Divisions and Links
Civilian Marksmanship Program
CMP
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) promotes firearms safety training and rifle practice for all qualified U.S. citizens with special emphasis on youth. The CMP operates through a network of affiliated shooting clubs and associations that covers every state in the U.S. The clubs and associations offer firearms safety training and marksmanship courses as well as the opportunity for continued practice and competition.
The CMP was created by the U.S. Congress. The original purpose was to provide civilians an opportunity to learn and practice marksmanship skills so they would be skilled marksmen if later called on to serve the U.S. military. Over the years the emphasis of the program shifted to focus on youth development through marksmanship. From 1916 until 1996 the CMP was administered by the U.S. Army. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1996 (TITLE XVI) created the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice & Firearms Safety, Inc. (CPRPFS) to take over administration and promotion of the CMP. The CPRPFS is a tax exempt not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that derives its mission from public law.
Since 1996, the new CMP has built upon its marksmanship heritage to become a national leader in firearms safety and marksmanship. In the 12 years since the CMP became a non-profit corporation, its Board of Directors, Administrative Officers and staff have launched numerous safety, marksmanship training and competition programs that fulfill the corporation’s statutory mission. The CMP strives to be a national leader by emphasizing basic marksmanship instruction, mass participation in its competitions, applying technological innovation and providing outstanding constituent service. Visit the CMP Programs web site at http://www.odcmp.com.
The federal law that established the new CMP authorizes the Corporation to sell surplus .30 and .22 caliber military rifles, parts and ammunition to qualified U. S. citizens “for marksmanship.” In accordance with this legislative authorization, the CMP sells government-surplus M1 Garands, M1 Carbines, .22 caliber target rifles and small quantities of other rifles to qualified purchasers. All net revenue from CMP sales operations is used to fund current operations, programs and an endowment to support future programs. The primary CMP warehousing, inspection & repair, test firing, and sales order processing and distribution activities are located in Anniston , Alabama . During FY08, proceeds from the sale of these rifles fully funded all CMP programs and provided a substantial surplus of revenue over expenses for the endowment fund. Visit the CMP Sales web site at http://www.thecmp.org.