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New Phledelphia, Ohio Oct 31 & Nov 1

Started by Corvette, November 02, 2015, 01:09:50 PM

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Corvette

Be bold, brave and forthright and the bold, the brave and the forthright will gather around you!

Corvette

Another great Appleseed at Tusco Rifle Range near New Philedelphia, Ohio.  Saturday dawned overcast and a little cool but more than tolerable. We had 13 great Americans show up for Saturday.  After the welcome and the safety brief, we were bringing rifles to the line for the Saturday Red Coat. We got off to a great start with 8 folks competent at 100 yards and 6 (almost half) at 200.  We had 3 people join Daniel Morgan right from the start.

We then moved to steady hold factors in prone, the six steps, NPOA and before we knew it, it was lunch time.  Tusco put on a great lunch for us with sausage sandwiches, hot dogs, baked beans and some home made deserts.  After the first strike, we returned to the line for more work on seated and off hand steady hold factors.  Drills were completed on both and the Saturday PM Red Coat was shot. Improvement was evident as we had 10 of 13 aT 100, 8 of 13 at 200, 4 of 13 at 300, 2 at 400, 2 joined Daniel Morgan and Dave gave us our first cleared Red Coat.

The day was completed with a combined second and third strike presentation and a call to action for all the attendees to get involved some how in their communities. 

It rained very early on Sunday, but by the time the day started we had a beautyful day. Comfortable in the low 60's and lots of sun. We picked up two additional shooters as, Ed's two daughters joined us for Sunday.  As AS veterans, both young ladies fit right into the line from Saturday.  We carded the sights first thing to get folks back into the grove and moved on to our AQTs.

Very quickly, the team showed their skills. We made three new Riflemen with one requalifying several times.  Congrates to Derek (223), Ian (220) and Alan (227) for shooting Rifleman scores.  And, it was the first Appleseed for all three of them.  Huzzah.  Dave, a returning Rifleman, greatly improved his skills as well. He squeaked in at our last Appleseed at New Philly but he dominated at this event.  Shooting a centerfire this time, he put up monster numbers.  226, 232 and on his final AQT an event high 239.  That is only 11 points from a perfect AQT.  Combined with 2 cleared Red Coats, it was a great weekend for Dave. 

To our great benefit, Dave also took an Orange hat so other shooters will be benefiting from his improved skills next year.

Our biggest heartbreak of the weekend was Ed's daughter Hannah. (Great Appleseed name by the way.)  Hannah was shooting great and knocking on the door all day on Sunday.  Early AQTs included a 199 and a 203.  Her final AQT was a 205. What was heartbreaking was she had made a mistake in stage 3 on her shot distribution.  She had 2 shots in the first target, four 5's in the middle target and four in the right hand target.  We had to throw out one of the fives in the middle target and as a result, instead of shooting a 210 and getting her patch, she ended up with the 205.

We awarded her a "Shoot like a girl, if you can" hat and look forward to seeing her on the line again.  I know she will get her patch at her next shoot. 

As the range Tusco provides us goes out to 300 yards, we shot the Sunday PM Red Coat a little early so folks could break out their center fire rifles.  We posted steel targets at 100, 200 and 300 yards and the event ended with shooters "banging on steel" with their rifles as well as the M1 garand and the FAL I brought the the line. 

It was a great event with improvement being made by all who attended.

A big thank you to BAS and Wheeler for helping with the event and a big thank you to Tusco Rifle Range for hosting another great event.

Corvette

Be bold, brave and forthright and the bold, the brave and the forthright will gather around you!

Corvette

Be bold, brave and forthright and the bold, the brave and the forthright will gather around you!

JustaShooter

Wow! I had no idea I had shot a 239! Somehow I made it home with only three of the five AQTs we shot on Sunday...

I have to give credit where credit is due: I had been shooting rifles for decades but had no idea how to really shoot well from anything other than the bench until July and my first Appleseed event. I don't remember all of their names, but each instructor gave me something to add to my skill set and encouraged me and worked with me until I earned my Rifleman patch on the last AQT of the weekend.

This weekend, everything you guys taught me just came together.  I was really in the groove, focused. I think I understand what you mean by the Rifleman's Bubble now! On top of that, I have to say the rifle was running great - I mean, what's not to like about a Rock River Arms LAR15 with their two-stage trigger, eh? Like I said a couple of times on Sunday, that rifle likes me, and I like that rifle!

I came out this time with two goals:
First, earn my Rifleman patch with a Rifleman's rifle like the AR15 instead of the customized target 10/22 I used for my first event.
Second, clear the Redcoat.

I achieved those goals 3 times over, but more importantly I was able to help my younger son Alan earn his Rifleman. Being able to spend the weekend with him and watch him overcome physical discomfort and a heavy dose of frustration to persevere and earn his Rifleman patch was special to me. Now *there* is a young man who knows well what he is about!  Next time, *he* wants to shoot my AR, and hopefully my other son will be able to attend as well.

As if that wasn't enough, I was also able to watch one of my friends from work earn his Rifleman - and even though they didn't quite make it this time, have a great time with three other friends from work who are now determined to earn their Rifleman patches. And not just that, they brought their excitement back home and to our office and have sparked interest in many others. There were 6 of us this weekend, I have a feeling you'll see even more at the next event at Tusco...

Thanks Corvette, BAS and Wheeler, and the other Instructors back in July. Words cannot express how much I appreciate what you did for me, and for your dedication to this cause.

- Dave
AKA JustAShooter
Christian, Husband, Father
Rifleman

NRA Life Member
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
NRA Certified Rifle & Pistol Instructor

Corvette

JustaShooter;

Thanks for all the great comments.  It was our pleasure to have you, your son and your friends from work on the line with us last weekend. It was a great shoot.  Accept my appoligies for not getting the last two AQT's scored before we wrapped up on Sunday.  For what it is worth, on your 4th AQT you shot 226 and on your 5th you shot an awsome 239.  I will be sending the target to you along with some materials related to getting started as an Orange Hat.

It was a great event, thank you for joining us. 

Corvette
Be bold, brave and forthright and the bold, the brave and the forthright will gather around you!

DrRichP

Congratulations to Rifleman Dave, Alan, Derek, and Ian. And of course a load of thanks to our amazing Instructor team who gave up a lot to share this weekend with all.

JustaShooter, we're looking forward to seeing you in an orange hat to begin to pass it forward, and thanks for getting the word out about Project Appleseed.

Well done my friends!

DrRichP
DrRichP

"You never know how far reaching something you think, say or do today will affect the lives of millions tomorrow" - B.J. Palmer
   Think about that as you go to work the next Appleseed!

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." Socrates

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."-Benjamin Franklin

"What makes an insurrection here always more formidable than in other places is that there is a law of this province wh[ich] obligates every inhabitant to be furnished with a firelock, bayonet, and pretty considerable quantity of ammunition."  - Gen. Lord Hugh Percy

Shep

Congratulations to all on a great shoot!!

JustaShooter, thank you for stepping forward into the Instructor program;  I'm sure you'll find it to be very rewarding.

Shep
"The constitutions of most of our States assert that all power is inherent in the people; that... it is their right and duty to be at all times armed." -Thomas Jefferson

JustaShooter

So, I've been watching this thread hoping for some pictures - I know *someone* has some, 'cause several people posed for pics and I can only imagine there were other pics taken as well.

Not to beat a dead horse, but...

:pics:

OK maybe not worthless, but it is worth less without them!  O0
Christian, Husband, Father
Rifleman

NRA Life Member
NRA Certified Range Safety Officer
NRA Certified Rifle & Pistol Instructor