Memorial Day is tomorrow, May 27, 2024. We honor those who served in the Military or made the ultimate sacrifice. To mark this important day, Sunday GunDay features “Modern Military”, rifles that were used in wartime and are now used for target competition. We feature the rifles used by Brian Williams, a world-class military rifle competitor and multiple CMP champion. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. It is a federal holiday in the United States that honors the U.S. military members who died while serving with the United States Armed Forces. Memorial Day was observed from 1868 to 1970 on the 30th of May. Since 1971, Memorial Day is observed on the last day of May. Brian Williams is a top CMP match-shooter in the United States. Brian Williams won the 3-Gun and the 4-Gun Aggregates at the 2021 CMP Eastern Games. He won the 4-Gun in the CMP National Matches at Camp Perry three years running — the inaugural 2017 4-Gun Agg plus 2018 and 2019 In 2020, the CMP Camp Perry National Matches were cancelled due to COVID. Brian gives his perspective on the “Wood Gun”, with suggestions on improving your performance with the M1 Garand and other 20th Century military weapons. Brian Williams also shoots the AR15 for 4-Gun but today’s article is about his favorite firearms, his classic “Wood Rifles”. VIDEO Showcase – Brian Williams Shoots M1903A3 Prone May 2021The Classic Wood Guns of CMP 4Gun Competition Perspectives M1 Garand M1903A3, M1917 and M1 Carbine
Q: What are the best features to look for in older rifles that can be used for CMP 4-Gun Games – M1 Garands, M1903/1903A3, M1917s, M1 Carbines? What is a realistic budget for these firearms. What is the accuracy of these firearms? What upgrades are necessary? Brian: There are many surplus military rifles, but they’re getting harder to find. Like everything else, prices are continuing to rise. A few years ago, you could buy a M1 Garand at a price of four or five hundred bucks. On the market today, they are usually double that price. Understand that each rifle is unique and has a story. There are no two alike or with the same story. There are fewer gunsmiths who specialize in these vintage rifles, just as there are fewer guns. If you search for a good gunsmith, you will find some of the most interesting and knowledgeable people you have ever met. M1 Garand – Of the four (4) centrefire guns that I use in the CMP games the M1 Garand is my favorite. Over 6 million were produced in a short period of time, and each one has a unique story. M1 Garands can be accurate. I believe a well-maintained M1 that has at least a new barrel can shoot between 1 and 1.5 MOA. M1903A3 Springfield – I find the sights on the M1903A3 to be a little easier than the sights on the M1903, however, both rifles are very accurate. In the current climate, the prices of military rifles have risen dramatically. However, there are still some gems that can be found for less than $1000. Springfield rifles are great because you can get almost all the accuracy you want by replacing an 80-year-old barrel. In terms of accuracy I think that a good M1903A3 will shoot 1 MOA the majority of the time. M1917 Enfield – This is the newest rifle in my collection. It shoots well with a new Criterion barrette — again, about 1 MOA using iron sights. These rifles are priced very similarly to the M1903 Springfield. If you do your research and keep an eye out, you can always find great deals. I prefer to shoot the M1917 over my M1903A3 due to the M1917’s cock-on close bolt, which allows for smoother cycling. M1 Carbine – By 1945, more M1 Carbines were built than Garands. Due to its scarcity, the Carbine is harder to find today. Prices have risen and most M1 Carbines sold by the military are now over $1000. The M1 Carbine can shoot as long as it is loaded with ammo. Honest. I have heard from countless people that an M1 carbine will not shoot. I can tell you that they do, but it will take some time to get them to shoot where you want.
