After Action Report for Fredericksburg, TX - RKD - October 4-5, 2025

[GenX Minuteman]

Frustration and Triumph

   I'm happy to say the second 200yrd Rimfire KD event hosted by Patriot Academy in Fredericksburg/Comfort, TX was a tremendous success.  This is the second such event taught at this amazing range.  Somehow, the word must have spread through the grapevine as to how amazing this facility is and how much enjoyment it provides to participants because we had a Sold-Out event (12 students)!!!!  This was great to see!  We had several return students from our previous February event as well as some new students.  We went ahead and packed the line with a few additional shooters from Patriot Academy just for good measure which increased our rank up to 14 shooters.

   We started the weekend by discussing the additional challenges faced by a Rifleman when faced with real world scenarios.  Target Detection was explained in simple terms and examples provided.  Similarly, Range Estimation was introduced and quickly overviewed with the knowledge a more detailed discussion would happen later in the weekend.  We immediately began to focus on the final challenge of a Rifleman – "Making The Shot".  We introduced the concepts of ballistic trajectory and how it can be accounted for and used to a Rifleman's advantage.  We also briefly discussed wind corrections and specifically the accommodation which should be made to fit the 22LR cartridge.

       Once the introductory information was provided, we began zeroing our rifles at the 50 yrd mark.  We did so because the ballistic maximum for the majority of 22LR cartridges occurs at this range.  Once zeroed, longer distance targets can be addressed by properly adjusting the rifle's sighting system.  Our students were able to accomplish the 50 yrd zeroing quickly, which allowed us to transition to further ranges to witness the ballistic drop.  We made note of the ballistic drop at 100, 150 and 200 yrd distances so our students had appropriate information for the necessary sighting system adjustments.

    While the previously mentioned activities could be summarized quickly, they took more time than you may realize to finish.  We had to take a few steps backwards and reconfirm a few students' sighting system adjustments at specific ranges.  At this point we already had two students whose equipment had failed!!!  Reagan's rifle seemed to work well at the start of the morning and slowly lost accuracy.  His son, Devin's rifle experienced broken scope mounting screws!!!!!  Looks like transporting rifles on Harley Davidson motorcycles may have a bit of a negative impact on their survivability.

    Once everyone felt comfortable with their distance adjustments, we pushed to get our first AQT of the day completed by ~ 2:00 p.m.  We didn't waste time checking our targets between stages because several students knew Saturday was their only day of shooting.  We simply dropped into the AQT grind to get as many AQTs as possible on this first day.  Everyone knuckled down, had their thinking caps on and put their nose to the grindstone.  We cranked out another two AQTs after this!!!  Not bad for a first day!  Annand and Jonathan knew they wouldn't be back on Sunday so we made sure to maximize our range time.  Luckily, it paid off!!!!  Randy and Jonathan both were able to make Distinguished Rifleman and Nathaniel made Rimfire KD with a bolt action!!!!!!!  Way to go Riflemen!!!!!  On the last AQT for Saturday, Bob (who is a Patriot Academy member, and new shooter to Appleseed) was able to knock out an impressive score of 45 hits earning him his first Rifleman Patch and Rimfire Known Distance rocker at the same time!!!!  Way to go Bob!!!

    The next morning welcomed us with the same amazing warm weather and clear skies as the previous day, but this time a bit more wind than we expected.  I was happy our shooters would have an opportunity to put some of the wind correction estimation methods into action which were discussed on the previous day.  The first challenge our students faced this morning was making a solid hit on a Cedar Shingle sized target at 125 yrds. properly scaled to replicated Captain Daniel Morgan's qualifying target to become one of his company of Sharp Shooters.  Zboy74 (Zack) was kind enough to make properly sized reactive steel targets for our students to shoot at.  Each student was directed to take a single shot at the steel target and see if they could mark themselves as one of Captain Morgan's Rifleman or become a cook helping the cause from behind the lines.  The challenge proved itself to be greater than most of our participants expected.  Jared and Aaron (both Patriot Academy members) were able to make a solid hit on the shingle from the prone position making them our only Morgan's Riflemen for this weekend.  Way to go Gentlemen!!!!! 

    After Morgan's Shingle introductory shot to Sunday morning, we began verifying our rifle's 50-yard zero status.  A few students had to go through several re-zeroing strings due to the fact they had lost their initial zero from the day before.  This shows the importance of good equipment choices for the task of a 22LR Rimfire Known Distance Challenge.  A scope with a good zero stop adjustment and a absolute return to zero position is a MUST!!!!

    Some of students came out with new equipment on the second day of our event to try and help eliminate issues from the day before.  Sadly, Phil, had to pack up and head home early due to his scope literally running out of elevation adjustability.  Other students brought an alternate outlook for the remainder of the weekend.  Aaron came out of the chute on Sunday with a definite sense of purpose and determination.  After the second AQT of the morning he was able to put down a good Rifleman Rimfire KD score of 40 – on the dot!  Way to go Aaron!!! 

    We rocked through two full AQTs before needing a break for lunch.  While at lunch we talked about the important Rifleman in history and the difference one individual can truly make.  Our example for this day was King's Mountain!  It was great to share with our students how important the outstanding marksmanship of the "Over The Mountain Men" resulted in a resounding victory over Major Furgeson's hilltop garrison.

    While everyone was finishing their lunches, I introduced our students to the concept of Range Estimation.  I provided them with theoretical examples and how to quickly do some Rifleman math to determine the distance to an object of known size using our rifle's sighting system.   Once outside again, we ran through a range estimation exercise with random objects placed down range.  Aaron (our newly minted Rimfire KD Rifleman) was the participant who got closest to all of the range estimation targets.  Way to go Aaron!!!!

    The weekend wrapped up after completing 5 AQTs on Sunday after already having completed 3 AQTs on the previous day.  Our students most certainly got their workout in for the weekend completing more than 17,000 steps easily for each day marching up and down the amazing 200 yrd range at Patriot Academy.  Aaron was able to once again prove himself worthy by improving his score to 44!  Way to go Aaron!

    It was a wonderful challenge for our students during this event and an amazing privilege to teach a great group of attentive and eager students.  I hope to see all of them return and complete the 22LR Rimfire Known Distance Challenge and achieve a Rifleman score.

Chad Stovell – GenX Minuteman

Event Cadre
Chad Stovell – GenX Minuteman (Shoot Boss)
Mark – El Tejano (Instructor)
Josh – cypherpunk (IIT)
Zack – Zack74 (IIT)
Jerry – Twinkle Toes (IIT)

[GenX Minuteman]

[Alt-F4_Phantom]

It was a fantastic shoot! That AstroTurf makes all the walking so much easier without halving to haul a mat 150 yards, but the heat haze coming of the rocks in between though is not to be trifled with at 200 yards

[JustKim]

Nice range -- Nice event!  Congrats to the Riflemen - Distinguished Riflemen!

[FoolsErrand]

It was such a privilege not only being at the Patriot Academy range for a third (!) event, but also having Chad and the rest of the cadre out there helping us out. Wish I could have made it for the second day, but to be honest I was lucky to make it for the first day. So glad I was able to, though! Felt really great making Distinguished.

Looking forward to the next event in my schedule: Centerfire Known Distance out at New Braunfels in a month!

- Jonathan

[B-LINE1]

Wow, Congrats everyone! That is a damn nice range.