Well, another stellar event over @ Mike Raahaughes Shooting park.......
This has been the third event we've had there so far this year, & if I'm not mistaken, we have another three to do there before the year is done....
A huge "Thank you" to Mike's team, and staff for all they do!! These events just keep getting better!!
We started off Sat am a bit behind schedule, with folks trickling in until about 9:30 or so, so did not get rounds off downrange until about 10:15.....the good thing was, we can stay until we are done here, so as long as the weather held, we were fine. We had -great- cloud cover until about 3:00, then the sun started making things a bit "warm"....with 2 ranges going simultaneously, we had 39 shooters taking their best shots @ the mighty Redcoat targets.....on the main range, we had something like this:
400 yds. = 0
300 yds. = 0
200 yds. = 4
100 yds. = 4
H/s = 1
total misses = 9
We had potential for great improvement!!
Starting in with our COF, we began working on squares, and quickly discovered we had a real mix of shooters....some who have been to AS before, and some of whom have never fired a rifle before. Working as quickly as possible to bring all the shooters up to speed, we worked through SHF issues & the usual equipment malfunctions expected.....
Of especial benefit was having received a special training aid(s) from Atticus, which made the group presentations far better understood, since they can -see- what we were talking about. Quite an improvement over using notebook sheets! And the increase in TPI more than made up for any costs! O0 Also, using the "laser blaster" again to illustrate NPOA, and also the difference in SHF was very much appreciated. I always love watching the "light go on" when someone can actually see what it is we are talking about, and to be able to compare it mentally to what they have been seeing.
All of our LTR's were out on the line, as several folks had come out with nothing at all, besides a sincere desire to learn. We can work with that! O0
By the end of Saturday, we had several shooters in the 190-200's range on their AQT, and the numbers of the final Redcoat were:
400 = 0
300 = 1
200 = 4
100 = 7
H/S = 2
total misses = 5
After a quick benediction, and sign up for email alerts; & surveys completed, we sent the folks home with advice to take aspirin, clean their rifles, & get rest for tomorrow, for those who would be returning......
Sunday am arrived at what I felt was an entirely "too early" proposition, but we are Riflemen, so we preserve :-X......bright & early at the range, we set up, and quickly greeted our returning 17 shooters......telling them, as Bob210 always does, that those who show up for AS are the cream of the crop, but that those who return on Sunday, are truly the "whipped cream".......towards the end of the day, they finally "got" that expression. ;D
Setting up redcoats, we were given the resulting numbers:
400 = 1
300 = 3
200 = 6
100 = 4
H/S =1
misses = 3
After voting on whether to launch immediately into AQT's, or check sites, we began with a few squares, then began the dreaded AQT grind.......
With a quick lunch during which we talked about the Dangerous old Men, and the Dangerous old Ladies, we got back on the AQT train, and began pounding out scores again......Obviously inspired by the tales of the DOM, and to show himself worthy, NewMOe stepped up with a 215, and started smiling bigger than he had been all weekend......he will most likely be pulling on an orange hat here shortly, and we look forward to adding him to the crew..... O0
Seeing that the targets were telling us that the shooters were not shifting their NPOA on the AQT, I pulled out a star, and had them shoot 5 rds of "Blind Star", just to indicate what it actually meant. After that, we saw an improvement in their shifts......imagine!! @)
As the day was wearing to an end, we had another surprise score.....John Sr., & Jr. had been doing the AS to "learn how to shoot better", and young John popped out a very nice 212 (great 4th stage score!).....he has just turned 14, and is a very well mannered young cat....does his Dad proud!!. As John Sr was shooting in the 190-200's, we expect to see them come aboard shortly as well, as a Father/Son team.
We had several Father/Son combos this weekend, more so than usual....During the telling of the casualties of Lexington square, the cost to those Patriots really seemed to sink in to these folks.......well said.
After cleaning up the range, and saying good night to everyone, it was once more time to head home, and have to leave the company of my fellow Riflemen....this always makes me a bit sad, but we are beginning to gather quite a little group out here in the IE, who are adhering more & more, while looking & working towards getting more ranges to work from......this, in & of itself is an excellent development.
