Good afternoon, and Welcome to your After Action Report from sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico! I'm your host, Mrs. Smith, along with Co-Hosts Desert_Diver, Crono, Mahamotorworks, Sarducci, and Range Mom.
Our special guests this weekend were Sandi, Brian D., Matt, Brian R, Jared, Craig, Nick, Tim, and Tim's sons, Caleb, Gabriel, and Joshua.
Saturday morning dawned clear and bright over Founders Ranch, a 480-acre shooting facility nestled in the hills of Edgewood, NM, just off historic Route 66. Brodie and the team of RSOs were on hand, making sure we had everything we needed.
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The after our instructor meeting the crew got to work, setting up shade canopies, the flag display, the registration table, equipment tables, and firing line tarps for easier brass cleanup.
The students began arriving, checking in, getting settled. We talked about what Project Appleseed is, about the mission, and a general idea of what they could expect as the weekend progressed. Then we got down to business. After the safety briefing we tackled the first redcoat of the weekend and established our baseline.
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The class learned about the Six Steps to Firing the Shot, Sling Use, NPOA, the prone position, trigger control, all in a dry-fire format. This allowed them to concentrate on their fundamentals without the distraction of live fire, so that when the time came for us to actually shoot our first square target, most of the students shot a group less than 8 MOA in size.
(https://i.imgur.com/WPUtJ1w.jpg)
Then things got real ;) More squares, a lesson on Inches, Minutes, and Clicks, interspersed with some Revolutionary War background and the telling of the Three Strikes of the Match. Seated class and transitions followed. The weekend progressed through all the points of instruction. The shorter Dangerous Old Men and Dangerous Dames stories were scattered all through Sunday, with a presentation on Known Distance done on Sunday at lunchtime.
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Each of the students implemented the points of instruction to the best of their ability, and when AQT time came that showed! Significant improvement was made by all, despite the dust, the sun, and the heat, with the biggest leap of the day shown by Nick, who increased his AQT score by 65 points overall!
Congratulations to Jared for earning the Rifleman's Patch with a score of 213!
(https://i.imgur.com/al3h3sx.jpg)
I was my humble honor to lead this great group of volunteers and students for this leg in their journey to a better understanding of the American art of Riflery, and more importantly a better understanding American Liberty, what it cost to win it, and what it costs to keep it. To you all I say HUZZAH!!!
Tim, with his fine sons Caleb, Gabriel, and Joshua. If these young men are an example of what we have to look forward to in future generations, then I can sleep better at night!
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Prone, baby!!!
(https://i.imgur.com/HuQOOC1.jpg)
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Nick, looking a little stunned that he pulled off "Most Improved" ^:)^
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This group was also the first in New Mexico and the second in the COUNTRY to earn the CalienteSeed patch!! Because brother, lemme tell ya, it was HOT HOT HOT out there! The CalienteSeed is a morale patch awarded to those who tough out two days in the blazing heat, don't give up, keep on cooking (literally and figuratively) and refuse to let the big yellow ball win!
Congrats to Lubbock for beating us there by a day! And about 8 degrees!!!! $$-0
Shoot bosses, if you'd like to participate in CalienteSeed, please reach out to Ghostring. This is his baby :cool2:
(https://i.imgur.com/CGHWdm3.jpg)
Whats the tempature requirements for a Caliente seed? That's a dope patch.
Quote from: KProctor on June 18, 2021, 02:08:07 PM
Whats the tempature requirements for a Caliente seed? That's a dope patch.
100° actual, or 100° felt, SB discretion :-)
It'll be high 90s this weekend and next with 40% or more humidity .....so close
Quote from: KProctor on June 18, 2021, 04:44:10 PM
It'll be high 90s this weekend and next with 40% or more humidity .....so close
Look up a heat index chart ;) and get with Ghostring for patches
Tracy, that is the coolest HOTTEST danged patch!
Quote from: Steck on June 18, 2021, 09:29:51 PM
Tracy, that is the coolest HOTTEST danged patch!
Thanks, ma'am! I reckon I'd best start a Caliente thread on the SW region board, so this one can be about the event :cool2:
It was a great group of shooters. I enjoyed instructing at the event.
Quote from: Mrs. Smith on June 18, 2021, 03:34:38 PM
Quote from: KProctor on June 18, 2021, 02:08:07 PM
Whats the tempature requirements for a Caliente seed? That's a dope patch.
100° actual, or 100° felt, SB discretion :-)
That's a cool patch!! Some of our events over here in Alabama will meet those requirements.
This was a GREAT weekend! My boys are still talking about it and have everyone we meet wanting to be a part of the next one.
I can't say enough good things about the team that ran this shoot. Great marksmanship instruction coupled with American history that reinforced the exact values and principles I try to instill in each of my kiddos.
Desert_Diver, Crono, Mahamotorworks, Sarducci, Range Mom and Mrs. Smith.... Thank you for your selfless service in making it a weekend to remember!
Can't wait for the next event!