The Sandusky County Sportsmen's Club II facility in Gibsonburg was the location for the latest Project Appleseed rifle clinic in Northwest Ohio. The SCSC II venue is very nicely developed with a series of ranges that can accommodate a variety of types of shooting. While our 25-meter rifle clinic was in session on Saturday, the Cowboy Action team was ringing the steel with soft lead. A nice feature of SCSC II is that most of the ranges have covered firing points and extremely high berms throughout. The cover really pays off when the weather turns bad.
The weather forecast was mixed. During target line construction Friday evening, work was completed in 60-degree comfort. By the time students arrived at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, we were down to 35-degrees with 20 mph wind gusts. But fortunately, everything remained dry.
Our group of students were all previous Appleseed participants and included two youths. We welcomed 2 walk-on shooters with enthusiasm. Our volunteer instructor crew included Headhunter (Austin) and Topper (Shane). This event served as the IPC, Red Hat final test for Topper, so this entire clinic was his opportunity to demonstrate his ability to both instruct technical skills and faithfully present the history of the 3 strikes of the match. Topper performed very well, including time management with the various points of instruction. In addition to instruction, Topper managed safety as the Saturday Line Boss with Headhunter as Range Safety Officer. Following a thorough examination of English history, which set the foundation for the Pre-History story by Headhunter, the class began preparation for the first shots of the clinic.
With the first Red Coat target posted, the fire began at 9:09 a.m. With 6 students, 5 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (83%) and 1 (16%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette. Two put their 3 rounds on the 300-yard shape (33%) and the 400-yard object also received 3 hits from 2 students (33%). Colonel Morgan found 2 shooters (33%) who could hit the shingle first thing in the morning, but no one cleared the target.
The first of many "squares" targets replaced the morning Red Coats, signaling the start of an intense series of instruction on prone steady hold factors. Topper and Headhunter teamed up for the demonstration. The next opportunity for students to engage in live fire was to test their use of the newly taught procedures at the prone position.
The Green Practice AQT was posted at 11:38 a.m. and the group tried to find warmth in a spot out of the wind for lunch and history. Topper delivered a stirring First Strike. Following lunch, the Seated Position instruction again featured Topper and Headhunter. The Green Practice AQT gave students their first opportunity to experiment with locating their favorite Seated Position strategy, combined with more live fire. Magazine changes and time limits were introduced and tested while seated. Transitions from standing to seated added the final component to this phase of instruction. The Standing Position steady hold instruction was completed, and students next had the opportunity to try out that newly acquired technique.
The first AQT of the clinic was posted at 2:20 p.m. This was followed by a long break for the class to think through the instruction just completed and presentation of the Second Strike by Headhunter.
The class engaged in the first AQT, resulting in some outstanding scores. Two students achieved Rifleman status. A father and son team (Dave R. and Noah R.) shot 234 and 235. Ben P. came very close with a 206. Everyone was excited to press on, so AQT #2 was immediately posted.
The Third Strike was the next presentation on the crowded agenda, and again Topper stepped up to deliver the final story of the April 19 trilogy. AQT #2 began at 3:27 p.m. Again, scores were excellent. Noah R. requalified as Rifleman by shooting a score higher than his first (236). Others posted scores that were improved over their first AQT. Chris P. came very close to the patch threshold with 208, while Hailey K. shot her personal best at 198.
As the third AQT of the day was posted, cold rain began to pelt the field of fire. Indication of just how much rain was measured at the shelter downspouts. Again, shooters came close with qualifying scores. Chris P. shot a 202. Ben P. bested his father with a 204. At that point everyone was ready to call it a day.
The Saturday afternoon Red Coat replaced AQT #3 and all was completed by 4:33 p.m. With 6 students participating, 4 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (66%), 3 (50%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette, and 3 (50%) placed hits on the 300-yard silhouette. One student hit the 400 with 3 rounds and 4 shooters (66%) were invited to join Colonel Morgan as a result of shingle hits. Noah R. again demonstrated his skills by clearing the Red Coat target, earning him the coveted Ohio Appleseed decoration. Well done!
