Appleseed: Dulzura, CA, May 29-30, 2010

[Francis Marion]

The Appleseed Project:  South Bay Rod and Gun Club, Dulzura, CA

Rifle shooting and American Revolutionary War history all weekend: a public celebration and hands-on application of American Heritage.  

Honor many brave Americans who gave their lives long ago for your Liberty by learning their stories.  

If you are a new or long-time rifle shooter, spending a weekend refining the basics will improve your shooting.  All skill levels are welcome, families especially.  

Learn how to:
Shoot from standing, sitting, prone positions.  
Use a loop sling.  
Adjust sights.  
How to mentally, physically fire each shot.  

Military, ladies and youth pay range fees only, that's only $5 per shooter per day.  
(Military families, what other weekend activity can offer this much fun for your whole family at such a low price?)
All others pay $80 both days for walk-on registration, $70 for pre-registration.  

Rev War re-enactors, in uniform, pay range fees only.  

The course of fire is at 25m on scaled targets; this is a challenging and fun course of fire derived from an Army Qualification Test.  The fundamentals that bring hits at 25m apply at full distance shooting also.  

What to Bring:  Rifle of your choice, 250 rounds ammo per person per day, ground mat, water, sunscreen, hat, extra mags/stripper clips, sight adjustment tools, sack lunch.  Enjoy your lunch while hearing hearing Revolutionary War History!  A high price was paid to win our Liberty.  Bring plenty of friends and family!

Rifles:  Magazine or tube fed rifles are good choices.  Bring extra magazines.  Sling equipped rifles are good choices, especially with GI M1 Garand slings.  Some Garand slings will be available to purchase at cost, but make sure your rifle has 1 ¼ inch wide swivels (not 1" swivels) to fit the Garand sling.  
Scopes, optics, iron sights are all OK.  22 rimfires are good choices due to the cheap price of ammunition and 25m distance.  

Show your family what a weekend looks like-and sounds like- in a free country.   Celebrate Liberty at the South Bay Rod and Gun Club in Dulzura this May 29-30, 2010.  

appleseedinfo.org.  

Sign up here:
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=10934.0

Host range:  http://www.sbrgc.org/

1020 Marron Valley Road
Dulzura, CA 91917

[Francis Marion]

After Action Report:

Memorial Day Weekend and 18 San Diegans firing rifles.   Meeting the founders.  Understanding the high cost of Liberty for a New England community long ago.  Embracing the American Revolution. 

You can discuss the Revolutionary War without losing your composure.  It's more difficult to keep yourself together when discussing the American Revolution.  Maybe you should not be able to maintain an even keel. 

We learned that an informed, determined people accomplish much, change history's course.  That we have a great responsibility to maintain and care for our Heritage, to make the difference we alone can make by choosing to do so. 

Thank you all for joining the Appleseed Project this weekend. 

We honor, and may God comfort, every family this weekend whose sons, fathers, sisters have given 'the last full measure of devotion' for our country.   

[Old Glory!]

After Action Report:

Memorial Day Weekend and 18 San Diegans firing rifles.   Meeting the founders.  Understanding the high cost of Liberty for a New England community long ago.  Embracing the American Revolution. 

You can discuss the Revolutionary War without losing your composure.  It's more difficult to keep yourself together when discussing the American Revolution.  Maybe you should not be able to maintain an even keel. 

We learned that an informed, determined people accomplish much, change history's course.  That we have a great responsibility to maintain and care for our Heritage, to make the difference we alone can make by choosing to do so. 

Thank you all for joining the Appleseed Project this weekend. 

We honor, and may God comfort, every family this weekend whose sons, fathers, sisters have given 'the last full measure of devotion' for our country.   

FM, You strike right to the heart of the matter.    

[Johnnyappleseed]

This Dulzura event was a pleasure to attend Special thank you to Tom for his help and hosting the AS . Thanx again Tom.
Francis Marion was shoot boss + Agent Tokyo assisted ,it was his 1st shoot as ITT. FM did a great job on strikes 2+3. FM has a way with words  his instruction and his examples were really clear.    AT did well on DOM,line calling and every other rifleman IIT task. Nice working with you Mike.
We had repeat AS on this shoot and it is fun to see the progression at each later event . Bob and Elaine have attended other AS and they add to every shoot. Elaine shot a 209 this time and Bob persevered with some sort of Kalisnokov  Not the easiest choice for high scores
We had lots of 1st time AS and used 4or 5 loaner rifles that I recall. Henry a Marine NCO shot well after replacing a rifle that shot 32 minutes high. We also had Danny, who will be in the military soon. The Marines possibily , or if he takes Glenn's advice the (dread)Air Force  Everyone enjoyed the AS and many are planning on attending future events .
Thanx to all who came. It was my pleasure meeting and working with each of you.
Semper Fidelis
JA

[Francis Marion]

I reviewed Elaine's target for a missed point to no avail.  She's so close that she'll soon reap her well earned reward. 

