From: hudson@ualr.edu
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: DCM M1s and competition
Date: 16 Dec 92 14:34:04 GMT
Organization: University of Arkansas at Little Rock

In article <9212130645.aa07604@s.s.ms.uky.edu>, eric@ms.uky.edu (Eric H. Herrin II) writes:
# I have a couple questions about the DCM and the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
# I'm mostly a pistol shooter, so I'm not familiar with rifle matches; bear
# with me if I ask stupid beginner questions (BTW, I've shot rifles all my life,
# just never in competition).
# 
# My understanding is that you enter a few competitions, score so many points
# and then you qualify for a DCM M1 garand.  You then fill out some paperwork,
# take some fingerprints and send them your money.  Rifle arrives in the mail
# about a year or so later.  Correct?
# 
# Now the questions:
# 
# 1. What kinds of matches do you have to shoot?  I assume high power rifle,
#    but do they have to be 'sanctioned' by the DCM (or maybe just the club
#    sponsoring the match must be DCM affiliated)?  How many points do you
#    need to qualify for the DCM M1?  How are they tabulated?
# 

You need 120 rounds fired for record (sighters don't count), no particular
score is required.

# 2. What type of rifle do I need?  I assume a hunting rifle just won't do.
#    Seems like the rapid-fire would kill you pretty quickly.
#    I've seen a couple M1 Garands and M1As in the shops for pretty reasonable
#    prices.  Is this what I want?  If so, what kind of accurizing do I need to
#    do (most I've seen are pretty used and probably need new barrels)?  
#    Match barrels allowed?   Regulations on what kinds of parts you can put on
#    the rifle?
# 

You could use you hunting rifle at most clubs matches, but your right, 
rapid fire would be very hard.  Most hunting rifles hold only 4 rounds in 
the magazine, one in the chamber.  Can't handle 10 rounds with only one 
reload.  Most clubs are going to have several rifles just for folks like 
you to qualify (although this might come to be questionable as the most 
recent rules and Clinton takes office come together...).  Call ahead of 
time and ask a club officer to bring a rifle to the event for you, BUT do 
have the courtesy to SHOW UP if you make such an arrangement!

# 3. How much does one usually spend on his/her competition rifle (ball-park)?
# 

Cost depends.  I am shooting my DCM rifle, which I had bedded, trigger 
jobbed, and the "barrel work" done on, but did not replace the old issue 
barrel.  With 168 or 180 grain Sierra HPBT handloads, it is competitive in 
the Marksman and Sharpshooter classes.  A new match barrel would probably
put it in the Expert class competitively, I am not sure.  Several of our 
Master class folks sometimes shoot their "old" match M1s (set up as mine), 
but they don't win when they do (nostalgia time there???).

A rifle as above, normally, would run about $400 to $450, depending on who 
did the accurizing.  An M1A in like condition would run you about $900 to 
$1000.  It would probably shoot better than the M1 (I am talking about NOT 
having a match barrel at this point), but not a whole lot.  The price 
difference is mostly due to the cost of a DCM M1 ($250 now) vs the cost of 
a "new" M1A (may be more since Spingfield Armory is perhaps belly-up now?).

# --
# |  	Eric H. Herrin II - {rutgers,uunet}!ukma!eric, eric@ms.uky.edu	     |
# |			  University of Kentucky			     |
# 
-- 

One of the best reasons I can think of is that the NRA/DCM Highpower 
Matches are a lot of fun, although some clubs/areas are a lot more 
"serious" about the events than others are.

Keith
___________________________________________________________

Keith Hudson		hudson%eivax@ualr.edu	(best)
   N5EEZ		mkhudson@ualr.edu	(secondary)
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          University of Arkansas at Little Rock
      Department of Electronics and Instrumentation
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