In a matter of months, high power rifle and pistol competitors around the country will be able to enjoy the same state-of-the-art electronic Kongsberg Target Systems (KTS) targets used at the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Talladega Marksmanship Park, without having to make the haul all the way to Alabama.
Camp Perry
On the Camp Perry Petrarca Range, KTS targets for rifle, pistol and smallbore are currently being installed. The project is going according to plan and is within budget—with completion expected by the end of June for CMP use and those attending the National Matches.
When completed, the range will contain 10 KTS targets for rifle and five KTS targets for pistol and smallbore. Though the rifle targets will be located at the 200-yard line, the changing of the target faces and the use of reduced target definitions will allow shooters to practice for longer distances as well. Pistol targets will be mounted in portable carriers that will allow them to be set up at 25 or 50 yards.
Sound deadening material has been added to the interior ceiling of the Petrarca firing line structure, as well as a dividing wall to create a more controlled environment (to be used for firing line operations and as a classroom). New doors and lighting have also been added to the structure, and berm work has been constructed downrange.
Competitors and guests of the 2016 National Matches at Camp Perry will have the opportunity to witness and fire upon the targets when they visit the training site in July. In the future, Petrarca Range will be open for public use, with the hope of rifle KTS targets being available on ALL of the Camp Perry ranges by the National Matches in 2018.
Mobile Electronic Targets
The CMP is now equipped with a set of mobile electronic high power targets—allowing the organization to introduce its new KTS targets to a variety of marksmen in the north, south, east and west. With these mobile targets now in operation, the CMP will be able to better promote competition and further prepare competitors for the future of marksmanship.
In April, 15 mobile electronic targets were temporarily installed and fired upon from 200, 300 and 600 yards at the Oklahoma City Gun Club during the Oklahoma CMP Games Matches. The mobile targets were transported from Talladega and mounted by the CMP and volunteers for use during the event. The targets were removed at the conclusion of the event for future use at other high power ranges.
The targets were used for all matches scheduled on the high power rifle range at the Oklahoma Games, including the Small Arms Firing School, EIC Rifle Match and GSMM Matches. Thanks to the use of the electronic targets, no pit duty was required during the firing portions of the matches. Target faces were swapped out (with the help of volunteers) from yard line to yard line during certain matches as competitors fired each stage across the course.
A set of electronic targets were also set up for demonstration at the CMP Eastern Games at Camp Butner in North Carolina. Plans for use at other locations are ongoing. Look for the mobile electronic high power targets at future events around the country.
About KTS Targets
Kongsberg Target Systems electronic targets work by sensing the location of a bullet as it passes through an “acoustic chamber” using a series of microphones placed within the target. When these targets are pierced by bullets downrange, sensors precisely identify the shot and accurately determine their location using “X” and “Y” coordinates—automatically displaying the score in a matter of seconds on the monitor located next to the shooter at each firing point.
The targets are very durable—the sight picture is produced by a white layer of corrugated plastic with a hole in the diameter of the scoring black placed over the scoring rubber, a self-healing rubber material that advances every 2500-5000 shots. There are no paper target faces—meaning no need to paste over holes or replace faces between relays in the pits. In fact, there is NO pit duty required at all—dramatically cutting down the time typically demanded by a single match.
With extensive testing and use over 20 years by Kongsberg Target Systems in 30 nations and even more experience received in-house by the CMP, the accuracy of these electronic targets is unlike anything else in the United States. The CMP is proud to share with its loyal customers and competitors these targets that are certain to be known as the way of the future.
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