GCA Journal • Fall 20169

Another challenging yet successful year at Camp Perry has come to an end. Range evacuations, thunderstorms, flooding, wind, all typical Camp Perry weather! This year the GCA fielded seven teams in the National Trophy Team and National Trophy Infantry Team matches. These brave shooters again campaigned their venerable M1’s, eschewing the mild-mannered AR-15 rifles for rifles made of real walnut and steel.

Speaking of weather, sadly there was no award ceremony for the Garand winners due to a serious weather-related range evacuation after the AM relay of the National John C. Garand Match. As a result, the PM relay of the JCG Match (and Vintage Military Bolt Match) went late, with most of us getting off the range at near 7 p.m.! The GCA again purchased plaques for all of the top shooters and teams firing M1 rifles in each event, as we have been doing for some years. Because of the cancellation of the awards ceremony, the winners will receive their trophy plaques by mail but will be celebrated and outlined here.

2016Camp Perry Review

Jackie Meade, GCA Oklahoma

GCA Oklahoma, NTIT

By Mike BernazzaniPhotography by Webster Wright, Jr. – Annapolis, Maryland

CELEBRATING MARKSMANSHIP

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Our new online registration tool worked well and was generally well received. It saved our volunteer staff a lot of work and allowed us to have a better handle on what teams needed assistance and or additional manpower. It is still a work in progress, and next year it will work even better. Support staff volunteers Mike Korff, Drew Rudd and Aaron Loreman did an awesome job making sure all of the new team members were taken care of, and made all of the returning teams comfortable as well. Assembling “pick up” teams on the fly and under time constraint is a tough job, and their able help and “can-do” attitude was much appreciated by Jim Adell and me.

Teams, National Match Events and Winners

This year returned to the “normal” schedule, (P100 before NTI and CMP Games matches). Sunday, July 24th had some awful weather (surprise!), washing out Squadded Practice with some torrential downpours – those waiting to get zeroes at the last minute were sorely disappointed, especially the mouse-gunners taking advantage of the new rules allowing up to 4.5 power scopes on the AR-15 rifles.

Most of the now-familiar GCA teams returned this year, and we even had a fully formed new team competing in the National Trophy Infantry Team Match, (Rattle Battle) this year, the GCA Black Sheep from Michigan led by Team Captain John Shepp IV. Talk about jumping into the deep end of the pool, this was John’s first trip to Camp Perry! In an email, John said “Competing in the NTIT was an idea that had come to light one night while gathered with some friends over a couple adult beverages. If it wasn’t for the GCA we never would have been able to do it and the idea of the GCA Black Sheep shooting the NTIT would have been as empty as our glasses that night. It was overwhelming arriving at Camp Perry for the first time as a shooter, let alone a team. But thanks to [the GCA Admin staff], it was a very enjoyable experience. I know I can’t wait to go back and do it again.” Look for a future “Firing Line” article from John regarding his team’s experience on their first trip to the National Matches at Camp Perry.

Re-taking the top Garand spot in the President’s 100 Rifle Match was the GCA’s Bob Steketee, firing an impressive 276-4x. Bob has been an inspiration to all Team GCA competitors for years.

Drew Rudd (GCA 8-Team ) was indispensable this year in his administration of our teams.

Steve Brubaker, GCA Pingsters

CDR Jim Adell has been a fixture at Camp Perry seemingly forever.

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The top M1 shooter in the National Trophy Individual Match was Richard Zolnowsky, who shot a 474-13x – he will also receive a plaque.

Clay Maugans and Brian Dobish were on top of the scores in the Semi-Auto division of the Vintage Sniper Rifle Team Match, firing their M1D with a score of 373-8x.

GCA Michiana, no strangers to winning the National Trophy Team M1 Garand Award, took the title again this year with a score of 2665-37x. Though the GCA PA Patriots have been climbing a bit each year, this time we finished second, still 200 points behind the veteran team. Way to go, Michiana!

GCA Michiana also once again took the trophy for the top spot in the National Trophy Infantry Team Match, (Rattle-Battle), re-taking that title from GCA

Oklahoma, who came in second. With an aggressive fire-plan, and more favorable weather conditions than last year, GCA Michiana was able to come out on top by 132 points.

