Miamisburg, OH: Nov 7-8

[MeanStreaker]

Another Ohio Appleseed.
Another great event.

We couldn't have asked for better weather for November in these parts.  Close to 70 degrees and sunny both days.  A wonderful group came together to practice a traditional American skill, marksmanship... and reacquaint themselves with their unique Heritage.  The campfire time with the Instructors, Steamer, and Chuck was great as always.

It was a pleasure to have Maddy and Max, our Junior Shooters, among us.

A hearty congratulations to Chuck (posterboy has dubbed thee Shrek)   , Eva (Minerva), Miki, Dean, and Dave (DGMilty) on your hard-earned Rifleman patches.  Well done!

It was also a great honor to offer Eva, her husband Dave (a previous Miamisburg Rifleman), and Miki the Orange Hat.  Thankfully, they accepted!  Eva and Dave will be tremendous additions to the Buckeye Team, and I know that Miki will do great works north of our border (and hopefully here every now and then).  

All in all,

Safe shoot.
Great shooters.
Can't wait for the next one.

[Shrek]

'Streaker,
Had a blast, in every sense of the word.  I was so jazzed  about making Rifleman I was almost loopy the whole ride back to Kenton.  It's hard to decide which meant more to me; the history or the instruction.  I went home with more cautious optimism about the future than I've had in a long time.  Once again thanks again to you and all of the red and orange hats, and a special thank you to the club for their hospitality.

[ITB]

That's awesome news about Miki!  I met her at the first Appleseed in Michigan (Fenton), then she came back to the Williamston, MI and was painfully close to shooting Rifleman.  She'll be a great addition to the Michigan Orange Hat Brigade.

[BaldDragn]

Hey Shreck, Congratulations now go back and harass Steamer about whet he needs to work on... Dry Fire... Dry Fire... Dry Fire. Unless he wants to take a trip south for a shoot, he'll have time to work on it.

[posterboy]

Ahhhhh

Ohio And Appleseed

like Peanut Butter and Jelly

like Martini and olive

like M1 and Greek surplus

Another great Miamisburg event full of American's coming to learn !

Congrats to the new riflemen and women. when Shrek and his buddy Steamer showed up they seemed very "squared" away. Their shooting showed it. I bring this up because they found out as much as they could before the event and Practiced ! . It made a difference. Don't worry Steamer you have the "rifleman" gleam in your eye and you'll get there quickly. Dave ! good going !  Melinda....wow another shooter who improved greatly ! There were so many improvements up and down the line  there isn't time to mention. It was FANTASTIC to see two young Americans get their well EARNED Junior Patch as well....HUZZAH

Huzzah to Dean..thank you sir for your service to our Country

I am looking forward to 2010 and Appleseed in Ohio. Hope to see you all again on the trail.

pb

[Miki]

Thanks to all of you who helped me get where I am! Especially, JohnnyAppleseed who taught me trigger control in Fenton, (it was commented on by a few red hats in Miamisburg) Gopher Boy, who took over at Williamston, and taught me perseverance, along with a few other tricks and Dry Fire who took over where Gopher Boy left off. Without knowing it you 'tag teamed' me to get me this far. I look forward to working with you and those like you in the future.

Also, thanks for the warm Buckeye hospitality! I was a tad leery, being a solo Wolverine border raider. That lasted for about 10 seconds Sunday morning when I showed up. It took me that long to realize we are on the same path and even 'border raiders' are welcome.

To intheburbs, thanks for the kind words, I'm not sure if there are others yet, or it's just us two. Hey, even if it's just us for now...it's a start! And having TC and BeeFree as red hats, it's a start for Michigan.

[Shrek]

Folks, I am downloading the pics Steamer and I took during the weekend...took a while to recover from the shoot.
I send them to Steamer...If I can figure it out I'll try to post or send me an e-mail and I'll send them to you.

[MeanStreaker]

I'd like them.

MeanStreakerOH@gmail.com

Thanks!

[Butt Stock]

It was a vary good shoot this weekend. Thanks to the time change we were messed up for a while that ok. I think the line was the quietest line I have ever been on but there was some fire power tho. 

Thanks to the time change I got 12 hours of sleep I think that is a good thing.

