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Greetings,

My shooting buddy and I just returned from the Civilian Marksmanship Program's Western Games at the Ben Avery rannge in Phoenix. Excellent facility, but wind is a big issue!! We spend nine days shooting vintage and service rifle matches with some excellent folks. The CMP staff wanted me to pass along the following...

The CMP is bringing their "roadshow" to Douglas Ridge on May 14 and 15th. They are bringing rifles, ammo, and some of the best instructors in the country to teach rifle and pistol marksmanship over two days. If you ever wanted to improve your AR-15 skills at distances of 200/300/600 yards, this is the way to do it. I'll post a link below for registration and class info. Feel free to send me a PM or post a question in the thread and I do my best to answer any questions. Hope to see you at the range!!!

Ted

 
I highly recommend this course to anyone. Last time it was taught by instructors from the Army Markmanship Unit and CMP. They provided experienced coaches at each firing point. CMP provides all ammo and the rifles. They also bring their electronic target systems so you have a digital target read out at your firing point.
 
Please forgive me if this a stupid question, but why would I want to use one of their rifles instead of my own??
The simple answer is you don't have a choice, you only can use their rifles or pistols in their Small arms firing schools.

Why that is, I don't know but could make some assumptions. The first being it is easier to teach when you don't have to deal with someone personal equipment issues or different configurations. The second, it levels the playing field during the course shot the 2nd day. You don't have a new shooter using a stock A2 rifle and a person running a scoped rifle with extended mag release.
 
Lars,

CMP will be providing Rifles, Pistols and ammunition. Competitors should bring the following if they have them: Mats, spotting scopes, jackets, safety glasses, ear protection etc. Douglas Ridge may provide shooting mats for rifle, not sure. I'll be bringing mine for whomever is on my firing point.

Not sure if they are providing lunch, so I would bring one, and plenty of water. Check the weather, maybe some rain gear, for day 2.
 
Lunch was not provided last time.

Between the club, coaches and experienced shooters, there was plenty of gear on the line to borrow for rifle.

If really new to this type of rifle shooting, besides eye, ear, lunch and water, wear a tight fitting sweat shirt and bring a pair of comfortable work gloves. You will learn and see what typically shooters use for the sport. The sweatshirt helps pad the rifle in your shoulder and sling on your arm. A glove on your non-dominate hand pads the sling on your wrist. Using minimal clothing gear to start helps build the basic bone supported positions.

Here is a link to photos of CMP's last school in 2019 in Oregon, CMP SAFS Oregon
 
Good advice here.

I looked up the venue a few days ago (looks great) and the closest hotels I could find reasonably were a little ways - not terrible - away in Clackamas. Sound about right (I'm not familiar with the area)? I emailed my step-son info and will discuss it with him this week, hopefully come down. I am sure I could learn a lot and this sounds like a great opportunity.
 
Good advice here.

I looked up the venue a few days ago (looks great) and the closest hotels I could find reasonably were a little ways - not terrible - away in Clackamas. Sound about right (I'm not familiar with the area)? I emailed my step-son info and will discuss it with him this week, hopefully come down. I am sure I could learn a lot and this sounds like a great opportunity.
If you stay in Clackamas let me know. There are some good and bad spots.
 
Oh is that area not good? They were near 205/212.

There were some other places listed as "East Portland/Gresham" about the same distance. Is that a better bet?

My step-son texted me back a short while ago and said he thought it looked great. So I think we will be going. I opened (yet another - makes my third different one!) account at CMP for registering for this.

One rule my whole life has been that when a world-class expert on anything is nearby and gives a lecture/class/demonstration/etc., go and learn. This seems to fit that rule. ;)
 
Oh is that area not good? They were near 205/212.

There were some other places listed as "East Portland/Gresham" about the same distance. Is that a better bet?

My step-son texted me back a short while ago and said he thought it looked great. So I think we will be going. I opened (yet another - makes my third different one!) account at CMP for registering for this.

One rule my whole life has been that when a world-class expert on anything is nearby and gives a lecture/class/demonstration/etc., go and learn. This seems to fit that rule. ;)
I'd try to stay somewhere near Sunnyside road and I-205. There is some decent places in Gladstone also.
 
Greetings,

My shooting buddy and I just returned from the Civilian Marksmanship Program's Western Games at the Ben Avery rannge in Phoenix. Excellent facility, but wind is a big issue!! We spend nine days shooting vintage and service rifle matches with some excellent folks. The CMP staff wanted me to pass along the following...

The CMP is bringing their "roadshow" to Douglas Ridge on May 14 and 15th. They are bringing rifles, ammo, and some of the best instructors in the country to teach rifle and pistol marksmanship over two days. If you ever wanted to improve your AR-15 skills at distances of 200/300/600 yards, this is the way to do it. I'll post a link below for registration and class info. Feel free to send me a PM or post a question in the thread and I do my best to answer any questions. Hope to see you at the range!!!

Ted

This looks like it would be great.
What is the training like? Is this like an Appleseed with bigger guns thing?
 
I'm signed up.

Check out the monarch hotel in Clackamas. Lots of food options, shopping, and entertainment within a few blocks. It's about a 15-20 minute drive to and from Douglas ridge.
 
This looks like it would be great.
What is the training like? Is this like an Appleseed with bigger guns thing?
Last time for rifle it was half a day in the classroom going over positions and techniques. Then you move out to the line to watch demonstrations. After that they rotated through shooters to practice dry and live fire. Next day was a rotation of relays shooting 50 rounds applying what you learned. If you weren't on the line, you hung back and watch and learn from those on the line. They had a coach per shooter on the line. You got a copy of the classroom presentation and t-shirt included, besides ammo.

Participation meets the training requirement to purchase a M1 Garand from them through their mail order.
 
This looks like it would be great.
What is the training like? Is this like an Appleseed with bigger guns thing?
Short answer is no. Appleseed is as much or more about reconnecting people to American history as it is about marksmanship.

Appleseed tends to teach a concept, then do an exercise to practice the concept, then the next concept. Small Arms will be all theory in a classroom at once, then shoot. Both teach the same style of shooting, which is controlled aimed fire. That means the steady-hold factors, etc, will be the same. One exception being in High Power you're not allowed to use a sling for support in the standing position, so Small Arms will not be teaching the hasty or hasty-hasty sling.
 
So wouldn't a minimalist style sleeping pad work just fine as a shooting mat? Something like this, which I have a couple of in the garage.

71L0dWSpYFL.jpg
 

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