thoughts on Camp Perry

Thinking about some of Camp Perry's history and some questions and comments came to mind.
!. What year did the government stop running the National Matches? It was either 1967 or 68.
2. What year did the Pistol schedule change from complete marches to the present 900 agg. format (in the old days every relay shot slow fire before the match course. You spend all day on the range, not just two hours)
3. In the Fifties, competitors lived in the hut and tents. There were tents within 100 yards of Highway 2. The competitors were happy to be there. There were over 2400 shooters at Camp Perry.
4. The Distinguished Badge was badge of to be worn on your uniform. The old-timers wanted a floor placed on the scores so there would not be any cheap badges awarded. This was in the fifties so these people were talking about  the thirties and forties. Last year at Camp Perry, I heard of a man from Texas who never had a hardball score above 189 and was distinguished with a 8 or 10 leg. He shot the EIC match and scored 189, his highest score ever.
5. I think CMP should change the Badge to another design to reflect the new rule changes.
6. The Distinguished Badge was solid gold in the old days. Not the plated badge that we see today.  

I'm told that in the 60's there were "cheap" badges to be had too. When a base commander ordered everyone to shoot the leg matches. Legs could go for low scores. 

I've never heard of a 189 getting a hard leg. The lowest score I had seen was a 230, I think.

curmudgeon wrote:Thinking about some of Camp Perry's history and some questions and comments came to mind.
!. What year did the government stop running the National Matches? It was either 1967 or 68.
2. What year did the Pistol schedule change from complete marches to the present 900 agg. format (in the old days every relay shot slow fire before the match course. You spend all day on the range, not just two hours)
3. In the Fifties, competitors lived in the hut and tents. There were tents within 100 yards of Highway 2. The competitors were happy to be there. There were over 2400 shooters at Camp Perry.
4. The Distinguished Badge was badge of to be worn on your uniform. The old-timers wanted a floor placed on the scores so there would not be any cheap badges awarded. This was in the fifties so these people were talking about  the thirties and forties. Last year at Camp Perry, I heard of a man from Texas who never had a hardball score above 189 and was distinguished with a 8 or 10 leg. He shot the EIC match and scored 189, his highest score ever.
5. I think CMP should change the Badge to another design to reflect the new rule changes.
6. The Distinguished Badge was solid gold in the old days. Not the plated badge that we see today.  

1. It was the result of language in the '68 GCA so depending on the time of yr it passsed and the language in it, one of those yrs was the last.
4. It's hard to believe a hard leg was taken anywhere anytime w/ a 189. Range apochrypha?

5. An asterisk??-

6.Don't know about the gold content but in the late 70's there was often a long wait to recieve the medal. The rumor was a shortage of $$.

Ron Habegger

So the GCA 68 was the driver then the last year would be 1968 and 1969 the matches would be the first year for the NRA control.
 The hard leg described was under 189. He scored 189 last year at the E.I.C. match at Perry. He was as happy as a lark over his score. I never heard of an easy leg in the fifties or sixties. The military, I think, used the floor to keep the quality up.

Joe

1968 was the year with no Camp Perry. 

The low cut score for a 6 point leg in the NIT last year was 250, hence the required score for this year. 


As for the military, there were top 10% shooters who got points in those days for scores that would be considered low now, and certainly below 250.

I find two people who shot a 189 in the NTI last year, neither is distinguished.

Well, it appears, he was not telling me the truth. Oh well.

Joe

Just a quick question.
I lost my distinguished hat pin.  Anyone know if there's any chance of picking up a replacement at the CMP at Perry?
Al

http://www.champchoice.com/store/Main.aspx?p=ItemDetailOptions&item=MP60

Distinguished Lapel pin

Thanks,
I just called CChoice & they've got some along.
Al

You're either in the club, or you aren't. If my badge needs an asterisk because of when I earned it, I hope someone will let me know what I can do to get the real one. Perhaps they have a time machine I can borrow.

amazing what can be found on Google search. 

1968 was the first year without gov't support and Maj. Frank Green won the NRA matches. Arnie Vitarbo won the NTI.

Al wrote:Just a quick question.
I lost my distinguished hat pin.  Anyone know if there's any chance of picking up a replacement at the CMP at Perry?
Al

Al,
Champions Choice always bad them in the past. In the '80's DCM did also. Beat the rush-don't wait till after the CMP matches.

Ron Habegger

curmudgeon wrote:Well, it appears, he was not telling me the truth. Oh well.

Joe

Just anothe ball tale. I like the one where the guy said by his  calculation he had 48 points but no badge. Part of the story was I shot an 886 .22 ay Perry one year so one yr so I must have earned a leg but theey say not??!

Ron

There were matches through 68 and on.  The reason for the cut in Army support was the Vietnam war was taking all the surplus people the army had and they were replaced by volunteers.  Back in those days you didn't have to do much but show up and shoot. No pulling targets, etc. I missed it, too young.

GCA of '68  was passed after a pretty good fight. T Kennedy was instrumental in getting the language inserted forbidding any assistance by the military. If one has an opportunity to look thru the gun/shooting/hunting mags prior to '68 many ads for surplus military rifles & pistols were in evidence. Recall JFK was killed by a mail order Italian Carcano. Mauser actions barrelled, chambered for many calibers were to be had. Harry McGowen had an extended list of calibers on 98 actions in "The Rifleman" monthly. Not much more than $100 would get one barreled in the then wildcat 22-250 or the rest except mags were more usually. Bishop stocks machine inletted were maybe $16.95. Great days for the varminters. Many Aregentine Colts could be had cheap.


Ted earned the devoted animosity of all varieties  "gun nuts".


Ron Habegger