Toccoa Nov8/9

[Flathead]

What a great country!!!!

This Appleseed shoot was great! For those of you that have been to Toccoa for a shoot know the curse of the rain we have been known to have, and we did get some rain but only on Friday night!!!

Good thing because we had a great turn out not sure of the exact count but around 55 or so.
The history talk by SoM was great as it always is and I hope that some of the studets will follow up and learn more about it. The lines were a little crowded and after some switching around on the lines the first rounds were down range by 10am. I worked with Dinky Dao with the new students and had about 26 shooters on the shotgun range. SoM and Freidenmeister worked on a range and Silence and Sanderman both had ranges by theirselves.
The riflemen for the week end was 3 if I recall right, and one of those I think was first time appleseeder.
I have to give Freidenmeister credit for the amount of shooters he brought to the line this week end note sure of final count but it was over 12 that he personally got involved!! How many others out there can say that? Glad to have him as an IIT!
Those that didn't make it to the shoot, shame on you for missing it! I think everyone learned something even me!
Thanks again shooters for coming and making this a great week end can't wait to see you at the range again next time!

[Fred]

     I believe "55" would be a new record for Toccoa, and, this being a program that grows, guess that number will now become the new 'floor' for future Toccoa Appleseeds - right?

     Good job, all.

      BTW, did anyone make sure Freidenmeister is aware of the "doubling" goal of the program - so that he understands, "24" is the number he'll be personally bringing to the next AS at Toccoa?

[Buzzstrike]

Yep it was a very nice turnout.  I was one of those "55" there.  With every appleseed I attend the instructor core keeps getting better and better. 

Yeah this was my third AS and I haven't made Rifleman yet.  I know I need to get out and practice more.

This was the second AS for my friend Brian and the first one for my 16 y/o son.

None of us made rifleman but improvement was seen from day one to day two.

The history lesson given my SoM was excellent. 

The "classroom" on Sunday morning with target and range estimation and Inches,Minuets, Clicks was excellent.

I along with Brian and my son John were on the shotgun range with Flathead and Dinky.

Everything was well run, thought out and performed well.

Thanks again for another great AS at Toccoa.

Buzz.

[Appalacious]

I had an awesome time.
The instruction was great. 
The shooting was great.
Even the targets were great.

I'm up to sharpshooter, but hope to make expert at the next one.
Maybe by then I'll have tech sights.

The campfire was also a highlight.  Those campers make some excellent camp cuisine.

SoM has a gift for story telling.  The history lesson was long, but well worth it.

Thanks to Flathead, D D, SoM, Silent, and SanderMan for the great weekend and help with my rifle.

Thanks to FreidenMeister for making it crowded.

And finally, thanks to the bright sun for showing me the need for sun-shaded sights.

J

[Fred]

Yeah this was my third AS and I haven't made Rifleman yet.  I know I need to get out and practice more.

Buzz.

     Buzz, you don't need more practice; you need to work harder on applying the basics - in firing each shot "by the numbers" - after you have acquired your NPOA, while in a good, steady position.

    Ask any rifleman - it's easy.

    Which is what you'll say, when you do it, too.

    Just remember the mantra: "Basics, basics, basics" - the only time it changes is during Step 4B in firing the shot, when the mantra becomes "keep the front sight on the target; keep the front sight on the target..."

    Work harder on this - the easiest and best way is three times a week, ten dry-fire shots at home, on the carpet - work harder on applying the basics, to speed up your journey to becoming a rifleman.

     Heck, you're already there - just don't know it - and just a few hundred dry-fire shots is all that's separating you from that 210...

[Thor]

Hello,

This is my first post here after completing my first Appleseed this weekend.  It was an absolutely outstanding experience.  The technical expertise, patience, and dedication of all of the Instructors was really impressive.  I'd especially like to thank Son of Martha and FreidenMeister for their work with my wife and I.  If our conversation on the way home is any indication, we will definitely be back.  Some of her specific comments/questions:
"When can we go again?" (Soon dear, as soon as our schedule allows.) 

"We should get that Paul Revere book he talked about." (Ordered from Amazon this morning)

"This is a great organization to get involved with, you should see about becoming an Instructor."  (My thoughs exactly!)

Altogether a great weekend, with great people talking history and shooting guns.  Oh, and I managed to shoot Rifleman first time out of the gate.  I was very proud to be considered by these fine Instructors as "a man who knows what he is about".  As for my wife, she has more work to do in getting the fundamentals down, but is very motivated to do so after this weekend's expereince. 
Thanks again to everyone involved from top to bottom in making this event and this program happen.

