AAR: Alton, IL August 27-28, 2011

[Wurstmacher]

AAR- Alton, IL August 27-28, 2011

Three shooters were registered for this event.  Generally the turnout has been much, much better at this venue.  Triggernick, an Instructor, from Wisconsin came down to Missouri to visit his father.  One condition of his visit was that his right-handed, left-eye dominant dad, Terry had to come to an Appleseed with him.  After using a scoped .22 for a while, then a .22 with Techsights, then back to the scoped .22, it wasn't until he tried shooting left handed, did his groups begin to shrink, and shrink they did.  He was easily shooting 4MOA groups.  Good equipment and a teachable attitude work wonders at an Appleseed.  Terry, you couldn't quite get it all put together during the transition stages of the AQT this time.  Persevere, do some stretching exercises, practice getting into a seated position and you will easily get over the hump.  Then you will be ready for that .308.

William, or rather Dan is certainly a Dangerous Old Man with a great attitude and can't quit determination.  I kept waiting for him to set out to take a breather, or to decline on doing the transitions, but he kept at it both days, all day long.  A few failures to eject, a loose flash suppressor on his Colt Umarex .22, bifocals and aperture sights made it difficult for him put good groups together (couldn't focus on front sight sometimes and couldn't see 4th. Stage targets).  He declined the use of a scoped rifle, but after trying AR's scoped rifle which was identical to his at the end of the event, I imagine we will see Dan clearing a Redcoat at his next
Appleseed. 

Thank you  Dan for bringing a French Trade Musket for us to look at on Saturday and a Plains rifle for us to shoot on Sunday.  Even though he had some difficulty putting groups together with his modern firearm, when I posted a Redcoat for him to shoot at with his Plains rifle, offhand, with no sling, he put the round ball right in the middle of the 100 yd. silhouette.  Dan is definitely a man who knows what he is about.

mtbrass brought his wife Maria on Sunday, her first Appleseed since the Waterman 300 last September.  She progressed from getting 2 rounds off during the seated stage to getting them off with 5 seconds to spare.  The fruits of her labor was a 198 on her last AQT and  a "Shoot like a girl" cap that I had been carrying around for the right opportunity.

Triggernick, thanks for bringing your dad and then your buddy, a fellow IIT from Wisonsin on Sunday.  It was good to have you "Billiam."  Come shoot again, when you are not under "ammo restriction." 

AR you were shooting some awfully good groups on Sunday morning.  Let's see if you can't put it together on Stage 4 at your next Appleseed, so that Team Wurstmacher will be a family full of Riflemen!

Thanks to mtbrass for getting the line up.  It was nice to pull into a range and have things ready to go.  I hope that I didn't work you too hard.  Thanks for bringing Maria with you.  When I  stopped at Sonic on my way through Jerseyville,  I was surprised when the carhop that brought me my food asked me if I had been out at the quarry.  It kind of took me aback.  Until he said that his dad had been out there all weekend too. 

Feel free to share your experiences and any photos that you may have taken.

[leaddude]

   When I pulled into the quarry at 8 AM Saturday morning, I tried to keep an open mind, but it was hard not to be skeptical.  The site was bleak, rocky, dusty and primitive in every sense, and it was gonna be a hot day -- but my son, Triggernick, said I'd learn a lot, and I'd be glad I went, so we pulled up, hopped out and started unpacking our gear. 
   I was afraid I didn't belong there. I'm 58, short, and 50 lbs. overweight - ("out of shape" is being kind). My only previous experience with gun instruction of any type was with handguns (although I own a .308 and a shotgun, I have put less than 250 rounds thru each).  I didn't know the lingo of riflemen, nor did I subscribe to any shooting magazines, etc.  Well, Wurstmacher and his sidekick, MTBrass met me 10 steps out of my car, and within 30 seconds, I felt at ease.  Non-judgemental and deliberate, they said we'd take it a step at a time, and welcomed me to the site.
   As the morning progressed, I overcame several hurdles.  First, we put the .308 away and started with a Ruger 10/22, even though I'd never shot one before (!).  Lots of patience, instruction and advice.  Adjustments followed.  More advice.  Did I mention it was HOT? Lots of water breaks offered. Then came the discovery that I was strongly left-eye dominant, which hasn't been a problem with handguns, but proved to be very frustrating with rifles.  My left eye kept "taking over" my sight picture and I had trouble keeping it closed.  We tried traditional sights instead of a scope, but it was not any better. We huddled.  Maybe I should try shooting lefthanded? Were they serious? Well, I was willing to try if they thought it was possible.  Apparently my fundamentals were looking ok, so with more personal attention, we switched on the fly. It was a eureka moment. Even though it felt awkward at first, (safety and bolt on the "wrong side, etc.) the same fundamentals still worked, and by the end of the day, I was actually shooting 4moa, lefthanded. Nailed that 250-yard red bucket-head twice, too.
    Now, I never did get the "hang" of dropping into a left-handed, seated position (took me about 40 seconds just to get my feet tucked in right) so I didn't make rifleman, BUT I LEARNED, that with more practice, if I stuck to the "rules" (esp. NPOA and breathing cadence) that I'd be able to SOMEDAY, and that was worth all the marbles.
   I have work to do.  I have to master getting into a solid left-handed sitting position quickly, and find a NPOA for it fast.  I have to get more coordinated with my left (weaker) hand for faster magazine changes and more consistent trigger work.  I have to become able to do this with my .308 as well as a 10/22.  I need to work on my cadence. The point is, thru the patience and persistence of Wurstmacher and MTBrass, I now believe such things are possible. Thanks a ton, guys, for all you did.  And thank you Triggernick, for pushing me to commit.

