We had 18 shooters on the line today, on a beautiful California day where cloud cover kept the temperatures lower than forecast. We started the day a bit slow, making sure everyone got those steady hold factors and 6 steps down, and also beating down some equipment issues. The time monkey was lurking around and making the shoot boss nervous, but everyone picked up the pace in the afternoon, and we got in one AQT. Meagan holds the high score for the day at 194. We saw some good stuff on the targets, and look forward to great things from her and the other shooters tomorrow!
Info on Appleseed friendly activites at the Chabot range can be found here:
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=23542.0
That was a fine session. I started breaking down toward the end of Sunday, and after a rest period, discovered that it wasn't just me breaking down. My 10/22 had lost all semblance of accuracy. When I got home and took it apart, look what I found in the barrel!
http://imgur.com/a/rN77M
There was lead smeared on the side. At this point, I have no idea what to do about it. Probably new-barrel time :-[
Clean the bajeezus out of it and see if it reoccurs?
What type of ammo were you shooting? There have been reports of some types of 22LR (Remington golden bullet being most mentioned) having too-soft bullets that smear off in the barrel - like you had happen.
Don't dump that barrel! Get some solvent that's specifically marked as lead remover, a brand new, stiff bore brush, and go at it. It should come out, but it'll take some work.
(And you just got some - involuntary - experience with a smooth bore musket, 22 cal. Imagine how much fun it must have been, trying to hit a target at 50-60 yards with something of the sort.)
OK. I was rushing to conclusions. Same thing happened to somebody on Calguns. He was shooting the same Remington thunderbolt ammo. No new barrel, just gotta clean it out well and stop using this stuff.
I know some people like it, but Remington .22 is bad news.
Smoothbores, on the other hand, aren't so bad out to about 50 yards or so. I can do that with my Bess anyway.
Pix to come soon, still sorting them out, but first...
On Sunday we had 14 returning shooters from Saturday, joined by 4 single day attendees. Things heated up: Mother Nature took away the cloud cover, and we headed for the high 80s, and after a review of Saturday's learning we moved into the 'full round count' version of the AQT grind. Shooters paid good attention to both muzzle and water discipline, and we took heat breaks between each AQT.
Our first AQT confirmed that we had a number of shooters 'knocking on the door' of Rifleman status, with scores in the 180s, 190s and 200s. Through the day, shooters' increasing skill levels tried to rise above fatigue and heat. We also had more than our usual share of equipment problems, on both the shooter and instructor side: Sunday began with our sound system dying (it had been tested 30 minutes before) and we had to improvise using our 'story telling PA'. Our loaner rifles also got a work-out, and as you can see up-thread, ammo quality was also a problem for some.
Several shooters were pushing towards the magic 210 number, but it was Sergei who first passed the goal with a no-mistake-about it 229, which proved to be the high score of the weekend. Well done!
Steve had been doing a lot of practice with his bolt-action 22, and that started to show on his targets - closer and closer... Then he shot what might be a 210 or 211, depending on who looked at it. Would he get a (probably welcome) bath of that North Bridge water? No - his next was a 219. We hid that one too >:D and I believe we achieved surprise when he was called up to receive his Rifleman patch.
There were others very close, in particular I'll mention Bob who was getting it together and posted a 208, just in time for his carbine to start malf'ing on the last two AQTs of the day. :wb: His son Steven also made steady progress with a 10/22, and cleared the final redcoat of the weekend. We look forward to seeing both of you in a couple of weeks at San Jose!
Everyone hung in there and made improvements through the weekend. It was particularly good to see so many family groups on the line. Remember - dry practice, and pass along the skills and heritage you learned!
After some careful counting, we've determined that Sergei is the 100th Rifleman to be made at Castro Valley! Huzzah! ^:)^ Onward to the second hundred!
Here we go - it's time for the Safe Rifle dance!
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--hQ1X_loL1A/UhP4asjC6YI/AAAAAAAAE8o/xpRB_14FRGY/s640/100_1971.JPG)
Now you all know how the instructors can tell who's been out before, and remembered the lessons:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CHX1hUzWW60/UhP4SBX7afI/AAAAAAAAE7A/vkUCTP-Q6aI/s640/100_1972.JPG)
The firing line on Saturday
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j93qsJhMWVs/UhP4TWVf3DI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/24RhCTfgomM/s640/100_1978.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-tAJwJ3J8vTY/UhP4T4nPCZI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/nm4bwMY-Dyc/s640/100_1979.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZQyE7EwghAQ/UhP4Uz5M2tI/AAAAAAAAE7g/ThvWeNoyVvM/s640/100_1980.JPG)
Circle up for instruction!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8bjY52uY8dU/UhP35cbROYI/AAAAAAAAE2I/lqyb6DdB59M/s640/100_1990.JPG)
The shoot boss gets in a little demo time
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U5VCjSRyTH0/UhP4X4GvFrI/AAAAAAAAE8I/M5CdDutW09g/s640/100_1996.JPG)
The 3 sisters in standing
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Erlwhdykt2g/UhP4YhUlfSI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/sUhfK8F2qM8/s640/100_1999.JPG)
We gave them the Spiffy Shoes award!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U7cjpjaVwCY/UhP385vSmWI/AAAAAAAAE24/daHPdhdGcu4/s640/100_2007.JPG)
Listening to the targets talk...
