Another great Las Cruces, New Mexico shoot!
19 shooters arrived on this chilly but sunny morning. We had ages from 8 to 68!
We had husband and wives, mothers and daughters, mothers and sons, fathers and sons and single folks all arriving early.
They were here to learn the fundamentals of precision rifle marksmanship and also of the sacrifices made on
April 19th, 1775 that made America possible.
Amid the flags of our founders, BlueFeather greets the new dawns long cold shadows.
The warm winter New Mexico sun slowly warms up the cold, dry desert.
Temps were 27 degrees with a 10-12 mph wind that magically ended the 18 degree wind chill temps as the shooters arrived.
(http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/3818/lc8j.jpg) (http://img821.imageshack.us/i/lc8j.jpg/)
The flags got whipped backwards during that same breeze but held firm. The beauty of this area is remarkable.
(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/9487/lc9k.jpg) (http://img255.imageshack.us/i/lc9k.jpg/)
BlueFeather explains the RedCoat target. This target succiently answers the question, "What is my effective range?"
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/8126/lc10m.th.jpg) (http://img9.imageshack.us/i/lc10m.jpg/)
...and the 6 Steps to firing the Shot as Jerry Hall assists.
(http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/2695/lc1dq.th.jpg) (http://img843.imageshack.us/i/lc1dq.jpg/)
Mother and son continue that American tradition: Shooting!
(http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/9085/lc3j.jpg) (http://img801.imageshack.us/i/lc3j.jpg/)
As do another mother and son under the watchful eyes of BF
(http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4217/lc4l.th.jpg) (http://img17.imageshack.us/i/lc4l.jpg/)
Our founders knew all along that:
(http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/1918/lc12.jpg) (http://img255.imageshack.us/i/lc12.jpg/)
On April 19th, 1775 it was marksmanship that birthed a new nation. That tradition lives on with the Appleseed Project.
Marksmanship and heritage presentations are the 2 key ingredients of the program.
(http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4996/lc11i.jpg) (http://img18.imageshack.us/i/lc11i.jpg/)
Shooters hone those traditional skills in the prone position.
[IMG=http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/2200/lc2a.th.jpg]http://[/img] (http://img809.imageshack.us/i/lc2a.jpg/)
(http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/2959/lc15.th.jpg) (http://img573.imageshack.us/i/lc15.jpg/)
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/3620/lc13.th.jpg) (http://img822.imageshack.us/i/lc13.jpg/)
... in the seated and prone:
(http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7028/lc20.th.jpg) (http://img132.imageshack.us/i/lc20.jpg/)
....in standing:
(http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8517/lc5d.th.jpg) (http://img269.imageshack.us/i/lc5d.jpg/)
(http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/263/lc22.th.jpg) (http://img638.imageshack.us/i/lc22.jpg/)
A proper position allows even a Finnish Mosin Nagant to be easily shot standing:
(http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/7493/lc16.th.jpg) (http://img230.imageshack.us/i/lc16.jpg/)
...a 30-30 in prone, a 19 the century rifleman's cartridge that is still capable in the 21st century.
(http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9355/lc18.th.jpg) (http://img405.imageshack.us/i/lc18.jpg/)
The chilly weekend made for warm instruction. traveler on the line with Mike and his Mosin.
(http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4906/lc17.jpg) (http://img87.imageshack.us/i/lc17.jpg/)
Jerry Hall and traveler discuss a plan:
(http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1967/lc14.th.jpg) (http://img717.imageshack.us/i/lc14.jpg/)
BF has another:
(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3447/lc23.th.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/i/lc23.jpg/)
...and that makes for a proud Shoot Boss:
A Rifleman!
Congrats to Bob!
And a bigger congrats for starting the journey of a Rifleman via the instructor road!
(http://img574.imageshack.us/img574/5443/lc21.th.jpg) (http://img574.imageshack.us/i/lc21.jpg/)
I want to thank all the shooters that made this event possible. It was an honor to work with such a great group of persistent Americans.
Thanks to all you shooters who helped us set up and take down the range each day.
I want to thank all my instructors, Jerry Hall, AL (traveler), Scott, (staplegund), and Gill (BlueFeather) for all their hard work and dedication.
And thanks to The Las Cruces Tea Party, Custom Cartridge, Command Bunker and the Picacho Gun Club, Lyons Club and the Gun Culture Club for promoting this shoot!
And most all, I want to thank our founders who we can never fully repay .
Dec. 11-12, 2010?? Are you related to Milt? He posted our Carlsbad AAR as Roswell...
It is the pollen in the air around here! %) :D
Good catch Jeff!
Date corrected!
Looks like ya'all had a great shoot and congratulations to our new IIT.
Great Job as typical with you guys! :)...Looks like a wonderful sight. Congrats to Bob! Good shootin...O.L.
Fantastic job there folks! It's great to see so many proud Americans get out even in the cold and honor the memory of our founding fathers with the smell of burnt gun powder!
Wish I could have made it. Looks like you all had a good time! O0
Good Job everyone. Great to see families out there. Welcome to the new IIT, Bob. Thank you for coming aboard to help move the program forward.
Taos and Bluefeather, you and your NM team keep doing a great job. Some dat I am gonna have an AAR like this.
Onward and upward. If anyone is near Gunnison, co this weekend we will have a "Valley Forge" shoot. We are trying to set a record on temps and see how everything works. Persist and persevere.
Take care.
al Smith
BF could you email me a copy of the "squares" and the other targets we discussed? going out with my grandson again Sunday morning. Time for the training to start getting serious. Thanks for letting me be a part of this great endeavorer.
Traveler