ON THE MARK THE NEWSLETTER FOR COACHES AND JUNIOR SHOOTERS WINTER 2013 CMP Firearm Safety... First, last & always What’s New... JROTC Cadets Excel CMP Air Rifle Championship Approaches CMP Christens New “To-Go” Range CMP Promotes Safety to New and Experienced Shooters With recent events around the country, gun safety has never been more of a hot button in American culture. Rumors that guns are unsafe for civilians to use are cascading across news mediums and public forums as never before. But, despite the bad publicity swirling around gun control, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) still stands committed to the teaching and practicing of firearm safety procedures within its ranges and competitions. CMP Safety Mission: “The Civilian Marksmanship Program is dedicated to the respect for and safe handling of firearms, instilling patriotism and discipline in our youth participants. The CMP provides its constituents with the The CMP Safety Mission is constantly in the air highest level of instruction in the at CMP competitions and training sessions, which proper control of firearms by highly- accounts for the extremely safe environment for shooters, coaches and spectators that has been kept skilled coaches and veteran range over CMP’s long history. safety officers in the classroom, at Target shooting, as done during CMP events, our ranges and wherever the CMP established its record as one of the safest of all sports because everyone in it must learn and follow basic banner is displayed.” safety rules. There are several thousands of junior Continued on Page 9 Important Safety Tips ALWAYS keep your guns unloaded until they must be NEVER attempt to load or unload a gun inside a ready for use. If there is no need to load a firearm until vehicle or building (except a properly constructed later, don’t. indoor range); there usually is no safe direction to ALWAYS check for any obstruction in the barrel point the muzzle. whenever there is reason to suspect a blockage. Bore NEVER shoot at a hard object or flat surface or at obstructions are a major source of gun explosions. water. Bullets can glance off hard materials like rock, ALWAYS positively identify your target and be sure glass or steel, or skip off the surface of water to fly in there is a safe backstop behind it before you shoot. unpredictable and sometimes dangerous directions. ALWAYS hold your gun so that you can control the NEVER set a loaded gun down or leave an direction the muzzle points if you fall or stumble. unattended gun loaded. When a gun is loaded it NEVER mix alcohol or drugs with shooting. Anyone should be controlled in the hands of a person who handling and firing a gun must have a clear mind and intends to fire it. If you must set a gun down, always be constantly alert. unload it first. NEVER allow any gun to point at you or pull a gun towards you by grasping its muzzle. Sighting Shots ON THE MARK www.TheCMP.org/Comm/OTM.htm CMP Air Gun Monthly Matches. The www.thecmp.org/Training/GSM.htm for ON THE MARK Staff: Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) additional information. Gary Anderson DCM Emeritus invites you and your club rifle team to Development of CMP’s New Christine Elder Communications Manager participate in the CMP’s Monthly Matches. Competition Tracker Will Expand Steve Cooper Marketing/Advertising Manager Ashley Brugnone CMP Writer/Editor The matches will take place on 16 Users’ Ability to Update Profiles and Kali Rose Communications Coordinator March, 20 April and 18 May at the CMP’s Research Database. The Civilian Marksmanship Centers (Due to range Marksmanship Program recently rolled ON THE MARK is published quarterly by the Ci- vilian Marksmanship Program. It is dedicated to renovation at the Camp Perry location, the out elements of its new Competition disseminating news and information about junior April and May Monthly Matches will be in Tracker database program, which will shooting activities to leaders and coaches of junior Anniston, Alabama only). The competitions allows competitors and clubs to update shooting clubs, teams and camps. Its primary pur- will feature a Junior Air Rifle 3x20, 60 Shots their own information, enter matches, pose is to help youth shooting leaders teach fire- Air Rifle Standing, 60 Shots Air Pistol, a 20 get results, view historic match records arms safety and marksmanship more effectively. shot Novice Prone stage a National Match and more. Visit http://www.odcmp. Subscriptions: One free ON THE MARK sub- Air Rifle 20 Shot Standing, Garand Course org/1012/default.asp?page=CMPCT for scription is provided to each junior club that is af- and 3x20 events. Rental equipment is more information. filiated with the CMP, JROTC unit with a marks- available for the monthly matches for a manship program and 4-H Shooting Sports Club. Individual subscriptions to ON THE MARK are small fee. For more information, visit http:// The 2012 CMP Annual Report is available at $8.00 per year. To