HappeningsShooting your M1 at Camp Perry is a very different experience than shooting your AR-15 at a local match. Competitors shooting the big rifle quickly learn the difference between shooting the mild-mannered little plastic wonder rifles and shooting an ornery old warhorse like the M1. Even with the best of match-conditioning, the old beasts have idiosyncrasies that will rear their heads at the oddest times (usually during important competitions, seemingly never at home during practice!). One successful repair was made to Tom Napoleon’s M1 right ON the 600-yard line during the National

Trophy Team match. During the rapid fire strings, Tom’s rifle began shooting more of a “buckshot” pattern as opposed to grouping, and it was found to have a floppy, sloppy gas cylinder fit that allowed the front sight to move quite a bit. Teammate Jerry Hixenbaugh – known as “JerryRigged” by all of us – used an M10 tool with a section of steel spotting scope rod as a hammer to peen the splines on the barrel right then and there. It worked well, and sure enough, Tom was back in action!

A much more serious rifle issue that was unable to be resolved was the receiver failure of GCA President Steve Rutledge’s .308 match-grade M1. In the NTT, during rapid fire, the bolt came back with such force as to crack the rear of the receiver, and break the elevation knob in two, part of which bloodied Steve’s head! Steve was OK, though shaken up, as most would be after such an event. Hypotheses abounded, as many voiced their opinions on what “surely caused it.” Rest assured that there will be a post-mortem examination and an upcoming article on the rifle and what some of the experts think actually happened. In all, it is an eye-opening reminder of the realities of having nearly 50,000 psi that close to one’s face and eyes!

The legend, Bob Steketee, NTIT

GCA Michiana, NTIT

Tom Napoleon, GCA PA Patriots

Steve Rutledge’s broken receiver

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Conclusion – until next year!As is the case with most competitors, as CMP week comes to an end, I begin to anticipate the next year – before I’ve even LEFT Camp Perry! As we look forward to next year, if you’ve been “on the fence” about shooting at the National Matches, I will again say that it is unlike anything you have experienced before. Even for veteran competitors, Camp Perry can be anywhere from magical to horrible and every step in between! Keep practicing, and if you have some friends who are also thinking about it, get together, start the nucleus of a team or a fully formed one like our new friends, the GCA Black Sheep. And, well, practice, practice, and practice some more!

Keep your eyes on the “Firing Line” columns in your GCA Journals, and get in contact with either Jim Adell or me over the winter – we’re looking forward to meeting you and having you join Team GCA!

Amy Kemps was all smiles during the NTIT.

Russ Hollander, GCA Wisconsin

Matt Watson, GCA 8-Team

Jim Murray, GCA 8-Team

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The Teams at Camp Perry 2016

GCA Black Sheep – Front L-R: Brian Toohy, Aaron Schultz, Ray Rieli Rear L-R: Alex Heber, Brian Turner, John Shepp Sr, John Shepp IV

GCA PA Patriots – Front L-R: Jerry Hixenbaugh, Alfred “Russ” Morley, Tom Napoleon, Tom Morley Rear L-R: Mike Bernazzani, John Joyce,

Austin Griffith, Dennis Loreman, Aaron Loreman

GCA 8-Team – Front L-R: Matt Watson, Drew Rudd, Mike Korff Rear L-R: Alan Bulejcik, Ray Coache, Jim Murray

GCA Michiana – Front L-R: Brad Diehl, Andy Geigold, Franco ScarpinoRear L-R: Bob Steketee, Charlie Topp, Tom Dean, Brian Quillen

not pictured – Lynn Richter

Not pictured: GCA Oklahoma - Si Fentress, Roger Farley, Dan Arnold, Chuck Hannah, Jackie Meade, Kurt Schmidt, Wes Fentress, Tommie Sims

George Kolarik, GCA Pingsters

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GCA New Team A – Front L-R: Robert Rubrecht, Coach Jim Adell, Joel Bessemer, Tom Simonsen

Rear L-R: Charles Capra, Charles Fleisleber

GCA Pingsters – Kneeling: Steve BrubakerFront L-R: Jim Hopkins, Lauren Smith, Mike Toscos, Alan Little

Rear L-R: Tim McGrattan, George Kolarik, Tom Gonda

The Teams at Camp Perry 2016

GCA Wisconsin – L-R: Jim Bridges, Brian Dobish, Don Kemps, Tim Zoern, Doug Harvey, Dan Hinton, Russ Hollander, Amy Kemps

GCA Washington Co. Redskins – Front L-R: Bruce Ungar, Theodore K. Hildabrand, Michael Ligman Rear L-R: James M. Madar,

Gary Sherer, Charles Augenstein, David Burd. not pictured, Steve Morelli

Garand Collectors Association

Camp Perry 2016

We Shoot Our M1’sTo Honor Our Greatest Generation

Garand Collectors Association

Camp Perry 2016

We Shoot Our M1’sTo Honor Our Greatest Generation

CELEBRATING MARKSMANSHIP

Joel Bessemer from NY was one of our new team shooters this year.