Aaron on the left of the line shot Saturday without a sling, and rigged up a loop sling by Sunday.  A loose scope mount cropped up, but till then he was hitting 4MOA groups or better. 
Jon and Jared persisted Sunday in Jared's quest for a patch.  It's there for you Jared, just dry fire and practice positions. 

Scott and Claire left to study for finals, Matt and Lynda joined us on Saturday for their second Appleseed. Mory and Chris were a father and son team, and Mory a Vietnam vet to boot.  Mike didn't have many neighbors for some reason... might have been due to his SOCOM which set off car alarms with every shot for awhile.  Danny used both days as preparation for joining the military- thank you, sir, for your decision to serve.  Danny 'settled in', and got better toward the end of each AQT stage of slow fire prone until his groups on the last target would approach 1/2 MOA. 

Each shooter made me proud and glad to be there.  Thank you all. 

 

[GJC]

Had a great time as always, I'll get some pics up a little later.

[FFM1501]

  Mike didn't have many neighbors for some reason... might have been due to his SOCOM which set off car alarms with every shot for awhile. 
 

Is THAT what it was?  I thought it was my deodorant.  Now I feel better. 

I went to this shoot to learn how to shoot my battle rifle.  What I learned was of a far greater importance: The price paid for our liberty by the few who gave up comfort for cause, riches for righteousness, and life for liberty of others.

I did improve in my shooting, but more importantly, I improved in my inner self.  I am compelled to read about the revolutionary soldiers.  I don't have the time I'd like to read, but I WILL make an effort.  It seems only fitting.

[snowbird]

I'd have to say that this was the most rewarding and fun Memorial Day weekend I've ever had. I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people, learn some great history, and have fun while shooting a rifle.

Thank you to all the excellent instructors that helped me improve this weekend. I didn't know a thing about how to hold a rifle properly until I came out to the AS. Now all I need to do is to keep practicing and come out to more events!

Oh, and Mike: every time a car alarm went off, I kept laughing. In hindsight, maybe that's why some of my groupings were so far apart from each other

Also, does anyone know where I can find a shooting jacket with custom names, like Bob's and Elaine's jackets? I might have to get me one too.

-Claire

[Francis Marion]

Jon, post up pics when you can.  Thanks for coming up.  Wasn't Chris's SKS fun?  Jared: Practice finding NPOA (and therefore position steady hold factors, sling use) and shifting NPOA, dry fire (if that's OK with a Marlin- check it) by the numbers on your 10 ft dry fire target.  Your patch wants you to take it home!   Persist with 'home' work.  Take ten 'shots' at home for every one you shoot at the range.

Mike, it was a pleasure to meet you and have you- and those tasty oranges- I'll try not to think about that where you said they get watered.  I hope you get some time to choose your reading soon, and highly recommend David Fischer's work Paul Revere's Ride, 'Posterity, you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom.  I hope you make good use of it...', toward an ennobling, necessary (re)discovery of the Founders' generation. 

Claire, thanks for choosing this program to practice shooting.  What you now know about shooting should be the common knowledge of any free person.  Consider also this: the knowledge of how to shoot, much less the ability to meet at will, is unobtainable to The People outside the boundaries of a free country.  So thank you for choosing to add to your free person's necessary storehouse of knowledge. 

Shooting jackets are sold 'plain' and you have to add your name; I'm thinking that with so many military in the SD community you can find a shop to stitch your name on like you have seen.  Bob, Elaine, any suggestions?  You can search for "USMC shooting jacket" online to find the type Bob and Elaine had.  Bob210 on the forum here is taking orders for tan USMC shooting jackets:   

http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=14120.0




     

[Johnnyappleseed]

Claire - thank you for attending ,your enthusiasim and persistence paid off with some nice  groups .
We are happy you enjoyed the AS weekend   Probably the only way to have more fun is to become IIT
A shooting jacket is one aid that pays off with smaller group sizes. Besides they look so cool
As Francis mentioned Bob 210 is taking orders on the tan USMC jackets . SS told me he may have green ones available in your size .
SavageShootr said the forum has a thread on nametags . Maybe she will post it here 
JA

[SavageShootr]

Hi Snowbird,

Welcome to the forum!