Well that all for now.

[Luna]

Shrek, Include me on the pictures please.

dsmith026@columbus.rr.com

Thank you

[MeanStreaker]

Here are some of the pics Shrek sent me:

Sunrise

[DryFire]

Miamisburg always seems to be a good time and the range is perfect for camping on. Shrek and Steamer thanks for coming out and camping with us Fri and Sat it was good to have you guys around the campfire. Sorry we didn't get around to shooting the Red Coats you guys brought.    Steamer you will have that patch soon enough. The dedication and work you and Shrek put in before the shoot is awesome and not something we see often enough.  Miki it was great to see you earn that patch I really was afraid I was driving you nuts buy sitting there watching and offering suggestions, I hope something helped you over that hump, and welcome to the league of orange hats. Speaking of orange hats congrats to Ohio's newest orange hats Eva and Dave. Eva it was great to see you persist and shoot that rifleman's score. I look forward to working with you guys in the future. It is always nice to see someone come to an Appleseed and perservere and make it, and then to top it off take the orange hat.  I am really gonna miss everyone for the remainder of the year, but I am looking forward to next year, a year of even greater possibilities.

Hey Shrek include me in the pics too.
opietuba@aol.com

Thanks

[therealsteamer]

What an incredible weekend!!!!

After arriving Friday evening and setting up camp it was time to kick back around the campfire...  There were several instructors that braved the great Ohio weather and stayed at the range that night as well...  After getting a sneak peak at some of the history, talking about politics, the state of our country and the instructors on hand allowing us ask dozens of questions we crashed just after midnight...

Saturday morning came both too soon and not soon enough...

Our first view of the range


Shrek and I started the day off with a hearty breakfast so as to be well fueled for the days events




Luna and Dryfire setting up the target line

These guys knew what they were doing...  they had the line ready to go within ten minutes...  I believe "TooTall"(?) and a few others were helping out as well...  these gentlemen teamed up on the task and knocked it out in no time!!   

Fuzzymath readies the admin table.  By 8:00am appleseeders were beginning to arrive in earnest..


After we all went through the paperwork and the ever important briefing on what a "SAFE" rifle is we were asked to post our first Red Coat Targets...  These we shot from prone with no instruction...  Something to give the instructors an idea as to where us shooters were on our abilities as well as a base from which to imporve from.
We get a first look at our adversaries...


Soon we were asked to take all of our gear and rifles to the line and get ready to "drink from the firehose of knowledge"...  Unfortunately the day progressed so rapidly that I neglected to get any more pics of day 1... 

We had a really good mix of rifles on the line this weekend...  There were 10/22s with factory sights, scopes and Tec Sights..  We had a good showing of tube fed rifles and one AR .22 conversion as well.  A few had even thought to bring mag fed bolt guns and IIRC there was even a lever action drop block single shot on down the line too.

Once we were settled into our spots the instructor cadre went over the Safety Brief again as well as what the line commands were.  Then the mechanics of the prone position and use of the loop sling were demonstrated.  We soon posted the "squares" target and went to work.  I can not attest to the enitre line but on my end is seemed that groups were shrinking very rapidly as we found our NPOA and became comfortable with the loop sling...  There were a few on down the line who were using the hasty sling in prone as well.

Soon a lunch was called and we headed back to the shelters for some much needed grub.  After we were all well fed Luna took the lead on the telling of the First Strike...  He did an incredible job and it was evident that most if not all were emotionally moved by the story.  This and the rest of the events of April 19, 1775 are incredibly important to us as a country and should not be forgotten. 

After lunch we returned to the line for more practice in the prone position and an opportunity to make final sight adjustments...  Shrek and I both brought our 10/22 scoped "Critter Gitter" rifles...  We were both already aware of the "turkey neck" aspect of the prone position before we arrived and had moved our scopes as far forward as they could go to compensate for this...  Unfortunately this was not enough..  In addition to our scope rings being too high, our stocks were just too short to allow for proper positioning and full scope view.  When using the 10/22 for hunting or snap type shooting this is not really an issue but when you are going for the consistency of a proper, rock solid position we were fighting against ourselves to maintain a good field of view and proper cheek placement...  Both Shrek and myself were having to float the rifle forward OFF OF OUR SHOULDER to get a decent scope view.  AS WELL we were having to almost put our jaw bones on the stocks to to compensate for the height issue (both of us have low rise mounts...aagghhh)  Neither of these actions were beneficial to allowing us to lock ourselves into a successful prone position that allowed us to have an effective NPOA..