Sunday, November 9 started out with snow showers, which continued throughout the day as more cold rain. Following a quick review of safety, the 6 steps to firing a shot and a redemonstration of the steady hold factors, the morning Red Coat was posted and shot by 9:05 a.m. Headhunter managed safety as the Sunday Line Boss with Topper as Range Safety Officer. With 4 students returning, 4 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (100%), 3 (75%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette, and 1 (33%) placed a hit on the 400-yard silhouette (25%). Sunday morning, Morgan's Shingle must have been a lead magnet because all 4 students hit the mark (100%).
Squares targets were posted to perfect sight-in and serve as instructional support. Topper led the group through carding the sights, ball and dummy exercises, Rifleman's cadence and dance. With those completed, students posted the 4th (overall) AQT of the clinic.
AQT #4 was a very wet affair. The plastic target backers held things firm. When all 4 stages were completed and scored, the Gibsonburg clinic recognized its third qualifying Rifleman score. Chris P. achieved Rifleman, with a score of 241! This Distinguished performance was recognized with the award of a specific decoration.
AQT #5 was posted, signaling a lunch break and time for a Known Distance presentation. The KD instruction ended with a lively discussion about the Battle of Kings Mountain and the impact of Patriot experience with shooting both downhill and uphill. History lessons involving Dangerous Old Men were delivered by Topper and Headhunter. With the worsening weather, all were anxious to get back to target work.
AQT #5 was shot, with both Heather K. and Hailey K making steady progress by applying their marksmanship skills. Again, Hailey did very well with a score of 191. She accomplished this feat despite repeated equipment issues. Heather K. posted a 144 score while encountering similar equipment problems.
AQT #6 was posted in wet conditions, but the students maintained strong enthusiasm. When the smoke cleared, Chris P. had shot a requalifying Rifleman score of 221. The students opted to skip the traditional fun shoot and move on Immediately to AQT #7. This was likely a wise decision because students were being slowed with the dropping temperatures. This time, Heather K. scored her best of the clinic at 167. A rifleman is persistent.
The Sunday afternoon Red Coat was completed and recorded by 1:30 p.m. With 3 shooters, 3 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (100%) while 2 (66%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette. The 300-yard shape received 3 rounds from all of the shooters (100%). One shooter (Chris P.) hit the 400-yard and Morgan's shingle, leading to a cleared Red Coat target. Chris P. was the second student of the Gibsonburg clinic to receive the coveted Ohio Appleseed decoration.
I want to thank all of the students for coming out and exhibiting a willingness to learn new skills. I want to encourage all of you to practice reading your targets to diagnose ways you can correct your technique. Congratulations to Noah R., Dave R, and Chris P. for earning the Rifleman's patch. Special recognition for Chris' distinguished score! The Red Coat target is very hard to clear. Congratulations to Noah R. and Chris P. for your fine work on that target.
I want to thank the Sandusky County Sportsmen's Club II for accommodating Project Appleseed during 2025, which is our 25th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of the launch of the American Revolution. Many thanks to Topper and Headhunter for volunteering this past weekend. Congratulations to Topper on qualifying for promotion to Full Instructor!
In Liberty,
Third Degree
Welcome and morning instruction by Third Degree and Head Hunter
Prone under cover in the rain
Seated instruction. Taking instruction to the line
Standing instruction
Applying instruction to the firing line
The Sunday morning drive.
Staying warm between stages.
Father son duo with great rifleman targets
Cleared Hits Count. Not a simple task in good weather.
Nicely done
High score for Saturday of 236
Good work
Another Rifleman and high score of the weekend with a 241. Again, this week was less than ideal weather conditions.
Then followed up with a clean Hits Count to close out the shooting portion of our weekend.
William Diamond and a group photo.
These shooters are the real deal. They did not waiver through the rain, snow and cold. The shooters that did not accomplish a Rifleman score this weekend are simply some dry fire and one shoot away from proving they know very much what they are about.
Thank you for your dedication this weekend
I hope you all get a new rifle for Christmas
Can't wait to join you all again in the spring
Thanks for hosting us, it was a great event! The instruction was top notch, but as usual, the history was the highlight. Won't be the last time these Michigan boys come your way for a visit!
Chris