Tag Archives: Shooting news

A new take on an old tradition

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One of the most commonly seen activities for soldiers in war is to personalize their rifles. Part occupying idle hands, part commemoration, and part easily set it apart from the others on the rack at a glance, it is something that has gone on for generations.

No matter if you are talking about muskets from the French and Indian War to AKs used in Afghanistan, it is a long-standing trait.

Powderhorn of 1st Massachusetts Infantry Regiment Minuteman Daniel Kinne, dated 1775, carried at Bunker Hill , via Morphys

An Afghan forces soldier, who looks old enough to have fought as a Muj against the Soviets, with his personalized Kalash, 2007. Photographer: Leading Aircraftman Rodney Welch, Royal Australian Air Force

With that in mind, I thought the below story about the Walhalla High School Army JROTC rifle team from Walhalla, South Carolina, is just great.

The team has been personalizing their rifles for the past eight years with the caveat that they had to shoot a 530 at a sporter match before they can customize their stock.

Via CMP:

Now, reaching the honor of a painted rifle stock has become the ultimate focus of the varsity athletes. This season alone, four students have earned their custom stocks, including two freshman athletes, which has never happened in the history of the tradition.

“It gets established as the threshold for success,” COL Kevin Mangan, head coach of the rifle team, said of the rifle painting. “We have smaller goals set as well, like score 200 and a rifle is assigned to you, and at 250, you name your rifle – just little things to continue to work toward.”

Once an athlete reaches the 530 score, he or she gets to pick the subject of the art on the rifle stock. Mangan’s wife and daughters take on the graphic work along with Walhalla’s art department. From The Lion King to The Chronicles of Narnia to Hunter x Hunter, each athlete’s theme represents their own personalities and the hard work they’ve accomplished on the range.

To commemorate the rifle team’s tradition, Walhalla High School has allocated a trophy case in the student common area to display stocks of graduated athletes. So far, there have been 11 painted rifles, with more added each year.

“It has become the thing to accomplish for the Walhalla JROTC Rifle team,” Mangan said.

More here.

Know a high school-aged kid interested in a summer marksmanship camp?

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Public service announcement time here, via the CMP:

Camp Perry, Ohio– May 2023– If you’re a junior interested in learning more about rifle marksmanship, there’s still room within the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Junior Rifle Camps!

Each year, the CMP hosts a series of hands-on, informative Junior Rifle Camps for high school-age students and coaches during the summer months. Participants in the camps receive valuable lessons on intermediate and advanced marksmanship skills through various exercises and demonstrations, all led by current collegiate rifle athletes.

CMP Junior Camps with open availability include:

  • Standing Camp 1, Camp Perry, OH– May 31-June 2
  • 3P Air Camp 2, Camp Perry, OH – June 5-9
  • 3P Air Camp 6, Casper, WY – June 26-30
  • Smallbore Camp 1, Elk River, MN – June 27-30
  • 3P Camp 8, Camp Perry, OH – July 3-7
  • Standing Camp 2, Tampa, FL – July 10-12
  • Standing Camp 4, Anniston, AL – July 19 – 21
  • 3P Camp 9, Anniston, AL – July 24-28
  • 3P Camp 11, Perry, NY – July 31-Aug 4

The camps are excellent tools in developing each athlete’s strengths within the physical and mental aspects of the sport while refining trouble areas that may need more attention. Students are able to apply the constructive lessons learned in camp to their own budding marksmanship careers, with many moving on to college programs and beyond.

The Junior Rifle Camps are designed to train rifle fundamentals and techniques through group discussions and personal guidance from collegiate mentors on the firing line. The schedule also includes instructional smallbore camps for even more opportunities to learn on the range.

All experience levels are welcome! Find a list of dates and more detailed camp information, including registration info, on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/youth/junior-air-rifle-camps-and-clinics/.

— By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

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