[mtbrass]

   leaddude, glad to see you on the forum.  It was great meeting you and Triggernick for the first time as well as Dan and Billiam, I learned a lot watching you guys work on your positions and seeing the groups you were all shooting was very encouraging to me.
   I also got to watch Wurstmacher put some rounds down range first thing and it was hard to tell if he put 5 or 10 in the one inch square as it looked like a one inch whole in the paper when he was done.
   If I ever buy one of those carnival games where you shoot the star out and I see you guys or AR headed my way I am going to close up the shop before you get there and clean me out.

  Dan and leaddude your determination really struck home on the first day when it was so very hot in that quarry and you all wanted to shoot a little more before we called it a day. I know you will both shoot rifleman scores very soon.
  Wurstmacher, thanks for making the trip over and showing me a few more of the things you have learned through all the instruction you have done. You didn't work me all that hard and it was all worth it when we got to town and my wife wore that hat into the gas station and people got a look at it and cleared the way for her. She was moved by your act of acknowledgement of her improvement during the day.  She will make that rifleman score with a little more consistant shooting.
  AR you certainly were a big help this weekend and your hard work made things run smoothly and thanks for the history as well.

  Also, thanks for the black powder demonstration Dan, AR and Triggernick, what a great weekend in the quarry.   

[Trig]

Thanks Wurstmacher, MTbrass and AR for another great shoot.  I love crossing state lines to see how other instructors handle shoots, I will be taking what I learned and add it to my "instructor's toolbox"  thanks fellas.

Dan/Will your determination and "go get em" attitude was inspiring to say the least, keep at it!  Thanks for showing us your old muzzle loaders, and letting me shoot it!

Maria: watching your groups shrink (1/3 the size of when she started, easily) was truly incredible.  I hope you stick with it too, you are RIGHT THERE!

Leaddude: (my father) for a decrepit pudgy old man you didn't do half bad!  You were definitely shooting rifleman groups (by Sunday) when you got your rounds off.  Keep working on finding that NPOA in the seated position, and those left handed mag reloads, and you'll have it easy!


Billiam/Dr. Drake: drop out of school allready and start making money so you can shoot with me more... Hope this was a good warm up for KD shooting next weekend 

[seniorshooter]

 Thanks to Wurstmacher and mtbrass for a great shoot.  You guys were very helpful and most patient.  Also, thanks to Wurstmacher's shooting position demonstrator, a very capable and mature young lady who performed admirably.  Here's hoping she enjoyed the weekend as much as the rest of us did.  Triggernick was very helpful, although I do covet his new highly modified rifle (told several stories about that gun already).  Although yours truely is the oldest person to show up for the instruction, I thought that since I could see the target at 25 yds I could use iron sights (not!).  Wurstmacher was kind enough to offer his spare scoped rifle, but thick heads are one of the family traits, and I have an excuse to go back again.  Thanks again for a FINE two days of shooting.  The history lessons were most interesting, I always thought Lexington and Concord was an unplanned neighborhood response.  As soon as the strawberries heal up on my elbows, and the soreness dissapates in my knees, I'll be back.  It is always a privilege and a pleasure to spend time with others of a like mind.

[Castle Mountain]

Wurstmacher always has a good shoot. Inspite of the numbers you guys look like you had a splendid time.
It would have been cool to see a French Trade musket.

Hope to see you all at Waterman. It will be nice to hear your experiences first hand.

Kuddos to MTbrass for the line set up and everyone for suffering through the heat.
I understand the quarry can be a real pizza oven.

Cheers,

Castle Mountain