INCREDIBLE!!! This is only the word that comes close to how I feel after this weekend at the Home Range. I promise you won't want to miss another weekend like this in the future!
This weekend was set up specially for the Instructors of AS. With everyone's hard work this past year (and you know how instructors don't always get a chance to shoot), we thought we would put on a KD event just for instructors. We thought of different things that would build on our Rifleman skills so we got on the phone @@) and here is what the weekend included...
Prior to the event all the instructors received a video, from yours truly, on how different bullet grains impact our shot. They had instructions on how to select the right grain bullet that your rifle liked to eat. Everyone in the class was surprised at what they learned about their bullet before arriving at the range. :slap:
Then Friday started out with a video on cant and how much it effects out shot. Then we leveled our scopes to our rifles and installed bubble levels to avoid the cant. This turned out to be amazing for everyone shooting as they soon realized how much they canted their rifles. We also learned a bit of physics $$-0 and how to use a bullet calculations calculator correctly. O0
Saturday morning included some SHF, followed by a class on using a DOPE book and how dope cards are so important to the shooter. Then we followed that with a class on being a Spotter and how to communicate corrections to the shooter (on a very busy firing line) and that class also included a lesson on vapor trails and how to watch for and follow them. We then went to the 500 yard range and started working on DOPE cards for our rifles. We worked up all the come-ups for our own rifles starting at 100 yards out to 500, this included 50 yard increments. On Friday and Saturday I would look around the class and I would see nothing but smiles and reactions of excitement ^:)^ for all the shooters as they wore that new steel at the Home Range OUT! :snipersmi
We started Sunday out with a Ranging lecture and we dug deep into the workings of our scopes and how they worked for more then a magnifying glass. :pop: We then went to the range and using the DOPE we learned on Saturday we shot the Morgan shingle (one cold barrel shot). If you had irons you shot a 250-yard 6" gong. For those with optics their target was a 500-yard 10" square. :cool2: With so many shooters hitting that 10" target me thinks that I many have to shrink it a bit LOL! I promise you I could have not have wiped the smiles off of their faces if I tried. ^:)^
We then moved into the KD AQT and got 3 new KD Riflemen (I would probably say that learning all that dope helped). O0 We then played a bit and shot at all the new steel gongs and a few shooter/spotter teams played games of Horse (like you would in basketball).
This weekend started out with a little rain on Friday but cleared up a little on Saturday and was warm. Sunday was slightly cooler but worked perfectly into what we were teaching.
I was so excited for everyone there. I smiled all weekend at all their smiles! It truly warmed my heart and I would do another one tomorrow if I could. I would like to thank Polonius and Preacher for their help instructing and thank you to all the shooters for being safe, flexible and coming out to this instructor only KD event. I hope we can do it again this coming year. It really was INCREDIBLE!!!
Pelon
PS We had so much fun this weekend, that if any other state would like to put on an instructor only KD 201 weekend, send me or Polonius a PM. We would love to help!
wow that sounds like a LOT of fun! :bow:
It was a GREAT time!
If you can come to the RBC this March!!!
Been doing this Appleseed thing for a minute or two now.
Missus Monkey and I both agree - this was absolutely THE BEST TIME WE EVER HAD at an Appleseed event.
I like to think of this event as sort of an intro to precision shooting - hands on application of proper equipment setup, adjustment, DOPE books, and ballistic calculators.
Put them together, and here's what you get:
(http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m555/jespe1/WhatsApp%20Image%202018-12-29%20at%2010.43.25%20PM.jpeg)
A premium wife behind a rack grade rifle and above-average ammo - tagging a 6" plate at 500 yds. (In case any of you are wondering, yes - I am the Luckiest SOB Alive - LSOBA for short)
Me trying to catch up:
(http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/m555/jespe1/WhatsApp%20Image%202018-12-30%20at%2012.48.26%20PM.jpeg)
Our takeaways:
- The Appleseed Come-Ups WORK. Using a MOA comparison chart at 100 yards, I was able to not only verify the come-ups on my Ballistic Drop Compensator (BDC) reticle were EXACTLY the same as the Appleseed , but I was able to learn come-ups for beyond 600 yards - great info to translate for iron sight engagements.
