Kingsport TN Appleseed 16-17 FEB 2008

[student]

I'll go ahead and start as most of the other instructors probably are not even home yet.

This AS went well.  We had a very good student/teacher ratio (about 1 to 4).  So all participants got plenty of help.

We had shooters from 10 to about 60.  We had a fairly high female ratio which was encouraging (about 1 in 4).

We had shooters shooting everything.  From a 91-30 Nagant to a Styer Scout in bolt guns and 10-22 (of every configuration) to the usual battle rifles and carbines.

By the way 7.62x54R WILL shoot through steel fence posts

All who attended seemed to learn allot.  The shooters seemed to have made a great deal of marksmanship progress.
 
TN is known for odd weather in the winter.  We were fortunate to have very good weather for the season.  Rain managed to hold off until late on Sun.

The rain ran many folks off.  Of the dedicated few that stayed one young man pulled out Rifleman with an exact 210 in the rain on our last AQT.

Instructors were willing to stay in the cold rain as long as a student wanted to keep at it.

For me, as a local, the best part of the weekend was making contact with others from the area who want to steer this country in the correct direction.

We made contact with 2 other landowners who are interested in hosting an AS.


All the IIT's did a great job.  They actually did most of the instruction with a little help from the instructors.  It is great working with good people.


The biggest surprise had to be The Guy showing up.   He was in the neighborhood don't you know and thought he would drop in.  He is every where. 

The Guy got to work with the President of ETSU's Marksmanship Club.  She showed up late on Sat so did not get the full benefit of The Guy.

Photos of the event will follow soon.

[Son of Martha]

And this event is yet another example that you can have an Appleseed almost anywhere, formal ranges are not required.  In this case a landowner who wanted to help the cause volunteered the use of the land.  One site survey and a little work later Appleseed was there.

This event was conducted in a pasture using a convenient hill for a backstop, with a little brook curling behind the firing line and across the path from the parking area.  It was a wonderful not too cloudy/not too warm Saturday and the tremendous scenery of the east Tennessee mountains made a great backdrop for the activities.  Student welcomed folks and introduced the Instructors. Dond told the story of the Patriots who made it possible for us to do such as we were, and George briefed on safety rules and firing point procedures.  After retrieving the rifles from the vehicles we commenced with the Redcoat target...

Good job to the husbands who thought to invite the wife, thank you to the ladies who attended (sometimes us guy types can stand some civilizing influences...), kudos to the father with his son.  Appleseed is perfect as a family event, and it is particularly gratifying to me to see folks taking advantage of it.  There was also a couple students on the line, with one ROTC fellow wielding the Mosin-Nagant like a toy.

Sunday was similarly nice most of the day, with the normal lower turnout.  (Remember, if you attend church you can come afterwards.)  The attendees got even more individual attention, and we did the NPOA drill before starting the AQT "grind" (I put that in quotes because even though it is work, it is also fun, and how could shooting the AQT ever be boring?).  Once we went into the AQT iterations, I passed my Green Lantern magic time shrinking countdown timer (you know, the one that fits a minute into 37 seconds?  Yeah, that's the one.) to the IITs calling the line.  After all, these folks came here to shoot, and we need to accommodate them .  Finally only wrapped it up when the approaching  thunderstorm (well, it was here actually--shot the last AQT or two in the rain) convinced folks that it was time to tie the ribbon on the weekend. 

Thank you to the guys and gal who helped us teardown the line and clean up--much appreciated.  A special recognition to Student who brought with him not one, not two, but SEVEN LTRs as loaners for people--and I think he ended up having SIX on the line at one point  .  Thank you to the folks who brought centerfires, I was starting to miss the sound and feel of .30 cals on the line .  And of course, well done to all who attended--without you, none of this would happen.

C'ya next time on the Trail.

SoM

[Fred]

Remember, if you attend church you can come afterwards.

