WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023   ■   COMPETITION

CMP Bianchi Cup Action Shooting Competition to Return in 2024

HALLSVILLE, Mo. – Mark your calendars for the return of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) Bianchi Cup International Pistol Tournament! The second longest running pistol championship in the world, the 2024 CMP Bianchi Cup is set to fire May 21-24 at the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club in Hallsville, Mo.

The CMP Bianchi Cup is proud to have MidwayUSA, an industry leader in shooting, hunting and outdoor activities, as the title sponsor for the second consecutive year. The Bianchi Cup is comprised of four events, including:

  • The Practical Event, where competitors fire at distances from 10 yards to 50 yards under varying time limits from the shooting line.
  • The Barricade Event, where competitors fire at targets on either side of the barricade at different distances and under varying time limits from within shooting boxes and behind barricades.
  • The Falling Plate Event, where competitors fire at eight-inch round steel plates arranged in banks of six at distances from 10 to 25 yards under varying time limits.
  • The Moving Target Event, where competitors fire from within shooting boxes at distances ranging from 10 to 25 yards at a target moving from left to right, with the target exposed for six seconds.

Competitors shoot from both standing and prone positions and are also required to shoot with both strong and weak hands at various stages. There are no makeup shots in the Bianchi Cup, adding to the difficulty of the event.

NEW FOR 2024! A Rimfire Division has been added to the Bianchi Cup to encourage participation from juniors not shooting centerfire pistols as well as adults who want to warm up for the Bianchi Cup in a less expensive manner. The Rimfire Division is also beneficial to individuals who may not be familiar with the events and would like some “match conditions” training. Additionally, Provisional Divisions for Production and Production Optics have been added (with current Production and Production Optics divisions remaining unchanged).

Registration is now open! Learn more about the 2024 CMP Bianchi Cup at http://thecmp.org/bianchicup/.

PISTOL AND AMMO RAFFLE! The CMP will be raffling off a 1911 pistol and 20, 500-round bricks of pistol .22 ammo at the Bianchi Cup Mixer, held on Wednesday of the event. Those who register by May 1, 2024, will be entered into the raffle for a chance to win these great prizes!

If you’d like to become a sponsor of the 2024 CMP Bianchi Cup, find more info at https://thecmp.org/sponsorship/#BianchiCup.

About the Bianchi Cup:

The Bianchi Cup was created by Ray Chapman (a WWII Marine veteran, law enforcement officer and IPSC champion of the 1970s), and famous holster maker, Major General of the California National Guard, law enforcement officer and Hollywood cowboy John Bianchi. While discussing the current state of pistol competitions that were being held across the country at the time, Bianchi and Chapman realized there was a need for an event that featured a mix of International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), Police Pistol Combat and precision pistol shooting styles – an idea that became the Bianchi Cup.

Over the years, the championship has become internationally recognized by top shooters from around the world, helping to create one of the fastest growing disciplines in the action shooting community.

About the Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club:

The Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club, formerly the Chapman Training Academy, was named after Ray Chapman before his passing in 2008. The club has been the annual host of the Bianchi Cup since its inception. The origin of the club days back to the 1930s and has played a major role in the creation of the practical shooting discipline. The facility holds several ranges, including two movers, a Bianchi barricade, two 50-yard Bianchi practical ranges, a 250-plus yard rifle range and a falling plates range. Learn more through the range’s website at https://www.gvshoot.com/.

- - Ashley Dugan, CMP Staff Writer

The Civilian Marksmanship Program is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporation. It is dedicated to firearm safety and marksmanship training and to the promotion of marksmanship competition for citizens of the United States. For more information about the CMP and its programs, log onto www.TheCMP.org.

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