Imagine the thrill of cracking open a surplus military shotgun, straight from the annals of American warfighting history, now potentially headed to your local range or safe. That’s the buzz from OHUB News, where Cory Ross drops a bombshell: the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) might soon be slinging Ithaca Model 37s and Winchester Model 12s—iconic trench guns that powered doughboys through World War II and stormed beaches in the Pacific. These aren’t your grandpa’s bird guns; they’re battle-tested 12-gauges with rich pedigrees, chambered for everything from buckshot to slugs, and now whispers suggest the CMP could distribute them to eligible civilians, much like their M1 Garand program has armed enthusiasts for decades.
This isn’t just free swag for trigger-pullers—it’s a seismic win for the 2A community amid an era of bureaucratic strangulation on surplus firearms. The CMP, born from the 1924 law mandating military arms for civilian marksmanship, has democratized history: over 1 million M1s distributed, fostering skills that underpin our armed citizenry. Sending shotguns their way flips the script on ATF’s scattergun regulations—remember the 1980s import bans that choked off affordable mil-surp? If these riot guns hit the racks at $500-800 a pop (based on past CMP pricing), it floods the market with reliable, modifiable platforms perfect for home defense, clays, or SHTF scenarios. Critics will cry militarizing civilians, but let’s be real: these are tools of liberty, echoing the shotgun’s role in every American conflict since the Revolution. Stock up on 00 buck while you can—Uncle Sam might finally trust you with his leftovers.
The implications ripple outward: cheaper training ammo compatibility (think Remington field loads), a boost to gunsmiths customizing for modern optics or extended tubes, and a cultural gut-punch to gun-grabbers who hate seeing history arm the people. For 2A warriors, this is vindication—proof that marksmanship programs aren’t relics but vital pipelines keeping the Second Amendment oiled and ready. Eyes on CMP announcements; if it happens, it’ll be a scattershot salvo for freedom. What’s your take—first dibs on a trench gun?
