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Rifle SAFS/Advanced Rifle Course On-Line Registration

2009 Small Arms Firing Schools
At Camp Perry, Ohio

 

INSTRUCTION AND RANGE FIRING FOR SHOOTERS OF ALL LEVELS

PISTOL SMALL ARMS FIRING SCHOOL, 12 - 13 JULY Basic instruction and firing practice for new shooters Competition skills instruction and range firing for intermediate shooters School concludes with special M9 Pistol EIC Match Advanced Pistol Course for Experienced Shooters, 13 JULY   RIFLE SMALL ARMS FIRING SCHOOL, 31 JULY - 2 AUGUST Basic instruction and firing practice for new shooters Competition skills instruction and range firing for intermediate shooters School concludes with special M16 Rifle EIC Match Advanced Service Rifle Course for Experienced Shooters, 31 JULY -  2 AUGUST

Small Arms Firing Schools

The Department of Defense first conducted the Small Arms Firing Schools (SAFS) as part of the National Matches at Camp Perry in 1918. Federal law continues to require the annual conduct of Small Arms Firing Schools, which now instruct one thousand pistol and rifle shooters a year in firearms safety and fundamental marksmanship skills. The Pistol and Rifle Schools are conducted by the U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) and sponsored by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The Schools are open to all U. S. citizens who are over the minimum age. All necessary equipment is provided. In the Schools, USAMU instructors, assisted by Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine and Navy Active, National Guard and Reserve shooting team members teach basic marksmanship techniques geared to meet the needs of new and less experienced shooters as well as shooters who want to learn new ways to improve their scores.

There are three courses available: Rifle SAFS, Pistol SAFS, and an Advanced Pistol Marksmanship Course that is part of the Pistol SAFS. Both the Rifle and Pistol SAFS offer beginning shooters special hands-on instruction that starts from the beginning with safety, nomenclature, clearing, loading and unloading, shot technique and basic firing positions. Intermediate SAFS instruction focuses on teaching and practicing competition techniques. The Advanced Pistol Course is open to any competitor who has a minimum of 10 EIC points or at least an Expert NRA classification. In this course participants can expect to focus on the fundamentals, understanding training methods, and building a mental approach to competitive shooting. For advanced Service Rifle shooters, separate Advanced Adult Service Rifle and USMC Junior Service Rifle Clinics are available.

Each SAFS begins with classroom instruction taught by Army Pistol or Rifle Team members. Instruction covers safety, service rifle or pistol functioning, shooting positions and basic firing techniques. Special topics such as the effects of weather and mental conditioning are also covered. After a morning of classroom or hand-on instruction, students go to the range to meet their coaches and begin practice firing. Military shooting team members coach all students on the line; there will be one coach for every two students.

Rifle students fire prone, sitting and standing position slow or rapid-fire exercises. On the second day, Rifle SAFS students, while still being assisted by their coaches, have a unique opportunity to test their new marksmanship knowledge and skills by firing an M16 Rifle EIC Match that uses the course of fire practiced on the range the previous day.

Pistol students fire slow, timed and rapid-fire stages at 25 yards. Upon the completion of pistol training Pistol SAFS students, while still being assisted by their coaches, have a unique opportunity to test their new marksmanship knowledge and skills by firing an M9 Pistol EIC Match that uses the course of fire practiced on the range.

The top 10 percent of all SAFS students in either the M9 EIC Match or the M16 EIC Match who have not earned any EIC points are awarded “introductory” 4-point legs to start them on their quest for the prestigious Distinguished Badge.

The Advanced Pistol Course is an instructional course only. There is no firing, although advanced pistol students may register for the Service Pistol Warm-Up Match that will be fired on the morning of 14 July. The Advanced Course is geared to competitive shooters who wish to enhance their competitive and training edge. The course will enlighten participants on the tactics, techniques, and training approaches of the Army Marksmanship Unit. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to question a panel of pistol champions.

