The annual time change arrived the week before the November rifle clinic that was to take place in Gibsonburg, Ohio. The transition provides perfect daylight in the early morning but brings early darkness around 5:00 p.m. November Appleseed clinics in Northwest Ohio offer a variety of weather patterns alternating between wet or dry, but always chilly. This time wind was our constant companion.
The Sandusky County Sportsmen's Club II facility in Gibsonburg is the perfect place to conduct Appleseed clinics. The firing points are covered, and the berms are very high. Our particular site for the shoot was the 50-meter range with an enclosure having walls on the south and west sides. This feature helped shield the students from the wind, but anything not tied down was vulnerable.
Our student group included 3 separate father and son teams. Our volunteer instructor crew included Headhunter (Austin), Topper (Shane) and Alliquippa (Karen). All three teamed up to conduct the various points of instruction. Headhunter managed safety as the Saturday Line Boss with Topper 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 9:30 a.m. With 10 students, 9 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (90%) and 5 (50%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette. Three put their 3 rounds on the 300-yard shape (30%) and 2 successfully found the 400-yard (20%) object. The balance of the Red Coat target had no effective hits. By the time class concluded, the results would be different.
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 conducted this session. 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 presentation a second "squares" target was posted and shot for the purpose of reinforcing achieving a good zero utilizing the IMC skill.
The posting of the Green Practice AQT signaled the time for lunch and an opportunity to present the First Strike of the match. Headhunter's Long Land Pattern 1742 Brown Bess musket was used to illustrate the common military, home and personal defense implement of the era. This firelock would have been common issue for both the patriots and the regular forces engaged at Lexington and Concord. A lot has changed in 250 years. The implements have evolved, but the needs of our modern time remain the same.
Instruction on the steady hold factors for the Seated Position resumed at 1:00 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 at 2:00 p.m. This was followed by a break for the class to think through the instruction just completed and presentation of the Second Strike. The class engaged in the first AQT at 2:30 p.m., resulting in some respectful scores. One student qualified as a New Rifleman (David S.) with a score of 226. Congratulations! It should be noted that David was the youngest student in the class and this was not his first Appleseed event. Persistence prevailed!
At this point there was plenty of daylight left, so a second AQT was posted. Another break provided time for the Third Strike, presented by Headhunter. AQT #2 was engaged at 3:50 p.m. When the smoke cleared and targets scored, 5 out of 8 students achieved a higher score than they had the first AQT.
Saturday afternoon Red Coat replaced AQT #2, and all was completed by 4:30 p.m. With 9 students participating, 7 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (77.7%), 4 (57%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette, and 2 (22%) placed hits on the 300-yard silhouette. One student hit the 400 with 3 rounds, but 3 shooters (33%) were invited to join Colonel Morgan as a result of a shingle hit. A cleared Red Coat target would have to wait another day.
Sunday, November 8 started out cold, but with bright sunshine. Students arrived wearing cold weather gear and looked like members of the famed Polar Bear Division. Alliquippa led the group in reviewing the safety and safe rifle protocol. She reinforced the instruction on the 6 steps to firing a shot and a redemonstration of the steady hold factors with Headhunter serving as model.
The morning Red Coat was posted and shot by 9:30 a.m. Topper managed safety as the Sunday Line Boss. With all students returning plus another Sunday-only participant, 8 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (72.7%), 2 (18%) put their rounds on the 200-yard and 2 (18%) placed hits on the 400-yard silhouette. Col. Morgan did find 2 new recruits Sunday morning.
Squares targets were posted to perfect sight-in and serve as instructional support. Aliquippa led the group through carding the sights, ball and dummy exercises, Rifleman's cadence and dance. With those completed, students posted the 3rd (overall) AQT of the clinic.
AQT #3 was posted at 11:00 a.m. When all 4 stages were completed and scored, the Gibsonburg clinic recognized 2 requalification Rifleman scores, David S. (212) and Alliquippa (214). A requalification is no accident. AQT #4 was posted at 12:45 p.m. Scoring revealed requalification for both David S. and Alliquippa and a general scoring plateau for most of the students. A change was in order. The Parker's Revenge fun shoot was proposed next.
The Appleseed Instructors volunteered to round out the organization of four 3-man fire teams. Firing began at 1:20 p.m. Each member of the team was responsible for strategically placing their 13 rounds on the assigned target. When the smoke cleared Fire Team #2 (Steve W., Paul L. and Alliquippa) was the winner with a score of 51.
During the balance of the day, another 4 AQT targets were posted and shot. Requalifying Riflemen scores were posted by David S., Aliquippa and Topper. The students who achieved scores of 200 or better during the clinic included: Paul L. (201); Paul S. (201); John A. (203) and Tim P. (208). You are all on the brink of earning expert status!
Personal best scores for the remaining shooters included: Ethan B. (170); Erin B. (173) and Steve S. (172). All of you were diligent and put in a lot of effort on every AQT. Keep up the good work. Remember, a Rifleman is persistent!
The Sunday afternoon Red Coat was completed and recorded by 3:17 p.m. With 8 shooters (including an Instructor), 8 placed 3 hits on the 100-yard silhouette (100%) while 6 (75%) put their rounds on the 200-yard silhouette. The 300-yard shape received 3 rounds from 6 shooters (75%) and the 400-yard shape was hit by 3 (37.5%). Morgan's shingle was hit by 5 participants (62.8%). The Red Coat target was cleared by David S. and Paul S. This father and son team each received the coveted Ohio Appleseed decoration to take back and proudly display in that state up north.
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 David S. for earning an initial Rifleman's patch and requalifying (multiple times).
I want to thank the Sandusky County Sportsmen's Club II for accommodating Project Appleseed during 2026, which is the 250th anniversary of the launch of the American Revolution. The Gibsonburg facility is one of the finest in Ohio. Many thanks to Topper, Headhunter and Alliquippa for volunteering this past weekend.
In Liberty,
Third Degree
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