2023 CMP Talladega D-Day Match

Entry road into CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, the site of the 2023 Talladega D-Day Match where 100’s of vintage military firearm enthusiasts met to shoot and test their marksmanship against others firing as-issued military firearms from the late 1890’s through the 1950’s. Most matches were focused on WW2 era as-issued firearms.

01_cmp_1600 Entry road into CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park, the site of the 2023 Talladega D-Day Match where 100’s of vintage military firearm enthusiasts met to shoot and test their marksmanship against others firing as-issued military firearms from the late 1890’s through the 1950’s. Most matches were focused on WW2 era as-issued firearms.

600 yard range at CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park. Electronic targets at 200, 300 and 600 yards from 52 positions on the firing line. Competitors in the Garand, Springfield and Vintage Sniper matches shot on this range.

02_cmp_a_P6080696_1800 600 yard range at CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park. Electronic targets at 200, 300 and 600 yards from 52 positions on the firing line. Competitors in the Garand, Springfield and Vintage Sniper matches shot on this range.

Monitor for 600 yd electronic targets in the CMP clubhouse. People can sit in air conditioned comfort and monitor friends/family shooting performance during a match.

03_score Monitor for 600 yd electronic targets in the CMP clubhouse. People can sit in air conditioned comfort and monitor friends/family shooting performance during a match.

04_cmp_1600 Shooting teams in line to receive their shooting positions in preparation for the Vintage Sniper Match.

At the Vintage Sniper Match with my 1941A1 Springfield. The 1941A1 Springfield issued by the USMC was the best long-range sniper rifle fielded by US Armed Forces during WW2. My rifle was built from an original, as-issued 1934 Springfield Armory 1903A1 and a Hi-Lux replica of a Unertl 8X rifle scope. I shot my personal best in a vintage sniper match on the 300 and 600 yd course (194-3X out of 200 – 97%) to record the 5th highest individual score of 76 competitors at the match.

05_cmp_1800 At the Vintage Sniper Match with my 1941A1 Springfield. The 1941A1 Springfield issued by the USMC was the best long-range sniper rifle fielded by US Armed Forces during WW2. My rifle was built from an original, as-issued 1934 Springfield Armory 1903A1 and a Hi-Lux replica of a Unertl 8X rifle scope. I shot my personal best in a vintage sniper match on the 300 and 600 yd course (194-3X out of 200 – 97%) to record the 5th highest individual score of 76 competitors at the match.

Shooting offhand at one of the Garand/Springfield matches. A poor offhand score relegated me to the land of bronze medals and a placement of 54th out of 116.

06_cmp_1400 Shooting offhand at one of the Garand/Springfield matches. A poor offhand score relegated me to the land of bronze medals and a placement of 54th out of 116.

07_cmp_1400 A better view of my rebuilt 1952 Springfield Armory M1 Garand during the offhand stage.

Shooting my rebuilt 1943 Saginaw SG M1 Carbine at the carbine match held on the 100 yd range. This was my first carbine match, and several newbie errors left me in 30th place out of 46 competitors.

08_cmp_1600 Shooting my rebuilt 1943 Saginaw SG M1 Carbine at the carbine match held on the 100 yd range. This was my first carbine match, and several newbie errors left me in 30th place out of 46 competitors.