AAR - Lewiston, Id - Nov 28/29

[Pa Rah]

This is a place holder for Lewiston, ID.

[hawkhavn]

Have a good one folks!
HH

[Wade]

Dang wish I could make it there .

Wade

[Pa Rah]

Every now and then we catch glimpses on this forum of how some of the more seasoned instructors were bound to the Appleseed mission and to each other early in the program.  I have attended numerous Appleseed and Boot Camps as a shooter and never could quite understand the relationships the instructors had with each other.

Saturday about 3 PM I think I might have understood what this is all about. I found myself wondering how it was that I had the honor of working with such a great group of people and stood in awe of how tirelessly and persistently they worked together to pass on the “Tradition” and technical abilities required to turn Americans into Riflemen.

[Wheeler44]

I found myself wondering how it was that I had the honor of working with such a great group of people and stood in awe of how tirelessly and persistently they worked together to pass on the “Tradition” and technical abilities required to turn Americans into Riflemen.

A hearty echoing of that statement from the west coast here Pa rah.......I am honored to be part of all of this.

W44

[Earl]

Interesting, going to Saturday Appleseed disguised as an Old Guy with NRA Life Member patches on and enjoying watching the RWVA Instructors do their best. It was a great eye opener for me. First, they all knew me, and my Stevens Target .22 LR is fine - the shooter needs a tune up and that was what I was there for - I got three in the one hundred, two hundred and three hundred, must have hurried something on the four hundred and the head shot was high on the Red Coat. Then I swapped out rifles and went to the M1 Garand. Off to sighting squares and the fire hose of information I could write in my sleep, good to see those IITs doing so well at putting it out and coaching the shooters through it. I did find trouble going down to the target line and keeping my mouth shut about the shooting of others that I was cheering for... maybe the duct tape with my name on it should have been over my mouth, I did try and remember to behave better.

I had the rear sight shoot loose, and remembered a technique that Fred had told me to try. So I did and it seemed to be good, then I ran the sight up seventeen clicks and got back to making every shot count as we went through the day. M1 thumb never got me, but I lost parts of my nails and was challenged by some primer problems, or firing pin strikes, worked through those. I do know that I need much more dry fire - the whole AQT to build my standing, and sitting (I used the kneeling position this time - quicker to get into but less steady than cross legged). We got two quick AQTs in, then one last Red Coat, I lost the bottom two targets in the sunset, or twilight - it sure gets dark earlier than it did in August the last time I was at this range.

I am sure, that I need to do about one AQT every two weeks to get really good with my M1 Garand, that is forty-eight round each time, and I should shoot double that with the target .22 for form and just because it is fun. And I should dry fire the M1 an AQT every night as part of my exercise regime that I also need to get back on top of... funny, I found new muscle aches that I had never noticed in my personal shooting life - must be the pace and volume of the shooting on an Appleseed. I could have done a second day - but that is just me talking, my body might have had a different idea.

As always, the nicest people come to Appleseeds, all those I have worked with before and some I hope to hear made Rifleman. But I did find my Rifleman's bubble when it was me, the rifle and the target - I didn't pay much attention to anything except expected line commands. It is good to shoot a fine battle rifle and almost shoot up to its promise. I shouldn't put it in print, but once one starts teaching I find I wasn't spending enough quality time shooting - will work on that, harder. Thanks for having me along. Pictures included and more to follow after I clean up some patient rifles that served me well.

[hawkhavn]

I can see it now --- playing the role of Gustavus Adolphus....Earl!

Great looking shoot there folks, I see familiar faces under the colored hats and down on the line!
Can't wait to hear how it all turned out???

Hawkhavn

[Earl]

Noting the response to the earlier photos I add a few.

[Western Rose]

Some Pictures.















The three Riflemen.


Instructors waiting to see how many Redcoats got through.






Right after she started backing away when she saw Dad coming up with a water bottle.


"Oh well, It was worth it."


 <


Rifleman!


 


Congrats!


The end of the day..

[tdow]

Congratulations to Shawn, Joe, and Patrick for hanging in there and making Rifleman.  I honestly don't think I've seen such vast improvement in shooters across the board before.  Instead of getting tired, for some reason folks got focused. 

Leslie, Craig, Becky, and Rich all did a great job of calling the line.  You're all going to make awesome instructors.  Larry and Leslie gave excellent history, as expected, and Rod ran a great shoot.  Although Saturday may have been a little slow, Sunday was up there with the best I have experienced at Appleseed.

It was nice having Earl there to shoot, and to see him have to physically put his hand over his mouth to keep from morphing from a shooter into an instructor. 

