Well.....we had a good run here at Clinton County Farmers and Sportsman's Association but luck was bound to catch up with us sooner or later. Ya can't have too many perfect Appleseed weekends in a row or people will start to wonder what kind of deal we made to avoid any and all crummy weather all-together.
The net result was that things could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for the persistence and sheer tenacity of a great bunch of shooters!
Nineteen incredible, patriotic Americans showed up with no regard for their dryness and warmth to partake in a 2-day extravaganza of history and marksmanship that has come to define the Appleseed experience. Things started chilly and dry as we took to the line and cranked out a Redcoat followed by the best instruction anywhere in the glorious art of field marksmanship. Nobody flinched when the skies turned dark and opened up. Lunch was served (and a delicious, hot one it was thanks to Angie and Rick of CCFSA) and the amazing tale of bravery and terror at the hands of those dastardly Redcoats was spun once again.
Saturday afternoon saw constant improvement in all aspects of the course of study until we finally attempted a soggy AQT for keeps! The afternoon Redcoat spoke volumes in the obvious uptick in skill made by all shooters and we sloshed off the battlefield to warmer and dryer places.
Sunday morning dawned chilly and...wait for it....SUNNY :-) so we got right to it! After a quick review of safety and technique we got down to the grind. It wasn't long before Greg showed us how it was done by racking up a 217 and claiming a patch!
We had another hot lunch that couldn't be beat and heard the uplifting narration of the Dangerous Old Men. That afternoon the Rifleman's Bubble was so thick you could hear the click of a sear reseting. That is until the team drill used up everything we had and all we could afford to obliterate some Redcoats and Morgan's Shingle until the team of Ben and John claimed the honors and spoils of victory!
We closed out the season in high style with a final Redcoat and a dose of American pride. Our numbers may have dwindled by the end but the Spirit of Liberty burns bright in the hearts and minds of each and every participant that graced the gravel at CCFSA this weekend. Thanks to all our fantastic and safe shooters as well as the Appleseed Instructor Corps that made it happen. And lest we forget- the Greatest Range on the Ohio Appleseed circuit CCFSA!
See you again next year!
NICE!!! Good job Greg!
This was a really great shoot. The weather was in a constant state of variability: rain, cold, wind, calm, warm, heavy rain, beautiful. The shooters pretty much ignored it.
More good words for the CCFSA from me. Rick, our resident blue hat, was there for us all weekend checking in throughout both days, bringing stacks of extra shooting mats, serving food at lunch. He is a great guy.
And we had John, who sits on the CCFSA Board of Directors. He's the guy who paved the way for our access to that beautiful facility. He decided to accept the challenge and brought his gorgeous National Match AR15 and a wealth of service rifle experience to try to make Rifleman. He was very close, but didn't quite get there. I think it lit a fire under him to get it done in the future and an appreciation for the difficulty of the task. John also brought a small pile of brand new shooting coats from his youth service rifle team. Those kids wouldn't wear them because "they look funny". Ben snagged one for his birthday present and I grabbed one for my daughter (Trinchester) who I hope to get back to the range once the drama season cools off at school.
As always, Jeff ran an efficient, safe, enjoyable shoot and is great to learn under for us IITs. Thanks Jeff!
And it was nice to finally meet Cactus Jack.
Mitch
Hmmmm.....that's peculiar.
Full line at CCFSA. (Anybody know why these are showing up upside down?)
Some additional photos from another fantastic Appleseed weekend!
Did anybody happen to find a set of Howard Leight Ear muffs ? I lost mine :(
Quote from: 38superrr on November 04, 2018, 12:48:11 PM
Did anybody happen to find a set of Howard Leight Ear muffs ? I lost mine :(
Not that I'm aware of (at least I didn't see or hear anything as we were wrapping up). I'm sure other instructors will chime in as well. Hopefully we'll be able to track 'em down for you.
I don't recall seeing any as we wrapped up for the weekend. Sorry.