     That's perfectly true, but I bet that there's more than one on this site who would give a vociferous argument that Appleseed itself is "doing the Lord's work", and that spending a Sunday morning at Appleseed is at least the equivalent of spending the morning in church.

    Me? I am neutral, of course...

[PHenry]

Now that's what I call preachin' the gospel!
PHenry

[CATT]

Hello Y'all this is my effort to convey my thanks to one and all for your strong desire to spread the "art and Zen"of marksmanship to those of us who perhaps thought we could shoot a rifleman score.
Just because we have the rifle, does not mean we know the correct way to use it.NPOA that most difficult thing to tame(at least for me) was continually stressed upon,along with "don't forget to breathe".Dancing trigger fingers are not a good thing as I found out.This was my 1st Appleseed but not my last for sure.Special thanks to You Student for spending the time to help me better my score even though not to Rifleman status,that will come later I'm sure.SOM thank you for making me feel better about the fact that it was'nt the rifle but me,I truly mean that.
        Once  again thank you all for the experience,
              CATT out

[Clod Stomper]

I, too, would like to thank all the instructors and the landowner.  This was not my first Appleseed, but I was reminded that I have a ways to go to get beyond the cook stove.  A special thanks to those who helped my wife.  She doesn't seem to like taking instruction from me, but she'll listen to others.  Go figure.  Anyway, I fully intend to practice as much as possible and make Rifleman next time, hopefully at a Ramseur event.

Thank you,

Clod

[CandRNut]

I was impressed with everything except my marksmanship!  I agree--thanks to all of the instructors, guides and the landowner for their effort.  I joined the RWVA and I'll now begin to practice to become a rifleman.

I had never heard of the group so I'm really glad that I attended.  I'm going to have to purchase more gear now, like those slings that are invaluable.

[The Guy]

Well, I had a good time.

I shot for a few 1 inch squares, and the opening Redcoat.  Gosh, getting to shoot at an Appleseed.  What a novel thought.....

BUT, I couldn't resist the call of Instructing, so off I went to help others.  Much more fun and rewarding.

Like always, we had a good group of folks.  Duh.  Seeing that ROTC fella in ACUs with a Nagant, bayonett extended, was a real kicker, a near perfect blend of new and old, commie and Free.

This was also an enthusiacstic bunch, which makes the teaching all the more fun.

One of the best results of "dropping in" was that I was able to see some friendly faces that I hadn't seen in a while.  Silence, George, Dond, Student, Posterity (little John!) and, of course, SoM.  Gotta love that.

The Instructors did quite well, and will only improve.  That students all have a firm start, and too should improve.  I hope that next time I "drop in", I will see how much, because they will all come back again.

Guy

[grasshopper]

This was the first AS for my wife and I, and we had a great time with EXCELLANT insruction and coaching, "BRAVO TO ALL THE INSRUCTORS".
My wife had alot of equipment prblems at first ,but resolved most of them to improve her score enough that she knows with more practice she will score "RIFLEMAN".
Thanks for the patience of the instuctors with me as I had some difficulties in some positions and unable to see the 400 yd targets even with scope, M.S. does make life an adventure. I did learn some strengths & weaknesses, and some very good ideas for practice so next time I'll make rifleman, also my scores increased alot from start to the last target. I will make rifleman, as my wife anounced I can't cook without setting off the smoke alarms, no body likes burnt food, so I'll just have to practice adapt and overcome!!!
GOD BLESS everyone there as it was an honor to be there with such a fine group of people.
We'll see ya'll at another AS and, and you might just have two more rifleman on your hands.

THANKS, (grasshopper) Craig & Janis

[MHIDPA]

OK So I am the guy with the 66 year old Russian Battle Rifle.  I had a great time and really learned alot.  Work kept me away on Sunday, but I will definatly be back when another shoot happens.  Although when I come back I will probably have something more modern, like a Garand.  I've started on Step #7 with a friend on campus at ETSU.  2 times shooting a handgun and she is hooked. 

[student]

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o7/mhidpa/appleseed/

This is a link to photos from this AS.