AAR Gunnison, CO , November 20,21

[al smith]

What a great first Day .  The Winterseed started cold and clear with 19 degrees F at the start.  More folks showed that expected.  We worked through the instruction points, shared the history and pounded through 3 AQTs.

Something must have clicked.  We got 4 riflemen out of 12 attendees.  Looks like most folks will be back for Sunday.  Feel free to comment if you attended and share any photos you may have.  Congrats to Rob, Cort, Mike and Gifford for sticking with it.  You guys make the effort worthwhile.  

For those that didn't get the patch today, No worries.  Set a place to practice,  build your positions, call your shots and stick with the program--Six Steps of Firing the Shot, Natural Point of Aim, Steady Hold factors, Rifleman's Dance, Riflemans Bubble, and Rifleman's Cadence.  Persist, Persevere and commit to a Practice Schedule.

If anyone would like to attend our weekly shoots, send a PM to al smith with your email.  You can practice shooting, we can practice teaching and shooting.  We all win.

More Later.

[TaosGlock]

Great job Al!  And congrats to the new rifleman...and on Saturday too!
Stay warm too!

[al smith]

Well, the storm has come and with it wind, and SNOW. And still the rifleman PERSIST and PERSEVERE, and GRIND through the SLUSH like a heavy wagon wheel during the night on the TREK to TRENTON......

[al smith]

Thanks again to the great folks that made this happen.  We had 12 attendees on Sat, 9 on Sunday.  We patched 7 Rifleman, made 3 Orange hats and got commitments for folks to return to the january shoot.

What a great weekend to hang out with a bunch of great americans.  We love this stuff.  We hope it shows.

Thanks to a great instructor team.  I have never seen such a high percentage of Rifleman.  "There are men among them who know very much what they are about".

For those that did not patch,  you are on the road. Send me a message with your email or forum name and we will get together to practice the positions and shoot AQTs.

I will get some photos posted as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

Thanks again  to Robert and Janet Allen for use of there fine range.  We are blessed to have you as supporters.  I am blessed to have you as friends.  

See you all on the trail...


Thank you all for making this weekend a great event.

Al Smith

[nmmi9100]

Sounds like a heck of a shoot, Al!  Congratulations to the shooters, the riflemen, and the new IITS.  I know you guys up in CO need all the help you can get, just like we do.

Way to persevere!

-David
Edgewood, NM

[al smith]

hello nmmi9100.

We used your COF with a few modifications.  Very fast and intuitive. Thank you very much.  

We added KD at the end before we shot the last redcoat.

We've got another one in January if you find yourself getting too warm.

Take care.

al

[Cowboy]

Congratulations to everyone who turned out for our first Gunnison,Colorado Winterseed! Special Thanks to Al Smith (our newly promoted Shoot Boss),Doctor Jed, our newly minted Riflemen,and our new Orange Hat Volunteers. All forged on the anvil of adversity.
&)Cowboy and Janet

[Sheepdog]

  Been watch'in you guys. Nice Job Al and Cowboy  Sounds like you found some more help.
Good work, keep shoot'in 
M/S

[al smith]

please see the following photos.

I have not yet learned to lay them out in a proper fashion with subtitles.

Anyone who does know please send me a PM.

Thanks
al

[Ruffian]

Thanks Al, Bob and Janet and all the other volunteers!

Sunday morning snow was a bit harsh.....but the best things are never easy to obtain.

You lit the rifle spark in my Janet.  After all these years telling her that rifles were fun and generally better than hand guns she finally sees the light.  It was amazing to see her go from zero to a shooter, and more importantly wanting to learn and improve more!  We can't recommend your program enough.....it's amazing.  As for Rob, he's always been a shooter, but you got him seeking perfection using the tools you gave him.

Al, your motivational skills have me in awe!

Thanks again, and seen you in January if not sooner.   

[Colorado Pete]

WOW Al! Seven Riflemen!!!!!!! I guess once you stop shivering and freeze solid, it becomes easier to hold steady! (You just gotta get your NPOA right before you solidify.)

[B-Line]

Sounds like all had a good time. How did the firearms function?

[al smith]

The mud did not help.  LOTs of misfires.  An abundance of caution had us checking the barrels for obstructions.  It would be interesting to know if the Zero of the rifles changed with the cold.

Lots of junk in the barrels by the end of the weekend.

Hard to handle Prepping  and Loading the mags, charging handles, and safeties with gloves on.  But we had very few safety violations.  The wind made it hard to hear the Cease Fire commands, so we began giving 10 second and 5 second warnings prior to the Cease Fire command. That helped solve the late shots.  Also Rifleman's Cadence improved so that most were done with the rapid fire stages before the cease fire was called.

AL

[TaosGlock]

Great pics! Sure miss the cold CO, over 8,000 foot elevation, high country. That wood stove in the tent looks inviting too. Hot soup and warm bread washed down with coffee and it's back to the firing line!
You guys did not miss a beat!
I love the last pic of the flags. The two end ones especially!
TG

[al smith]

Thanks for keepingup.

Check the first pic--following the snow plow down for the AS.

I did not notice the State Patrol behind me.  I was going a bit over I guess and he pulled me over.  

When he discovered I was RWVA Appleseed instructor on my way to the shoot,  He waved me on.  

There are good people out there and they are beginning to show themselves....