Pistol competitors who are interested in the Advanced Pistol Course should register for either the Pistol SAFS or the Pistol SAFS with the Service Pistol Warm-Up Match. Rifle students who want either beginning shooter instruction or intermediate instruction and who wish to fire in the M16 Rifle EIC Match should register for the Rifle SAFS. Advanced rifle competitors may register separately for either the USMC Junior Service Rifle Clinic or the Advanced Adult Highpower Service Rifle Clinic.

The Pistol and Rifle Small Arms Firing Schools offer U. S. citizens at all levels of shooting experience, from new and beginning shooters to advanced competition shooters, outstanding opportunities to receive top class marksmanship instruction from many of the country’s best instructors in one of shooting’s most historic settings.

To Register for the 2009 Rifle Small Arms Firing Schools:

Rifle SAFS—register on-line at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchInvRegistration.cgi?matchID=4689

Or Call CMP Competitions at 419-635-2141,
ext. 1101or 1114

EIC MATCH INFO

SAFS instruction and hands-on coaching provided by Army Pistol and Rifle Teams and supported by coaching from Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard team members has long been regarded as some of the best available anywhere. Students in 2009 Small Arms Firing Schools (SAFS) will do range firing practice with their coaches and then complete their schools by firing in an exciting EIC match. These “Special EIC Matches” offer competitors who have not earned any EIC credit points a chance to compete for 4-point “introductory legs” that are awarded to the top 10% of these shooters. Competitors may count no more than one 4-point leg towards the 30 points that are required to earn a Distinguished Badge. Detailed rules for these matches are in the 2009 13th edition of the CMP Competition Rules (see Rules 9.6 and 9.7), posted on the CMP web site at http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/Rulebook.pdf.

The M9 Pistol EIC Match will be fired Monday, 13 July, immediately after SAFS practice. It will be fired with the M9 9mm service pistols that students used in SAFS practice. The M9 pistol match is fired at 25 yards. Competitors can fire with either a one-handed or two-handed stance. The pistol course of fire is 5 sighters, 10 shots slow-fire in five minutes, two 5-shot timed-fire series (20 sec. each) and two five-shot rapid-fire series (10 sec. each).

The M16 Rifle EIC match will be fired on Sunday morning, 2 August. The M16 EIC match will be fired with SAFS rack grade M16 rifles that use light-recoil 5.56mm cartridges. The M16 course of fire starts with five sighters and 10 shots for record in prone slow-fire, 10 shots rapid-fire prone in 60 seconds, 10 shots rapid-fire sitting in 60 seconds and 10 shots slow-fire prone, all at 200 yards on the SR target.

Small Arms Firing Schools are great learning opportunities for shooters at all levels--
top-class instruction from the nation’s best rifle and pistol shooters—finish the school by
firing a real EIC match on the USA’s most famous range!

Important Information about the 2009 SAFS 

• Pistol SAFS Dates. Check in Sunday, 12 July, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, at the In-Processing Center in Building #3 (CMP Headquarters) at Camp Perry. No one is permitted to register or check-in on the day of the school. The school is on Monday, 13 July, from 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM.

• Advanced Pistol Marksmanship Date. Check in Sunday, 12 July, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM, or Monday, 13 July, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, at the In-Processing Center in Building #3 (CMP Headquarters) at Camp Perry.  The school is on Monday, 13 July, from 1:00 PM to 5:30 PM.

• Rifle SAFS Dates. Check in Friday, 31 July, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, at the In-Processing Center at Camp Perry (ask directions at the main gate). No one is permitted to register or check-in the day of the school. The school begins at 7:00 AM on Saturday, 1 August, and ends at noon on Sunday, 2 August.

• Cost. $30.00 for adults ($20.00 for juniors) for the Pistol School. $40.00 for adults ($30.00 for Juniors) for the Rifle School. For their entry fee, students receive all instruction, an M9 9mm service pistol or an M-16 service rifle to fire, ammunition for the school, a USAMU Service Pistol or Service Rifle Guide, a SAFS T-shirt, SAFS certificate and handout materials. All SAFS students also receive automatic entry in the M9 Pistol EIC or M16 Rifle EIC Matches at no additional cost, a special EIC match pin and an opportunity to win four EIC credit points.

