It is Saturday morning and eleven eager participants ready to get started. It is a bit nippy outside but the air is calm. This is our first Appleseed of the year at Glen Helen. I always wonder what the creek will be like for the first shoot, but that wasn't an issue, the creek is dry. We started with introductions and "where did you hear about Project Appleseed?" Most of the people told me they found us on the internet, with a couple saying they were at another Appleseed before. It says a lot when people come back to do it again. With all of the safety items taken care of and the rifles on the line, time for Red Coats. It wasn't pretty; I lost seven of my eleven to the bayonet. A little instruction really goes a long way. We shot the first square and all we on paper but the groups were pretty large. By lunch time most were getting there groups dialed in on the one inch square and all were down to an eight MOA pattern. We break for lunch and shoot boss Rick takes the group through the three strikes of the match with great interest. Back to the line and it is time to step it up a notch. That's right sitting, standing, transitions, and mag changes on the green coats. Let's post some AQTs and see how we do. The standing looked really good with a lot of fives. Time for the sitting position; that was 55 seconds? We take a trip down range and I do not believe anyone got of all ten rounds. Transition to prone was next and the 65 seconds didn't shock them as much. Many were able to get all ten shots off although some of the counts had issues. Five minutes for prone seems like a lifetime after the last two. The group was done in two minutes. No, they did not all shoot fives! Now that they are over the shock of the first AQT we shoot another and it went a lot smoother with some sharp shooters in the group but the rifleman score eluded them all. The final Redcoat was impressive; I didn't lose a single patriot to the bayonet. In fact I had five of the eleven join Morgan's rifle company. We wrap things up with a well done, the benediction, and a good night, see you tomorrow.
Shoot Boss, Rick (rrhartley)