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TheCivilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), legally theCorporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety, Inc. (CPRPFS) and formerly theNational Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP), is an American federally-charterednonprofit501(c)(3) organization dedicated to training and educatingU.S. citizens in the responsible use offirearms andairguns throughgun safety training,marksmanship training, andcompetitions, with a focus onyouth programs to help build life skills. The CMP also sellsmilitary surplusservice rifles formerly used by theUnited States Armed Forces, airguns, and ammunition.[1][2] The organization formally dates back to 1916, but the modern CMP was established in 1996.
The CMP operates through a network of affiliated private organizations, shooting clubs, and state associations across everyU.S. state which variously offer firearms safety training and marksmanship courses as well as continued practice and competition events. The CPRPFS is a tax-exempt non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation chartered by theUnited States Congress, but is not an agency of the U.S. government (Title 36, United States Code, Section 40701et seq.). Apart from a donation of outdated surplus rifles in theUnited States Army's inventory to the CMP for resale, the CMP receives no federal funding.
The CMP maintains three main offices: CMP North atCamp Perry nearPort Clinton,Ohio; CMP South inAnniston,Alabama; and the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park inTalladega,Alabama.
The CMP originated from the War Department Appropriations Act of 1903, for the purpose of providing civilians an opportunity to learn and practice marksmanship skills should they later be called to serve in the U.S. military. The CMP's formation was precipitated by the military's adoption of theM1903 Springfield rifle which, compared to the precedingSpringfield Model 1892–99, featured greatly increased range that facilitated longer-range combat and thus made accuracy and good marksmanship increasingly important. However, the risingurbanization of theProgressive Era, among other factors, led to a decline inlong gun use among civilians; many Americans at the time, especially those in cities and suburbs, had no need to learn skills such ashunting, and thus most young Americans had never handled or fired a gun, while those who had were often more familiar withlever action rifles, not the modernbolt action rifles (such as the M1903) that were becoming increasingly popular with militaries across the world.Secretary of WarElihu Root advocated for creating a program to teach civilians how to use firearms and familiarize them with American service rifles before a conflict broke out, instead of having to train wholly inexperienced recruits after the fact.[3]
The National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (NBPRP), an advisory board to theSecretary of the Army, was formed to oversee this training of civilians. Board members were theAssistant Secretary of War, twoU.S. Army officers, aU.S. Navy officer, aU.S. Marine Corps officer, eight trustees of theNational Rifle Association, and eight civilians selected from various parts of the country.[3] Following the outbreak ofWorld War I in 1914, the NBPRP appointed Colonel S. W. Miller as the first Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) on December 9, 1916. He established the office of the DCM on December 13, 1916 to act as an executive agent of the board.[4]
From 1916 to 1996, the CMP was administered by the NBPRP. Title XVI of theNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 created the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety (CPRPFS) to replace the NBPRP.[5]
The CMP facilitates training programs focused on promoting safety, responsibility, leadership, and competitive excellence in shooting sports. The organization supports, sponsors, and hosts various rifle and pistol competitions nationwide, such as the National Matches at Camp Perry. Previously, the CMP hosted theUnited States Olympic trials forISSF 10 meter air rifle, and it currently hosts the annual Junior Olympicthree-position air rifle matches along with several national junior championships. Throughout the year, the CMP conducts camps and clinics, including asummer camp program featuring standing air rifle, three-position air rifle, and three-positionsmallbore shooting events.
The CMP provides surplus U.S. Army rifles for sale, mostly consisting of historic outdated wood-furniture rifles used by the U.S. military between the 1890s and the 1950s, namely theSpringfield Model 1892–99,M1903 Springfield,M1917 Enfield,M1 Garand, andM1 carbine. Since 2018, the CMP 1911 Program has included theM1911 pistol among the CMP's surplus offerings. The CMP also sells.22 caliber sport rifles, air rifles, air pistols, and a variety of ammunition, as well as parts, service, and select customization for different firearms. Any U.S. citizen not otherwise legally prohibited from owning a firearm may purchase a surplus firearm from the CMP provided they are a member of a CMP-affiliated club.[6]
In July 2003, the CMP launched the Competition Tracker, an online results system for shooting sports. Originally designed specifically for the National Trophy matches, the CMP uses Competition Tracker as the official results bulletin of every CMP competition. During the March 2006JROTC National Championships, the CMP used Competition Tracker alongside Sius Ascorelectronic targets to provide real-time results online with a 45-second average delay.
United States Armed Forces personnel are authorized to wearmarksmanship competition badges by each service's regulations. These badges are awarded based on points earned at CMP-sponsored competitions or high placement at special CMP competitions. The following is a list of marksmanship competition badges authorized for wear on U.S. military service uniforms based on points earned at CMP competitions:
