The Civilian Marksmanship Program’s National Trophy Rifle Team Match at Camp Perry goes back to 1903 and was commissioned by Congress and President Teddy Roosevelt back when the CMP was part of the Army’s Department of Civilian Marksmanship. Shooters fire at 200, 300 and 600 yards in standing, kneeling and prone positions with a service rifle.
It’s 50 shots in four stages:
Stage One: Competitors have 10 minutes to shoot 10 shots from 200 yards away in the standing position.
Stage Two: Competitors have 60 seconds to shoot 10 shots from 200 yards away in the sitting or kneeling from standing position.
Stage Three: Competitors have 70 seconds to shoot 10 shots from 300 yards away in the prone from standing position.
Stage Four: Competitors have 20 minutes to shoot 20 shots from 600 yards away in the prone position.
Here is the target.
The maximum (perfect score) for an individual taking part in the match is 500-50x, meaning you hit the “10” mark 50 times, and all 50 were in the “X”.
Last month Marine Sgt. Antonio DiConza, 25, broke the longstanding (set in 1985) nearly-perfect record of 499-28x, chalking up an amazing 500-15x.
DiConza, left, with his Pershing Trophy
Now keep in mind that the 1985 record was set with an M14 (M1A) while the new one was with an M16 (AR-15).
No pizza box for this guy.
“I told myself, ‘You know, I just shot 19 10’s and a few x’s – just shoot another 10. It’s not that hard. Relax,’” he said.
