Instructors - kDan (SB), Scout, Imker, B9, Gunville
Saturday Shooters - 16
Sunday Shooters - 12
Riflemen - 1 (new)
Rounds Fired - 684
New IIT's - 1 (GenMain)
Youngest Appleseeder Ever - 1 (Beep, 6 y.o.)
What a beautiful range. We've all heard and used the expression "golf course" to describe a particular range, but how about the words "country club"? The camping down at the bottom of the hill in the trees was like a resort in Maine. The clubhouse was so filled with photos, trophy's, clippings, and memorabilia (mostly muzzle-loader and hunting) from as far back as the 30's it was like a museum. And the firing line? Well, lot's of clay trap chips, but the berm is a small mountain and the wind is blocked all the way around. It was a privilege to run an event at this club, and I'd like to thank KodyJaret for making it happen. I only hope I can make it back. It was a good feeling to be told that the club has it written into their charter that they must "support" the shooting sports. Nice work.
It's one thing when you see various shooters around a region at different events and talk and get an idea about people, develop friendships and maybe communicate occasionally on the computer. But it's another when they actually invite you to their range and you get to see into their lives a bit. How many events have we been to where shooters talk about how maybe their club will host an event, they've just got to talk to the officers or whatever - and of course I'm not getting down on folks for saying these things - and then how many times does it actually happen? Well, quite a lot, obviously, or we wouldn't have so many events. It was one year ago that I met KodyJaret, GenMain, Welder, and Bill at Throop and found them personable and informed. Now I know where they have been shooting targets and bull for YEARS. It looks like the old-timer's Saturday afternoon card game would be an excellent place to smoke a pack of cigars and maybe claim or relinquish some bragging rights - if these guys would allow you a seat at the table.
To be honest, I was a bit worried when it became apparent that I would have both my six year-old son and 1 year-old dog with me (last minute family work-scheduling and baby-sitting issues - dang FDNY!). I wasn't sure how long I would be able to keep the kid in a collapsible chair under a tarp while I did my Shoot Boss Dance. I did know however, that we had a Master Instructor (Scout), a Red Hat/Shoot Boss/Range owner (Imker), a quite experienced IIT 4/State Coordinator (take the test b9 - You're ready!), and a new IIT that had already demonstrated interest, knowledge, and dedication with his online posts (gunville), so I wasn't so much worried that things would get whacky, but that I might be negligent in my duties to the annoyance of both the instructors and shooters. It quickly became apparent on Saturday that not only would I be pre-occupied throwing softballs to my son, but also that Scout had things well in hand, and with Imker, b9 and Gunville, the shoot was going to be fine. I did learn that a six year-old is not quite ready for the whole Appleseed week-end, as if I ever had any doubt.
Happily, on Sunday, the boy became an Appleseeder. With his father kneeling next to him, he began to operate GenMain's Cricket rifle from the sand-bagged "Designated Marksman" prone position to the point where he told me to stop touching the rifle. "I got it!", he scolded me. And he did indeed have it, although I'm unconvinced that he is not left eye. So I managed to spend Sunday on the line. Poor dog was tied to a tree for two days, but he got to cuddle up and sleep in a tent with a lonely appleseeder that was missing his girlfriend. Comfort in a storm. And he ate a whole mess of hot dogs (both the shooter and the dog). Dumb canine choked himself repeatedly Foghorn Leghorn style chasing the cute little bunny rabbits that would occasionally pop out from the brush. KodyJaret, I hope I got all the land-mines... I did my best...
Found out an interesting fact about the Eotech halo scopes that I did not know before. They fill up like a cistern in the rain and are rendered useless. Does that mean they are not tactical?
Also, I'd like to shout out the Heavy Metal/Hardcore kids that came down again. NY/HC 4 EVER!
All in all a great event in my estimation.
Edited Welder's name to GenMain, oops.
