The IBC at the Great Guns Range last weekend went off without a hitch. We had 6 instructors come for the whole weekend. The weather was typical CO cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon.
Taos Glock and I had a great time working with everyone. We told stories, practiced presentations, gave each other feedback on the presentations and did a live fire mock Appleseed on Sunday. We've got a great group of instructors in CO. Sorry that Skinner and Black Russian weren't able to attend.
Pictures will be forthcoming in the next few days.
I hope to schedule another IBC in the late spring of 2020 so if you weren't able to make this event signup for the next one.
As always, our IBC's include the first day in the classroom while the next day is a live fire mock Appleseed.
First day is in the classroom as to review, present and create consistent standards in the POI and history.
And after each presentation, we all give constructive feedback on each shooters presentation.
To do this one needs to have knowledge of the POI/COF and be focused on the presenter.
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The strong mother daughter teaching team of Christy and Megan:
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On day 2 day the students assume roles as shooters, then flip the switch after the line is cleared and go into instructor mode.
Then they present new material or material that may need a bit of polishing.
Also on day 2, everyone gets rotated as a shooter, LB, etc.
Simplicity and precision in all things is one of the keys to a good presentation.
We have long since given up the sterile conference room type IBC for both days.
A fresh storm dusted the front range and temps were in the low teens each day but warmed up.
Please:
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The flags of our Founders serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made to create our Liberties.
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Many 14,000 foot peaks provided a backdrop for this IBC here at the Great Guns Range.
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..more later as we get caught up...
As soon as we get thru the welcomes, introductions and a brief overview of the weekend we dive right in...
The instructors are asked "what constitutes an Appleseed."
They are asked to write them down on a sheet of paper and we post them on the wall.
They are separated into marksmanship, history and other.
We put them in order to create the COF and an outline for the three strikes and DOM type stories and other items that are part of an Appleseed.
This is a highly interactive exercise and keeps the instructors moving, alert and focused.
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All instructors were given assignments to have ready and present:
Below: Brian does IMC.
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As does Phillip:
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Classroom instruction with an intensely focused group:
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Day 2, the mock Appleseed with live fire!
Long Rifle announces that the shooting style will be non dominant.
IOW, if you are right handed, you will be shooting the entire day left handed and vice versa.
This is one way you will feel the frustration that a new shooter feels.
This will help make you a better instructor.
And yes, even the crusty old SI's are to shoot non dominant.
As usual we shoot Redcoats, squares, transition targets and finally AQT's.
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By the end of the day the instructors firmly believed the non dominant shooting day was extremely helpful and most were able to still perform close to Rifleman standards.
The one exception was the last COF, the Rapid Fire AQT. That was shot dominant.
Meanwhile, the Deep State empty suits that inhabit the Mordor on the Potomac are persistent in their high drama
to deprive us of the tools needed to preserve our liberties.
All the more reason to take a lesson from our Founders who were totally prepared and would not tolerate such nonsense.
The letter from James Warren to his wife Mercy in Concord comes to mind....
"Darling, all things here in Concord take on a war like appearance. Concord is full of cannon, arms and military stores. The King and his army long for them. But we are willing and able to defend this country inch by inch".
Sam Adams said, "Military power will never awe a sensible people into tamely surrendering their liberties".
Modern day tyrants, take note.
The Smith Family. Brian, son Bryson, instructing on the line, daughter Megan and Wife Christy.
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Brian and Phillip get ready to do a demo. Check out that handmade wooden training stock made by Phillip.
Looks like a real flintlock..with a few "modernized "mods for the safety demo.
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The line of shooters shooting non dominant.
Alan on the left and Phillip on the right as RSO's. Bryson calls the line as Long Rifle watches.
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More instruction on the line about the details of the AQT with Christy and Long rifle.
The temperature went from 15 degrees in the AM to 68 degrees at AQT time.
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A hearty thanks to the staff at Great Guns Shooting Range for their support of Project Appleseed!
http://greatgunssporting.com/
These friendly folks make you feel like family!
And of course a heartfelt thanks to our Founders. Without their sacrifices, we would be speaking with a British acsent.
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And a Huzzah to all the instructors who came with teachable attitudes for this intense two day learning experience!!
Wow! I seriously missed something.
Next time an IBC comes available, I'll try to go. Nothing like a good shot of foundational material.
And then shooting non-dominant too? Something that's been on my list for a long time, but those other squeaky wheels!
Now Phillip has the coolest "teaching rifle" in Appleseed! I can't wait to see it.
Looks like Colorado had a great event!