Thor

[ann]

yes this was a great weekend.  i learned alot.  my son and his girlfriend both enjoyed themselves and have asked to come again.  we know now what to work on.  and i have to get in shape and get new glasses.

and of course, we need more rifles.

[Son of Martha]

Congrats to Dinky on her Shoot Boss debut.  Plenty of challenges, but in the best of the Appleseed tradition she grabbed opportunity by the throat, hogtied it and dragged it to the basement for winter provisions.

That sudden burst of last minute pre-regs coupled with the walk-on attendees was a bit of a surprise  (The really GOOD kind to have--this is the largest one yet at this location).  Good thing Flathead was generous in his allocated line space for the anticipated turnout.  With some shoehorns and a ball peen hammer we were able to fit everyone in.  After a couple strings of fire folks seemed to settle in to their space and it didn't seem so crowded anymore.

For those of you who are Mud Bowl alumni this was the make-up weekend.  A light rain Friday night was taken care of with early morning breezes to dry the bays by start time.  The rest of the weekend was wonderful, bright sun and breezy, during the peak of the leaf season in the mountains.  The front lawn was crowded with tents (still room for one or two more) and we of course had some campfire time.  If you can camp out at an Appleseed it is worth the trouble.

The (newly-imposed) range fee took a few unaware, but of course they responded with the maturity and good humor we have come to expect from Appleseed attendees.  It seems that folks who come to AS are more polite and mature than the run of the mill citizen.  Imagine spending the weekend with 52 total strangers  .  With Appleseeders, it is a pleasure.  There was at least one husband-wife team, several father-son pairs, and a mother-son-ladyfriend combo.  Good job on this, as fun as it is to become a rifleman it is even more fun WITH somebody. 

I had a new to me experience when I saw Thor fire a rifleman score his first time at bat on the AQT, at his first Appleseed ever (!!).  Sounds like it won't be his last though, as the AQT is a challenge every time you square off with it--and there are more of those sinister sable squares to be hunted and sniped..

Funny how you don't really get into Appleseed--Appleseed gets into you...

And I was honored with the opportunity to share the story again with my friends and neighbors.  To pass on some information that every American needs to be familiar with, and needs to pass on to their friends and neighbors.  (Don't worry about doing it perfect--there is no such thing.  By virtue of going to an Appleseed you already probably know more about the story and traditional combat riflery than they do, so don't hide your light under a bushel...)

To those who shared the weekend with me, I thank you.  To those who just couldn't get away for the weekend, I sympathize.  To those who brought children, applause and confetti--they are the ones who are gonna be responsible for passing it on to MY grandchildren...We are all in this together.

See ya on the Trail.

SoM

[alex4922]

A great weekend for learning in the Mountains. Truly. the spirit of the Band of Brothers was smiling. SoMs history talk just keeps getting better, one of these days you will equal The Guy I'm sure. I'm proud that my son Matt (Chewie) and My friend Ray could make it for one day. Chewie had some issues with his red dot as did I but we did learn lots as usual.

Thanks to SanderMan, I understand that this was his first time instructing on his own. His leadership was first rate. Instruction was clear and well thought out. Range commands were loud and given with vigor ( I love it when a Red Hat shouts out..."LOAD".)

Thanks to Flathead, Silence, Dinky Dao and all the others for a Super, well run. Appleseed.

Fred is right about remembering the basics. I seem to forget some steps somewhere in there too many times. Need to be dry firng every day "by the numbers".

Thanks again to all those who made this event possible. It's a great organization and as SoM said, we need to think about Appleseed as an ongoing movement. It's something we must grow and think about passing on to our children.

                                                                                               Alex

[Flathead]

ok it has been a couple of days now and no one has posted any pics of the shoot!! I know some of the students were taking pics as we were showing the different positions on the shot gun range. I guess that is the curse of Toccoa, very few pics posted.

[DuaneRN]

/

[Buzzstrike]

I have to agree about the lack of pic's from the AS.

How hard would it be for some people in orange or red hats to snap a few pics while walking the line and checking us. Hmmm. Dinky .

With all of the talk of the CMP I went to day and brought home a nice rack grade US Rifle Model 1917.  Granted it has been chromed, but I finally brought one home.

Along with 400 rnds of Greek HXP ammo. 

Oh boy.

All the wife could say " It looks pretty"