Scout and Imker going over the steady hold factors in prone. Scout still healing his left arm and if it wasn't already broken, a now broken right hand. Hey even a good post pounder can slip once and a while.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0817.jpg)
An attentive group.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0815.jpg)
Saturdays Rifleman. Came out to outshoot Genmain, and found it to be not so easy.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0839.jpg)
Scout giving some personal instruction that was left out of this shooters formal training.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0842-1.jpg)
New shooter progressing quickly with Imkers guidance.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0854.jpg)
Rain does not stop Appleseed or first time IIT Gunville. Calling the line during Sunday's short but hard rain.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0868.jpg)
New IIT Genmain. This guy does not have a jacket large enough for all his Rifleman patches. He will be a huge asset.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0851.jpg)
The next NYC IIT in the works.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0862.jpg)
Beep hitting the target with a cricket.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0871.jpg)
I would post the picture of KodyJaret fixing up the best breakfast ever to be had but I promised him I wouldn't.
This man made the weekend. From getting range approval, making breakfast and lunch both days, ensuring the range and even the shower was ready for us. As kDan said this is a country club range. He even found time to shoot a few AQT's and redcoats with us. AND the man knows more about what has happened, is happening a will happen than anyone around(though I hope you are wrong on some of it).
Well done, Sir. You have my thanks.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0809.jpg)
Yeah, I got that. I thought his handle was Welder. He must have changed it.
I forgot to mention that Gunville is the real deal. He's gonna be a real asset to the program.
Quote from: kDan on August 10, 2009, 07:52:41 PM
Yeah, I got that. I thought his handle was Welder. He must have changed it.
Hey kDan,
Get your Central New Yorkers straight! #)
No, he didn't change his handle. I'm welder. You and I met at Throop last year. I'll never forget
you because you grabbed my bad right leg and tried to move it while I was in the prone position without my knowledge, causing extreme pain.
I've been a member at Elbridge since about 1986. Wish I could have been there but I was at a pistol match in Fulton, N.Y.
welder
Sounds like Welder was at my club while I was at his...
I'm going to have to join the Elbridge club just for "good eats" - the hospitality here was five stars *****
I was impressed by the attention and interest of the youth in the history. That's healthy to see.
Don't forget - you got Nick hooked up to orange hat in Calverton (give him shoot time to score a patch.)
Imker got all the good brass though... :'(
Goodness, gentlemen!
It sounds like we should have dragged ourselves up for at least part of Sunday! We missed Gunville's first shoot as IIT, kDan's kid, AND Scout? :-\
Chris, are you still working on that patch?
Anyone have Nick's handle? I've got a little bit of friendly nagging to do about that trigger leg...
Hoping to see ya'll on the trail soon...
-TheBlonde
O well, making friend after friend. I guess I got the name mixed up because of something GenMain told me about at New Bremen last year. Sorry bout the leg there Welder. Throop was my third event as an instructor. I don't do that anymore. Just lightly tap the sole of the boot. Maybe you're the one who corrected my technique. Hope to see you soon.
And GenMain, apologies to you as well. I know who you are, just got the handles mixed up. And thanks for taking the cap.
Gunville is right. Nick from Queens will be wearing the orange to help out at Calverton, Long Island since nobody else seems willing to do so, except maybe Dwarven1 (working on him, we'll see).
Quote from: welder on August 11, 2009, 02:31:39 AM
Quote from: kDan on August 10, 2009, 07:52:41 PM
Yeah, I got that. I thought his handle was Welder. He must have changed it.
Hey kDan,
Get your Central New Yorkers straight! #)
No, he didn't change his handle. I'm welder. You and I met at Throop last year. I'll never forget you because you grabbed my bad right leg and tried to move it while I was in the prone position without my knowledge, causing extreme pain.
I've been a member at Elbridge since about 1986. Wish I could have been there but I was at a pistol match in Fulton, N.Y.
welder
Quote from: TheBlonde on August 11, 2009, 10:40:03 AM
Goodness, gentlemen!
It sounds like we should have dragged ourselves up for at least part of Sunday! We missed Gunville's first shoot as IIT, kDan's kid, AND Scout? :-\
Chris, are you still working on that patch?
