Juniors: Learn Skills from Collegiate Athletes at CMP’s 2026 Junior Rifle Camps
January 16, 2026
Registration is now open for the 2026 Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Junior Rifle Camps, a premier series of hands-on, informative Junior Rifle Camps for high school-age students and coaches during the summer months!
Participants in the camps receive valuable lessons on intermediate and advanced marksmanship skills through various exercises and demonstrations, all led by current collegiate rifle athletes.
The Junior Rifle Camps are designed to train rifle fundamentals and techniques through group discussions and personal guidance from experienced mentors on the firing line. The camps are excellent tools in developing each athlete’s strengths within the physical and mental aspects of the sport while refining trouble areas that may need more attention.
3-Position Air Rifle: The 3-Position (3P) air rifle camps are by far the most popular camp CMP offers. Over five days, athletes will learn the fundamentals of 3P air rifle, including but not limited to how to build a stable position, how to develop and use a shot process and how to compete like a champion.
Finals, Standing Only Camp: A special standing-only event will be held at the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Ohio July 6-7. The Finals camp will be open to all juniors in the precision class grades 9-12 who have demonstrated the desire and ability to compete on the finals stage. While previous camp participation is not required, individuals who apply will be hand selected to reflect the highly competitive nature of competition finals.
Athletes will get to know other competitors of similar skill levels from around the country and learn from some of the best collegiate rifle athletes in the sport. Cost of the 3P Air Rifle Camp is $430/athlete (adult leader cost included). NOTE: All campers must have at least one adult leader in order to attend.
Camp Dates for 2026:
- June 1-5 – Anniston, AL
- June 8-12 –Columbia, MO
- June 15-19 – Mariner, FL
- June 15-19 – Beatrice, NE
- June 22-26 – TBA
- June 29-July 3 – Camp Perry, OH
- July 6-7 – FINALS CAMP, STANDING ONLY – Camp Perry, OH
- July 20-24 – Anniston, AL
- July 27-31 – Anniston, AL
Can’t make it to a CMP Summer Camp? Schedule a private camp for your team, hosted on your range! View more info and find camp registration links on the CMP website at https://thecmp.org/camps/.
Questions on the CMP Junior Rifle Camps may be directed to CMP camp director, Ryan Hinson, at [email protected] or you can visit the CMP Podcasts page at https://thecmp.org/news-media/cmp-podcasts/ and click on the “Junior Rifle Camps” episode to hear Hinson speak in more detail!
INTERESTED IN BEING A CAMP COUNSELOR? Find more info here: https://thecmp.org/youth/junior-air-rifle-camps-and-clinics/junior-camp-counselors-2/.
WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR VENUE TO HOST A CAMP? Find an application here: https://thecmp.org/youth/junior-air-rifle-camps-and-clinics/application-to-host-a-cmp-summer-camp/.
A Brief History of CMP Junior Camps:
The CMP Junior Air Rifle Camp mission has always been to help juniors who have a desire to improve their marksmanship skills and to develop leaders on and off the range. In 1997, the Director of Civilian Marksmanship Emeritus, Gary Anderson, established the Junior Air Rifle Camps while serving as Director of Wolfcreek Shooting Complex in Atlanta, Georgia – setting the precedent for how the program would be conducted. The camps received support from the CMP in 1999 and were fully adopted as a CMP program in 2000.
Since then, the Junior Air Rifle Camps have expanded their footprint through the addition of new camp disciplines, new host locations across the nation and first-class instruction. Though many things have changed, the core mission of the Junior Rifle Camps has remained the same – provide quality instruction to support athletes in reaching their goals.