Appleseed Holland After Action 9-26/27-2026
Saturday, September 26 began as the Harvest moon slowly descended into the western horizon. As it approached the tree line, ground-level fog of an early Northwest Ohio fall shrouded the bright orb, ending the shadows cast during the pre-dawn darkness. All was still foretelling the beginning of a great day.
The Adams Conservation Club facility in Holland, Ohio was the location for the Project Appleseed rifle clinic. This gathering was an inaugural event for Appleseed at the club, which was open for members only. We set up shop at the Utility Range near Building #3. The Adams CC venue is very nicely developed with a series of ranges that can accommodate a variety of types of shooting and a private pond for those desiring to perfect their fishing strategies. The Utility Range had an established target line with framework to secure backerboards. All we needed to do was measure for firing and read lines. Because of the close proximity of neighbors, the Utility Range had an extremely high berm.
The weather in Northwest Ohio during the summer of 2026 was either wet or hot. The change in season ushered in with perfect weather. The pop-up canopies deployed were not used because the students had no need. By noon with temperature reached 71 degrees, with no wind.
Our student group included a family of 5, a couple, a new club member and a member with extensive high-power rifle experience. The couple were previous Appleseed attendees. Our volunteer instructor crew included Headhunter (Austin) and Topper (Shane). Both Headhunter and Topper conducted the various points of 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 9:40 a.m. With 8 students, 7 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (87.5%) and 4 (50%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette. Three put their 3 rounds on the 300-yard shape (37.5%), while 2 had success (25%) with the 400-yard object. Three students hit Morgan's Shingle (37.5%). One student (John A.) cleared the Red Coat target and earned the coveted Ohio Appleseed award. This early rate of success on a very difficult target whets the appetite for more shooting by the student group.
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. The Shoot Boss conducted this session with Headhunter serving as model. The next opportunity for students to engage in live fire was to test their use of the newly taught 6 steps of firing the shot, with natural aim. Shortly after the IMC and talking targets drills the first steady rain shower moved in.
During the lunch break, the First Strike of the match was backdropped by a demonstration by Headhunter of his Long Land Pattern 1742 Brown Bess musket. This firelock would have been common issue for both the patriots and the regular forces engaged at Lexington and Concord. Students were permitted to heft the piece and hold in the standing position (without sling). The demonstration brought home the physical challenges of aimed effective fire.
The Green Practice AQT was posted and instruction on the seated position resumed at 1:30 p.m. This provided the students with their first opportunity to experiment with locating their favorite Seated Position strategy. 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 and engaged at 3:35 p.m. One student became the first new qualified Rifleman of the clinic (Tom C.) with a score of 225. After posting the second AQT, the group enjoyed a long break during which the Second Strike was presented. At 4:30 p.m. AQT #2 was engaged and Tom C. requalified as Rifleman with the score of 215. The hour was getting late and all agreed to finish with the afternoon Red Coat.
The Saturday afternoon Red Coat replaced AQT #2, and all was completed by 5:30 p.m. With 7 students participating, 6 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (85.7%), 5 (71.4%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette, and 4 (57%) placed hits on the 300-yard silhouette. Three students hit the 400 with 3 rounds (43%) and 4 shooters (57%) were invited to join Colonel Morgan's unit as a result of shingle hits. Lorri A. and Tom C. both demonstrated marksmanship skills by clearing the Red Coat target, earning them the coveted Ohio Appleseed decoration. Well done!
Sunday, September 27 started out as beautiful as the day before. Headhunter led the group in reviewing the safety and safe rifle protocol. Topper reinforced the instruction on the 6 steps to firing a shot and a redemonstration of the steady hold factors.
The morning Red Coat was posted and shot by 9:30 a.m. Headhunter managed safety as the Sunday Line Boss with Topper as Range Safety Officer. With all students returning, 6 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (85.7%), 4 (57%) put their rounds on the 200-yard. Two students (28.5%) had success on the 300-yard silhouette, and 4 (57%) placed hits on the 400-yard silhouette. Col. Morgan found 3 qualifying members for his team (43%). The youngest new member of Morgan's crew was Micah C. (excellent work!). Repeating their earlier success with Red Coats, Lorri A. and Tom C. both cleared the target.
