Due to logistical constraints, the 2016 USMC Western Division Matches will have limited civilian participation, and the only civilian participants permitted must be SMGC members.
Members that are interested in participating should contact John Hermsen as soon as possible.
The Western Division Matches will be held from February 19 through March 04.
The 2016 January 30 Midrange Match Results are now available on the Match Results page in PDF by total score and by classification.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We (SMGC) finished the January MR Match at approximately 1530 hours today and shortly afterwards it began to drizzle. When I left Wilcox range this evening at 1730 hours it was still drizzling. Upon my return home I checked on the National Weather Forecast for Camp Pendleton’s conditions for Sunday and here is what it read:
“A chance of rain, then rain and possibly a thunderstorm after 10 A.M. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 58. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.”
Therefore, I will OFFICIALLY pass along that the Sunday XTC Match will be postponed due to weather. AGAIN NO SHOOTING SUNDAY 1/31/2016 for SMGC. The weather will not be favorable to our targetry, and I am reminded of a couple of “Old USMC Sayings”, “One doesn’t have to train to be miserable, it occurs naturally!” And this one, “It is easy to be hard….. Hard to be smart.”
So with this in mind, I am sure you are disappointed in the match being postponed, and I truly hope you are. The XTC Numbers for our matches has slowly been decreasing. So I charge all of you to bring along a friend to come and shoot with us at our next XTC Match. We had approximately 40 shooters firing the Mid Range Match and I believe they all enjoyed themselves. Most had shaken some of the rust off of themselves while others were doing some fine tuning for the Berger Long Range Matches in February at Ben Avery Shooting Range in Phoenix.
I am also reminded of how important “Communications” are. I wanted to offer some tips which some had forgotten about. It is critical for you to do the Electronic Entries for Matches. It is also very important for you to also notify me if you DO NOT PLAN ON MAKING THE SMGC EVENT. I can be reached via e-mail, texting or phone calls. Please be considerate of the time, all the Match Directors spend, organizing our events. We want our matches to be very enjoyable to all of the shooters too.
One other topic. The SMGC Website has some great reference materials on Scoring Guidelines and Pit Operations. It is under the “Rifle” Heading on the Main Page of the Website and then look for Scoring Guidelines- High Power Rifle. I suggest all of you review these materials before coming out to the range to compete. There was a lot of time wasted due to some being on their own program vs. the NRA program the rest of us assume everyone should be on.
Overall I was very pleased to see those who came out to shoot. One very important detail for all club members and participants to be aware of. MCB Camp Pendleton is in the process of tighten security. Non-Military members will not be allowed onto the base unless you have a Sponsor and have a reason for being on the base. This will include those riding as passengers or observers to our Events.
The club is forced to submit a roster of all participants by Wednesday preceding the SMGC events. THEREFORE, IF YOU DO NOT ENSURE YOU HAVE REGISTERED FOR AN EVENT BY THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE IT IS SCHEDULED, AND YOU WAIT UNTIL AFTER 1200 hours on that Wednesday to enter the event……. YOU WILL NOT MAKE THAT ROSTER WE ARE REQUIRED TO TURN IN. You will more than likely be turned away at the gate entrance and there is NOTHING the club will be able to do for you. Please don’t be the BAD example for others .
We look forward to seeing you at your next event.
Semper Fidelis and Keep them in the Middle,
Harry D. Harrison
MGySgt, USMCR (Retired)
Senior Officer, Fountain Valley P.D. (Retired)
SMGC Vice President, Board of Directors
For those unaware, the official 2016 20th Edition of the CMP Competition Rules for Service Rifle and Pistol have been published. You may read the official CMP statement here: http://thecmp.org/2016-cmp-rulebooks-released/
The biggest changes to what was anticipated is Optics Service Rifle DOES NOT HAVE a weight requirement as previously stated it would have. Nonetheless, our Service Members will still be able to use their weapons systems in the Civilian EIC Matches in order to earn their “Other Points” towards the Distinguished Badge.
SMGC looks forward to holding its 1st Leg Match sometime in the near future and we hope you all spread the word about these changes. SMGC would like to see the participation levels in the “XTC Matches” we hold on the Sunday portion of our Highpower Rifle Matches.
No doubtedly someone will come up with recommended Optics to use. Gunner Ventrone can advise everyone what the new USMC Optics are going to be.
The 56th Annual Twentynine Palms HighDesert Long Range NRA Long Range, NRA High Power Regional, Rifle EIC, and Pistol EIC will be held on December 16 – 20, 2015 at: MAGTFTC, MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
This is not an SMGC event, but the High Desert NRA Regional Match Program is available for download on the SMGC website in both Word/.doc and in PDF.
Please refer to the contact information in the match program for all official information regarding this event.
Our Oct 31 GSM shoot has come and gone and here are the results.
Before I begin though I wish to publicly thank Paul G., David E., and John K., for arriving early Friday to get the targets and cans and boards out the conex and to the pits, refacing and staging them, etc. You saved me hours of work!
Finding pullers is always a gamble and we were fortunate to be inundated with six Marines and one civilian and thank you to the shooters for standing up to assist us and them by paying for a puller even though you did not sign up for one.
If they had come, and been sent away empty handed, it would make it that much harder next time to get pullers.
Sign up’s went well and smooth and for match 1 we had 24, YES! TWENTY FOUR shooters (and one non-firing observer).
Results for everyone will follow but the highlights of match 1 were Paul Guy & David Ellis getting silver medals in Garand and Brad Losey shooting a 285 !!!! with his Unlimited Garand! Specifically he got 95-95-95. Brad was on fire!!!!
NOTE: The 2015-10-31 GSM Results are available in PDF on the Match Results page.
Match 2 had 23 shooters shooting with a highlight of Kevin Cooper shooting a silver with his Garand.
Tallying up the results afterwards I had my first ever “exact” tie.
Paul Guy shot a 278.5 with his Garand and Kevin Cooper shot a 278.5 with his Garand.
So my memory tells me when that happens you go back to the last shot fired in competition to break a tie, so I did that, and with that, Paul Guy was the Grand Champion for the day. Congratulations to Paul Guy.
Harry asked us to ask all you shooters a question which I forgot to ask you, so here it is now.
If so, again, please reply direct.
Scores in totality are attached in a PDF.
Thanks for coming out and being good sports and now we have a record to break. Twenty four shooters is great, but, next February (tentatively) let’s have twenty five + shooters!!!!
Semper Fi,
Jeff Lovat
Nov 3, 2015
P.S. There is a GSM shoot this Saturday at AVGC with a Veteran’s Day celebration to it (and a Marine Corps Birthday in my mind!) with a BBQ afterwards and the opportunity to shoot a civilian BAR and a semi-auto 1919 machine gun with all benefits going to the local DAV. Contact me for information.