- All instructors should try this course. Not only will it reaffirm what is taught during the KD portion of a regular 2 day Project Appleseed event, you are almost guaranteed to learn something new, whether it be about you, your equipment, or both.
- The new steel at the home range is AWESOME. So much time saved via the instant feedback made by singing steel. Side note: Playing "KD Horse" with Yankee Doodle, with steel targets, was too much fun.
We'll be doing this again. We'll be bringing friends.
It was a terrific, fast paced weekend with lots of fun and tons of information. Pelon and Preacher did an amazing job teaching precision concepts and getting great results. We were able to get rifle dope in no time using a spotter and shooting steel. With the data from Saturday, slinging up and making the cold bore shot on ten inch steel at 500 yards was a snap. Without a doubt, this event had more energy and more smiles than any Appleseed I can remember.
Man....what a weekend! Seriously, my hat is off to Pelon, Preacher, and Polonius for really putting on an absolute blast of an event.
I learned so much stuff this weekend about MY rifle, MY scope, the slight variations between Appleseed's traditional SHFs and precision shooting, just how badly I was canting the rifle at first (but just like really focusing on those Appleseed fundamentals, I had it down by the end of the weekend).
It took the KD lecture and made it completely practical, from ranging targets of unknown distance using scopes (and even ranging using a dime held at arms length - for me it's about 7MOA, and it checked out with the scope within 25 yards).
Ringing steel at 300 yards at night was a hoot. Ringing steel at all ranges from 100-500 yards all day Saturday and Sunday was awesome. Vapor trails are some of the coolest things to watch....and suddenly seeing your heartbeat in the scope was a holy crap moment (and of course, the first time I ever recognized it is when I was taking my cold bore shot at 500 yards).
And Monkey is right - once you have your dope dialed in, playing horse really let you know how well you've learned your rifle, and let's you practice that shooter/spotter teamwork that puts rounds on target accurately and quickly.
I even qualified KD for the first time using Engineer Blackburn's rifle - something I hadn't counted on and come prepared for (my Savage 10 only has a 4 round mag) - he was gracious and helpful both in my attempt to do it with the Savage and handloading individual rounds after the mag was empty as well as allowing me to shoot that amazing AR of his. So thanks, Thomas!
Beyond that - it was like a gathering of a bunch of old friends who had known each other forever, and that comraderie coupled with the amount of things I learned made it quite easily the best Appleseed event I think I have attended.
I will definitely do this again, and will be working this week to try and get the week of the RBC off in order to make it this year.
And the smile I wore all weekend is still there now.
Quote from: Pelon on December 31, 2018, 01:03:01 PM
Prior to the event all the instructors received a video, from yours truly, on how different bullet grains impact our shot. They had instructions on how to select the right grain bullet that your rifle liked to eat. Everyone in the class was surprised at what they learned about their bullet before arriving at the range. :slap:
OK - where's the video? :pop:
OK - where's the video? :pop:
[/quote]
:yeahthat:
Quote from: scuzzy on January 01, 2019, 02:37:56 PM
Quote from: Pelon on December 31, 2018, 01:03:01 PM
Prior to the event all the instructors received a video, from yours truly, on how different bullet grains impact our shot. They had instructions on how to select the right grain bullet that your rifle liked to eat. Everyone in the class was surprised at what they learned about their bullet before arriving at the range. :slap:
OK - where's the video? :pop:
I second that! Love to see the video(s).
A great big thank you to Pelon, Preacher, and Polonius also. It was very evident that a tremendous amount of time and thought went into the preparation of the materials. This made for a great weekend of learning and then applying out new skills on the range.
The group of instructors attending made for a memorable weekend. I couldn't have asked for a better time.
Thanks again!
