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3 Day Full Distance Camp (FDC) NRA Whittington Center Raton, NM May 18-20

Started by TaosGlock, May 25, 2012, 10:41:45 PM

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TaosGlock

This was New Mexico's first FDC. The 3 day FDC is an affordable and time efficient model that streamlines the Known Distance (KD) components of an RBC and expands on the KD portion of a 2 day Appleseed.

The FDC concept is based on the need to teach and shoot Known Distance. The course is designed for both students and Appleseed instructors.

For shooters, the pre-requisite to attend this 3 Day FDC, is attendance to at least one Appleseed weekend.  So sign up today so you can qualify to attend our FDC!

Day 1
We had a total of 10 people which included 3 Senior Instructor's, 1 Shoot Boss, 1 Regular Instructor and 1 IIT1.  We started with warm up shooting on 25M squares to get a 25M zero. Since the 4 jobs of a Rifleman are target detection/identification, range estimation, wind estimation & correction and finally delivering the shot, we started with a Target Detection exercise. 

Eight objects were hidden from 200-600 yards. The goal of the exercise was to locate the objects and create a map. Some of the targets were visible with the naked eye and some required binoculars and an organized, detailed search to locate. Following that we showed the shooters how to use their front sight/scope crosshairs as ranging devices. This involved measuring the width/height of their front sight in MOA or measuring the distance between the center of the cross hair to the duplex in MOA at various powers. This was done with a front sight/reticle subtension chart posted at 25M

Once the students had that figured out their job was to apply that knowledge and a simple formula to estimate the range to the objects previously found. After everyone was finished we lasered the distance to the objects to use as a benchmark. Most folks found, that after about 400 yards, using their front sight as a range estimation tool had it's limitations. The take home lesson was, that if you have your rifle, you have a range estimation tool built right in. Find it, range it and shoot it! That was the purpose. Just like in the field.

Inches, Minutes, Clicks (IMC) was reviewed as a lead in to comeups for the various rifles present on the line. Shooters determined baseline sight settings for their rifles at 25M by dialing up 10MOA, shooting, then dialing back down and checking the consistency of the sights. With this info, no matter what distance you're shooting, you can always come 'home' to your baseline sight settings.

Day 2
We started the day by checking the homework handed out the night before. Warm ups on 25 yard squares was next, followed by a question and answer session. Wind estimation was the first big topic of day 2. Various ways to estimate the wind were discussed and practiced. To put into practice wind estimation and correction, we then shot to 400 yards using 4 MOA squares as our targets. The goal was to check their actual comeups vs. the 'standard' comeups for their cartridge and to feel comfortable making mechanical sight changes for wind and distance. Estimate wind, assign it a value and if necessary, make a correction.

Day 3
The last day started with warm ups on 25 yard squares. After checking for and answering questions, we reviewed the standard Appleseed positions (thanks to DieslPwrd). The first big topic was wind and distance hold offs vs. mechanical sight changes. The majority of the day was putting all the knowledge the students had acquired to this point, to shoot AQTs at full distance. The conditions were challenging (switching winds, often in the middle of a string) but everyone perservered.

If you haven't had a chance to shoot a full distance AQT yet come to the next Full Distance Camp either in Colorado or NM in Sept. of this year (they will be listed soon-so be patient) and we'll show you how to take what you learned at 25 yards to 400 yards and beyond.

Day 2.
The shooters/Instructors at the 400 yard line with the 4 MOA sighter squares.
Standing L to R:
BlueFeather, CSHR, DieslPwrd, Pedro and Scott.
Seated/Kneeling L-R:
Long Rifle, Kodi the dog, Terry, George63 and Dan.


Day 3.
The shooters at the 400 yard full size AQT.
Standing L-R:
DieslPwrd, Terry, Pedro, TG and Scott.
Seated L-R:
Long Rifle, George63, CSHR and Dan


What an awesome group!
And check out that wind flag!

The NRA Whittington Center, on the Santa Fe Trail...in a league of it's own.









...more pics to come!