Anyone have Nick's handle? I've got a little bit of friendly nagging to do about that trigger leg...
Hoping to see ya'll on the trail soon...
-TheBlonde
Nick is ..Josey Wales..
kDan there IS a difference between willing and able. You know I would never leave you in a spot if it could be avoided.
Quote from: kDan on August 11, 2009, 10:43:16 AMSorry bout the leg there Welder. Throop was my third event as an instructor. I don't do that anymore. Just lightly tap the sole of the boot. Maybe you're the one who corrected my technique. Hope to see you soon.
Don't worry about it...pain is only temporary.
Actually, it's my right hip that's bad. I've needed a hip replacement for a few years. But, of course, any rapid, unintended movement of the leg translates to the hip which is bone touching bone inside the joint.
It makes doing an Appleseed tough for me...the constant position changes take me more time than people in better shape. Also, that day, I was using a carpet remnant as a shooting mat and didn't have elbow pads...I wore both of my elbows raw on that rough carpet.
Pretty bad when you need a few days to recover from shooting a .22 rifle. ::)
b9,
I know you'd be there if you could and you're there in spirit. God knows you helped make Calverton happen. Either way we got two more NYC IIT's, Josey Wales and YankeePatriot. So we got a Line Boss and two RSO's - last I checked that's an event! Robino is in Slovakia or he'd be there too. At least now nobody has to worry about driving through (or around) the scary city. Watch out, next year, we'll have a DAR on Long Island, with a tapas bar and lobster cart. I only hope I get to the crab shack on Montauk Highway at the reeds this weekend. Best place on earth. Instructor dinner joint foh shoh.
Welder, I think another reason I got you and Vic's handles (not faces) confused is that you were both so good to me. Your whole crew is a great bunch of guys, and I hope to see you on the line again soon. I'm sure I'll recognize you (just as I'm sure you'll break my b4lls &)), but nobody has ever accused me of having any sort of political skills. Also, as I'm sure you know, they do have pills for that kind of pain, but you should also know that they seriously mess with step two. %)
-d-
Things went smooth, glad you all liked the club, Elbridge has been putting on shoots for many years. Excellent staff of instructors' for this event. I was hoping for more shooters, but I was gratfied that a few faces I was expecting did show, (even my heavy metal kids O0) and am always pleased to meet the new (to me) faces that show up for these shindigs.
As for the food,,,? How can you people eat that stuff ??? ::) ;)
Thanks for the kind words,,,but grandpa used to say it wasn't necessary to thank a man for doing what he is supposed to do ( but you can tell him he did a good job). We all know what we have to do.
Yup, you can tell Pete's an "old school" Northeasterner. A true class act, for sure.
Hey every one sorry for the delay in responding, been busey. I'm glad that every one like the club. It was fun and good to see evey one again. KDan It's ok about the mix up in handles, hope your son enjoyed my kricket. Let me know if you want me to breing it again. Thanks for the new patch, and the hat I think. I guess this means I'll be shooting less. Hope to see you again.
Yep, you could be shooting less, but you will make every shot count, and the real satisfaction is bringing shooters into that Rifleman Group, some days that is like shooting a clean 250.
Had a GREAT time at my first Appleseed event on Saturday, even though my first-time-shooter wife out-shot me the entire day :). We were definitely sorry that we couldn't also attend on Sunday.
We both learned A LOT, and more importantly, now the wife is hooked on shooting, which is a GREAT thing. O0
I only scored "Marksman" with a 157 points, but I am going to practice all the new skills learned and hope to hit the magical 210 at my next Appleseed. Same goes for the wife. I'll probably be joining the Elbridge club also--$25 a year is kind of hard to pass up.
The wife has a couple of burn scars on her back from 5 of my shells that went down her shirt (I had to do something so she didn't keep making me look bad), but those should heal up nicely in no time. One of the highlights for her was all of the people that she got to meet. She kept saying how everyone was a lot like us, i.e. good people :) I am already looking forward to my next Appleseed.
