Well, as Funfaler said about Totz, we picked the hotest days of the year so far to hold the first area Appleseed and only the second in Ohio.
I drove up over Thursday night from Savannah Ga hoping for a cool down from the hot, humid temperatures we have been expericing at the Hinesville Range. Ha. I should have known better. It seems it isn't an Appleseed unless I sweat off 5or 6 pounds!
I arrived onsite Friday 11am to find the land owner and his helpers bringing in firewood and bushhogging the range, camp area and parking lot. He also set up a food pavillian.
George arrived as I was working the range over with an old Ford Tractor and a push blade. ( I hate those things and wasn't happy with my work, but others thought it ok) George set up the target line with me and by 5pm GeorgeT was there too and helped put up the cardboard and set the firing line.
All three of us camped a hot humid Friday night awaiting The Guy and Dinky Dao. Both of whom arrived, some the worse for wear(Bad drive in) early this morning.
We had a limit of 35. Eventbrite had been telling folks trying to preregister for the last three weeks the event was sold out, yet we had only 28 on our prereg list and only started the day with 25 shooters, but we added another two as we started the actual COF.
The day began as always with the safety sermon, first strike and then.... REDCOATS! This was not a bad bunch of shooters at all! Very tight groups all morning and they looked ready to pounce on that coveted Rifleman score after lunch. But the heat of the day took a horrid toll on the good men of the Buckeye state and in the end only one made Rifleman on the AQT today. It was my Father in Law, Dave C and he did it with a bolt gun! He also "gave up" 25 points due to target misidentification and still scored a 218 on his first try.
My son, Davie Jr, stuck it out all day and scored Sharpshooter with a 173! Good job Davie. Today sharpshooter, Tomorrow, Rifleman.....Literally!
As the instructors pulled out for the traditional dinner/debrief, we gained two new Sunday shooters and all but three from today said they would be back tomorrow!
Look for pictures in the future when I can.... Be back with more from tomorrows business!
CM61
I would have been there if I knew it was not sold out. I would have been there Sunday morning if I only had seen your flash report. Half a loaf would have been better than none.
Good turn out anyway and congrats to the new riflemen at the Canton/Minerva Appleseed.
Riflemen with a bolt gun on his first try. :o There is a reason I don't screw with old guys ;D
Nope, As Big John said of Totz, no cooler the second day here. Again the temps at midday hovered near 95. We had most of the crew from the day before online for our 10 am start. We even had two new shooters who drove all the way in from the Detroit area to join us for the day, a father-son team, Scott and Noah. Both seemed to really grab the spirit of the event in short order and the SB assigned a personal coach(Thanks Dinky) to better bring them up to speed.
We started with a redcoat, went to some 1" squares to review the lessons of day one, especially follow through and NPOA, and then went to work hammering out riflemen on the anvil of the AQT. We fired one before lunch and had Dave C repeat and improve upon his peformance from the day before. He had a 231 with a scoped AR15 he had built for his wife. Then lunch again provided by the range owner and his junior rifle club. He actually ran out of buffalo burgers! Then back to another 4 more AQTs for the afternoon where we made another rifleman, my son David Jr, scored a 218 with a scoped AR. Then a final redcoat and we were done shooting for the day. It was 4pm when we wrapped up.
Although it was hot as Hades and everyone was worn out, all stayed to help square away the range and help decamp the RWVA staff. The site was squared away as I left at 6pm and another successful Appleseed was in the books. In fact we have permission for another to be scheduled for the mid October time frame so be watching the board for upcoming information on that when it is finalized.
CM61
Yes, Cannonman is not lying when he said it was hot. I was feeling pretty bad about mid-afternoon on Saturday....you know you look bad when your shooting buddy says, "Dude, you feel alright...you look really bad...here, eat a granola bar." That same shooting buddy threw up the next day due to the heat, sat out one sting of fire on the AQT and was right back at it. Yep...they grow'em tough up here in NE Ohio.
