at the 200 yard firing line, I didn't deviate much from my regular ammunition loads. In fact, they might've even been a little overkill. I noticed some shooters even using 125 grain bullets. But I still used 147 gr. BTHPs, 48,5 grs. IMR4895, and CCI No. 34 mil-spec primers. At 200 yards, I had +6 clicks elevation (at a 100 yard zero) with no left or right windage adjustment given the relative calm we had this day.


Working the Target "Pits"

For me, working the target pits is really an enjoyable experience. Nothing like bullets flying overhead at super-sonic speeds! The initial sighters are interesting. As shooters are adjusting for elevation and windage, you get the occasional berm shots.

Score Keeping (Source: RBGC)

You are seldom idle in a high power tournament. If you are not shooting and you are not pulling targets, then you will be keeping score. It is easy (and embarrasing!) to miss a shot while scoring. Pay attention to your shooter. You must watch for the target being pulled just as your shooter lets one go. This can be the result of another shooter cross-firing on your target, or the puller was not paying attention and pulling the target in error. These shots are not scorred and the shooter will re-fire. Slam-fires count as a shot. Mis-fires do not. The rule is that the bullet must be fired.

Slowfire Scoring

During slow fire stages the target puller spots the shot and places the scoring disk to indicate the value of the hit. When your shooter fires, the target should go down within five seconds. If it dosn't call for a mark ("mark eleven, mark one-one"). Watch for the target to come up. As it starts to move get in the scope. Mark the value in the appropriate box on the score card.

Slowfire Pit Service

During slow fire stages you will pull the target down after each shot. The spotter gets pulled from the target and the hole it was in gets repaired with a black or white paster. The 3" spotter disk then goes in the new bullet hole to mark the hit. The spotter has a white and a black side and it is placed in the target to contrast the color where the hit is scored. This makes it easy to see from the firing line. A hit on the line between the 7 and 8 ring below would be spotted white out since its value is an 8 and the eight ring is black.Then a red or black 6" scoring disk goes on the target in one of eight locations to indicate the value of the score.

Rapid Fire Service

Rapid fire pit service is a little different from slow fire. Sighter shots will be spotted and scored slow fire style, that is pull, spot and score each shot. There will be two sighter shots preceding the rapid strings in all except LEG matches.

After the 2 minute sighter period, you will be instructed to clean up your target and bring it to half mast. Pull your target down, remove all spotter and scoring disks and repair all bullet holes with the approiate color paster then bring your target to the half mast position and wait for the pit officials commands.

When the firing line is ready, the pit official will call out "Stand by your targets". Then "Targets UP!" You immediately raise your target to the firing position. At this time you will count the number of shots that are fired on your target. When the time aproaches a few seconds remaining, the pit officer will again call out "Stand by your targets", then at the command "Targets down!" you immediately pull your target down weather your shooter has fired all ten shots or not.

The reason for counting the shots is a redundant check between you and the shooter's scorer on the number of shots fired. Some of the things that happen are:

• Shooter has a malfunction resulting in less than 10 hits.
• Shooter shots too slow resulting in less than 10 hits.
• Another shooter cross-fires on your targer, resulting in more than 10 hits.
• Your shooter cross-fires on another target, resulting in less than 10 hits.
• Shooter fires 10 shots, but there are only 9 holes in the target.
• Shooter fires more than 10 shots.

Overall, a good experience. I am definitely looking forward to the next match.