The M1 Carbine uses the.30 Carbine cartridge, which has a 110gr bullet that travels at about 1990 FPS. The.30-06 Springfield cartridge used in the M1 Garand has a power almost three times greater than the.30 Carbine. Brian Williams’s Tech Report on Reloading for the.30-06 Springfield Rifles
I think reloading a surplus military gun is different from loading a modern precision rifle. The main goal of reloading for a modern precision rifle is different from reloading for a military surplus gun. The target that is used in the CMP Games matches is a generous 10 ring. With a larger target, you need to shift your focus from a round of ultra-accuracy to one that is safe and works well with your rifle. Bullet Selection — For my Garands, Springfields and.30-06 I use mainly 168gr plus some 155gr bullets. These bullet weights worked for me before. Cartridge Brass (Milsurp or Commercial) — I have used both military and commercial cartridge brass with success. Commercial brass is easier to prepare for the first reload. I find that military brass has a primer that needs to removed. Trimming these cases can be a challenge, as the OAL of military cases varies greatly. Power Charge and Dispensing – I have always had great success with Hodgdon’s H4895 powder. I have always loaded my 168gr and the 155gr bullets at around 47.0 grains. I also use the Auto-Trickler for all of my powder charge drops. This is an excellent piece of equipment. It not only provides super-consistent charges quickly, but also takes one thing off your mind while you are on the firing line. The Auto-Trickler will never leave you in doubt about the powder charge of your ammo. I have used CCI 200 Large Rifle Primers for many, many years without any problems. Case Care and Trimming – I only reload my.30-6 brass five times at most. I don’t over-stretch the brass because the semi-auto cycling of the Garand can be hard on the cases. I trim my cases to OAL after each reload. Trimming is quick and easy with a Giraud power cutter. Some older rifles have chambers that are not as precisely machined as modern high-end rifles. It can cause brass to grow in an inconsistent manner. I find that trimming the brass after every load cycle keeps everything in a safe range. Case Annealing – A few years ago, I began to anneal the brass for my.223 Rem rifle service ammunition. I now anneal all my match ammo. I anneal every time I fire. It is an easy step, as I can run my Annealeez auto-feeding machine while doing other things.
The.306 case was the predecessor of the.308 Winchester cartridge, which was adopted to become the 7.62×51 NATO. Brian shoots a Garand in.308 win in the Service Rifle Class at Camp Perry in both the President’s Matches and NTI Matches. CMP 4-Gun and 3-Gun Aggregate Competition Brian has dominated the field since the CMP introduced the 4-Gun Aggregate, combining three classic AR15-platform rifles with three classic wood guns, in 2017. He has won the 4-Gun in every National Match cycle that the CMP has held at Camp Perry. Brian has also dominated the 3-Gun aggregate which includes the older wood rifles. Q. What is the most enjoyable/satisfying aspect of shooting CMP 4-Gun Aggs. Brian: The 4-Gun Agg is a multi-day event that is decided by a very small margin of victory. It is difficult to stay focused and prepared for four different rifles over several days. It is a great feeling of accomplishment to be able perform well in the aggregate. Q. Q.: Do you prefer shooting wood rifles or the AR in Modern Military more? Brian: There’s no doubt that wood rifles are the best. My opinion is that a steel rifle with a beautiful wooden stock (see above) and firing the.30-6 Springfield is “where it’s at”. Q. What is the best way to shoot these older Wood Guns? Brian: I found it difficult to shoot the “wood guns”, because it was so easy to blame the rifle, and not my bad habits or poor positioning. “The rifle is much older than me, it must not be a good shooter”. To be successful with these guns, you must be honest with yourself. You will only improve if you are honest with yourself. Q. What would you change/alter if you could alter the CMP 4Gun course-of-fire or revise any aspect of the CMP 4Gun discipline? Brian: There’s always talk about changing the course of firing, target dimensions, and putting certain rifles in different classes. I like that I have adapt to the current discipline. I would not want it to be any easier. I feel that it would reduce some of the satisfaction I get from competing. Q: What are some of your favorite gear and shooting accessories? Brian: For me, a good shooting coat is very important. I use a Creedmoor Hardback Cordura Leather Coat. A good rifle sling, I believe, is also very important. Since the last two years, I’ve been using an Eric Hollis leather sling. I have a ShotMarker system, and I consider