subscribe to ON www.thecmp.org/3P/MonthlyMatches.htm. posted on the CMP web site at http:// THE MARK, contact: 419-635-2141, ext. 1129 or www.thecmp.org/Comm/publications/ email [email protected]. PDFs/AnnualReport12.pdf. During Back Issues of OTM: To view back issues of ON the past fiscal year, the CMP not only THE MARK, log onto www.thecmp.org/Comm/ provided an expanding array of firearm OTM.htm. Address Changes: To submit address safety and marksmanship programs changes or corrections, contact: 419-635-2141, for U.S. citizens, but continued to ext. 1129 or email [email protected]. support marksmanship training and Editorial Submissions: To submit articles, edito- competition activities for Army, Marine rial material or photographs for possible inclusion Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC in ON THE MARK, contact: Ashley Brugnone, ON units through funding, awards, and staff THE MARK Editor, P. O. Box 576, Port Clinton, and volunteer expertise. The National OH 43452; fax 419-635-2573 or email Matches provide the setting for the rifle [email protected]. and pistol Small Arms Firing Schools Junior Program Resources: To request informa- The 2013 National JROTC Air Rifle where civilians are taught by the tion about CMP junior shooting programs, contact: Championship will be held 21-22 military’s finest marksmen. Additionally, CMP Programs, P. O. Box 576, Port Clinton, OH 43452; 419-635-2141 ext. 1101 or email the CMP takes pride in participating March in Anniston, AL. Over 7,300 [email protected]. cadets participated in the JROTC Postal with the Army and veterans’ Competition. Only the top teams and organizations by fully supporting the ON THE MARK Wants Your Input: We want your correspondence and opinions. Ceremonial Rifle Program. ON THE MARK individuals from the JROTC Service will dedicate space to publish letters from read- Championships are invited to participate ers. Though we may not be able to publish them in the National JROTC Championship. all, we will make every effort to provide comments Be sure to visit the CMP website at www. that will be beneficial to the broadest audience. If TheCMP.org to follow the Live Target there is a story you feel we should cover, notify us. images and cheer on your favorite cadet. Send your comments or questions to: Letters to the Editor, CMP Headquarters, P.O. Box 576, Port Clinton, OH 43452 or email your letters or com- The dates for the 2013 GSM Master ments to [email protected]. Instructor Courses are now set and experienced rifle marksmanship instructors * * * * * * * * * * * * * * and shooters who would like to receive The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a non- advanced training and be certified as profit organization chartered by the U. S. Con- “Master Instructors” to teach CMP- gress to promote marksmanship training and firearm safety, with a primary emphasis on youth. sanctioned Garand, Springfield and Vintage The CMP is authorized to receive and sell surplus Military Rifle or Rimfire Sporter Clinics are government rifles and ammunition that are suit- invited to apply to attend a CMP Master able for marksmanship. Proceeds from these Instructor Training Workshop. Visit http:// sales are dedicated to CMP programs. CMP en- abling legislation requires that its highest priority must be given to “activities that benefit firearms safety, training and competition for youth.” ON THE MARK is a vital part of CMP efforts to fulfill On the Cover: A CMP Marksmanship Instructor works with a new shooter its mission to serve and develop junior shooting in pointing out the CBI (Clear Barrel Indicator). Gun actions must remain the United States. open except when the gun is on the firing line and preparation or firing Information about the CMP may be viewed on the periods have begun. Learn more Safety Tips & Rules on Page 2. CMP web site, www.thecmp.org or on the CMP on- line newsletter, The First Shot, at www.odcmp.org. Conducting Finals Information about Finals and Their Use in Competition By Gary Anderson, DCME often fired in multiple relays so the best shooters never Finals are changing the sport of Shooting so that it finished at the same time or in the same place. Shoot- is becoming more and more like other Olympic sports ing on paper targets made it impossible to know scores where the best athletes finish sports contests together often until an hour or more after the event finished. After in head-to-head competitions in front of spectators and that there were long challenge periods before scores television audiences. This article discusses finals and became final. the current status of finals in Shooting. It follows these In the early 1980s, the ISSF (International Shooting discussions with instructions on how to conduct junior Sport Federation) recognized that Shooting could not 3-position air rifle finals according to the new 2012-2014 remain as an Olympic sport if it did not change these National Standard Three-Position Air Rifle Rules.