Another interesting thing to note on this shoot is that while I was the sole Red hat, with my fistful of Orange hats, we had an equal number of guys & gals instructors.....when dealing with the wives, moms & kids, this made a huge improvement.
A very heartfelt "Well Done" to my entire Instructor corps!! O0 O0 O0
OK, we got pixs, even tho' I didn't get much chance to take very many of them this time.....
Once again, how was your weekend??
Laylopro
Mo' pix!
and yet more pix!
LLP
Thank You Sir for your efforts and accomplishments at the Fathers Day Appleseed. Two up the tree, as Riflemen speaks tons about You and Your teams ability to turn cooks into shooters.
I had a great time at the event, and it was even better to spend the day with my Son doing something we both enjoy. I'm pretty sure that Brandon is as hooked on the program as I, and I hope he will continue to attend.
It was nice to see some returning shooters, familiar faces help to remove any tensions or apprehension one may encounter at such a fast paced event . The comradery between some of us was also welcome as was the desire to help on another to improve our scores.
Brandon was thankful that the team was so attentive and determined to help him improve his score, the teams analysis of his vision issue and resulting fix led to a quick improvement on his AQT's.
Thank you and your team for their time and efforts at what i feel is something every one needs to have on their agenda.
Below is a link to the photo's I was able to take before the weakness began to leave my body (pain).
http://picasaweb.google.com/NewMoe5700/AppleseedJune2009# (http://picasaweb.google.com/NewMoe5700/AppleseedJune2009#)
:D The most common misunderstanding at an Appleseed is the thought that the instructors aren't having as much of a good time as the shooters... I had a blast! I rarely make my rifleman making pb&j... but this group truly called for it! They were there... 198, 205, 208!... just needed that protein/sugar nudge! O0
I hope to see all the riflemen step up to join us, then we get to spend more time together teaching others to shoot and nudge 'em along. I always enjoy coming to these spectacular events just to meet all the good people of the California... and those other states too... hehehe
I appreciate all those that came out, listened, opened their ears AND minds, gave their all, and persevered.
Can't wait for the next one! ^-^
PP/Layla
Just wanted to say Good Job there Ian and the rest of the instuctor core on another succesful Corona Appleseed! Definitely some great improvement in scores and skills!
What an incredible weekend, with fathers and sons, a returning father-daughter family, husbands and wives, etc. for the shoot. Being an Orange Hat at an Appleseed is amazing - you can't buy entertainment like that!! The Instructors who were there were AWESOME and so helpful to a newbie like me. I'm loving this!!
22calgal
Thanks very much to Laylopro, 22calgal and the rest of the fine crew from RWVA who put on a great event for us here in SoCal. I regret we hit "Whipped Cream" after only one day but I look forward to attending the next event in Corona to finish what I started!
My wife and my oldest son attended with me and aside from some issues learning the Ruger's bolt release, a great time was had by all. I put the first rounds through my custom-built (by me) AR-15 and the other two fired their first real guns with proper instruction.
My anniversary is this coming Sunday and my wife and I will be attending a 1 hour class at On Target in Mission Viejo that earns us the right to shoot our rifles at that range and we'll be giving the Glock 19 a workout as well. My wife borrowed her dad's old Winchester bolt-action .22 so she'll have no trouble handling that.
I look forward to meeting you fine folks again and I am personally interested in volunteering in the future.
I'm a little rusty but I'm sure the AQT will be attainable by the time the next Appleseed comes around in September. I'll be practicing at the local range (On Target) until then!
Regards,
Nick
Good job at the Corona AS Ian. Congratulations on getting another Marine onboard O0
welcome aboard Nick
Thanx to all who made this AS a success. Wish I was there !
Semper Fidelis
JA
Hey Laylo, where'd y'all get those large maps of the march on, and retreat from Lex & Concord? Those would have been a huge help in grasping the true scale of the day at the AS I attended. I think those maps should be made available to ALL Red hats so they can be used during the presentations.
Hey Vic,
Atticus has been kind enough to make those up at cost for those who have asked.....TaosGlock & BlueFeather have them as well, check out their last AAR for pix.....they really do help in explaining what went where, in a format that is easy to see and work with....also, he has some great "training stuff" for explaining SHF's & 6 step stuff as well......
Totally worth the price! O0 O0 O0
LLP