Braxton Taylor
The NRA Education and Training Department’s best kept secret is the Marksmanship Qualification Program (MQP). A person does not have to be a member of the NRA to shoot the program and earn the associated awards. What is the MQP and what is the benefit of shooting the various courses of fire it contains?
The MQP began in 1903 as a collaboration between the NRA and the New York City School System (!) as a way of teaching gun safety using .22LR rifles to school children. As a result of a merger with the Winchester Junior Rifle Corps in 1926, the MQP adopted the general structure it has today, but has grown is to meet the needs of an ever larger shooting community.
The current MQP retains courses for fire for .22 rifles but has expanded to include 23 different courses of fire for handguns, rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders and airguns. A print copy of the course of fire guidebook is available for a nominal cost from the NRA Program Materials Center, but a PDF is available for free on the NRA’s website.
The beauty of the MQP is that it is a self-paced program that participants shoot on their own at their own convenience. Depending on the shooter’s interest, any of the 23 courses of fire can be chosen. Shooting is done at the person’s own facility whenever they are able. There are specific standards for each discipline: Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun, within their associated courses of fire. However, the purpose of the program is to provide structure for practice more than being a competitive activity.
Each course of fire is divided into several level of difficulty. Levels range from the initial Pro-Marksman to the Distinguished Expert level. By shooting a course of fire, shooters evaluate what their level of individual marksmanship ability is. As a shooter’s marksmanship ability increases by firing the program, they earn ratings on the honor system as they progress through each segment.
The Distinguished Expert level must be witnessed by an NRA member or Certified Instructor. Upon earning the Distinguished Expert rating, shooters who are NRA members receive a handsome certificate and medal from the NRA. Shooters who earn the Distinguished Expert rating in each of Pistol, Rifle and Shotgun disciplines also receive Double and Triple Distinguished Expert Certificates.
An example of a course of fire is the Rimfire Rifle Prone or Benchrest Course, similar to the origins of the MQP. It consists of 20 shots fired at an A-32 Bullseye target at 50 feet. Two shots are fired at each bullseye and two targets would be used.
Earn Your Certification
To earn the Pro-Marksman rating, a shooter must twice make 100 points out of 200 possible. The two successful shoots do not have to be consecutive. After earning progressively more difficult Marksman, Sharpshooter, and Expert ratings, the shooter may try for the Distinguished Expert rating. This requires a minimum of 191 points out of 200 possible and must be shot 10 times, not necessarily in a row.
Another interesting course of fire is the Tactical Rifle Qualification, designed for shooting with modern semi-automatic rifles. This qualification program introduces shooters to the skills necessary for the action shooting sports shot with Modern Sporting Rifles. This course of fire requires shooting at distances from 15 to 30 yards. The Distinguished Expert level is a timed course of fire requiring reloading, position changes, and multiple targets.
There is even a Basic Shotgun Qualification course of fire for recreational clay target shooters. It is designed for those without access to a formal trap, skeet or sporting clays range. The course can be shot using a hand or mechanical trap in any safe shot fall area. It has no Distinguished Expert rating but prepares shooters for formal trap, skeet and sporting clays competition. The Basic Shotgun Course is also a worthwhile preparation for hunting season.
Why is the Marksmanship Qualification Program the Education and Training Department’s best kept secret? Only because many shooters don’t know about it and don’t recognize the value that structured practice has in developing marksmanship skill. Structured practice is the way to becoming a competent shooter. The MQP provides the structure and standards that will help any shooter become a confident and competent marksman.
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