Rimfire Sporter M-Class Rifle Rule Clarification

June 9, 2026

Civilian Marksmanship Program▸Rules▸Rimfire Sporter Rifle▸Rimfire Sporter M-Class Rifle Rule Clarification

Discipline:  Rimfire Sporter Rifle

The M-Class was added as an “optional” Rimfire Sporter Rifle category in 2024.  This rule was intended to allow rimfire military training rifles sold by the CMP to be used in a special Rimfire Sporter category where the 7.5 lb. weight limit does not apply.  The intent was to give owners of these rifles opportunities to use them in CMP competitions.  Recently, issues have come up regarding the wide range of rimfire rifles that the CMP acquired from government sources and subsequently sold to U. S. citizens.  To answer those concerns the M-Class Rule (G9.2.1 d) has been amended to now read:

Match sponsors have the option of including an M-Class for rimfire rifles that were acquired by the U. S. Government for various purposes and subsequently sold by the CMP to U. S. citizens for their private use. Rimfire rifles eligible for inclusion in the M-Class must be repeater rifles suitable for use in firing the 60-shot Rimfire Sporter Rifle course of fire. There is no weight limit for rifles in this class (Rule 9.2.3), but they must have a minimum trigger pull of 3.0 lbs. (Rule 9.2.5) and aperture sights (Rule 9.2.6 d).The rule will be interpreted to allow any rimfire repeater rifle sold by the CMP that is suitable for Rimfire Sporter shooting will be accepted in this class.  Note that M-Class rifles must have aperture receiver sights.