What Cannonman failed to mention is that we were shooting in an old sand pit...I think it raised the temperature a bit and the grit cut up our knees and got into pretty much everything. But it was a nice site and a welcoming land owner. He helps run a Junior Rifle Team with some pretty qualified junior shooters...the assembled Appleseeders not only paid for buffalo burgers, but we also bought their raffle tickets. It was good to support youth shooters. Those youths also got to listen to most of the April 19, 1775 stories.
My posse from the online forums at Ohioans For Concealed Carry were all very enthused by the experience. I've heard great comments (Muxtex posted a link in "Other Sources") I'd imagine you see more of us at the next one and at other ones in and around Ohio. I know there will be a few more LTRs built in the next few months. It's good to see two 2A organizations meld together well without bickering.
The instructors worked very hard and were a testament to the Appleseed program. The Guy makes a really good Fred Jr.
Personally, I had a great weekend. I shot my own brand of LTR (Marlin 795 with Williams FP Target rear and 336 Front Site...cheaper than a 10/22) on Saturday and my just broken-in M-1A on Sunday. I've totally bought into hype on the M-1A...I love it. I was knocking on the door to Rifleman at a high of 200, but something always kept me away. It was better than I expected to do, so I'm quite happy.
Thanks to The Guy, Dinky Dao, George, George T and Cannonman... a great Appleseed. And I know the spirit will continue in at least some of the new shooters.
Glad to see you escaped this south Georgia heat. ;D
Sounds like I missed a lot of fun. Are y'all gonna be shooting in the snow come October?
I have to tell You Ladies and Gentleman from the RWVA that this is the most enjoyable training I have ever recieved!!.
The instructors were all excellent and easy going. It was nice to be with fellow Americans that care about our heritage and trying to win the "soft war". It was nice to see the young shooters and help them out ( Lunch & tickets). Fred has to be commended, his instructors teach from the heart not for money!!! A big Thanks to the landowner for His hospitality. I came to shoot but found the Stories and comraderie to be the best part. My top score was 159 on the AQT but was the first time shooting this under pressure of the clock!! I am definetly hooked and will be ordering some REDCOAT TARGETS ;)
I expected coming north from Southwestern KY to the Canton/Minerva AS that the weather would have been a little cooler. Boy, was I wrong. I'm not going to say anything more about the weather since cannonman61 has already covered that.
We had a good group of shooters. The groups they shot on Saturday morning made me think that we just might produce a number of Rifleman from the group.
We had a great lunch put on for us by the property owner and his Junior Rifle Club. Buffalo burgers and hot dogs on the grill!! But, the hot, humid afternoon (didn't I say I wasn't going to comment about the weather any more... I lied ;)) took its toll on our shooters. The pace of the shoot slowed and the groups got bigger.
We did get in a QDAQT before the day was over and managed one Rifleman (CM61's Father-in-Law). We re-shot the Redcoat target from the morning and had very few improved targets.
Sunday didn't dawn any cooler. The firing line dwindled in numbers on Sunday as it usually does. We got in a QDAQT before lunch (CM61's Father-in-Law made Rifleman again) and had another good lunch provided by the property owner and his Junior Rifle Club. We shot 4 more QDAQTs after lunch but got only one additional Rifleman (CM61's 17 year old son, Davie Jr).
I was really pleased when I asked the shooters in the afternoon if they would like to shoot one more QDAQT or just post the Redcoat target, re-shoot it and call it a day. Everyone wanted to stick with it and shoot another QDAQT.
This was my first time as Shoot Boss of an Appleseed and I would like to thank all of the Instructors who worked with me (The Guy, cannonman61, GeorgeT, Dinky Dao) to make it work and all the shooters who persevered despite the weather. It was my pleasure to work with all of you.
Got pics?
Working on pics.
Camera not cooperating.
Here is a photo of the group from Ohioans for Concealed Carry forum, (OFCC) taken Sunday before lunch.
(http://i30.tinypic.com/33o48jq.jpg)
L-R, Muxtek, Technorat, McM, Morne, Frenchie, 66 deuce coupe, Meanstreaker, (not pictured, Big Shafe) (Saturday)
You can expect to meet many more of us in Gibsonberg in August.