Here is the information I found on the forum regarding the name tapes.

Found some options for nametapes, felt like sharing.. [I know, answering my own question]

http://www.nametape.com/nametape.html   Will do one offs, custom colors, dang near anything, but seem a tad pricey...
http://www.1800nametape.com/  Minimum of 3, but cheaper and almost as flexible.
http://nametapes.com/  Another 3 minimum, but they have some state stuff, and also carry the velcro stuff also.
http://www.supertrooper.com/mn_nameTapes.htm Gets much cheaper as you buy more, under $1 each if you buy a dozen..

Here is the link to the thread for the OD green shooting jackets. http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=12145.0

I hope this helps you as well as anyone else looking for these!

SS

[FFM1501]

I ordered Paul Revers Ride on Tuesday and it will be here Monday.  My evenings are now full for a while  

I cleaned all that brass and found one more split case.  I measured a fired case (Base to datum with the proper tool) and compared it to an unfired cartridge....... guess what......headspace is over .008".  I called Springfield and the want the rifle back.  I should see it back in 6-8 weeks all spiffied up.  .
 I promise I'll dry practice before I come to the next one and I'll bring something...less......"Alarm Sensitive"   .  

I've already passed the word to about 15 people and I KNOW 4 will up to the next AS.  

Looking forward to seeing ALL MOST (if it's all, there won't be room for the people I'm bringing) of you next time out.  


Mike

[Johnnyappleseed]

Mike ,sure was nice having you onboard for this event.
I am looking forward to the next Dulzura . FM has lots of rifleman patches he wants to issue
Good call on excessive headspace  Lake City has fine reputation for quality . Springfield Armory has in my experiance always made their products right.
Will those folks you bring have short bbl centerfires too? Just want to get ready for EVERY car alarm to go off
Be PREPARED and forewarned for extra time on the riflemans bubble
JA

[Francis Marion]

Mike, glad to hear SA will sort out your rifle.  Hope it's back soon. 
Bring boomer (a SOCOM simply emits the sound of Liberty at high volume) anytime and as many friends, family as you can find; the more the better!

We're at Escondido Fish and Game this August 14-15 2010:
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=14165.0

You had an interesting modern design sling which you were able to use as a loop... who is the manufacturer, what model?   

[FFM1501]

"The sound of Liberty at high volume".... I like that!

Here's a write up of that sling: http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=934488

and here's where to get it: http://www.riflesonly.com/store/TAB/index.html

I can't make it to the Escondido shoot unfortunatly, but I've passed it on to others.  I'll be at the next Dulzura after October though.

Got my book already and I'm getting into it.

[Francis Marion]

Thank you, folks, for helping clean up the range.  Tom Fox shared an email with me from the next SBRGC person to observe the state of the range after we used it; our cleanup effort made a positive impression.  We respected their property and it was noticed.
Excerpt:

"Hi Tom.

I was out at the range today, returning some rifles ...

The main reason for this email is the following:

The 100m range was left in great shape after the weekend.  I guess the Appleseed group was there (on the schedule Sat. and Sun.) and if they did the clean up they should be commended.  The place looked swept and raked, all the brass and trash picked up, even the .22 cases.  Target frames neatly stored in place.   We need more folks like that using our ranges.  Please pass my gratitude and compliments to whomever is responsible."

[FFM1501]

so...... an update on "Liberty"  (That's what I decided to name my M1A that I took to the A.S. that day), Springfield looked at it and said the Headspace is 1.631" (which is PERFECT), and that I'm using "Bad Brass" (Lake City) and sent it back untouched.  In the mean time, I measured  some of the fired brass that came out of one of my sniper rifles.  The M1A brass is .007"  longer.  The Sniper rifle (her name is Dottie..if you've seen the movie Armageddon then you'll know how I named her) fired brass is .001" longer than an unfired round and .006" shorter than Liberty's brass.

I'm a bit disheartened.  I've ordered a set of go, no-go, and field gauges just to verify. 

any thoughts?

[polygunner]

M-14 type rifles tend to be hard on brass. As the brass is extracted there is still enough chamber pressure to increase the head space reading.
If you want a better idea of the chamber dimension fire the rifle with the gas system turned off and use that brass as your standard.
Where are the splits on your brass? Neck, shoulder or body? Or is it a head separation issue?
Hope that helps.
pg

[FFM1501]

They kept the brass, but both of the casses were body splits along the long axis.  What was interesting was there were 2 marks on each case in exactly the same spots along the split.  those marks weren't on any of the other 450 cases I fired.