By Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer
CAMP PERRY, Ohio – This year’s National Rimfire Sporter Match, part of the annual National Matches at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio, saw many different firsts: an additional firing class, a new milestone for a familiar competitor, a line of updated outdoor electronic eTargets across a fresh range for the match and, possibly most surprisingly, a cameo from the Goodyear blimp directly overhead.
The National Rimfire Sporter Match is one of the most popular events of the month-long National Matches, suitable for both adults and juniors of all experience levels looking for real competition in an introductory setting.
The match features .22 caliber rifles at 50 and 25 yards and traditionally includes Open Sight (O), Telescope Sight (T) and Tactical Unlimited (TU) classes, though the 2025 National Rimfire Sporter Match saw the inclusion of the “M-Class” for military trainer rifles.
The 2025 National Rimfire Sporter Match, facilitated by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), was held July 20 on Camp Perry’s Petrarca Range. What makes Petrarca unique from other ranges on the famed grounds is its covered firing line, easily accessible parking right behind the range and, of course, its line of outdoor Kongsberg Target Systems (KTS) electronic targets.
Though the targets had been used in past years for the National Smallbore Matches, this year, the CMP decided to finally utilize them for the National Rimfire events.
“It went fantastic,” said Brian Williams, CMP Highpower Manager who helped lead the charge in the installation of the targets. “The system that we use for Rimfire Sporter is so easy to use – very intuitive.”
This year’s Rimfire Sporter range was comprised of 70 targets at 50 yards. Unlike the past Rimfire setup, which included several separate paper targets at each firing point for each stage of the match, participants fired at the same single target for the entire competition. The best part – scoring was completed electronically, with shot placement shown automatically on LED tablets next to each competitor on the firing line.
“It’s a little more nerve-wracking because you can see the shots as you fire them,” said Samuel Payne, 26, of Kingston, GA. “So, if you throw one out there, you can see it immediately versus not really knowing. But it’s definitely a lot better knowing and being able to see your shots.”
Payne led this year’s O-Class as well as the T-Class – the first time he had found victory in more than one class at Camp Perry.
A living legend the Rimfire Sporter Match, Payne has spent several years perfecting the course of fire – literally – firing the competition’s first perfect score of 600 at CMP’s Eastern Games in 2015, as a junior. He has also earned multiple High Junior titles in both the O-Class and T-Class and had previously claimed the overall win in the National O-Class back in 2013 and the T-Class three other times (even holding the current T-Class National Record score of 599-46X).
With so many years behind him using paper targets, Payne admitted to being apprehensive about using the new electronic target system. But after firing the match in record time with very few hiccups along the way, he gained a new appreciation for the experienced staff running the match as well as the target technology itself.
“The electronics worked phenomenally well – much better than I expected,” Payne admitted, with a smile. “Super quick. Six relays in – what was it – eight hours?”
“I almost didn’t attend this year’s National Matches, but now I’m glad I did,” he added.
The 2025 event welcomed nearly 270 individuals on the range, an increase from the previous four years. Besides the new range and scoring technology, guests to the National Rimfire Sporter Match were also treated to delicious food trucks and even an unexpected visit from the Goodyear blimp directly above the range during the final relay (by total coincidence, of course).
Finding the overall win in the TU Class was Aaron Boyd, 18, of Senoia, GA, with a score of 593-30X, while David Kiefer, 61, led the new M-Class, with a score of 573-20X.
Other Award Winners of the 2025 National Rimfire Sporter Match:
O-Class:
High Junior: Brendon Dunn, 19, Taylorsville, GA – 561-11X
High Senior: James Stewart, 60, Eaton Rapids, MI – 575-17X
High Woman: Elisabeth Bensch, 17, Enid, OK – 544-7X
T-Class:
High Junior: Matthew Novo, 16, Cartersville, GA – 592-24X
High Senior: Steven Slee, 61, Dimondale, MI – 595-29X
High Woman: Jenna Boykin, 17, Port Clinton, OH – 585-24X
TU-Class:
High Junior: Aaron Boyd, 18, Senoia, GA – 593-30X
High Senior: Scott Schindehette, 80, Saginaw, MI – 587-22X
High Woman: Brianna Toikkanen, 27, Conneaut, OH – 583-22X
For a complete list of results of the 2025 National Rimfire Sporter Match, visit the CMP’s Competition Tracker page at https://ct.thecmp.org/NMRimfire25Results.
Photos of the event, including awards photos, are available for free viewing and download at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f923410110.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation that places its highest priority on firearms safety and marksmanship activities, with a focus on youth. CMP’s programs encourage personal growth and build life skills, with such initiatives as its junior training and competition programs, Affiliated Club program and scholarships providing support to citizens of all backgrounds across the nation. Learn more about the CMP at https://thecmp.org/.
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