OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., CAMP BUTNER, NC – The CMP Games in Oklahoma City, OK and the Eastern Games in Camp Butner, NC will be host to many events for rifle and pistol enthusiasts of all ages to observe, participate in and enjoy. Among these events will be the Small Arms Firing School (SAFS), being held on Wednesday, April 3 during the CMP Games – Oklahoma and Friday, May 3 during the Eastern Games. This course, up to this point, has only been offered at the National Matches. Now however, thanks to its popularity, it will be making appearances at other CMP events.
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A group of SAFS students listen to instruction.
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“This was actually something that came from the CMP Board of Directors. It gives people the opportunity for some great training at the beginning level,” said Shannon Hand, CMP North Competitions Dept. manager. “Not everyone can come to the National Matches to have this type of training, so it was decided to take the training to them. The goal is to promote shooting and get new competitors involved in the sport.”
The Department of Defense first conducted SAFS as part of the National Matches at Camp Perry in 1918. Since then, federal law requires the Small Arms Firing Schools to be conducted annually to teach firearms safety and fundamental marksmanship skills. These schools now instruct over 1,000 pistol and rifle shooters each year.
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| The SAFS at the Games in Oklahoma and
the Eastern Games are open to all U.S. citizens who are
over the minimum age of 12, if they are able to handle
the course of fire and the rifle. |
Currently, there are 25 students enrolled in the Oklahoma School and 20 signed up for the School in North Carolina. More entries are still anticipated by the CMP staff as well as the inclusion of walk-ons at the start of the events.
The SAFS at the Games in Oklahoma and the Eastern Games are open to all U.S. citizens who are over the minimum age of 12, if they are able to handle the course of fire and the rifle. The AR-15 type rifles being used for the Schools are provided by CMP, as well as the ammunition, however students are responsible for their own eye and ear protection. Students can also bring their own shooting mats, coats and gloves, if desired.
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| CMP Military Rifle Instructors along
with CMP Staff members will be on the firing line for
hands-on training and to answer any questions SAFS
students may have. |
Instruction in Oklahoma and North Carolina will be Rifle SAFS only. The Rifle SAFS offers beginning shooters special hands-on training that starts from the beginning with safety, rifle handling, clearing, loading and unloading, shot technique and basic firing positions. Class instruction will be led by CMP
staff as well as seven CMP Military Iinstructors in the classroom and on the firing line.
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The students practice shooting the rifles from the firing line.
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After classroom instruction, students will have the opportunity to go onto the range and shoot for practice. They will also shoot in a real M16 match, which will be fired at the end of the school. This allows students to see how a match is conducted ran, hear the range commands and have a coach nearby if they have questions or problems.
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CMP Military Rifle Instructor Brad Palmer provides on-the-line coaching to an Army NCO who is being trained as a SDM Instructor in a fast-growing USAMU course.
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“The benefits of attending one of our schools is the opportunity to receive hands-on instruction. We have instructors and coaches on the line, so there is a coach or instructor for every two or three competitors. This allows for one-on-one attention,” Hand explained. “This is a great place to learn the basics and allow a student to actually shoot. It allows them to get the picture of what competition is like.”
In addition to the new SAFS at Oklahoma and North Carolina, CMP has also added two new pistol matches: Military & Police Service Pistol Match and As-Issued M1911 Pistol Cal .45 ACP. The Military & Police Service Pistol Match will fire on Saturday, April 6 and As-Issued M1911 Pistol will fire on Friday, April 5 in Oklahoma. Military & Police Service Pistol Match and As-Issued M1911 will both fire on Saturday, May 4 in North Carolina.
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Those who sign up for SAFS not only receive coaching from top rifle instructors, but also have fun along the way.
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For more information on the CMP Games – Oklahoma, log onto
http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/CMPGames_OK.htm. Info on the Eastern Games in North Carolina can also be found at
http://www.odcmp.com/competitions/EasternGames.htm. NEXT ARTICLE
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