Though more popularly known for sales of military surplus firearms, CMP’s mission is to promote marksmanship “with a focus on youth,” and to that end, it also offers factory-new .22 Long Rifle target rifles at a significant discount to affiliated clubs as incentive to initiate and equip programs for training youth.
CMP’s .22s are Savage Arms bolt-action Mark I-FVT and Mark II-FVT junior smallbore rifles in both right- and left-hand models, and feature either single-shot actions for prone competition, or five-round detachable magazine models for Three-Position. All wear synthetic stocks, heavy target barrels and target sights. Shown here is a right-handed Mark II-FVT five-shot repeater that came from CMP with—appropriately enough for Three-Position competition—two magazines.
Though labelled, “Junior,” CMP’s smallbore rifles don’t sport cut-down barrels and stocks, so they are suitable for adults, as well, either as trainers or entry-level smallbore competition rifles, yet the rifle’s 6½ pounds of heft and 21-inch barrel aren’t too much for smaller shooters to handle.
Barrel, receiver and bolt handle wear what appears to be a matte black oxide (“Parkerizing”) finish. The straight-taper, heavy contour barrel measures 0.80 inch at both breech and muzzle; a target recess protects the rifling at the muzzle. Length of pull is a full 13 inches, which is typically small-to-medium-adult length, but the rear sight aperture extends a little over an inch past the back of the receiver, affording a good sight picture for youths with shorter arms or when wearing a shooting coat.
TARGET TRIGGER, TARGET SIGHTS
Savage’s AccuTrigger on this rifle breaks at 2½ to 2¾ pounds; the provided adjustment tool permits increasing trigger pull up to about 4½ pounds. With the action cocked and the side-mounted safety engaged, the bolt is not locked and so can be cycled to empty the chamber—a welcome bit of additional safety when training new shooters. The synthetic stock sports molded four-panel checkering at the wrist and fore-arm; the trigger guard is molded as part of the stock and the removable butt plate is hard plastic. Both fore-arm and buttstock have sling swivel studs in place. The receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounting.
Sights are as important as the barrel when the goal is accurate shooting, and the rear sight on the Junior Smallbore Rifle is a sturdy Williams Deluxe Target Foolproof with a 7/8 x .050-inch aperture sight disc installed. Windage and elevation is click adjustable, and adjustments are positive and marked in white paint. The sight is tall enough to align with the tall globe front sight that comes with 10 interchangeable post and aperture front sight inserts. The click adjustments on the rear sight will, of course, move bullet impacts different amounts depending upon sight radius. Williams Gun Sight Customer Service/Sight Technician Brian Newlon said in an email exchange that the 28-inch sight radius of the CMP Junior Smallbore Rifle means 6.51 clicks of the rear sight elevation or windage knobs will move bullet impacts one MOA (one inch at 100 yards).
According to the Williams Gun Sight company website, the retail price of the front and rear sights and sight adapter bases is $196, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the $321 rifle-and-sight combination incentive price from CMP. Regular retail price of the Savage Mark II FVT rifle/sight combo is in the $465 neighborhood, so that $144 cost saving is a pretty good indicator of CMP’s intent on getting youth involved in marksmanship training via club participation. Plus, CMP’s purchase price of $321 includes shipping, another $35 to $45 savings. Priced so far less than retail, CMP does not sell these Mark I-FVT and Mark II-FVT Junior Smallbore Rifles to individuals, only to CMP-affiliated clubs.
SOLID ENTRY-LEVEL PERFORMANCE
For functional and accuracy checks, I selected five different brands of match-grade ammo and shot 10-round groups from a sandbag rest at 50 feet with the iron sights. The Junior Smallbore Rifle functioned without a hiccup, feeding and ejecting all rounds flawlessly. The magazine loaded easily, trigger release was consistent and the bolt would give even the smallest youthful shooter no trouble to close. CMP had installed a post insert for a front sight, and I left it there, though it was a bit wide for the two-inch peel and stick targets used here—in competition, I would have used an appropriate-size aperture insert.
First shots to find a zero landed 1¼ inches low. Thirty or so clicks of the elevation knob brought shots up to center. Three brands of ammo shot one-hole groups, while the other two each had a single flyer, which might be attributed to the shooter using that too-wide front post insert.
At six-and-a-half pounds, the rifle is too light for serious adult competition (for which it is not intended, anyway), and the rifle apparently has a standard SAAMI chamber, not a match chamber, as bullet noses are not engraved by rifling when chambered. This undoubtedly helps keep the cost down, as well as aiding youth in having no difficulty in closing the bolt. Overall, CMP’s Junior Smallbore Rifle demonstrates excellent accuracy and is perfectly appropriate as an entry-level rifle for bringing youth into the shooting sports.
CMP JUNIOR SMALLBORE RIFLE
ACCURACY EVALUATION
If your club wants to replace its old, worn-out training and smallbore rifles, or if you are considering starting up a marksmanship training program at your CMP-affiliated organization but thought six or a dozen target rifles were out of financial reach, these discounted Savage Mark I and Mark II rifles will fill the bill. Visit the CMP website at thecmp.org for more information.
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