I recall one hot summer afternoon, returning from yet another fruitless gunshow with my cousin.
Let's just say we were discussing the perils of gun control, the degradation of our rights , as well as the need to form a sort of 'club,' to fill the needed role of defending said rights as well as America. I wasn't yet eighteen years of age, and I had not a rifle. I did have a BB/pellet gun as a kid; and not a little green plastic armyman ever had a chance against my superior 'sniping' skills... That is, until the barrel was so worn that it occasionally shot out further than the projectile. Ultimately, it had to be shelved. Thus with that, my shooting skills began to decline. And recent trips to the range with my cousin had prooven that. Still, I'd heard the stories of riflemen during the Revolutionary War and through out our history of armed conflict. I understood the value of marksmanship and it's role in Americas heritage. Thus a debate ensued. He felt that we should all have AK 47's; because of their steadfast reliability and the ability to lay down a high volume of fire. I, on the other hand, argued that it wasn't the amount of rounds fired that would measure the effectiveness; but rather the amounts of hits that would ultimately be the deciding factor. Thus, we should focus on marksmanship with accurate rifles. The ideal rifle would of course be the M-14. We then debated over the high cost of the ammunition and the rifle itself. Though, I too, realized it's expense, I held to my original opinion that it would be the best option. I then, began to talk about the need to not only improve our marksmanship, but the marksmanship of others as well. We'd both seen the targets at the range; we weren't the only ones have problems hitting them. What happend to America being a nation of riflemen? As the conversation progressed, including at times rants, he said something that kinda broke the rhythm of the conversation. "You're starting to sound like that guy from the Shotgun News." "Who?" I asked. The response; "What's his name.... Fred!"
'Well who the heck is this Fred? And why do I sound like him?'
Fast forward a few years... The conversation lost to the depths of my mind(there were a few along them lines, so the one regarding SGN didn't really resonate), I picked up one of my recent issues of SGN. As I was now a subscriber. I was looking through the adds, I recall I was nearing the end of the magazine. By now, I believe I had two rifles. One, a Remington 760(in .308, none other) my father had given me for my eighteenth birthday. The other being a recently acquired Mosin-Nagant M 38. Well, I was looking for ammo, accoutrement's and of course more rifles! Then I noticed a quote by Thomas Jefferson mixed in with the classifieds. It was a familiar quote... Probably about the 'Tree of Liberty.' It suddenly struck me! This magazine has more than just stuff for sale! Seriously, before that time; I vaguely even realized they had articles in the front! Well, I was bored and continued to peruse for more quotes, which I could write down and/or commit to memory. I'd always appreciated the quotes from our founding fathers. Then suddenly, I came across this column next to Fred's M14 stocks. I'd probably seen the advertisement before; but skipped it, as I didn't have an M14 to stock. I began reading it and although I don't recall it's actual subject, the overtones regarding American's need to learn how to shoot rung a bell with me. Suddenly, I realized that this was the guy my cousin had been talking about! Huh, interesting.
Being that I now began to read back through previous issues; I don't recall whether it was before or after the beginning of the Appleseed Tour. They all kinda melted together in my mind. I do recall reading about the 'New RBC's' at some point, and telling my cousin that we should go to one, as a weekend clinic didn't make much sense considering the amount of travel necessary. If funds and equipment would ever allow. Heck, I still needed to get myself a semi-auto rifle. Meanwhile, I kept reading SGN watching as shoots got closer and closer. I remember MO popping up, and I recall reading about 'Ditchwater.' I missed a few, when my subscription lapsed. But I recall reading Fred's description of the range in Shiocton, WI. Heck, their in Wisconsin now! But I missed the first one... Also, I began looking into the possibility of getting one at a range here. But the only one I found any connection to, was Hinckley.... Surely, that puny range was unworthy of such an exceptional program...So, I thought. Back when KD was such a huge component that I thought it necessary to hold a shoot. Centerfires were still center stage. Hadn't even heard of the possibility of using a .22lr. And if so, I wasn't willing to show up with boys gun, to a Rifleman's shoot! The LTR concept, as far as I know, hadn't been developed. So I needed a center-fire! I'd been keeping my eyes open for a decently priced SKS, as it would be the only thing in my price range. Finally, I found one! Problem was, two weeks later when I went to the next gunshow, to pick up a case of ammo this time; it was gone! All of it! I spent months looking for 7.62x39 by the case for less than $150. Finally, in the spring of 2007 I found one. Soft-point wolf, but it'll do! Now all I had to do was order up them targets and Fred's Guide to Becoming a Rifleman! I went ahead and got the 'Instructor's Package.' I wanted to be sure that when the time came, and we could finally get to one of these 'Appleseeds' or 'RBC's' we'd be ready to put forth a good representation of MN marksmanship. That and I was still under the impression that this was literally 'learn to shoot today, learn to teach tomorrow' meaning I'd be returning home to run my own AQT shoots. Up to that point, I don't think I'd never ordered anything off the internet before. If so, I was extremely skeptical about the whole 'Security Certificate error' thing. That and to load up a website at 10 kbps took a great deal of commitment alone! Finally, sometime during the summer of '07, I put in an order.... And waited.... And waited.... Meanwhile my cousin and I formulated a plan to set aside the third Saturday of each month as a range day. It started out great at first. I went through about 500 rounds in no time. Though it wasn't well applied as most of the time was still spent BSing. I still didn't have my dang targets! Finnally got them in the fall of '07. At about the same time our schedules got jostled; and the time for 'range day' got eaten away...