89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

TxBobS


DieslPwrd

Many thanks to BlueFeather, TaosGlock and Long Rifle for their diligent organization of an excellent event.  :bow: Thanks to George63 for the loan of your fine AR. :~ Thanks to EVERYONE who attended; I learned something from each of you.  The learning, scenery, weather and company were unparalleled.  I think this is the first AS event I've come home from being both a better shooter AND refreshed.   ..:..
Being born free is a privilege. Living free is an honor. Dying free is a responsibility. - LTC David Grossman

AZRedhawk44

TG, BF:

Care to share your COF documentation?

We're starting to get access to some more "interesting" and flexible ranges here in AZ where shoots like this might be possible.

KnowFear

What a cool program.  Makes me want to move to NM!  I hope that the long range event later this year here in Northern CA has the same elements of instruction.
Who is John Galt?

TaosGlock

Quote from: AZRedhawk44 on May 26, 2012, 01:35:50 AM
TG, BF:

Care to share your COF documentation?

We're starting to get access to some more "interesting" and flexible ranges here in AZ where shoots like this might be possible.

Yes we will get something out to you! O0
89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

oladcock

Too cool guys, it looks like it was excellent. We forgot about it or one or both of us would have been there.....O.L.
"The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men." Plato 400BC

President Roswell Gun Club
AQT 246
WSMR 03-10 ... Sapper Steel
IBC 2018
KD Ft. Bliss Tx. 214  2019
IBC 2021

Roswell, NM
Carlsbad NM
El Paso Tx
Lubbock Tx
New Deal Tx
Levelland Tx
Alamogordo NM
Alburquerque NM
41 Lead Farm Tx

TaosGlock

Quote from: oladcock on May 26, 2012, 12:54:03 PM
Too cool guys, it looks like it was excellent. We forgot about it or one or both of us would have been there.....O.L.
OL, we are going to do 2 of these each year at Whittington.
89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

TaosGlock

Shooters are issued a nifty KD instruction manual with data record sheets. Thanks to Long Rifle for putting this together.
It is professional, efficient and serves as future reference. As we are fond of saying in this program, the road to a Rifleman is a journey, not a destination.


Time to shoot! Target ranges visible are 25, 100, 200, 300. Off to the left is the 400, but from this part of the line they are really at 500.
We have to move to the 100 to shoot the 400 yard stage due to the range specifics. Comprende?


The FDC is a centerfire event only.
Here are some of the shooters with the common tools of the Rifleman.


And now, off to the target line to check results!


...more to come!










89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

TaosGlock

At our regular 2 day Appledeed events we have the shooters ask themselves, "Where is my group?" and "How big is my group?"
This applies in spades when shooting distance.
Here the shooters, using the concept of Inches, Minutes and Clicks,  gather valuable information, mark it in their log books (thanks Long Rifle for these O0)  and make any necessary corrections back on the line.



Precise data gathering is one task of a Rifleman.
Long Rifle, DieslPwrd and Terry below.


USMC vet, CSHR is no stranger to this COF.
The wind can play havoc at times.


Great shooting Terry!


Below, BlueFeather and Pedro look at a 5 shot group.  At 200 yards this nice 2" group is how many minutes of angle?
The other 2 shots are not in the group for a very good reason in which Pedro discovered.
Your target is always giving you feedback or as we say "talking" to you.


You can learn more about Minutes of Angle and "Talking Targets" at our regular 2 Day Appleseed...
...so, sign up today for a 2 day event at this location! O0


...more to come.




89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

TaosGlock

Once back on the line, shooters make any corrections needed.
Below, the shooters adjust their sights for the next stage of the FD AQT.


Then it is time to shoot:
Eve and Terry

Scott and Dan-father/son

George63-The concentration only a Rifleman can have!


Now it's time to check targets.


At the target line the shooters/instructors discuss groups and gather data.




...more to come!











