Project Appleseed

6 brave shooters attended the College Station, TX Appleseed at the Cawthon Cartridge Club range.

Now we just need Sleepy Joe to send in the pics.

Quote from: scuzzy on June 27, 2013, 07:46:40 PM
Now we just need Sleepy Joe to send in the pics.

He took some pics Saturday, but they were on my camera. 

Our range owner was temporarily unavailable in the morning and had forgotten to leave the motorized access gate open. Joe volunteered to let shooters in since we have to be discreet with the gate code - I think I heard the word DEATH involved if opsec was broken with code security.

After the last shooters made it in he hitched a ride to the range so we could get started.



I was surprised he didn't fall off the car going over the North Bridge - yes viewers, we have a North Bridge we cross to get to the range - but sleepy Joe is a man of many talents and remained in the saddle.



We started out with a Redcoat Target drill. Shooter Paula had shot a rifle perhaps once in her life before this Appleseed, so I showed her what to do and we began when Joe called FIRE!.





Shooter Leif brought a Mosin M44 to the table. I like his style with the bayonet extended.


Delia made the drive from San Antonio once more.








We quickly learned that Paula was left eye dominant.





After the Redcoat we began with sling usage instruction and stability factors in prone.






We talked about talking targets. Then NPOA instruction.











I really like the new green laser on our demo stick.


Lunch and history in air conditioned comfort. Delia brought tasty homemade organic oatmeal cookies!

We chose to do all 3 Strikes of the Match during lunch - a first for us.

We finished lunch and then stepped back outside to continue the beating, I mean HEATING. 

Delia was kind and brought a portable shade for shooters to be under in between courses of fire. I keep meaning to buy a portable shade, but the green laser sounded cooler and got the $ at the time.

Soon started shooting again during the Ball and Dummy drill.



At this point Paula is performing as a left handed shooter. She really did well working the rifle's controls that way - makes me think she was born left handed but taught to be right handed. I could be wrong, but I am in my right mind. 













Those who finish first get dibs on the shade.

Shooters experiment with sitting and kneeling positions.












Then the standing position was taught and the first AQT drill was shot.














With two instructors we never get pictures of Stage 2.

Stage 3 transitioning from standing to prone.









The M44 returns for the final Redcoat.








It was a long day of Appleseeding - the heat took its toll on everyone. The shade was a big help. Shooters were encouraged to hydrate when we instructors were speaking.

Several of us went to the local Hullabaloo Diner for an evening meal and conversation after the Satuday range activity concluded.

I'll post the Sunday pictures soon.

I had a great time and learned a lot from Steve and Joe. Thanks guys for a great weekend! I'm excited to apply what I've learned and excited to get back to CCC as soon as I can.

Keep it up! Looking forward to Sunday's pics.

I'm curious. If Paula had never shot before and we just discovered she's left eye dominant----how is it she's got a shoot boss hat on?   

Quote from: Two Wolves on June 28, 2013, 07:39:54 PM
I'm curious. If Paula had never shot before and we just discovered she's left eye dominant----how is it she's got a shoot boss hat on?   

She rode to the shoot Saturday with Joe and I. Joe chose to sport a RWVA red boonie. She grabbed Joe's other hat out of the vehicle not knowing its significance.

("Congrats on the promotion - now you get to tell the history...") - lol.

She wore a different hat Sunday. 

Quote from: kdp_hou on June 28, 2013, 06:59:37 PM
I had a great time and learned a lot from Steve and Joe. Thanks guys for a great weekend! I'm excited to apply what I've learned and excited to get back to CCC as soon as I can.

Keep it up! Looking forward to Sunday's pics.

It was our pleasure to work with you. 

Stay tuned...

I did take a couple with my phone

more to look at

   still putting more photos out here

   these are the last ones I have

Quote from: sleepy Joe on July 01, 2013, 04:27:34 PM
I did take a couple with my phone

Witchcraft!   

Sunday - A new day begins.



Kept the line hot while I worked on a rifle. Experienced shooter Kerry helped me keep an eye on the line (THANKS!).






At last - an AQT!



We shot another AQT after lunch.

Even though there was only one instructor Sunday he did card shooters sights for NPOA verification purposes.



















Everyone was showing improvement.

Paula did rejoin us Sunday at noon or so during our lunch break.

By about 2:30pm a few of the shooters needed to get ready to leave as some had a distance to drive. Others decided that they'd had enough heat. I couldn't even twist their ears to accept a final Redcoat target.    So 5 shooters headed home, but said that they would be back at a future shoot. Just think of how cool it will be in October.

Paula was still game for more shooting, so with the range owner's blessing, and taking some breaks in between shooting sessions I worked with her until the sun started getting low on the horizon. Her loaner rifle had the rear Tech sight base come loose (TIG welding is looking real good right now  ) earlier in the day so I had her use a different loaner rifle I'd loaned to Delia earlier. I also figured out at one point she had not been focusing on the front sight.

Paula (matter of factly) "I haven't been doing it that way."

Me (smiling) "Now I know that."

The time we spent paid off with much smaller groups as she better grasped what the front sight was, then sight alignment and picture.

I had her shoot 5 shots at each silhouette of a Redcoat and her groups began to shrink. Her final 5 shot group at the 1" square on the Redcoat produced 4 hits on that square - a major improvement.     

So 3 AQTs total for the hot weekend. I know the heat had an impression on me - didn't feel I'd recovered until two days after the shoot.

See you next time.

With that "splitter" sleepy Joe not there on Sunday, who took the photos?

Drones, of course. 

of course ... how did I not already know that?

hmmmm