Ok. Against my better judgement I'm gonna give you a link to the YouTube video. It is not out for the public to see. I'm not photogenic nor am I a cinematographer. It is rough and uncut. The only access is this link. If we do it again I'll work on producing a much better video. You'll probably have to cut and paste the link below.
On a side note, Missus Monkey didn't have time to do her bullet test and we could watch her 55gr bullets go above the target at 500 yards then below the target again and again. And it wasn't her SHFs. I asked her if she did the test and she said no. She and Monky went to the 25 yard range and found that her rifle hated the 55 grain and loved the 69 grain. She was so much happier when she got back on the KD line. She also smacked a 6" gong at 500 yards with the 69gr. :bow:
Enjoy the show.
Pelon
https://youtu.be/4gQLgsypPxc
If you want to keep it semi-private, you may want to link on the IAAR instead of the regular AAR.
Thank you Tennessee Beast.
I don't care if ASers use it. It really works. I just didn't want the whole world to put their 2 cents worth in on my "B" grade movie. :DH:
I'll post a pic of my results of different types of powder used on my 123gr Amax in my 260. You can plainly see the results. (Side note... it's not letting the pic go thru for some reason)
And I'm so glad all had a great time this weekend!!! :snipersmi
Pelon
Great advice on finding the best bullet for your rifle. Much more organized than my "shoot a bunch and guess" method. Sorry I missed this party. That is the kind of shooting I miss doing these days.
Here is a pic of the results of my 260 using the info on the video. I was using different powders on a 123gr Amax. Same thing works with different grain bullets right out of the box.
Pelon
Pelon, thanks for the video. It was very informative. I had not thought about rotating to different weights at the beginning of each string. Makes perfect sense!
For perspective, my "Ammo Feed Test" results attached.
If I had it to do over again, I would have done this at 100 yds - the right answer may have presented itself more clearly.
Quote from: Pelon on January 01, 2019, 08:34:09 PM
Ok. Against my better judgement I'm gonna give you a link to the YouTube video. It is not out for the public to see. I'm not photogenic nor am I a cinematographer. It is rough and uncut. The only access is this link. If we do it again I'll work on producing a much better video. You'll probably have to cut and paste the link below.
On a side note, Missus Monkey didn't have time to do her bullet test and we could watch her 55gr bullets go above the target at 500 yards then below the target again and again. And it wasn't her SHFs. I asked her if she did the test and she said no. She and Monky went to the 25 yard range and found that her rifle hated the 55 grain and loved the 69 grain. She was so much happier when she got back on the KD line. She also smacked a 6" gong at 500 yards with the 69gr. :bow:
Enjoy the show.
Pelon
https://youtu.be/4gQLgsypPxc
Thanks! Testing loads round robin style makes sense.
WOW! What an event!!! Thanks for sharing and dangling the carrot for future participants.
Debbie and Padraic (Tumbleweed)
I am intensely envious! When's the next one?
Quote from: BrotherPilot on January 02, 2019, 06:52:34 PM
I am intensely jealous! When's the next one?
RUMINT indicates that a version of this will be run during the March RBC at Ramseur 10-15MAR.
That said...find a place we can shoot out to 500 yds, and the event can come to
you us. ;D
New Braunfels, TX can accommodate such an event!
Contact Ghostring
Based on this experience, I'm in for the Ramseur RBC.
Signed up. Done deal.
Great call Monkey!
I put in today for the week off, to attend the RBC in March. Bill has a great week lined up. I can't spill the beans yet but if you liked this KD you're gonna LOVE the RBC. It will go down in the record books as one of the best ever I'm sure. I'm bringing the camp kitchen and we're gonna eat like kings the whole week as well. Bring your appetite and some friends!
This RBC is gonna be a can't miss event!!! I promise you that. ^:)^
Oh dear lord, wife and daughter are both gonna kill me. And Samantha won't miss.
Quote from: BrotherPilot on January 05, 2019, 08:46:43 AM
Oh dear lord, wife and daughter are both gonna kill me. And Samantha won't miss.
You're a man of Liberty, sir - your family will love you...
And remind Sam that homeschooling is still an option. ;D ;D ;D