89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

MI-copperhead

Very cool ! I hope the Michigan cadre can put together something like this  O0
Morgan's Rifleman 250 yard cold bore, 10/29/2022, Tusco Rifle Club, New Philadelphia OH KD/Rifle M1A w optics/Prone
"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God ! I know not what course others may choose, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death ! " Patrick Henry
"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than to those attending too small a degree of it. "
Thomas Jefferson
"Stand your ground; don't fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it begin here." Capt. John Parker
" I have'nt a man who 's afraid to go." Capt Isaac Davis
"I would say that the majority of Americans have no real sense of the value and the uniqueness of being a U.S. citizen.  Once they realize what they have, they are less likely to stand by while some politician attempts to whittle down their rights."  Troy a.k.a. solarguy

TaosGlock

Morning reviews of the positions required for the FD AQT were handled by DieslPwrd, BlueFeather and Long Rifle.
Prone and standing below:



Then some warm up shooting to confirm zeros and positions at 25 Yards.
By now shooters are shooting to "Rifleman" standards on the target shown below.

The fundamentals of marksmanship to get one to "Rifleman" standard are taught at our 2 day events. So sign up for one of these today! O0



As always, record data for your rifle and make corrections before shooting.


Fire!


With 33,000 acres at the NRAWC, it is easy to get our 927 yard steel with a safe backstop!
Now what size is that 2 MOA steel at that distance?
George63 nails it with his 308!

Remember, a Rifleman is precise. If you set your sights at 900 and call it good enough you will be how many MOA low?
Better know the comeups for your rifles sighting system!


...more to come!







89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

Sheepdog

Awesome AAR and 3day program. Nice work TG,BF&LR and the rest. I hope to see you at one of these soon. Great photos!
Mike/Sheepdog
RAMSEUR: SEVEN OH EIGHT

SSG Platz

This looks awesome,we have a few 1000 yard ranges here in pa I would love it if I could get a coppy of the COF as well. Would love to get something like this started here in PA

~PlatzOut~
Lord make me fast and accurate. Let my aim be true, and my hands faster than those who would seek to destroy me.  Grant me victory over my foes, and those  that wish to do harm to me and mine. Let not my last thought be if I only had my Gun; and loard if today is truly the day that you take me home, let me die in a pile of empty brass.

TaosGlock

On the 3rd day we cover homework assignments from the day before and answer any questions.
Then we confirm zeros at 25 yards. Then it is on to the FDAQT grind. We can do about 3 of these in a day.
SI BlueFeather runs the line:


Remember it is not just about shooting FDAQT's but analyzing targets and gathering data.


A Rifleman is always looking for shot group consistencies/inconsistencies. The fundamentals of firing the shot need to be a solid 4MOA.
Also, the wind is ever prevalent in the west and it's speed and value can change in a heartbeat during a COF.
So one's awareness while shooting becomes magnified.
After awhile, all this becomes second nature. Then it is simply firing the shot, which is the easy part.

George63 proves it. All in the V and 5 Ring!:


30 cal. and 223 cal. shooters are paired up on FDAQT's. Here CSHR and DieslPwrd share a 400 Yd. FDAQT.


The NRA WC is wide open western country.
CSHR and his NMM1A are right at home.


As is George63:


And Pedro, with BlueFeather watching:


As are all these fine Rifleman:

...more later.












89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

TaosGlock

A heartfelt thanks to all the shooters and instructors who made this event happen! O0
Especially Long Rifle who did the bulk of the instruction! :~

A big thanks to the excellent staff at the NRA Whittington Center for the use of the private Coors Range.
Thanks for letting us "tweak" this range a bit for our COF. :~

Thanks to our Founders who shed blood to birth a new nation on April 19, 1775 to secure our freedom and liberties. :bow:

And congrats to our 2 FD Expert Class Riflemen:  :---
Terry who accomplished this with both his AR and M1A and George63 who also did it more than once!


To qualify to get of these lovely M1 Garands (starting about $550) delivered to your door from the CMP, you can simply sign up for a 2 day Appleseed. So sign up today!




Attending a 2 day Appleseed will allow you to attend our 3 day FDC! O0

2013 dates are May 17-19 and Sept. 13-15. Sign up today!

89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose