Help with possible start in competition

[buddy357]

I am in the Navy on a Cruiser (small boy). Some one in the chain of command (COC) wants to start a shooting team for the Atlantic Fleet Rifle and Pistol Matches, thinking it will help with training for our VBSS teams and force protection guys. Great idea, since it gets me to shoot more and even with command blessing, but I have never shot for competition before. I have no idea what equipment/weapons are involved. The COC doesn't know either. They say wait until the competition to see. They don't even know if we provide our own weapons, or if they are provided for competitors. This is not the first time a JO has come up with a good idea, but with no plan, concept of how to get it to work, or contact info for others. And it usually falls to us to fix it for them if it is going to work. I don't have any buddies involved in this, so I have no old boy network to call to help.

Anyone have any experience with the navy shooting team type competitions and can give me some idea of what to expect, or where I can get info? I can't seem to find a spec on weapons, only that you cannot use anything but garand, m14/m1a,m16/ar15,1911,1911a1, or m9/92fs. I found a spec for the ar15 service rifle on the CMP website if that is the correct spec, too bad we use the M14 at work. My COC thinks my kimber is not allowed (forward slide grooves), but doesn't know. I need to find out what is allowed. If mine isn't legal for this, I am looking for recommendations of what would be a good 1911 to use. If it has to be a mil-spec, somehow I think the standard Springfield ain't gonna do. Any custom makers that do those kind of guns? I know work is not going to provide, and we don't have a guy who will be on the team who will build the pistols like they had out in Whidbey Island.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Standing Wolf]

The COC doesn't know either.

Yeah, but it gets paid more not to know.

 

[buddy357]

Unfortunately, that is all too true.

 

[WT]

Great news. Glad to see the Navy getting involved with small arms handling again.

Service rifle competition allows use of the Garand, M-14 and M-16, along with other military arms. The M-16 seems to be the weapon of choice these days at Camp Perry, OH. People are taking 1,000 yard shots with it.

M-14's are also very popular.

Suggestions for each shooter:
Rifle & sling
Shooting pad to lay on.
Spotting scope
Heavy shooting glove.
2 sweatshirts (to absorb recoil)
Elbow pads.

If you want to spend more money, one can buy turtleback shooting jackets, tricked out weapons and sights, etc.

Most important - practice, practice, practice.

 

[HSMITH]

You can order, or your armorer can, National Match 45's right out of the National Stock System. You can also order NM M14's, but I am not sure about the AR. It has been well over 10 years since I did just that, but I think they will still be in the system. The hard part is each boat has an allotment of weapons, so you will have to turn in one standard gun to get one match type weapon. Balancing what you need for landing parties, boarding teams and security alerts isn't easy when you start inventorying match weapons. One way around that is to issue match weapons to certain individuals that are capable of caring for them and using them during security evolutions.

If you can get the AR's forget the M14's. The AR is easier to shoot, and guys shooting them are much less prone to fatigue and flinching. The stock M9's shoot quite well, and would work fine if you can't get NM 1911's.