Category Archives: Equipment

CMP M14 Rifles Are Finally Coming. Here’s Why This Could Be the Biggest CMP Release in Years.

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If your social media feed has been full of CMP M14 posts today, you’re not imagining it.

After years of rumors, the Civilian Marksmanship Program has confirmed that authentic U.S. military M14 rifles are headed to the CMP. Before they’re sold, they’ll be permanently converted to semi-automatic configuration in accordance with federal law. While the CMP hasn’t released pricing or ordering details yet, the announcement has already set the firearms community on fire.

For many shooters, this is the announcement they’ve been waiting decades to hear.

The M14 Is Different

The M14 has always occupied a special place in American firearms history.

It was America’s last standard-issue battle rifle chambered in 7.62 NATO before the military transitioned to the M16. It served with distinction, remained in military service long after its official replacement, and continues to be recognized at matches like the CMP’s M14 Heritage Match.

Unlike commercial M1A rifles, these are expected to begin life as genuine U.S. military M14s before conversion.

That’s a big deal.

Everyone Wants to Know One Thing

How much will they cost?

It’s probably the biggest debate online right now.

Some shooters hope the CMP prices these rifles far below market value so more people can own one.

Personally, I hope they don’t.

Why I Hope the CMP Charges Market Value

That might sound strange coming from someone who’d love to own one.

But here’s the thing.

The CMP isn’t supposed to be the cheapest place to buy military rifles.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program exists to promote marksmanship, firearm safety, and competition. Rifle sales are simply how that mission is funded.

Every dollar the CMP earns goes back into things that actually grow the shooting sports, junior marksmanship, Camp Perry, the National Matches, affiliated clubs, coaching, range improvements, and safety education.

If these rifles are worth market value, then the CMP should receive market value.

Otherwise someone else will.

Don’t Fund Flippers

We’ve seen this movie before.

A collectible rifle gets priced well below what it’s could sell for.

Within days, they’re listed online for thousands more.

The buyer profits.

The reseller profits.

The CMP, the organization that actually supports competitive shooting and preserves America’s marksmanship tradition, loses out.

I’d rather see every extra dollar go toward junior shooters than toward someone’s GunBroker listing.

If anyone should benefit from the value of these rifles, it should be the organization that will use those funds to keep American marksmanship alive.

What Happens Next?

Right now we still don’t know:

  • Official pricing
  • Purchase limits
  • Rifle grades
  • Ordering procedures
  • How many rifles will ultimately be available

Those answers will come directly from the CMP over the coming months.

Until then, expect plenty of speculation.

Final Thoughts

The CMP M14 announcement isn’t just another surplus rifle release.

It’s an opportunity.

An opportunity to preserve history.

An opportunity to strengthen the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

And an opportunity to invest in the next generation of American shooters.

If the CMP prices these rifles at their true market value, I’ll be perfectly happy knowing those dollars are helping fund Camp Perry, junior programs, the National Matches, and the future of competitive marksmanship.

That’s exactly what the Civilian Marksmanship Program was created to do.

We’ll continue following the CMP M14 release here on GarandThumb.com as more information becomes available.

Keywords: CMP M14, CMP M14 rifles, Civilian Marksmanship Program, M14 for sale, Camp Perry, National Matches, M14 Heritage Match, U.S. military M14, military surplus rifles, Service Rifle, marksmanship, CMP news

CMP 1911s: the details

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CMPs site has crashed due to traffic after the 1911 announcement. So here are screen shots of the pricing and order details.




Revenge Of The 100,000 CMP 1911s: It Could Happen This Time

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Back in 2015 there was an attempt to surplus the Army’s stock of 1911s to CMP the short version is it never happened due to Obama Administration pressure.

Fast forward to 2017 and CMP just posted a surprise update on this.

It is not a done deal…. BUT.

In my humble opinion it has a good chance this time. However, what’s left of the Democratic Party could attempt to filibuster the NDAA again.

Last time around the CMP had a plan in place to sell the 1911s, Prices would likely still be around $1000.00 as CMP stated in 2015. I’d speculate that would be for service grade, with field and rack grades being less and collector and correct being more. More or less inline with market prices for USGI 1911s.


 

 

Make it a Dirt Dance Floor Again: York Riflemen’s Spring Garand and Service Rifle Match 

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York’s spring double-header is one of my favorite matches of the year. It starts with a Garand match, followed by a NRA 50 round match. It’s a reduced 200 yard match with pits.

The Garand match was fun, I shot uncharacteristically fast in slow prone but still managed a decent score. I kept raising my zero in slow prone and then, surprise, I blew my rapid prone group out the top.
 I pulled it back in off-hand and posted an 89  which I was very happy with.

We shot a 500 agg right after the Garand Match. Still happy with myself for shooting well off-hand with the Garand I did decent with my A4 off-hand too. A few 8s in off-hand but I posted a pair of 98s in rapids and didn’t shoot a 9 in slow prone until round 13!

I manage to come in second in the 500 agg with a 484 just a point short of High Master!

Who Says You Can’t Go Home Again: Dusting off the A2 stock after the Freezer Match.

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This weekend was  the 2017 Freezer match at KFGA. It’s a 40 round off-hand match held for charity at my local club.

I shot ok. Dropped a couple of 7s and a whole pile of awful 8s. In the 4 strings I ranged from a gross 85 to a decent 93. Which was enough for 5th.

It was a fun match, I tried some new things and put the first in competition rounds on my new barrel.

There was a day when I considered this the end of the season. But with the Creedmoor Cup and Fleet Week In just 3 or so months it’s not time to hibernate.

After the match I got to thinking, disputed my progress my off-hand has more or less plateaued falling in the 7ish point swing I saw this weekend. Rarely topping 93. My data book tells me back In the A2 days I had less variation and was able to post a couple of 96s.
Blaming the equipment is a lame excuse and I have let my stubbornness tell me to stick with the UBR. Which I had grown to love early In 2016, using a super short off-hand position. As the season went on I found myself sliding the stock longer. By October I was out to A1 length.

So I’ve decided to  come home to the A2 stock.

2015 SAFS. No I’m not going back to the mag hold and hopefully not the extra 40lbs

Why?

A2 stock is heavier. There are some weight options for the UBR but the standard A2 wedge puts 3.5 lbs of additional Donk on the rifle which the UBR really can’t accommodate. Short of a custom-made gold or maybe depleted uranium weight.

A2 buttplate is a cheese grater. It’s made for shooting, not dressing up in an empty plate carrier and playing operator. Sling up and try to make it slip out of your shoulder, if it does, sling up better.

After some practice I don’t need the short length. Being further from the scope seems to help me keep my head in the same sport.

I might change my mind. But this stock feels like an old friend and it seems to me its the safe bet.