El Reno, OK

[K98Al]

 What a weekend! This was one of the best shoots I've seen this year. Weather was beautiful, and probably the best shooters I've seen in a long time.

Very enthusiastic, willing to learn, Kensie was a great motivator. That young lady shot a 209 - at her first Appleseed!

There were two ladies that camped at the range, heard about AS, went out and bought 10/22s, stayed for Saturday and Sunday, working through equipment problems that often come with new rifles and scopes, etc...they were awesome!

We had a young man and his wife on Saturday, he scored Rifleman on his first AQT, and continued to improve his scores over the weekend. He is a Lt. in the Army, thank you, Ray for your service!

There were several guys shooting the good 'ol M1 Garands, an M1A shooter, and a few ARs. Sunday afternoon the shooters were given the opportunity to shoot a K98 and a Mosin.

We had a couple of familiar faces take the Orange Hat - Shawn and Rhonda. I believe this was Shawn's second or third AS, and Rhonda has been accompanying Old Grunt and shooting for quite a few events now. I don't know if it was mentioned before, but Harry (Eppy) took an Orange Hat at our last shoot in Afton.


A wind gust came up around 4PM Sunday, and we briefly stopped to take down the popup shades, then we finished a final AQT. The skies were looking bad, and we wound up ending the day around 4:30 or so.

Thanks to the shooters, who really made this a fun shoot, and to Eppy and Scarecrow for securing and setting up the range.

[Verdigris]

Was a good weekend.  Weather was beautiful.  Instruction and history were really well delivered.

The participants seemed to be really engaged and we seemed to make a really strong showing with the first timers that were in attendance.  I know my buddy Don really enjoyed the event and we'll get him out to another as time and money permit.

[Scarecrow]

Oklahomas first lady to take the ORANGE!! WhooHoo!!

She stepped right up for LineBoss duty.
Ray backed up his RM score multiple times.
Shawn, that Orange looks good on your head.

[henschman]

Great shooters, great instructors, great weather, and a great host all combined to make an outstanding shoot.  Big thanks to Harry, the owner of Canadian Ranges, for letting us use his fine facilities.  Thanks to our Harry, too (who won't see this because he doesn't have a computer) for helping to get Appleseed's foot in the door, as well.  Thanks to Scarecrow for helping me get the shoot scheduled, and for showing up early Friday afternoon to construct the firing line -- all by himself!!!  He also bought some of our target backers at his own expense.  Thanks to all my fellow instructors who were there; new ones and the experienced ones alike all chipped in and made this run very smoothly and safely. 

Congrats to Ray, our newest Rifleman.  He was shooting very respectable groups right from the start with his 14.5" barreled AR, and he quickly implemented some of our techniques to tighten them up even more.  He had a 2-point tac sling on his rifle, and showed the qualities of a Rifleman by adapting it to be used as a marksmanship aid.

Kenzie, OG's cousin, had never shot a gun before.  I loaned her my scoped 10/22 with her promise that she would put it to good use, and I'd say she definitely did that!  209 on her first weekend is pretty impressive.  It was really great to watch how fast she improved.

The ladies from Hobart had been wanting to come to an Appleseed for a while.  They knew a thing or two about handgun shooting, but wanted to learn how to be proficient with a rifle, as well.  They both perservered extremely well, and walked away better marksmen and with a lot more familiarity with their rifles and equipment.

Thanks to Rhonda and Shawn for taking orange hats... We really need you guys, and you did great.  With all those orange hats, the other instructors were able to get some trigger time in!  K98Al's K98 and dalesp's 91/30 were a blast to shoot.

I think we'll be seeing lots of those shooters again. 

See you in Afton!

henschman

[Scarecrow]

Kenzie is a great kid with a great attitude.
I wanted to poke an extra hole in her earlier target to push it past her 209.
Kenzie was tearing up targets with an AR-15 late on Sunday.
I think she might like one of her very own one day soon.
Only two youth shooters made it this weekend by my count.  

[Greg in MO]

Sounds like you guys had a great shoot!  Well done OK crew!

Congrats to Rhonda and Shawn...  Way to step up.  I'm sure I will be seeing you both on the line soon.

Greg

[oldgrunt]

Here are a few pictures from the weekend ..I will post more today but wanted too share..

For the first time at this range we had a ball..I ha vent seen weather this nice in a very long time..Each of the shooters that came out got a treat to Our newest Orange hat instructor Old EPPY walked us through a few stages of the AQT and I enjoyed watchin a man that knows his way around a rifle ..Thanks SIR ..

I was told we will have this range again but for great weather like this I dont see it this good as we are to have it in JAN or FEB ..lol Winter seed of course..From the looks of the line lots of the folks were shooting new rifles and that was fine .We have no problem getting any rifle to run and the ladies seen that as we took each one from the box to the range..We enjoy helpin New and old shooters get the rifles ready for the poundin we put them through..lol Yes sights do fall off and we just bolt them back on...

Mc lovin came out with a very teachable attitude and seen where his game will improve..He has a very deep back ground in the 3 gun game and it showed .He came to us afterward and said I never knew I didnt know this much about shooting a AR??Well we aren't pro's but will share what we know ..The line was full of ladies aswell and each one walked away knowing they can shoot a rifle and enjoy doing it..

Even I got caught off guard from little kid that shot 209???209???And then said well I should be able to  you are my uncle!!!!LOL both Scarecrowe and myself had to fight off tears and blubbering as we tryed to get past the coins we give out to kids that go above what we think they can do..WOW and yes I think we got one more girl to help us out..

There were a few others that stepped up and took a hat.Ronda and shawn ,,Then Ronda took the line and ran it just like she wanted too fast and hard ..If she says its prep time you better be prepinnnn or that lady Will have you chasin you tail to get up to speed ....lol Glad I wasnt shooting I would have gotten left  with rounds still in my mag..Great job ..She has been to many events and has had enough of shooting Now its time to take over and run the events..Thank god..

If any of you want to help us out and dont want the hat just yet ..Dont think you cant we have plenty to do ..I look forward to the next years events looks like we will have alot of fun ...

And for my last at a boy ..For you that have been around us this past 2 years .You have seen or met a great kid thats way big for his age..CALEB he's only 15 now but been appleseeding for as long as I have been here..We all know how hard this kid works with setup teardown and helping others with shooting.Plz the next time you see me barkin orders to him tell him thanks he never asks for anything or complains with out him alot of the hard back work wouldnt get done as fast.He says he'll take a hat but he wants it to be at granfeild where it all started for him ..Lets make it special for him ...thanks...To all the parents you have done great  by bringing them out to shoot and learn about our  history and we all here thank you ..

I cant say enough how much this program means to all of the Instructors in the state .But each time we drive all that way to run a shoot makes it all worth it when we see dads moms and kids all coming together and leaving with smiles and memories that will always be there forever..Glad we could play a small part in saving this country one family at a time ..Seeya at the next one ..2 weeks away at that ...God bless

[oklagirl22]

Everybody had a really good time this weekend. Lots of new shooters but they were determined!!!  &)Kathy and Annie especially!!!  Kensie!!!! Wow what a great girl , she did an awsome job for her first AS. She rode with me  and she didnt quit looking at her coin for the longest time. She was so proud and she should be!!!!
Really proud to take the orange hat too!!!!! Looking forward to the next event.
Ronda

[henschman]

Hey Ronda, welcome to the forum.  I'll get you listed as an IIT so you can see all the fun stuff this site has to offer.  Thanks for stepping up -- you did great last weekend.