Project Appleseed

Another awesome shoot at Mt. Appleseed, Piru, CA this weekend.

Saturday, We had 14 pre-reg with 2 no shows (freebees) and 4 walk ons for a total of 16 on the line.

We had a good group of like minded individuals who showed up for this shoot. We had a mix of rifles on the line from a SU-16, to tricked out scoped rugers, to one attendee Bart had a 1935 Stevens tube fed bolt action he was using. the morning started off kinda slow with equipment problems (slings non existent) to some rifle troubles due to lack of maintainance. 

Worked through the squares and most were getting good groups, and the light bulbs were going off in their heads during the instruction and demos. Demos really work good as most people are visual (as one attendee told me later.)  We chased a few gremlins away during ball and dummy before lunch, then on to the history. 

Our resident brit, V  kicked it off with the story about Determined dames, who had a great influence also back then... CitizenSentry did a fine job kicking it off with the first strike (much enthusiasm) which caught on in the attendees since I saw a lot of eyes shifting from their lunch to pay attention to Andrew... I could tell they wanted more, which GrandsonOfLiberty was glad to do with the second strike. Greg was excellent relating the story and I saw a lot of the crowd riveted by his engaging version. He kicked it over to Jacques, who brought the story home succinctly with the third strike. I wrapped it up with how the events back then could relate to their lives today. They got it, as I saw a lot of heads nodding in the crowd...

After lunch we demo'd and shot mag changes, sitting kneeling standing SHF and NPOA, and transitions of each. Did a couple Green coats to see if "they got it" most did, so we posted AQT's and went for it. They were shocked how quickly the time went and when the "cease fire came" I heard someone on the left side say " I only got 5 shots off" to which I replied, "then you'll be quicker next time, won't you?"  Most got it down quickly, some were working with physical limitations with body geometry... but for the most part we had some good groups with a few in the 160-180 area. I believe David shot over 200 but just couldn't get over the hump on Saturday. He did clean the redcoat at the end Saturday. Good job David. 

Well, it was a wild one with the wind on Sunday... It could almost have rivaled the infamous Oklahoma "dust bowl" it was that bad. We had dust devils sweeping the firing line, mats blowing over and dumping dirt into and over the rifles, it was almost funny, but since we had quite a few rifles go down, and I had 4 "loaners" on the line myself, it was not funny at all.

Another thing that happened to Patrick, who was shooting an Kel-tec su-16, he had the "plastic Upper" just shatter and break in half back where it mates to the receiver... He was done... borrowed my LTR and back in business. I always said, being a Garand guy, "If it ain't got wood, it ain't no good"... Just my .02 worth. Sorry about your rifle Patrick.

Sunday we had all but one of the scheduled attendees return, (riflemen persist) had 2 sat. only, and one walk on. Total 13 on the line. Sunday was good except for the wind and dust blowing. we had them chomping at the bit for more AQT's. 

We kept a good pace, and they were mag ready and raring to go. so we ground out some AQT's after the customary sheet of squares to check their rifles out and their techniques too. We had had two shooters, George, and David who would have made rifleman if someone had not shot at their targets. George ended the day with a 205 and a 204. David also would have made it but for extra holes... he ended with a 204 and a 201. Paul got a 206, Dylan a 189, and Harold got the closest with a 209 !!! 

Bummer, so close... One of the instructors asked me if we "30 cal" ruled one of the holes, he would make it, but  NO WAY... shoot another one... Besides he would not have liked the christening with the water jug he would have gotten by shooting exactly a 210 score. One of the attendees, Shawn who was 14, was brought by his Grampa Ed, a salty old ex military guy like my dad. Shawn started with a tube fed, borrowed a LTR and improved greatly to end the day with a high 189 score (sharpshooter). Grampa Ed was so impressed with the program, and Shawn's improvement, that he made a $50 donation to RWVA. Thanks Ed, RWVA will put it to good use teaching others.

Ended the day with a redcoat, benediction, 7th step speach, Etc.  Sooo, No riflemen, but had 4 over 200 pts. They are riflemen in their hearts, and will be back to shoot the score and take on the orange hat of destiny.

Thanks to Phil (V) for being a mentor to me, and an excellent model to emulate, you are an asset to Appleseed and I hope to have the heart that you do for this program. Also thanks to all the IIT's for their hard work, you did a great job and I look forward to working with you all at future shoots.