Squares targets were posted to perfect sight-in and serve as instructional support. Headhunter led the group through carding the sights, ball and dummy exercises, Rifleman's cadence and dance. With those completed, students posted the third (overall) AQT of the clinic.
AQT #3 (overall) was posted at 11:30 a.m. When all 4 stages were completed and scored, the Holland clinic recognized its second requalification Rifleman score (Tom C. with 234) and its second new qualified Rifleman, Lorri A. with 213. Congratulations to both!
A night's rest and training exercises yielded positive results for rest of the class. Over the course of the clinic Erik S. jumped from an initial 134 to 150. Heather S. started at 91 and progressed to 150. Micah S. demonstrated steady progress by moving from 43 to 90. John A. overcame equipment issues and moved his score from 172 to 206. Steven S. initially scored 149 and on a subsequent AQT achieved 195. All participants demonstrated enthusiasm to learn and willingness to apply the points of instruction. Their persistence toward marksmanship improvement is the sign of a true rifleman!
AQT #4 was posted at 12:00 noon and it was time for lunch break. The Known Distance presentation was delivered and by 1:30 p.m. the fourth AQT was engaged. When the smoke cleared, Tom C. had requalified the third time with a score of 236.
The Parker's Revenge fun shoot was proposed next. Headhunter volunteered to round out the organization of 4 fire teams. Team #1 was Erik S. and Tom C., while Team #2 included John A. and Steven S. Team #3 was composed of young ladies (Lorri A. and Heather S.). Team # 4 was staffed by the young men (Micah S. and Austin F.) When the smoke cleared Fire Team #1 was the winner with a score of 51. The combined firepower made quick work of this ambush. Outstanding!
AQT #5 was posted at 2:45 p.m. The fun shoot was well timed because the diversion resulted in some of the best scores of the clinic. Lorri A. repeated her Rifleman score of 213 to requalify, while Steven S. ended up with his best score for the clinic (222) making him a newly qualified Rifleman. Congratulations! Tom C. joined this pair by requalifying with his best score (246), earning him the Distinguished Scoped Rifle tab. Well done!
AQT #6 was posted at 3:30 p.m. All agreed that this would be the last for the clinic. When the scoring was completed, Tom C. requalified as Rifleman and John A. just missed with his best score of the clinic (206). John, the Instructors will hold on to their baptismal water for the time being but be prepared!
The Sunday afternoon Red Coat was completed and recorded by 4:12 p.m. With 7 shooters, 6 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (87.5%) while 2 (28.6%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette. The 300-yard shape received 3 rounds from 2 shooters (28.6%) and the 400-yard shape was hit by 2 (28.6%). On this day, the Patriots kept their powder dry. Morgan's shingle was hit by 5 students (71.4%), leading to another cleared Red Coat target for Tom C. (his third during the event). Micah S. hit the shingle for the second time this day, proving that his first hit was no accident. Micah also received the William Diamond patch, recognizing his persistence during the clinic.
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 Lorri A., Steven S. and Tom C. for earning the Rifleman's patch and to Tom C. for becoming the latest Distinguished Scoped Rifle shooter. The Red Coat target is very hard to clear. Congratulations to John A., Lorri A., and Tom C. for your success on that target.
I want to thank the Adams Conservation Club for allowing Project Appleseed to conduct the rifle clinic this weekend. Adams has a lot of members who actively use the facilities, particularly during the weekend. Thank you for dedicating the Utility Range for our use on Saturday and Sunday. Project Appleseed can testify that Adams CC has one of the finest facilities in Ohio. We hope to have a repeat at this venue. Many thanks to Topper and Headhunter for volunteering this past weekend.
In Liberty,
Third Degree