Mark your calendars as the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) will once again welcome competitors and guests to its annual Talladega D-Day Rifle and Pistol event, taking place June 7-11, 2023, at Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama. Registration is currently open, so register now to join this commemorative occasion!
Talladega’s D-Day celebration honors the anniversary of the Allied Forces landing in 1944 on the Normandy beach in France. The event allows visitors to pay tribute to the brave heroes of the World War II generation through various marksmanship competitions and activities spread throughout the 500-acre Talladega Marksmanship Park. Guests will also be able to fully immerse themselves in the Talladega Hall of Heroes exhibit in the Club House, showcasing authentic memorabilia from local veterans.
The 2023 D-Day event will include the return of contemporary favorites like the Garand Iron Man EIC Rifle Match, where competitors fire either a service M1 Garand or an as-issued M1 Garand toward potential Excellence in Competition (EIC) points. ). A Rimfire Sporter Rifle Benchrest Match, which incorporates the use of sandbags for added stabilization of competitors while shooting .22 rifles in the O, T, or TU classes, and a Vintage Match Benchrest are ideal for those just starting out in the field. rifle competition or those with ailments, eager to get back to the shooting range.
Using vintage M1903 Springfield or US Krag rifles, the Roosevelt Commemorative Match will pay tribute to military firearms of the past through friendly, recreational competition. CMP’s traditional schedule of select Games events such as GSMM, Carbine and Vintage Sniper rifle will be intertwined with a number of popular pistol competitions such as 1911 As-Issued and Military & Police Matches.
For the first time on D-Day, those who compete in the John C. Garand Match with genuine M1 rifles will have the opportunity to earn points toward a GCA (Garand Collectors Association) Marksman’s Medal. Like other disciplines within the CMP Distinguished Badge Program, the GCA Marksmanship Medal will operate on an Achievement Award point system, based on performance in designated events.
People who attend the D-Day event at Talladega can also participate in CMP educational opportunities, including the M1 Maintenance Clinic, Level II Range Officer Course, and the GSMM New Shooter Clinic, each featuring a more focused look at the inner workings of rifle preservation and competition fundamentals, led by certified marksmanship professionals.
Outside of the regular D-Day competition, Talladega Marksmanship Park offers even more to explore with a shotgun trap course, two 5-stall courses, and a 15-station sporting clay course with automated trap machines. Also, be sure to check out the park’s unknown distance range, which features 12 life-size metal animal-shaped targets (including moose, deer, bears, and pigs) and CMP’s own archery range. Both are just a short walk or golf cart ride from the D-Day events on the Talladega grounds.
Come be a part of the festivities on this special date in American history. For more information on Talladega D-Day, visit https://thecmp.org/cmp-matches/talladega-d-day-matches/.
About the Talladega Shooting Park:
Talladega Marksmanship Park, “The Home of Marksmanship,” hosts rifle, pistol, shotgun, and archery opportunities for visitors to enjoy. The park’s Clubhouse consists of 13,000 square feet of usable space and includes the CMP Pro Shop, which is stocked with CMP firearms, ammunition, shooting accessories and memorabilia.
The facility is open to the public year-round, Wednesday through Sunday. Find a list of monthly events and other events at Talladega Marksmanship Park by visiting the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/ranges/talladega-marksmanship-park/.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearms safety and marksmanship training and the promotion of marksmanship competition for United States citizens. To learn more about the CMP and its programs, log on to www.TheCMP.org.