Now that's a great looking group! :)
I know I picked up several things that I've been doing wrong in my practice on the way to becoming a Rifleman. I was knocking on the door at times, but not quite there yet.
I'm definitely planning on returning in October and hope to make the shoot in Gibsonburg as well.
Thanks to all the instructors as they did an excellent job. This is also coming from my friend who is rather new to shooting altogether. We both had a great time.
October is a long way off!
Let's get working on another AS before then. If no one tries, we know we won't have one until October... >:(
Although, did anyone see "Gibsonburg, OH - Aug 23-24 " on the 2008 Appleseed Sched?
Fred,
Not to take away from the great range that was set up for us in Canton or anything, but...
I'm pushing for a shoot in Athens for Constitution Day in September. ;D ;D ;D
George T Said he will give me the verdict after his club meeting this week. ;)
Yep, I've decided...there definitely has to be another shoot in Athens at least one more time this year....it's a "must do". No doubt about it... ;) ;D :D 8)
Heck, it was such a wonderful treat to be there, I'm ready to crown it the official RWVA range for OHIO. :o You betcha!!
LOL!
Dinky
Signed up early and did Athens AS. Missed Canton because I tried to register later on after attending Athens AS and eventbrite showed it sold out when it was not.
I learned my lesson. I registered for both days at Gibonsburg tonight.
My goal is to warm up with the Ruger 10/22 LTR that I put together after the Athens AS to make a rifleman score on the AQT, then if that happens to switch rifles and do it with the DPMS LR-308 AP4.
http://www.constitutionday.cc/ Constitutionday 2008
Dinky,
Have not forgotten.
Athens Fish & Game meets the 3rd Thur so will know after June 19 if we are approved for the Sept 13 - 14 Constitution Day Week-end Appleseed.
The pivotal issue is increasing the height and length of our berm.
George T
The next shoot in Canton/Minerva has been tentatively set for October 25th and 26th.
The date has been approved by the landowner and sent in to Funfaler and Riflewoman for RWVA approval and setup on eventbrite.
There will be no cap for this event. If more than the 35-40 the line will support sign up, we will have to improvise, adapt and overcome by running relays to the line.
More information will be posted as soon as FF and RW get back to me.
CM61
Quote from: cannonman61 on June 12, 2008, 07:50:31 AM
The next shoot in Canton/Minerva has been tentatively set for October 18th and 19th.
The date has been approved by the landowner and sent in to Funfaler and Riflewoman for RWVA approval and setup on eventbrite.
There will be no cap for this event. If more than the 35-40 the line will support sign up, we will have to improvise, adapt and overcome by running relays to the line.
More information will be posted as soon as FF and RW get back to me.
CM61
Send me the particulars and we'll get a flyer put together. Spat
Hi all,
Just back at home. Finally have some time to up load some pictures two at a time.
Bear with me. The size limit monkey rears its ugly head.
CM
Next two.
Two more good ones.
Two more from the longest, hottest June day on record in NE Ohio. ( It really was the hottest for that date, place and time, I checked) ::)
Ok,
Last two and I will stop boring ya'll,
The tent in the second picture was my sleeping post the first night, but I lost the battle of the spiders the second night at about 2am and went to my inlaws to sleep the rest of the night. Nasty arachnids up there!
I hope the pictures conveyed the comaraderie and learning that went on as well as the decent facilities so kindly provided by the land owner.
CM
Not boring me, CM. Thanks for sharing the pics!
Thank You for the good pictures ;D
Quote from: MeanStreaker on June 17, 2008, 05:42:51 PM
Not boring me, CM. Thanks for sharing the pics!
Absolutely.
Keep 'em comin'.
Ok guys,
I finally got them all downloaded to the webshots website.
Just click on the picture below to see the whole album.
Enjoy.
CM
(http://thumb2.webshots.net/t/24/665/1/44/95/2303144950100147682JdmnGZ_th.jpg) (http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563882891VKODSp)
Thanks CM! ;D