Project Appleseed

I'll confess - I'm excited.  Like seriously excited!  This is almost as cool as front row tickets to Def Leppard or David Bowie in 1987!

The new KD manual is here!    This is almost a complete rewrite. 



We are a full-distance, centerfire program.  This edition will arm our Shoot Bosses and instructors with the tools to deliver more effective and consistent KD and RKD events across the country!

This edition honors and preserves the core lessons from early KD resources and the hard-won wisdom of the past 20 years.  At the same time, it brings clarity, structure, and practical updates.  It adds lessons learned by many of our most active KD and RKD instructors.

What's new?  I thought you'd never ask!

• It's easier to read
• Captures best practices from 20 years running these events
• New sections include: Selecting a KD Range, Inches-Mils-Clicks, Moving Firing Lines vs. Target Lines, Range Estimation Exercise, Troubleshooting and Coaching, Yards vs. Meters, and more
• Written COFs and fillable Assignment Plans
• Expansion and enhancement of RKD resources
• Improved take on the Battle of Alamance story

Perhaps most exciting: this manual delivers adaptable written Courses of Fire that flex to different KD & RKD range setups, along with a slew of downloadable, ready-to-use resources including fillable assignment plans, rifle data sheets, and range estimation worksheets.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed time, feedback, field experience, and passion to bring this across the finish line. Your fingerprints are all over it.

Where can you get a copy?  It's available now on Appleseed Academy!

We're offering several Zoom & Learn sessions to field questions about the new KD manual or anything related to KD/RKD.  (Or we can talk about 80's rock bands.)  You can sign up to whatever session works best for you:

• Feb 15th at 7pm Eastern
• February 23rd at 7pm Central
• February 25th at 6pm Pacific.

I hope 2026 is the best year ever for Known Distance and RKD!  We can do that!  If you need help, just drop me a note.

In Liberty,
MO

Instructors - download yours today!

Awesome, thanks for getting this published !!!

Thanks for all the hard work on this manual.

This is awesome! I know what a big undertaking updating a manual can be. Well done and thank you!

Quote from: Maximum Ordinate on January 23, 2026, 11:13:28 AMI'll confess - I'm excited.  Like seriously excited!  This is almost as cool as front row tickets to Def Leppard or David Bowie in 1987!

I agree! I think even David Bowie would approve.

Somebody please help that gentlemen get his elbow under his rifle, fix his sling, move that optic forward, nose to charging handle, relax the support hand.....

And is this a safety issue?  Shooter is shooting to the viewers left, but he target line numbers are in the background (to the shooters right) suggesting this being shot at 90 degrees from the berm

 Very Nice!

Can anyone buy one? If so, how and where? The link in post 1 doesn't work for me.

Quote from: LDB415 on January 23, 2026, 07:34:26 PMCan anyone buy one? If so, how and where? The link in post 1 doesn't work for me.

No sir.  It's not for sale.  This won't be useful for you in your marksmanship quest.

It's an instructor-only resource, most useful for our more veteran instructors.

The easiest way to gain access is to become an instructor! 

Hahaha, that makes sense. Maybe if I live to be 107 I'll get good enough and progress far enough to be an instructor.

Quote from: eaglescouter on January 23, 2026, 02:24:53 PMSomebody please help that gentlemen get his elbow under his rifle, fix his sling, move that optic forward, nose to charging handle, relax the support hand.....

And is this a safety issue?  Shooter is shooting to the viewers left, but he target line numbers are in the background (to the shooters right) suggesting this being shot at 90 degrees from the berm

Ummm... you know that's an AI photo, right?  Bowie passed away about ten years ago and never got to an Appleseed. 

Sounds like AI needs to get itself to an Appleseed, so it can learn to authentically render proper technique.

Quote from: Zorak on January 24, 2026, 03:05:57 PMSounds like AI needs to get itself to an Appleseed, so it can learn to authentically render proper technique.

  

Quote from: Zorak on January 24, 2026, 03:05:57 PMSounds like AI needs to get itself to an Appleseed, so it can learn to authentically render proper technique.

Not to mention rendering an AR with ejection port on the correct side. Plus right shape and size. Plus the safety in the right place, and turned the right direction. And bayonet lug turned the right way. And a muzzle device that won't leave you with a blowed-up barrel when a round tries to escape.

Still though, not bad for an AI rendition of a rifle. And it's nice to see that Bowie seems to have the right number of fingers, no hand turned around backward, etc. The technology is improving at a scary pace.

  Bless you, thank you for all those involved with doing the foundational work, and those associated with getting this manual in print. Any manual is a real project.

Good morning!

We have a few spots available for tonight's Z&L, 7pm Central.

We'll chat about the KD manual and running KD events.  And maybe what rifle David Bowie would have brought to a KD.

(It's too late to sign up, so just send me a PM for the meeting link.)

PM  sent

Good morning!

We have a few spots available for our final Z&L, tonight 6pm Pacific (west coast) time.

We'll chat about the KD manual and running KD events.  And maybe what rifle David Bowie would have brought to a KD.

(It's too late to sign up, so just send me a PM for the meeting link.)

best,
MO