I did shoot me one of them Redcoats, only to find I wasn't effective past 200 yards!
Luckily, my SKS had a bayonet.
Though, I had read through Fred's Guide, I couldn't focus on the first portion of the pamphlet. I kept skipping through and concentrating on the end.
Also, while Christmas shopping that November, I developed the crazy notion that I should get a laptop with WiFi. So I could steal some high-speed stuff and get all my internet work done in half an hour! Ha!
Though, I believe I may have paid a visit to the old forum back in the day; as it seems so familiar. I did not register for it. Internet was too slow, and I didn't know anything about forums except that they always popped up in my searches, distracting me from relevant information. In fact, I hated reading through tons of jib-jab just to find someones opinion on an issue; when all I was seeking was straightforward information! Then again, it was a lot of work with dial-up! But one day, after getting my new computer; I recalled the website; RWVA.org and went there. Somehow stumbling upon the registration for the program. i.e. Forum. Back then, you still had to be manually approved for registration. The confirmation email must have been lost in my overflowing In box. Never did delete all the spam outta that old one, it was too far gone by the time I got away from dial-up, too slow to do so before. Meanwhile, I put it in my subconscious. I was too busy arguing with people on facebook's opinion polls. In some ways I regret getting facebook. If allowed it'll easily consume way too much of your time. Oddly enough, the very person who begged and finally convinced me to get a facebook account; de-friended me!
Apparently I became too opinionated.
I don't think I ever got back around to the forum, that is until I saw Shiocton, WI on the schedule!
(You know, back when it was still in that tiny box on the upper right of Fred's advertisement.) That was less than 500 miles away, on a weekend I could get off, and it wasn't in Iowa!
Seeing that, sparked the flames up again, and I logged back into the forum. I wasn't a lurker. I just misunderstood the rules regarding a 'working forum.' I figured that meant only instructors, admins, and the like were allowed to post. So, I watched from time to time, and gathered my relevent information. And was all but signed up for the coming Shiocton shoot in May of 'o8. Then I ran into a little car trouble... In February, it decided to play rolly-polly on me and put itself outta commission... Well, the next car I could afford had more than a few kinks to work out and well, by now my cousin was as broke as I was. We would not be able to make it to that shoot! Disappointed as all heck, I continued to watch the schedule. And practice here and there. But most my rifle work was superceded by my need to familiarize myself with my new pistol that I would be carrying as soon as I could afford the class. At about the same time I found a Carry Class, sometime in July 'o8, I noticed a new location appear. Winona, MN! I WOULD NOT, COULD NOT MISS THE FIRST SHOOT IN MINNESOTA! I blew my budget, on both the carry class and the Winona shoot and of course buying enough ammo to make it through.... Now $200 per case! As Johnny Appleseed would later point out, I could have set up an LTR for that much.... And began to spend a little more time on the forum, downloading flyers and info for my cousin. It would probably be good to mentioning that I believe it was Slim, who prompted me to help out, directing me to the MN board and suggesting I get in touch with vmt193.
One week out and I was all set and ready to go. I told my cousin he'd better hurry and sign up, as there was only about a slot left. I think he used this as his opportunity to bail. Oh, well.... So, I would be making the 4.5 hour trip alone. Never gone that far alone, but oh well. I wasn't gonna miss the first shoot in Minnesota.
So, there I was; leaving about 22:00 and driving throughout the middle of the night to go to some shoot, in some place I've never been, taking roads I've never driven, going to meet people I've never met. Worse of all, what if Fred was there? Oh, no.... This was gonna hurt!
Never the less, I repressed all notions of my own insanity and continued down that dark road of uncertainly. Leading me into the unknown.
I arrived sometime around 03:00; and found a cozy spot in the seat of my car, near the edge of a well-lit Walmart parking lot!
I awoke to a hot beam of light upon my forehead. And proceeded to the range.
There I was greeted by vmt193, Iowa Mark, Alex, Johnny Appleseed, SavageShootr, Colycat, and of course Old Glory.
Signed in and brought my gear down to the line. We had our safety briefing, though I was still quite anxious it wasn't long before we were on the line and firing away....
The rest, as they say, is history!
Aftermath