As always at Appleseed, it was a pleasure to meet everyone there.  I appreciate everyone's effort, and for being the kind of Americans that are going to save this country.

--Todd

[TruTenacity]

This weekend was exhausting, physically demanding, but very rewarding.  I finally shot Rifleman.  Scoring 210 got me wet with ice water poured on my head by my loving husband, Reformed Redneck.  Scoring 212 showed I could shoot Rifleman more than once.  Scoring 230 convinced me I knew a bit about what I was doing.  If it weren't for the patience and personal training of my husband and daughter, Western Rose, plus all the instruction, tips, and encouragement from the other instructors I've been under at the four Appleseeds I've attended I couldn't have done it. Thanks to all.  I must add I'm proud to say our youngest son, Patrick, is now a Rifleman too shooting a 216.  Our youngest daughter, Evenstar, was knocking at the door numerous times.  She scored a perfect score on the second stage of one of her AQTs!

Now that I've taken on the orange hat my next step will be taken on the same path as so many in this organization.  May God be pleased to grant this organization success in being one means used to restore this nation to its greatness our founding Fathers had in mind. 

[Reformed Redneck]

Friends,

My sypathies are much the same as those already mentioned by the others here. Good shoot. Great instructors crew. It was a pleasure to have Actineon and GunslingerGirl working the line on Sunday. Actineon did fine duty in helping a Sunday only shooter make some good progress with the handicap of not having the benefit of Saturday's instruction. I had a good time getting to know XOR a bit. We were real pleased to meet Mrs. Earl. as well as Mrs. Pa Rah. Glad they came along.

As you all look over these photos, notice one thing here. See the picture(s) of Joe on the firing line? Note that he made his Rifleman with a bolt action rifle. Good going, Joe!

Thanks again to the guys at the range who keep having us back.

Best regards,
Reformed Redneck

[hawkhavn]

Congratulations to the entire crew, both on the line, those that scored Rifleman and everyone of my friends behind the line!  Pretty snazzy looking bunch in those orange, red and green hats!

Hawkhavn

[Fred]

     A big to all, but two to TruTenacity, AKA Mrs Reformed Redneck!

     Four Riflemen in one family, with a couple still to come!

     There's a family claiming 4 or 5 in either IN or IL - guess they better look out!

[JoeCool]

Hi All, I want to send out many thanks to the great instructors and fun participants. The chance to get personal shooting lessons from experts were all that I had hoped for.  It was a great time, offered by "top-shelf" people, giving away valuable rifle skills and inspiring heritage lessons. Awesome.

Joe

[hawkhavn]

Fred,

I think that is Indiana AND Ohio AND Wisconsin!  Us Hoosiers have the Mudcat clan and the Buckeyes have Redneck Engineer and kin.  Don't forget those cheeseheads up in Wisconsin either with that guy that has a suit and a snow blower!

Appleseed - the family Heritage place!

Hawkhavn

[Western Rose]

Guess we're going to have to find some bigger families out here... 

[colycat]

Great job to all.  I love the photo of all the orange hats

[Western Rose]

Thanks to the shooters for coming. It was my privilege to work with you.
I hardly saw any "happy finger" Sun. morning and none by the afternoon. < Make sure you all don't forget to find your NPOA and keep those elbows under the rifles. Dryfire, dryfire, dryfire.

Evenstar, AKA my sister, I have never seen any one ACE Stage 2 on the AQT. That was awesome! Good job. I'll look forward to working a shoot with you.

Earl, it was great to meet Mrs. Earl. You both are welcome to come back anytime.

Congratulations to the three new Riflemen!!
Mom, it was great to be able to hand you your Rifleman patch and to try to keep a straight face before you saw Dad with the water bottle.
Patrick, it was fun to see you work through the hard parts and frustration to finally make Rifleman.
Joe, well done. Making Rifleman at your first Appleseed, with a bolt action no less. <

To all three of you, I can't wait to work a shoot with you guys! Congrats on the orange hats.

Thanks to the Instructors for putting up with me and teaching me something in the process.
Pa Rah, Thanks for running such a good shoot and making me do all of the instruction that I didn't think I could. And telling me not to worry so much.. You and Mrs. Pa Rah are always welcome here.

I think my favorite exchange of the day was: "Hey, you out shot your wife this morning." ~ from an Instructor. "Well, First time for every thing!" ~ from the shooter.

[Pa Rah]

Joe,

Glad you could be a part of it. Good job, and with a bolt gun... Nice!

Hi All, I want to send out many thanks to the great instructors and fun participants. The chance to get personal shooting lessons from experts were all that I had hoped for.  It was a great time, offered by "top-shelf" people, giving away valuable rifle skills and inspiring heritage lessons. Awesome.

Joe