February 16-17, Waco, GA

[franklinfarmer]

We continue to make steady progress in Waco, GA.  An impressive group turned out to practice their marksmanship and remember those who sacrificed their present for the future of liberty in America, and they did it in some relatively trying conditions.

The wind on Saturday was blistering, but we made it through a "low round count" version of  marksmanship instruction, and finished the day with one AQT.  Congratulations to David who came in with a 211 posting the only rifleman score of the weekend.  There were a number of shooters with scores in the neighborhood of 205, and we expect they will push through those last barriers to achieve riflemen scores in the near future.  We had a great group of youth making significant improvements in their marksmanship as well.  The perseverance of the women who braved the cold, and Tiffany and Erica in particular who didn't let those 16 degrees on the thermometer or sickness stop them from showing up Sunday morning, should be mentioned.  Each of you deserves commendation for getting off the couch and striking a blow for liberty, and it's an honor to have worked with you. 

It will be interesting to see if Barry can pull out a 210 with that AK.  It looks like he has a challenge before him but is eager to embrace it.

We also covered the three strikes of the match, remembering John Parker, Isaac Davis, and others.

On Sunday, we talked about the character of Samuel Whittemore, Ruth Batherick, and David Lamson as well as the effective range of Hezekiah Wymann.  We also went over some "scientific" principles of society concerning liberty.  I hope everyone starts to understand that we are headed for catastrophe if we remain ignorant of these principles---just as the people of the dark ages were doomed to catastrophe because they were ignorant of the scientific principles of biology behind the plague.

The weather on Sunday was better.  Bright and sunny with little wind.

About 2:30 we had a short discussion of range estimation, bullet drop, and such things.  Then we picked up our mats and moved out to 100 yards for a remarkable validation that our groups maintained their invariant characteristics.  (6 MOA groups at 25 yards turned into 6 MOA groups at 100 yards; the majority of shooters had consistent drop of about 10 inches with those who were shooting high at 25 yards experiencing somewhat less.)  After a few courses of fire, Dennis got out his Garand, and a couple people had an opportunity to "feel the power." 

We wrapped up around 4:30.  I attempted to remind people that continuing on the rifleman's path is each persons individual responsibility.  We can't let the principle of maximum individual liberty die, and one option to "do what we can" is through the Appleseed 7th step.

Many thanks for all those who helped clean up. 

On behalf of myself and the other instructors:  connibear417, Guardian, Tribe, WorM2, pariah, goose, and Friedenmeister, it was an honor to work with you.  We are there, because you are there.  Please give us some constructive feedback---it's how we improve.

FF

[goose]

An invigorating weekend on so many fronts!  The Waco range staff continues to get great credit for the Astroturf making a frost heave mud bog a comfortable event for two chilly days!  Franklin Farmer is a superb mentor for all us underlings.  The perseverance of everyone in some down-right frigid temps for Georgia shows that there are fine Americans among us who are finding out what they are about.

-goose poop

***
"This province has raised over 1,000 'Rifleman', the worst of whom will put a ball into a man's head at a distance of 150 or 200 yards.

Tell your Officers to have their affairs settled before departing England."

-Bradford Brothers in a letter to King George III published in London Chronicle 1775.

[failureToExtract]

Hey guys!  Thanks for a great weekend and a fun learning experience.  I am still not convinced that Rifleman with my AK74 is not in reach.  I ordered some better sights for the rifle today.  I plan to take it to the range and do some sandbag shooting to ensure that is groups tight enough to get the job done.  If it does then I'll compare how I do between the original sights and the new sights.  Then, I'll work on my compromise technique and try to cross over that 210 mark.  Here is looking forward to the next Appleseed!  And hopefully a warmer one!  ;-)

Barry

[DrJohn]

Congratulations to Franklinfarmer and the hardy instructors, and very gallant and hardy students, who attended the Waco Appleseed event. I was not there, and likely would have frozen had I been, but I have nothing but admiration for the Patriots who did attend. Conditions Saturday could have hardly been worse, and those who stayed until the Saturday benediction are the living embodiment of persistence.

Those who attended Sunday enjoyed considerably better weather conditions and were able to shoot much more than on the previous day. The few who decided to sit out Sunday missed out on a higher round count than the previous day,  a fine chance to learn principles of long-distance shooting, and a chance to practice their skills out to 100 yards. Congratulations to Appleseed's newest Rifleman, and a hearty well done! to our gallant students. Be aware that we have a number of Appleseed events coming up all across Georgia in the coming months, plus a Long-Distance single day Appleseed event later this fall. Huzza to all!

[connibear]

Just wanted to say thanks to all the instructors and shooters for all the effort that was made to make sat and sun. especially sat a great event. With the wind blowing and frigid temps a rifleman still managed to pull it off. Congrats to David. To the instructors it was a pleasure to work with you all, and franklin farmer, the shoot boss, you did an excellent job for the the weather that was thrown at you. Hope to work under you again some day as with the rest. Goose, gaurdian look forward to working with you again in the near future.    Ben