it one of my best training tools. It’s so easy to shoot and capture information. Then, you can use that information to improve. How to Improve Your Marksmanship Using the Mental Game Q. What is your prematch routine (mental/physical preparation)? Brian: I don’t do anything differently on match days than I would do on any other day. I drink as much coffee on match days as I do any other day. This game is very mental and I find that treating match days like any other day helps to control my stress and anxiety. Q. Q. Brian: I’ve learned that practice makes you better, but simply firing rounds down range doesn’t do much for me. Some of my biggest improvements have come from practice sessions in which I didn’t fire many rounds. Working through the shot, being honest, and evaluating the outcome that I want are all important. Q. Q. Most guys won’t achieve what you have in Marksmanship. win multiple multi-gun titles. What other benefits can people get from the sport besides trophies and fame? Brian: This one is easy — this sport is filled with the most genuine, thoughtful and helpful people. I have friends that I see only a few times a year, but when we get together it’s as if we just got together last week. This applies not only to competitors but also to those who run matches, supply gear and even spouses of competitors. Brian “Carbine”, King of Wood Guns
Dennis Santiago Commentary
Brian Williams is currently the leader in the CMP Games multi-gun competition. I first met Brian in the Michigan Embassy at Camp Perry. It was a makeshift compound with tables, pop-ups, and lawn chairs, where competitors gather to swap stories at the end each shooting day. It’s an “who’s-who” gathering of High Power personalities who are exchanging tall stories. Brian Williams is a “King of Wood Guns” in this prestigious group. His mastery of GSMM (Garand Springfield Modern Military) Four Gun Aggregate is renown. He is a humble champion, and you will enjoy spending time with him. I found out that Brian and myself both love the U.S. M1 Carbine in.30 Caliber, a rifle to which many other shooters give little thought. We believe in the potential for the little gun. We know that when driven correctly, the joy of collecting achievement pins will come with it. I’ve enjoyed exchanging notes with Brian on how to improve my shooting to achieve scores in the mid-370s to high 360s of a 400 possible. I can assure you that Brian will always shoot the maximum 400 on any given day. Williams is a true “Carbine”. Marksmanship journey — from novice to CMP 4-Gun champion I started shooting High Power in 2007 with iron sights AR15A2. For the first two years, I only shot the reduced course at 100 and 200 yards. In 2010, I shot my first match with the full distances of 200,300,600 yards and was introduced to Distinguished rifleman. Then I set the goal to “go distinguished”. In 2011, I went to Camp Perry to shoot the M16 EIC Match and earn my first four leg points. The match day went very well. I not only earned the points, I also won the match and set a National Record. I was able, over the course of the season and into 2012, to earn enough points to achieve my goal of becoming Distinguished. In the years that followed, I continued to use a service rifle. First with iron sights, and then with scopes when the rules changed. I loved shooting the AR15. In 2014, I began to shoot CMP Games guns with the M1 Garand & M1 Carbine. After shooting these two rifles, I decided to get a M1903 Springfield. I also wanted a rifle for the vintage military rifle match. I ordered a K-31 Swiss. In 2017, the CMP introduced the 4-Gun Aggregate Award at the National Matches. This Aggregate would include a Garand, Springfield, Vintage Rifle, and the new Modern Military Rifle (non-scoped Service rifle). In the months leading up Nationals, I spent a lot of time preparing myself for the matches. This time was well-spent as I won the 4-Gun Agg. I had already achieved the President’s Hundred, Distinguished, and High Master classifications, but it was the 4-gun Agg that I was most proud. I like shooting these older rifles, because they have had such a profound impact on our world today. The M1 Garand was a major weapon in World War II, while the M1903 Springfield is still doing its job after more than 100 years. Combine that with the fact that the CMP Games competitors are some of my favorite people I’ve ever been around. Who could ask for anything more? In 2018, I used a.308 Winchambered Garand to campaign across the course at the President’s Match, and the National Trophy Match held at Camp Perry. I spent a lot of time with the Garand during the months leading up Nationals and was able be the top shooter in both matches, 2018 and 2019. I never let my attention slip from the 4-Gun and won it in 2018 and 2019 as well as the first year of 2017.
