Not sure if this has been addressed previously but when I looked I didn't find anything. I'm starting to put together my "Instructor Box" for lack of a better term. I was wondering what everyone else always brings to the range with them to help teach and take care of our students.
I currently have a first aid kit, sun screen, eyes, ears, cleaning kit with rods, bore snake, gun oil, spare batteries, flushable baby wipes, brick of CCI standard velocity, chamber flags, tech sight adjustment tool, pens, sharpies, dry erase markers, stop watch, clip board and manual of course.
I also bring my 10/22 take down as a loaner rifle, shooting mat and my demo rifle.
If my list helps anyone I'm pleased but I'm hoping y'all might have some more good ideas for me
Thanks
TXRebel
In addition to what you listed, I bring shooting mats to loan if needed, tarp and stakes for brass catching, flip chart & easel if I'm teaching IMC, a tape measure to use for IMC or as a retractable pointer, spare slings and swivels for loan or sale at cost, all my 10/22 mags, and a bag of foam ear plugs in case anyone forgets. Pre-split pipe insulating foam, Vetrap, and athletic tape for 10/22 stock mods. Paracord, stakes, hammer, and 100 ft tape in case we need a firing line. Staple guns and staples, but I usually don't loan those out. Last summer I bought a five-gallon Gott water cooler, and bring that full of water, even in winter. Popup shelter and folding table if I think they're needed, camp chairs and/or shooting stool. Sandbag for marginal youth shooters.
The good news is that I won't have to pack much more if and when I get a green hat. The bad news is that I had to get a bigger rig to haul my gear and my son(s), because I'm not as cool as azmule http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=47154.msg326759#msg326759 (http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=47154.msg326759#msg326759).
:sos: Anyone else have ideas for me. Should I be posting this on the "Instructor Teaching Techniques/Tips"?
I've been checking here for more replies. You had a good start and Maxwell' reply was great. We want more. We want more.
Your list will grow as your experience on the line grows. In fact, at some point you'll have to figure out where to draw the line!
Add zip ties to this already extensive list of suggestions.
Quote from: Monkey on February 20, 2017, 05:14:42 PM
Your list will grow as your experience on the line grows. In fact, at some point you'll have to figure out where to draw the line!
Add zip ties to this already extensive list of suggestions.
Good call. Those live in the toolbox that I take, along with allen wrenches, screwdriver, drift pin, and an AR bolt rebuild kit. Snap caps for ball-and-dummy, too (.223 and .30-06). $20 green laser sight (from Amazon) for NPOA demo; Kimber Custom sez it works better than a red one.
Weedeater line works as a squib checker, too. I bring that and a bent .243 brush for .22 chambers, rather than a full cleaning kit with rods (I guess I drew the line somewhere, after all). My spotting scope stand has a rod in it, just in case...
I expect that with experience I might be able to pare this back to stuff that I actually
need to be effective, but more than half of it just my normal kit that I bring for a family day at the range, and it's not worth the effort to separate out gear that's just for Appleseed.
Thanks for the shout-out maxwell! O0
TxRebel, add T-shirts, targets, handouts, and some admin paperwork and you're already carrying what you'd need as a SB. I'm taking a more minimalist approach these days to counteract the overwhelming temptation to make Appleseed another gear-race. Seriously, there is literally no end to the list of stuff you *might* need at an Appleseed - the longer you think about it the more you come up with. The knowledge you are imparting is more important to the shooters than the stuff you have available but never seem to actually need.
As an Instructor, ask the SB what he/she needs you to bring, and bring that, plus whatever personal stuff - water, lunch, clipboard (I personally prefer the COF tucked in my shirt pocket - scroll down on http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=46198.0 (http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=46198.0)), any teaching aids you prefer to use, etc.