This is where the infamous Posterboy dropped by for some much needed "rifle first aid"...  I have to say.. "I have never been more thankful for foam pipe insulation and vet wrap!!!!!..."  Within minutes Posterboy has placed a section of foam atop the comb of my rifle and another piece over the butt.  These he wrapped with enough gray vet wrap to stabilize them and make my rifle look as if it needed some serious R&R...  Within the hour he had done the same to Shrek's Ruger...  These mods helped me more than I can say at this point and for me made the rest of the instruction tremendously more effective.

Soon we were receiving instruction in the sitting position with the loop sling and had the opportunity to go after more squares on our hind ends...

With the time change we were rapidly losing daylight and by late afternoon we had to move on to the standing position.  After a quick overview of the proper use of the hasty sling when standing we went right into our first AQT...

Once we had gone through all 4 courses of fire, we pulled our targets handed them off to be scored.  With the shadows growing long on the ground placed our final Red Coat of the day on the target backers and went about giving them what they deserved...  I believe it is safe to say that there was not a shooter on the line that did not have noticeable improvement...



This is the extent of my recollection of Saturday...  I would like to thank the Miamisburg Sportsmen's Club for hosting the event and allowing us to make use of their excellent facilities...  The instructors were outstanding...  They showed a level of professionalism, patience and comradere that is beyond reproach...  Meanstreaker, Fuzzymath, Dryfire, Slim, TooTall, Luna, and Buttstock... you guys are incredible!!!  You are truly making a difference one American at a time.. it adds up as all of you know by now...  Thank You!!!


Stay tuned for Day 2...

[Miki]

Miki it was great to see you earn that patch I really was afraid I was driving you nuts buy sitting there watching and offering suggestions, I hope something helped you over that hump, and welcome to the league of orange hats.

DryFire I can tell you EXACTLY what you did that got me over that 'hump'. Gopher Boy (at the Williamston, MI shoot) kept telling me to trust myself and quit 'fussing' my shots and 'chasing paper'. That's why I put away the 10/22 and got out the Colt. With the sights on the Colt 'fussing' and 'chasing paper' is not an option as I can't see where the bullets are actually impacting paper. There was a point where I was shooting squares and you came by and asked me if I was calling my shots. I said, "Yes", and you told me to tell you where they were. I did and you said, "We'll see when we get down there". Every shot was exactly where I called it! That FINALLY got me to trust myself and I put away the Colt and got the 10/22 back out and nailed a 220 on the next AQT. So, now you know. As to driving me nuts...good luck with that. I was taught by a very fine ballet teacher years ago that when you think a teacher is driving you nuts to take a deep breath and thank them because they are working hard to make you the best you can be. So, thank you!

[Gopher Boy]

You mean I said something that worked. 

I would love to take credit for it, but that's Dinky, Poster Boy and Slim's work on me from back in July. They used other methods back then...

Miki, Great job!  Takeevery chance you can to work with the Ohio crew, they are some of the best (Next to may be Illinois).    The only advice I can give you is not to bring a Michigan tent to Ohio.  They have a history of doing a little decorating at lunch.

Sounds like another great shoot, Sorry I couldn't be there.

Congrats to all the Rifleman and Orange Hat.

Gopher Boy

[Miki]

You mean I said something that worked. 

The only advice I can give you is not to bring a Michigan tent to Ohio.  They have a history of doing a little decorating at lunch.

Yup, you said LOTS that worked. As to the tent...I saw a maize and blue one in the pictures. Mine is scarlet and gray (REALLY it is). As long as they don't peek inside and see the pink sleeping bag I think I'll be okay.

[MeanStreaker]

Miki, way to:

"Verify your Natural Point of Aim.  Then TRUST IT and shoot in Rifleman's Cadence."

[Mayfly]

Grrr. So the first post is a fail.  Maybe this one will work.  Sorry.