Down East Garand Shooters

Down East Garand Shooters runs a no-nonsense military rifle competition program in Eastern North Carolina. They've been at it since 2009, and they've raffled off an M1 Garand to a member every single year. That's 16 rifles. To qualify, you just need to be a member in good standing and shoot five matches during the calendar year—with only about 20 entrants competing for the draw each year, the odds beat most gun show raffles.

Matches happen the third Saturday of most months, registration starts at 8:00am, with the first relay shooting at 8:30am and the second relay around 10:00am. The club hosts 10 rifle matches per year (March through December), a training clinic in February or March, and wraps the season with an awards banquet and club meeting in January.

DEGS follows current CMP rules on a 100-yard range using the reduced-size SR-1 target. Each match is 35 rounds in four stages:

• •Stage One (Practice): 5 rounds in 5 minutes
• •Stage Two (Prone, Slow Fire): 10 rounds in 10 minutes
• •Stage Three (Prone, Rapid Fire): 10 rounds in 80 seconds
• •Stage Four (Standing, Slow Fire): 10 rounds in 10 minutes

You can shoot one or two relays (35 rounds each) per match day.

Two primary classes:

• •Vintage Military: Just about all service rifles made before 1954 (must comply with as-issued CMP requirements)
• •Modern Military: Recent service rifles like SKS and AR-15 (must comply with as-issued CMP requirements)

There's also an Open class for any safe rifle that allows you to follow the course of fire. The John Wallace Memorial Garand Match requires you to use a Garand to be eligible for the cup.

Don't own an M1 Garand or don't want to bring your own rifle? DEGS loans M1 Garands and AR-15s to members and non-members alike. You just need to let them know in advance and purchase their ammunition for use in the loaner rifles.

Surplus M2 ball ammunition is available at matches for $30 per 35 rounds.

Ammo fee: $30 for 35 rounds of surplus M2 ball.

No membership required to shoot matches. Drop in whenever you want, pay the range fee, and compete. But membership has real benefits:

• •Discounted range fees ($20 instead of $25)
• •Eligibility for the annual M1 Garand raffle (shoot five matches in a calendar year to enter)
• •Fulfills part of the CMP requirements if you want to buy a surplus rifle through the Civilian Marksmanship Program

Membership costs: - Annual: $30 - Lifetime: $250

Join by downloading the membership form from their website or bringing one to a match.

Paradise Outdoors 3993 Bill Adams Road Grimesland, NC 27837

Email: [email protected]

For match pre-registration, to reserve loaner gear, or any questions about what to expect on match day, reach out by email or stop by the range on a match Saturday.