As a Shoot Boss you'll need at minimum:
The consumables - targets, handouts, chamber flags, patches, and T-shirts of course
A way to post targets and stake out firing and safety lines - if the range doesn't provide
Demo-stock
First-aid kit for people, with extra sun-block - because you're responsible for any injuries
"First-aid" and fit kit for rifles (including weed-wacker line), so mechanical issues don't have to ruin anybody's weekend
Extra eyes-n-ears - because as with rifles, a shooter can't just "wing-it" without if theirs breaks
Extra slings, 1.25" swivels, and tie-on swivels - these will be your most loaned items
Admin/sign-in kit - mine is a folder that holds Instructor Manual, sign-in sheet, liability waivers, CMP slips, some IIT0 and AC agreements, a money-clip full of small bills for range fee change, a small ziplock baggy of extra pens and markers, and duct tape for name tags.
Extra water for shooters who didn't bring enough - oddly enough that's rarely needed in Arizona, almost nobody in this state doesn't already carry way more than they're likely to need.
Working off the top of my head, it's possible I may have forgotten something, but otherwise pretty much anything beyond that is just extra stuff to carry. It's nice to have a loaner rifle on hand, but I've had to actually use mine so seldom at an Appleseed, that unless somebody asks for one in advance, I don't bother bringing it anymore. We rarely encounter a shooter's rifle so bad-off that it can't be made servicable with the rifle first-aid kit.
Excellent. Thanks everyone. Got a few good nuggets of insight :~
I have found that a box of push pins saves much time and avoids injuries. When there is one stapler per every four or five shooters, and it just ran out of staples, right after a student managed to put a staple into their hand (which they were using to support the target backer)--well, you can see why I went to push pins. Not many are skilled enough to consistently hit the pins, although many have tried. :-)
Quote from: 9mm4545 on February 21, 2017, 12:57:31 AM
I have found that a box of push pins saves much time and avoids injuries. When there is one stapler per every four or five shooters, and it just ran out of staples, right after a student managed to put a staple into their hand (which they were using to support the target backer)--well, you can see why I went to push pins. Not many are skilled enough to consistently hit the pins, although many have tried. :-)
Good I am not the only one that thinks push pins are great.
It might seem like a little thing, but I always carry extra wool socks. My preference is merino wool and I wear them both summer and winter with good boots.
We're on our feet all day long, so it's important to take care of them. Changing socks at lunch can feel better than a cold bottle of Gatorade. :cool2:
I . . . may or may not have been one of the people that may have stapled his finger, & would have benefited from push pins. However, if that did happen - and I'm not saying that it did - then in theory, it (and several other things) might have made me mad enough to stop stressing, & to earn rifleman for the first time. So maybe the (theoretical) lesson is to stick with staple guns?
I'm a big fan of packing lists, and was just working on my version of this. TXRebel & I earned our red hats at the same event.
As my gift to you, I present for your consideration an excel based checklist - downloadable from my Dropbox account:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/klzcsmm61ttu8ay/Appleseed%20Instructor%20Packing%20List.zip?dl=0
This list contains some additions from my own thoughts, but has CLEARLY benefited from the input already provided here. I'm not saying that it's all-inclusive, or that everyone will want everything on this list. It is designed so that each person has a good starting point, & can customize it as they see fit. There's some nifty color coding (if I do say so myself), so the first thing to do (after adding or removing items) is to mark each item as high/medium/low priority, and whether or not you own it.
I welcome your feedback. Be kind. ~~:)
Now we're talking. Thanks for sharing guys. Keep it going y'all
Someone already mentioned loaner slings and magazines and the like.
In order to get them back you might want to consider taking a deposit.
I like car keys. Take a sling, dump your car keys in my box. Return my sling and take your keys.
Haven't lost a mag or sling since I started this procedure.
2cl
I like that idea. Car keys for a loaner.
I bring a few GI slings and swivel sets which I will sell at my cost.
Put your name on anything you want back.
Mason's string for firing line and preparation area.
A towel
zip ties
duct tape
I also carry a deck of the Appleseed cards to use at a break and let participants tell a story of the one they draw.
Mike
I remember doing the Appleseed card exercise with Twineagles. It went extremely well. They are also useful for a young or newer Appleseeder who wants to participate, but can't quite swing a DOM. Flip through and find a card with which the shooter can identify and let them read the card in the first person.
Looks like I'll be ordering cards lol :F