Well, this was a -fun- one!!
North-Central Nevada has opened up in a big way, & I think it won't be too many more months before they are up & running -all- their own shoots....with the quality of folks who made it out, & shot, & improved, I feel it safe to say that the Nevada bunch will be standing even with everyone else in the program.....very soon.
MrBill & I, (being currently "un-employed bums"), had decided to help out our sister state, by making the trek to Elko, and putting on this shoot.
My son, Dirty130, was able to get leave from his base in Cheyenne, and to drive out from Wyo., to help as our IIT........we had 15 pre-regs when we left SoCal, so we were fairly confident we would be able to do a good job of training, presenting, & motivating these Americans.......
We started Saturday with 16 shooters, ranging from 8 y.o. Melanie, there with her brother Austin, & her parents Pat & Lana.....to a Dangerous old man named Jim, who hung in all day & most of Sunday as well....... 8)
Our first redcoat produced the following numbers:
400=0
300=2
200=2
100=8
H/S=3
Cleared=0
We started in with the squares & the COF, and began the drill of sling use, steady hold factors, and sighting....the NPOA Laser rifle was a wonderful tool to use again, as usual....it really allows the shooters to see the effects of good vs. bad position building.....
One of the range's Board Members, a very nice gent named Dennis, stopped by to welcome them to this very nice range, which is all of maybe 1.5 miles out of town.....nice deep berms, pretty much private areas for instruction, and -right- outside of town!! Oh, and they are 600 yd capable....
Lunch was done in the shade of a couple of pop-ups that we had available, and the 3 strikes were told, with the effects on the men, women & children making the choices & decisions that they did......
With a more determined look in their eyes, the shooters proceeded to the AQTs, then the QDAQT's......a couple of "dry runs" on transitions, & they were ready to go.......while we had no RM scores on Saturday, there were several who were knocking, from 180's to 206's......we knew if they were back for Sunday, we would get some RM...... ;)
That afternoon, we accomplished:
400=2
300=1
200=4
100=1
H/S=3
Cleared=2
After a brief benediction, & email gathering from the Sat only shooting, as well as some ASQS (surveys), we reminded them to clean their rifles, and take their Aleve, or Tylenol before going to bed......we would see them in the morning.....
Sunday AM dawned bright & sunny, with a forecast of even hotter weather....we had to add in several re-hydration breaks so we didn't lose anybody, although several folks did have to leave during the day for previous engagements, or work.....all were very happy they had made it out, & were pleased with both the instruction, and their own improvement......
Our beginning Redcoat garnered these results with 13 shooters:
400=1
300=1
200=1
100=4
H/S=2
Cleared=0
We hung a star target, & went straight to Ball & Dummy, chasing gremlins everywhere! After seeing the improvement needed, we went to a tandem AQT, then moved quickly on to the QDAQT's......
For lunch, we had Dirty130 start off the DOM with the story of the Wagon ambush, followed by my rendition of Hezekiah Wyman, and then MrBill doing Samuel Whitimore.....I finished with some stories of the "Dangerous Dames", both from that day, and thru-out the Rev War, so that none were left out.....and finished by reminding them that anyone who will say that "one person can make no difference to anything", simply was unable or unwilling to try to accomplish anything.
Re-vitalized, the shooters came back to the line, and we settled into the QDAQT grind......scores were climbing, but several shooters were beginning to feel the effects of the heat (it's Nevada, so it -is- a "dry heat".....) we started noticing the rifles were also showing the effects of it, as a few of them began building up lead residue fouling in the front part of their chambers.....might be the softer lead of the target ammo, then again, may have been heat related......
Several of the shooters shot a few AQT's with their center fires, curious to see the effect of what we had been teaching them would work on them as well.....surprise, surprise, much better shooting ability!! ::) :o
Towards the end of the afternoon, we had our one (and only!) Rifleman score come from Kaleb.....son of Bill, (Desertrunnv) who had organized this event.....He had gone with his Dad to the Middlegate shoot earlier, and was more than willing to add the Orange hat of destiny to his headgear....fine young man, & I know he'll be able to help his Dad really get Elko on the map as far as the Appleseed program goes.......another tree planted...... O0
We had a final vote from the shooters as to how many more AQT's they could do, before the final redcoat....by now, we were down to 5 shooters......we finished up quickly, but the sun's toll on body & rifle was telling, and everyone was relieved when we announced "Final Target!!" 8)
Our final Redcoat scores were:
400=0
300=1
200=1
100=1
H/S=1
Cleared=0
Tired, but happy, we handed out target packs for the remaining few, bid them "Thank you for allowing us to instruct here", & packed everything back in the cars, to go back "home" (hotel) to fall in the shower......Dirty130 got up @ 4am to head back to Cheyenne, & MrBill & I left around 9 to do the 14 hr drive back home......
These were a truly awesome group of Americans.....excited to learn their heritage, to develop, to persist, to improve.......I've done several shoots now, & it always amazes me to see how some can just rise above any problems to be a really great shoot......Maybe it's the 20 rds mags, maybe it's the rifles, but I really think it's much more about the people.....they are the ones who make this a great journey for us as Instructors.....
I'd like to thank the folks who came from near & far....some were from town, some were from across the state, some were from the next state over.....they all came, because they had heard about it from somewhere, & really wanted to see what it was about......I hope they enjoyed themselves, I know I certainly did......
My digi cam died Sat am, so I am waiting for MrBill, Dirty130, & Jim to send some pix of the shoot....as I get them, I will post them, fair enough?
So, how was your weekend?
Laylopro
That was a fun shoot! I want to thank Laylopro, MrBill and Dirty130 for the GREAT instruction! O0 O0 And they are great people too!!
One really nice thing about that section of the Elko range is it is very well protected from any wind. Big berms all the way around.
-fb
Yep! Feather Blue got his wish that the wind & sand storms would be non existent during this shoot....the range was down in a cut, and even tho' we had a nice breeze blowing across us for cooling, there was no "normal Nevada wind" going on with us.....
Jim was kind enough to send me the links for his pix & video.....he has some very nice gear & does a great job with it....take a moment to check it out.....
http://picasaweb.google.com/Western.Nevada.Pistol.League/AppleseedElkoNevada#slideshow/5337673596198554642
Other than that, I just want to see how soon (weather deciding) we have before they are doing another shoot here......
I forgot to mention that MrBill, Dirty130 & I all arrived there Friday afternoon to meet with Desertrunnv & FeatherBlue to set up the range for Sat AM, and that Feather had indeed brought his 19" steel.....they plopped it out there @ the 575-600 yd line, & after we were done "working", we pulled out our own CF rifles, & proceeded to "ping" steel.....little bullets didn't do much damage to it, but it seems that while we were teaching Saturday on our range, somebody with a .50BMG spotted it out there, & put a few holes in it......*sigh*....more welding to do.... ^-^
In reading thru the response forms, it seems that everyone had a great time, & learned more than they had anticipated......that's always a good thing.....
Anybody else?
LLP
!@#)
you guys always go off and have fun without me... leave me with the kids... pooper scoopers... and such...
j/k
glad you guys had a great time
Travis- how'd it feel to "make" someone a Rifleman?
in response to dad's question: I had a wonderful weekend with a great group of teens and pre-teen boyscouts... awesome little group they've got going...
Looking forward to hearing from the newbies on here soon
PP
All had a great time and we are already looking at dates to do it agian.
I would like to say thanks to the instructures that really did a great job. O0
Hope to see you all again at our next shoot hopefully in the fall 2009.
Desertrunnv (Bob)