Well folks, another one in the bag, It was great meeting all of the attendees, they are a good bunch of people and I look forward to seeing them all on the Appleseed trail... and some on the Instructor trail, too...

I will post pictures tomorrow, giving others a chance to comment here first. Thanks to all, and looking forward to the next one....

.

Great Appleseed. Good job Camljr!!! And congrats on the green hat It was dusty. Lots of jamming rifles.

Thanks to you and V for another great learning experience.

here are some pictures...

Quote from: asminuteman on May 25, 2009, 06:32:49 PM

A NOTE TO ALL MASTER INSTRUCTORS: please think and respond to this (thanks) "it warrents a thread"
I had to "repete" many "commands"......(thinking caps on?) I have never thought just how to teach in a controled "intimate" setting thats also running inside of another "HYPER CONTROLED" setting! ......lost?
Tell (or explain) to my student (Hearing impaired / deaf)  "fire or load" commands.... while on a FIRING LINE...controled by someone else.
We did it very carefully, and very well I might add!. I did speak to Line Boss each time person in charge changed so we we're all knowing of the situation. But to you ladies and gentleman. How best or how would you like to see this handled in the future? Greg "grandson" caught me on 1 occasion. Still trying to be discret and quite (we were lucky left handed shooters / off and away from all others) Thanks for the insight, this could happen again. Ken

    Ken: Sounds to me like you did this just fine. There are some things that are 'so far off the wall' I doubt we'd be trying to set up a procedure/policy for them - having a "signing" instructor at an AS with hearing-impaired shooters is prob getting close. "Improvise, adapt, and overcome" is the motto for these kind of situations...

    Meantime, do or did we have anyone doing EPT for this event? If not, can we get someone doing it for the future? We need to try and put low turnout AS behind us, ASAP.

Thanks for the great shoot!  I really had a great time.  I could not imagine doing it without the shade though.  I appreciate the cover.  Hopefully Dylan and I can put together enough people to come up to Lake Isabella and have an Appleseed here.  After all, I only got 206 on the AQT!  I gotta get that 211.  (I don't need the bucket of ice water that comes with a 210!)

Thanks to Cameron for the rifle loaner, Bob for mounting my sling, Greg for the fabulous instruction and personalized attention, Andrew for the loan of the shooting coat, Phil for being an impassioned Brit lecturing us lazy Americans on what really matters (and a rifle loan), and Paul for showing off the American and British musket balls. (Did I forget anybody? - You all were great!)

David who almost-shot-rifleman is my older brother.  Emphasis on "older".  I'm trying to wean him away from this whole scopes-longrange-slowfire thing and into a rifleman's cadence.  Glad to see he made a big improvement on Sunday. 

He had a great time and will be back for more.  His wife was a bit overwhelmed on Saturday but is going to come back again.  AND she wants her own 10-22.

Sespe

Quote from: kapow on May 26, 2009, 03:36:38 PM
Thanks for the great shoot!  I really had a great time.  I could not imagine doing it without the shade though.  I appreciate the cover.  Hopefully Dylan and I can put together enough people to come up to Lake Isabella and have an Appleseed here.  After all, I only got 206 on the AQT!  I gotta get that 211.  (I don't need the bucket of ice water that comes with a 210!)

Thanks to Cameron for the rifle loaner, Bob for mounting my sling, Greg for the fabulous instruction and personalized attention, Andrew for the loan of the shooting coat, Phil for being an impassioned Brit lecturing us lazy Americans on what really matters (and a rifle loan), and Paul for showing off the American and British musket balls. (Did I forget anybody? - You all were great!)

You did great for your first appleseed, A 206! You were right there, man...

If you get your range on board and can gather the folks, we will come and hold one there inLake Isabella.

DesertDog lives in Ridgecrest, and it isn't that far for us So.Cal boys to make a run up there to wake up a few more americans....

Look forward to any chance at another Appleseed....

Spread the heritage, it is that important!!!

What a great weekend! And what a great group of shooters/Americans I had the honor of meeting! All brought with them that invaluable "teachable attitude" we all hope to see. I don't think I've ever seen so many folks "knocking on the door" at their first 'seed.  But we all know it's about more than just a number, and no matter what the individual scores might have been, it was inspiring to see them all take the message and the history to heart. 