Hey anybody know the hard-core kid Nick's handle? PM it to me. I think he's got my tech-site tool. Maybe it's somebody else, but I think it's him. The young guy on the right side of the line with the be-spectacled girlfriend on Sunday.
KJ,
Good Job. And it was nice visitin with you around the ol' purple dog.
GenMain,
In a way you'll be shooting less, but in another way, you'll be involved in many more individual shots that you will analyze and try to improve upon. It's like the ultimate zen dry-firing. Plus, it's not like you need to practice so much anyway; let some of us catch up to you a little. I promise the next time I have the opportunity, I will not refuse the offer to rock that Mauser. And thanks for the steel.
Quote from: jeffx on August 13, 2009, 03:34:50 PM
Had a GREAT time at my first Appleseed event on Saturday, even though my first-time-shooter wife out-shot me the entire day :). We were definitely sorry that we couldn't also attend on Sunday.
We both learned A LOT, and more importantly, now the wife is hooked on shooting, which is a GREAT thing. O0
I only scored "Marksman" with a 157 points, but I am going to practice all the new skills learned and hope to hit the magical 210 at my next Appleseed. Same goes for the wife. I'll probably be joining the Elbridge club also--$25 a year is kind of hard to pass up.
The wife has a couple of burn scars on her back from 5 of my shells that went down her shirt (I had to do something so she didn't keep making me look bad), but those should heal up nicely in no time. One of the highlights for her was all of the people that she got to meet. She kept saying how everyone was a lot like us, i.e. good people :) I am already looking forward to my next Appleseed.
This is you guy's, right? Just like your targets a picture won't lie to you. You are clutching with your support hand. Open palm rifle resting along the lifeline of the hand. The little things DO matter.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0831.jpg)
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm75/B964/DSCN0833.jpg)
Thanks KDan, & Earl for the positive responce. I do enjoy teaching, I find myself helping others at the range quite a bit. KDan you are still welcome to bang away with my mauser, and you are wecome. Let me know if you are going to any more NY shoots, and If the youngster is tagging along. The offer is still there for the use of the Kricket.
P.S. Still want to shoot, HA,HA,HA ;D
Quote from: B9 on August 13, 2009, 06:34:55 PM
This is you guy's, right? Just like your targets a picture won't lie to you. You are clutching with your support hand. Open palm rifle resting along the lifeline of the hand. The little things DO matter.
Yes, that is us. My wife looking good in camo and me, with the holy cow white-knuckle death grip on the stock. Didn't realize I was doing that %). Nice catch! I know what I'll be working when I hit the range this weekend. Any other pictures and/or additional feedback would be greatly appreciated, and thanks again B9 (and kDan, Scout, Imker & Gunville) for a great day of shooting and instruction!
KDAN-Nick is not on here yet but he believes that either Ed or Imker has your tech-site tool. Hope you had a safe drive back! NYHC represent!
Found my sight tool. Nick gave it to Imker. Perfect form. Thank you! And thank you SOL. BTW, check out scissorfight if you haven't. See ya soon.
B9 with the online shooter analysis. I gotta start doing that. Photogging repeat offenders and then holding it up in front of them like "see".
Quote from: jeffx on August 14, 2009, 07:52:52 AM
Quote from: B9 on August 13, 2009, 06:34:55 PM
This is you guy's, right? Just like your targets a picture won't lie to you. You are clutching with your support hand. Open palm rifle resting along the lifeline of the hand. The little things DO matter.
Yes, that is us. My wife looking good in camo and me, with the holy cow white-knuckle death grip on the stock. Didn't realize I was doing that %). Nice catch! I know what I'll be working when I hit the range this weekend. Any other pictures and/or additional feedback would be greatly appreciated, and thanks again B9 (and kDan, Scout, Imker & Gunville) for a great day of shooting and instruction!
Both dragin wood too...
We'll add that to the list of practice items also. Thanks again.