• Registration. The fastest and easiest way to register for either SAFS is to register on-line on the CMP web site. Open the CMP home page at http://www.odcmp.com/. Click on “2009 National Matches Information” and then select pistol or rifle information. Follow instructions to register. Your registration fee must be paid by credit card if you register on-line. The registration fee must be received by the CMP before your registration is complete.

• Age Limits. The minimum age for Pistol SAFS students is 14; the minimum age for Rifle SAFS students is 12. Waiver requests may be submitted to the CMP for younger participants only if evidence of previous range firing training and competition and the individual’s ability to safely handle center fire pistols or rifles is presented with the request.

• Rifles for Rifle SAFS. Rifle SAFS students are required to use the M16 5.56mm service rifle issued by the school. Personal service rifles may not be used in the Rifle SAFS.

• Pistols for Pistol SAFS. Pistol SAFS students are required to use M9 9mm service pistols issued by the school. Pistol SAFS students may not fire personal service pistols in the Pistol SAFS and M9 EIC match on 13 July, but shooters with personal service pistols may fire them in the Service Pistol Warm-Up Match on the morning of 14 July (see the National Trophy Pistol Matches Program for information on this event).

• Ammunition. 9mm pistol and 5.56mm rifle ammunition will be issued on the line and must be fired by all School students for both the practice session and the M9 or M16 EIC matches. Remington was selected as the Official Ammunition Supplier for the 2009 Pistol SAFS. Pistol students will fire Remington 9mm ammunition loaded with 124 grain FMJ bullets. Hornady is the Official Ammunition Supplier for the Rifle SAFS. Rifle students will fire Hornady 5.56mm match grade ammunition loaded with 75 grain HPBT bullets.

• Other Equipment. All students must bring personal eye and hearing protection and wear them while on the range. Students should bring clothing suitable for wear on an outdoor firing range. Headgear, rain gear sunscreen and insect repellant are highly recommended as all firing is done on open outdoor ranges. Students may bring additional items of competitive shooting gear that they normally use for bull’s-eye pistol or highpower service rifle shooting. Rifle shooters should bring shooting jackets and a shooting glove if they have them. Slings are provided with issued M16 rifles and must be used in school events.

• Entry Confirmation and Check-In. After the CMP receives your SAFS entry, it will be confirmed. When you arrive at Camp Perry (Pistol, Sunday, 12 July, or Rifle, Friday, 31 July) check in at the National Matches In-Processing Center. The In-Processing Center in Building #3, CMP Headquarters will be open until 9:00 PM on both days. If you have any questions regarding SAFS, please contact CMP Competitions at safs@odcmp.com or 419-635-2141, ext. 1101 or 1114.

• Please Note.  All Pistol and Rifle SAFS students, except Advanced Pistol course students, are REQUIRED to attend the safety briefing at the beginning of the first day of each class. Pistol SAFS instruction starts on 13 July at 7:30 AM. Rifle SAFS instruction starts on 1 August at 7:00 AM. Your SAFS scorecards will be stamped after the safety instruction. If you miss the safety briefing, you will not be permitted to fire in the school and no refund will be given.

• Camp Perry Housing. The Adjutant General’s Department of Ohio offers housing for SAFS students at Camp Perry on a space available basis. SAFS students may reserve housing on-line at http://www.cplcc.com/files/NMLodgingPro.html. For further information, contact the Camp Perry Club House (888) 889-7010 or email info@cplcc.com or write to: Camp Perry Lodging & Conference Center, 1000 Lawrence Road, Building 600, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452-9578.
  

Download the 2009 Small Arms Firing School Brochure

If you have any questions or would like additional information,
please contact CMP Competitions at safs@odcmp.com or 419-635-2141 ext. 1101 or 1114.