At Your First 25 Meter Clinic, What Rifle and Ammo Did You Use?

[Fulcrum]

I shot my first Appleseed using a Ruger 10/22 Backpacker. I was forewarned that takedown rifles can be problematic, but I was also encouraged to attend anyway and bring what I have. Before the event, I bought a longer Magpul Hunter forend so I would be able to mount the sling, and I bought the Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 scope, rings, and extended rail package from the Appleseed store. I used CCI Standard Velocity.

That rifle did not perform well! I was a complete novice, so I didn't do that great either, but the rifle was also a problem. The sling tension is just too much for the takedown mechanism. It's impossible to get consistent groups. Also, the stock is not adjustable for length of pull, and it was just too short for me.

My second Appleseed was with a new Ruger 10/22 60th Anniversary Special Edition that I transferred the scope to. It's not a takedown, it has a Magpul Hunter stock which is very adjustable for LOP and comb height, it came with an upgraded Ruger BX trigger. I scored on average about 50-60 points higher at my second Appleseed than my first. I'll take some credit for learning a few things, but the rifle definitely made a difference. I used CCI SV again.

[Calisnaps]

My First Appleseed back in 2022 I brought a Ruger 10/22 Sporter, modified with Tech Sights and a Timney Trigger.  I chose poorly and shot Thunderbolts most of the weekend, switching to Minimags Sunday Afternoon.

I also had my S&W 15-22 in the car as a spare, never brought it out.

I used the same Sporter with better ammunition (Minimags) at my Second, both ventures being a failure, with a high score of 209.

I finally admitted my eyes weren't up to the task and bought a second 10/22 ($0 out of pocket with store rewards points), changing out the trigger (BX), stock (Archangel), and a fixed 4x scope.  Attended my 3rd Appleseed and Shot Rifleman with a 222 using CCi SV.

[ShotgunFun]

I brought the first firearm I had ever purchased...from several decades earlier: a Ruger 10/22. Over the years, I'd used it extensively and "tricked it out" with a bull barrel, Hogue overmolded stock, a blue-printing trigger job (back when you could get that done by shipping it off to someone found on eBay), and a Simmons "44mag" 3-9x44 scope. I brought CCI green tag because that's what the rifle groups most consistently with from what I've tried.

I'd taken many squirrels with it through the years and made plenty of shots I was proud of, but I'd never tried shooting it prone. In fact, I hadn't shot prone since I was about 11 years old at Boy Scouts summer camp—Camp Seole in Clearwater, Florida.

Nothing worked well for me that first weekend because the rifle simply didn't fit my 6'4" frame. I struggled all day Saturday and ended up using a loaner on Sunday (thank you again, @stoneknives).

The transformation came through a series of modifications: a Vortex Crossfire II scope kitted with extended Picatinny mount to get the ocular lens away from my face, a proper shooter's mat (instead of a moving pad), and a G.I. sling—all ordered from the Project Appleseed store. I also modded an M-LOK style quick-release sling mount to replace the traditional front sling stud, allowing me to easily remove the sling after a course of fire without detaching it from my support bicep. Thin volleyball-style elbow pads saved this old man from wearing scabs for weeks. An adjustable cheek riser topped with a slice of pool noodle and bound with sports wrap, plus about 3/4 inch of fitted stock extensions, made all the difference.

With a rifle that actually fit me, I could relax into the proper turkey neck position, my head resting comfortably on the foam-lined cheek rest like a pillow. At last, I could focus on my sight picture and implementing the instruction being given without feeling flustered (I was breaking my neck trying to hold my face far enough back to see through the scope).

Now, it's hard to explain to others how perfectly my rifle fits me—unless they happen to share basically the same body type.

Of course, it wasn't until my THIRD Appleseed event that I actually started implementing what I'd been taught.  That's when everything finally came together for me.