It was a privilege meeting all the shooters this weekend. A sincere thanks to you all for getting up off the couch and coming out to join us as we honor our heritage, and for helping to pass on a tradition that simply must not be forgotten.  I truly hope this was just the beginning of what is sure to be a rewarding journey on the Appleseed trail for you all.

And to all my fellow instructors and IITs: As always, it was a pleasure to work with everyone- I look forward to seeing you all on the Appleseed trail again soon! 

GoL/Greg

Quote from: sespe on May 26, 2009, 08:49:45 PM
David who almost-shot-rifleman is my older brother.  Emphasis on "older".  I'm trying to wean him away from this whole scopes-longrange-slowfire thing and into a rifleman's cadence.  Glad to see he made a big improvement on Sunday. 

He had a great time and will be back for more.  His wife was a bit overwhelmed on Saturday but is going to come back again.  AND she wants her own 10-22.

Sespe

Tom,

Your "OLDER" brother David did very well, but I felt sorry for him when someone shot his target and kept him from making rifleman. Also it was like a bad movie as we put them into prep period, David walked forward to the line just as a gust of wind blew his mat over and dumped dirt right into the action and all over his scope... The wind was brutal. Not consistently hard, just lots of eddys, and gusts.

He will be back, because he is a good shooter, and wants to get that rifleman status, and maybe even don the orange hat. He would be a welcome addition. David, if you read this, post with your thoughts on the shoot.

Guys,
Thanks for a terrific experience.
After that first shoot in So Cal was canceled a few years back it took me a while to re-up. Bob 210 kept the pressure on and when my schedule allowed, I went for it. I cannot thank the volunteers enough for getting dirty, setting up and tearing down, giving us the history and instruction. I appreciated the encouragement to move through the adversity of trying to clear a stove-piping 10/22 during the standing to seated element of the AQT, while catching my neighbor's hot brass down the back of my shirt and trying to keep it from resting in that natural funnel (otherwise know as plumber's butt - No offense intended toward your chosen profession Bob.).  The men leading did a remarkable job teaching, sharing their hearts on the events of April 19,1775 and encouraging everyone on the line.

Jacques, I have a pair of those Volquartsen extractors on the way.

Camljr, thanks for trying to make me look good. But, no one else shot at my target. I had a multiple malfunctions and did a poor job of counting the rounds that went down range. I evidently added two too many and went from a 215 to a 205. My bad, no one else's.

Looking forward to my next Appleseed, and hoping to bring a friend or two.

BTW. I forget just who (perhaps Citizen Sentry) was curious about the Cargo Unit in my 4Runner. Here is a link that has pics, dimensions and info on my construction techniques. http://www.yotatech.com/f2/cargo-storage-write-up-pics-38687/#post51149833

George

Quote from: Camljr on May 27, 2009, 09:36:45 AM

Quote from: sespe on May 26, 2009, 08:49:45 PM
David who almost-shot-rifleman is my older brother.  Emphasis on "older".  I'm trying to wean him away from this whole scopes-longrange-slowfire thing and into a rifleman's cadence.  Glad to see he made a big improvement on Sunday. 

He had a great time and will be back for more.  His wife was a bit overwhelmed on Saturday but is going to come back again.  AND she wants her own 10-22.

Sespe

Tom,

Your "OLDER" brother David did very well, but I felt sorry for him when someone shot his target and kept him from making rifleman. Also it was like a bad movie as we put them into prep period, David walked forward to the line just as a gust of wind blew his mat over and dumped dirt right into the action and all over his scope... The wind was brutal. Not consistently hard, just lots of eddys, and gusts.

He will be back, because he is a good shooter, and wants to get that rifleman status, and maybe even don the orange hat. He would be a welcome addition. David, if you read this, post with your thoughts on the shoot.

Sespe knows all about someone else shooting their target.

Sespe shot Rifleman after I had to deduct 25 points from the First Stage of his QDAQT! It was obvious the points were his too, so it broke my heart to deduct them, but he still made it! A 212 if I recall correctly. 

Great job up the Cam.

Thanks, SS... And that was some great shooting by Sespe, for sure. Now he needs to come and share that knowledge with others instructing at an Appleseed. Maybe even a shoot where his brother David makes his rifleman score... wouldn't that be something for them to remember!?!!!