Days gone by!

[M14AMU]

Times and people change! When I started shooting at Camp Perry in 1960 there were several thousand competitors every year! I spent four years instructing in the Small Arms Firing School and I hope I helped many people! In recent years the attendance has dropped way down from past years and I really hate to see that. The introduction of other venues involving shooting has distracted from what is really in my opinion the best method of teaching marksmanship ever invented aka The National Match course of fire in conjunction with the Prone Long Range Matches using iron sights...or in the event of Any Any Rifle allowing a scope.

I've gotten old now and with a lower lumbar that my Doc says is 'shot' I can no longer shoot the prone or sitting position. But I'll never forget the 'cling' of an empty National Match M1 clip ejecting the rifle and looking through the spotting scope and seeing ten rounds dead center of the 300 yard rapid fire target! The next command from Ole Sarge was "Police up your brass and move back to the 600."

No...noone knows ALL ABOUT RIFLES....but keep on writing!!

Good day gents!

 

[gibrass]

Times and people change! When I started shooting at Camp Perry in 1960 there were several thousand competitors every year! I spent four years instructing in the Small Arms Firing School and I hope I helped many people! In recent years the attendance has dropped way down from past years and I really hate to see that. The introduction of other venues involving shooting has distracted from what is really in my opinion the best method of teaching marksmanship ever invented aka The National Match course of fire in conjunction with the Prone Long Range Matches using iron sights...or in the event of Any Any Rifle allowing a scope.

I've gotten old now and with a lower lumbar that my Doc says is 'shot' I can no longer shoot the prone or sitting position. But I'll never forget the 'cling' of an empty National Match M1 clip ejecting the rifle and looking through the spotting scope and seeing ten rounds dead center of the 300 yard rapid fire target! The next command from Ole Sarge was "Police up your brass and move back to the 600."

No...noone knows ALL ABOUT RIFLES....but keep on writing!!

Good day gents!

I, too, have seen a dramatic transition at Camp Perry. Went my first time in 1983 shooting for the KY State R&P team with an M1A. Was amazed at the number of M1 Garands used during the DCM Board Matches. Presidents Match shot like 1500 or so, and Leg Match had 2000+ shooters. Made the move to an AR-15 in 1986. I think there were only about 3-4 total ARs used that year; mine was a match rifle, and shot during the NRA week. Still had 1000+ shoot across the course. And I have also given up the course, but still able to shoot prone. As the eyes start to go, I guess the next step will be F-Class.

 

[Rtheurer]

There was in interesting Matrix put out that showed the decline in High Power participation across the country and it. It is almost a direct correlation to the same decline at the Nationals. looks as if there is about 2 or 3% that go to Camp Perry every year compared to the total Participation across the country according to the NRA based on active NRA numbers being used once a year. This Matrix only went back to 1995. From 2003 to today it has cut in HALF.... That's a pretty big drop.
I too taught at the SAFS for ten years. Well actually a little less than that as I was deployed over seas a few years. Like you fine gents I started out shooting HP with a National Match M14 right out of the Armory and two cans of ammo one M852 and the other M118 LR. Most folks where already shooting the AR15 by that time however so it was left overs and that is what I got and I was happy to get it. It was a Actual TRW M14 Rifle. sigh.... those where the days.

 

[jkl]

Go to Doan Trevor website he has been posting throwback pictures of Camp Perry

 

[M14AMU]

When it went from this

_DSC0466_M1A_prone by Sharps Man, on Flickr

I saw this coming and waved goodbye!

cmprule1501 by Sharps Man, on Flickr