[QUOTE=sakorick;405711A friend recently found a document in the National Archives that approved Officers to purchase National Match rifles in 1919. These rifles were to turned in each year and rebuilt at the Springfield Arsenal, tolerances checked and reassembled for the following year. The DCM sales started in 1921 by congress after pressure form the thousands of Doughboys who learned how to shoot in the Great War. The Military supported this effort. Most people then assumed the National Match rifle program started up in 1921. However, we know the program was alive and well in 1919 and 1920 and suspect that National Match rifles were also available prior to 1917.QUOTE]

I wanted to add something to this....

July 29, 1919 Captain A. Duncan (Assistant Ord. Officer) sent an inquiry to the Office of Chief of Ordnance stating the following...

"1. Par. 11, Bulletin 18, War Department, May 19, 1919, provides for the 'issue or sale on the grounds' of star gauged and targeted rifles to individuals participating in the matches.

2. Request information as to whether or not revolvers and pistols may be sold by the ordnance officer of the National Matches to individuals participating in the 1919 National Matches."

By order of the Chief of Ordnance a memo was sent back from Col. L.M. Fuller authorizing both sales of star gauged and targeted rifles, revolvers and pistols to individuals participating in the National Matches. It does not specifically specify this being limited to only officers only.

In this same folder of a string of documentation outlined how many civilians may participate on National Guard State teams. So it may be possible that civilians were eligible to participate in sales of rifles, pistols and revolvers if they were participants in the 1919 National Matches.

If someone has a copy of that specific War Department Bulletin, it may have the specific outlines where it specifies officers only. However this string of correspondence alludes that any participates in the National Matches may be sold rifles, pistols and revolvers by the Assistant Ordnance Officer at the National Matches.