You read the headline right...TORNADOSEED!
The weatherman called for severe storms on Saturday and boy was he correct. Ramseur is smack dab in the middle of NC and we had a tornado or two touch down in our county in the early afternoon. We were spared a tornado at the range but heard of the tornado's on the radio. The day started very overcast and windy. Strong winds and rain didn't hamper our efforts to run this Appleseed, no way jose! Pooring rain and soaked cardboard backers blowing in the wind did nothing to dampen the spirits of our young and old shooters, not to mention the shooting mats with rifles on them being blown around! We had 45 shooters pre-register, 42 of them showed up to celebrate the 236th anniversary of 4/19/1775 , with 2 walk-ons for Saturday and 30 shooters on Sunday.
We ran our normal COF starting with the Red Coats Hits Count target followed by the 5 sighter squares...prone position, proper sling use, 6 steps to firing the shot, NPOA, Inches Minutes Clicks, Rifleman's Cadence, and Ball and Dummy. We took the lunch break and Robert gave the 1st strike history of 4/19. After lunch we gave instruction on the standing and sitting positions with transitions from standing to prone/sitting. Robert gave the 2nd strike story and then we were off to the QDAQT. At 4pm we shot the volley fire and then ran another QDAQT. ThaiFighter finished out the afternoon with the 3rd strike. One shooter on Saturday earned his Rifleman Patch. This was his 3rd Appleseed and he brought his son too. If we had a Tornadoseed/Rifleman Patch this fella would be the only Appleseeder I know who could sew it to his shooting jacket O0. Job well done Sadman! Sadman picked up his Orange Hat too, along with his 13 year old son on Sunday. His son, Grathlong, on Sunday shot a 198, then a 204, and towards the end of the day he shot a 211 ^:)^ These folks did it the good ol American way...they persisted! It may have taken them 3 Appleseeds but they kept their eye on the prize. Well done gentleman. We had 2 more shooters take home a Rifleman patch on Sunday too. The weather on Sunday was perfect, low 70's with a cloudless blue sky, couldn't ask for better weather.
I'd like to thank all of the Instructors:len1459, Hawkeye, Law Man, CplTurner, G19Jenz, M1NC, Toshbar, Fred, Wildman, Lawrence(for keeping our supplies up To par!), The Kid, and our newest Florida transplanted Red Hat ThaiFighter for making this another great Appleseed at the RWVA Home Range.
Much gratitude to the instructors at the event this weekend. The patience and support you gentlemen showed my son and me is much appreciated. I stand in admiration of the outstanding program you have assembled. Every single one of the Appleseed Instructor Corp are first class O0 !
I wish I could properly convey the high regard I hold you guys in... each and every one of the instructors this weekend were helpful and patient. I'm looking forward to getting involved in the program, I only hope that I can meet the high bar that you guys have. I'm a bit slow to learn (like you said, it took me three tries!) but I don't like to give up.
My son Grathlong is very excited about the program as well, he even started reading Paul Revere's Ride after we came back.
SPECIAL NOTE to the AS TEAM: I appreciate the time each of you have volunteered in service to your country and the time you have invested in me personally to help wake me up!
Quote from: 7.62BBQ on April 22, 2011, 12:05:51 AM
If we had a Tornadoseed/Rifleman Patch this fella would be the only Appleseeder I know who could sew it to his shooting jacket O0. Job well done Sandman!
Someone needs to take this idea and run with it!! It could VERY popular in the Midwest and coax some people out of the storm cellar and onto the range!! **)
How many MOA to correct for a vortex wind?? ++) And talk about rapid NPOA changes !! >:D
Coop
We had a tornado send us running for cover at the Eureka, KS RBC last year. I lost my popup because of it. We gave everyone t-shirts for the RBC that had a tornado on it... All things considered, I could do without tornadoes at Appleseed.
Glad everyone was ok and had a good time despite the storms...
Greg
Umm...yeah. I think it missed us by a half-mile or so....close enough for me. Don't need a repeat performance!
Funny!
We actually discussed having a "Windy Seed" patch at our last Eureka, Kansas Appleseed. The Local high school is known as the "Tornados" so it seemed like a good idea. High Winds of say 25 mph sustained are one of those things that will occur in most of the states and they do indeed provide for a challenge!! Wind is one of those things that move both bullets and men! We Great Plains States may just have to come up with something!!
Since I was there at the Eureka KS RBC last summer I just have to add my 4 cents worth.
I was down at the cabin after lunch when you guys came down all in a hurry, something about "Tornado Warning." "C'mon POP. Let's go, NOW." To which I said "Duh, what's the rush?" Let me tell you, these folks in KS who know about Tornados take that stuff real serious. Below are some pics of the Tornado/Bomb Shelter.
POP