Raton, New Mexico April 17-18, 2010 NRA Whittington Center

[TaosGlock]

Raton April 17th and 18th, 2010
Part 1:
Nationwide there were over 100 events to celebrate the founding of our country. Congrats to all you guys who made this possible!
Our goal is to reawaken American's to their heritage with the goal that they will view themselves as the rightful owners of this Nation.
We do this by teaching traditional/fundamental rifle marksmanship with history/heritage talks centered around April 19th, 1775.

Once again, here in New Mexico, we had another successful shoot at the NRA's Whittington Center Coors Range.

50 Americans from the great southwest showed up:
An historic record amount for an NRAWC Appleseed event!

Among these fine Americans was Scout Troop 280 from Parker, CO.

The "murky half-light at dawn", due to the presence of a northern statewide cold wet front, greeted those hardy souls who camped out and stayed on the NRAWC grounds. 
This is the view thru the misty fog from our cabin looking at the Coors Range.
This is the range dedicated for the Appleseed Project.


Each morning, the sound of wild turkeys, awaken the shooters.
This is symbol of "Thanksgiving" in our country and a valuable food source since colonial times.


The Whittington Center provides quality camping facilities. The RV campground is well equipped with full hookups.
The primitive campground provides picnic tables, water, toilets and trash removal for those who desire a more rustic setting.
Shooters may also choose to stay in the various types of housing units, all which are handicapped accessible.
The prices are cheaper and better quality than the local motels.

At 0630 sharp, BlueFeather, the Shoot Boss for this event, opens the gate to officially start off the relatively short  6 month Appleseed shooting season in New Mexico's northernmost shooting range.
The highest point at the NRAWC is 8100 feet. 


Plastic target packers are the only choice for the cold, wet and windy conditions that often challenge shooters at this world destination shooting range.


Shooters bring mats to the line as a herd of deer check out the proceedings.


Our flags. The symbols of our country's freedoms and liberties are in good hands with our "posterity".
Here, Ande secures the final flag.


"Shooters, center up for instruction!"



"Shooters, to the line!"


Cold, wet conditions of rain and sleet hammered the shooters at various times.


NMMI reminds us that if you are complaining, you better be a  British Regular.
A Rifleman adapts, persists and overcomes.


A Rifleman always takes care of his rifle.


Persistence leads to...


Fathers and sons...




Just look at that line!!



...to be continued...

[colycat]

WOW, great pictures and write up.  I really hope to come out to your area and meet you, and see Blue Feather again.  Even though the weather was not as nice as it was for me,  your weather is so dramatic.  Good job with this AAR and with the shoot.

[TaosGlock]

Part 2.
The next day started out the same but by noon we were sunny.
Here staplegund sets up  the flags of our Founders. We hope as a Nation our fellow countrymen understand the sacrifices our Founders made. At an Appleseed event, we remind them.



staplegund, Long Rifle and NMMI set up the Redcoat  targets.


twh731, BlueFeather and NMMI at the pre-reg table with deer still lurking around.


Marksmanship has always been a pillar of American culture. It defines who we are. Marksmanship gave us our liberties.
On April 19th, 1775,  America was born by men, as the defeated Lord Percy said, "men who know very much what they are all about".
Let's not forget them nor the sacrifices that they made.
The "who we are" means we are not only marksmen, but men of clear vision who have a high degree of self control. Men we call "Riflemen".

Below, Long Rifle reminds them "kindly and gently" that the morning Redcoat target on day 2 is still not quite up to April 19th rifleman standards.


BlueFeather gives some more early morning marksmanship instruction and a heritage talk.


I had the honors to work with Joon, a young shooter from Korea.
He joined us at noon and these were his first rounds from Long Rifle's Rem. 597 downrange on a Redcoat.  
This was the first time this exchange student had ever even touched a rifle!


BF gives some pointers on shooting the AQT .


Long Rifle, Jason and BlueFeather watch the line.


These young riflemen hung tough for 2 long days.


NMMI watches the other end as the deer graze nearby, despite the smoke and booming of the M1A's M1's and AR's.





When the smoke had cleared we had 2 Riflemen emerge!
Congrats!


And Doug's Dog's wins the Star Target shoot and are rewarded with some flags that were proudly flown at a previous Raton AS event.



2 long days from the firehose of marksmanship and heritage resulted in Patriot Patches for this group.


A big thanks to the fathers from Scout Troop 280 from Parker, CO who brought their sons and other men's sons as well to this outstanding event.


And a big thanks to the moms who came!
Thanks to all you couples who attended.

A big thanks to everyone who attended our special April 19th special event.
And to those repeat shooters who brought friends and family back to Raton.
And to those returning to make this their yearly shoot

There were no "summer soldiers" or "sunshine patriots" at this event.

BF and I want to thank all the RI's who changed their schedule to accommodate this shoot. We could not have done it without you!
Especially NMMI, staplegund and Long Rifle (who brought his daughter Ande,).
Jason was our brand new IIT and did a great job!

Thanks to Robbie and Brad and the entire crew at NRAWC for giving us this special range at a special place.

I leave you with a quote from John Adams:

"Posterity...I hope you will never forget the sacrifices that we made to give you your liberties. If you do, we will repent in heaven we ever made the sacrifice."

John Adams would be proud of all of us Appleseeders

[oladcock]

A big  to all involved. What a beautiful site!....O.L.

[SamD]

When BF and TG do a shoot, you can count on a class act.

[Colorado Pete]

NICE PIX!! Good to see so many youngsters.
The weather down there can be challenging to say the least. And no matter how bad it gets, it's still always beautiful.

[Captwa]

  I'm attaching a pic of a grizzled RWVA instructor about to inpart some knowlege to us cooks.  Great time with great people at a great facility.  The deer and antelope played and the skies were not cloudy all day.

                                                                            Wa and Shorty

[LayloPro]

Shoot!! That's no "grizzled old RWVA Instructor!! That's "Young Dan", the happy man!!      

Sure had a bunch of young 'uns there buddy....glad it was a safe shoot, sometimes they can be a bit of an issue in a group like that!!

Did great!!

LLP

[Fred]

     The "Biggest Raton Appleseed to date"?

           

     All you Raton Appleseeders reading this: Let's let this be the "floor" upon which future Appleseeds at this location build.

     Let's see if we can't exceed this amount greater and greater with each additional Raton Appleseed! This year!

     It's kinda easy to do - simply GET THE WORD OUT to EVERYONE YOU KNOW - friends, family, relatives, co-workers, neighbors - everyone!

     Show 'em your targets. Tell 'em how challenging it is. Better, tell them how much you improved.

     And not just as a shooter. As an American.

     Appleseed: It's not about the shooting. It's about being an American.

      Congrats to all involved in this historic Appleseed!

[Captwa]

       I never said Dan was old, just grizzled. Might have been from the extra attention and instruction they focus on young shooters. Great safety program! Heck they brought in extra instructors on day 2 due to Rio Rancho's making fresh adobe. 

       I 'd brought in a guest from Massachusetts to sample Appleseed ( thanks to Shorty's bragging about it) and she was looking up local events before she left New Mexico.  It seems the freedom she found in New Mexico is lacking a bit back in old Mass. and she's raring to 7th step them back to rightiousness.  Inspiration found !

     Shorty says she'd be back just to hear the 3 strikes and dangerous "old" folks stories again. Me?  I'll keep touring the ranges of NM looking to make rifleman. I'm tired of being a cook.

                                                                  Wa

[Fred]

    Your Mass guest will go back to Mass and find a strong Appleseed program which will welcome her!