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zlhmvd38Qzk/UhP34uwdpFI/AAAAAAAAE2A/w1B4rM8wQG8/s640/100_1988.JPG)
Posterity!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ZJ7keLZwLjY/UhP39ohLOSI/AAAAAAAAE3A/SSZbR0HP1pk/s640/100_2008.JPG)
Sunday set up
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-z4dL9vPvgyY/UhP4FiZMHhI/AAAAAAAAE4g/9Jk5-affJ4k/s640/100_2023.JPG)
It's AQT time! Ken (haleson) gives the course of fire
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Wur3DSShdqc/UhP4Bp_VLMI/AAAAAAAAE3w/Np9Ge2bmjBs/s640/100_2016.JPG)
Transition action shot!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fPvdEL_Fs6Q/UhP4DpC5kXI/AAAAAAAAE4I/dceYA5CsIvk/s640/100_2019.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-h8VX0wOw-8g/UhP4EtQse5I/AAAAAAAAE4Q/7cYDDJXD-vw/s640/100_2020.JPG)
The rest of the Sunday line
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zECdamdAVfM/UhP4FDUCIfI/AAAAAAAAE4Y/4Wf7ncd5mj0/s640/100_2021.JPG)
Dennis storytelling, while Nero does speed math in the background
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6z54hnVqK_I/UhP4HalDljI/AAAAAAAAE44/uB9wmCS_A2Q/s640/100_2027.JPG)
Ken takes his turn with our heritage
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IhYlJiKJO5s/UhP4Ipb2X3I/AAAAAAAAE5I/y9YwEhWdz54/s640/100_2029.JPG)
We are always glad to have families on our lines!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bnejXWIs9UQ/UhP4JUI8o4I/AAAAAAAAE5Q/UEv8wkqKogs/s640/100_2032.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1cHBUFkPwqM/UhP4KOk0E2I/AAAAAAAAE5Y/AV8WumoBaAM/s640/100_2033.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PNytDObymGM/UhP4GL2TLDI/AAAAAAAAE4o/Jodnft8r-uI/s640/100_2025.JPG)
It was a day for shade and water breaks!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZrisF4AGifA/UhP4BB_jFFI/AAAAAAAAE3o/Ojqjud1wNKs/s640/100_2015.JPG)
Laurie has her first go at calling the line
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qH5Ba5ZY4Qw/UhP4Mi0nMgI/AAAAAAAAE54/a_6hFJ_hM2E/s640/100_2037.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pv_J8J0DaVM/UhP4NfzzxkI/AAAAAAAAE6A/_71_GiK31fc/s640/100_2039.JPG)
When the dust settles, we have Riflemen!
Sergei is the 100th Rifleman at Castro Valley. Huzzah!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iB8nl6A3aXU/UhP4QP0SfSI/AAAAAAAAE6o/-cXJVAobLdg/s640/100_2044.JPG)
And Steve does the trick with his bolt gun. Is that a great grin or what? ;D Huzzah!
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1sdg_HVy90Q/UhP4Pp3rpQI/AAAAAAAAE6g/sZpmkaY1F14/s640/100_2043.JPG)
And Laurie and Paul, our mother / son Blue Hat team, worked their first shoot together. Huzzah!
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-h75U2RVyGFQ/UhP4RXt_uSI/AAAAAAAAE64/CAin60EMr5s/s640/100_2046.JPG)
Finally, our thanks and best wishes go with Dennis (BoxesofLiberty) who is moving his family and business to Nevada. We'll see you down the trail!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WPGdcGIdR-c/UhP4Q1cr9MI/AAAAAAAAE6w/OcVpQaQoKFg/s640/100_2045.JPG)
There are more photos in the full album (https://picasaweb.google.com/114208333789247233986/CastroValley813) (though they are in somewhat random order, for unknown reasons).
Best of luck, Dennis!
Quote from: Nero on August 20, 2013, 07:37:55 PM
After some careful counting, we've determined that Sergei is the 100th Rifleman to be made at Castro Valley! Huzzah! ^:)^ Onward to the second hundred!
That is an
incredible achievement.
I'd be envious, except for the fact that we're all pulling together. ;D Good thing y'all are on my side!