Carrolton, KY April 16/17

[SPQR]

In the dim morning light his stout frame appeared out of the mist.  The clatter of musketry barked out in the distance.  The great bearded one sighed and the salt and pepper parted.
   "Carrolton needs a Shoot Boss, get your things," he said frankly over the din of Freedom.  Nothing more need be said.  Eyes narrowed against the chill wind, SPQR set his rugged jaw and nodded.  The Ram had touched the Wall.
   So here we are at Carrolton, Kentucky!  We test ourselves and our equipment to find if we measure up.  Some people look at our Founding Generation and, as armchair philosophers are prone to doing, cast whimsical glances back at History claiming that generation or some other generation was America's best generation.  From the relatively uncontested position they hold they find the luxury to draw such conclusions.  They are the talkers, not the doers.  Where were they when Appleseed spent its weekend in Carrolton, Kentucky with four junior shooters who conducted themselves with aplomb and dignity well beyond their years?  Where were they when Appleseed ventured into river country to see grown men who had the humble confidence to understand that there was nothing they could not learn as long as they divested themselves of arrogance and adopted a teachable attitude and a dab of perseverance?  Where were they when a momma bear brought her cubs into the backcountry with a van full of rifles in sideways rain?  They weren't there, and so they do not know what we know, that there is nothing written that says our next generation cannot be our greatest generation.  SPQR knows we have it in us because the shooters at Carrolton proved to him it was there.



   No, we didn't all earn a patch, but we learned.  We got better.  No one did it for us.  No one took our shots but us.  We improved all on our own.  We braved the rain and wind and hunger and hurt and today we are better Americans than we were yesterday.  Our designated shooter, Memphis Belle, worked that 10/22 like the waist gunner on a B-17.  Her AQTs found nowhere to hide, even when they blew away.



Napoleon was a little dictator, anyone who offered help or assistance or suggested that she not do something just like the grownups got the stink eye.   I wouldn't step into the ring with this Little General for any amount of prize money!



Savage is shooting 6 MOA prone with a rack rifle and rack ammo and cool as a cucumber no matter the conditions.  Just stay out of his way!



tryitagain was the model of perseverance.  Being left handed with right eye dominance is tough enough to sort out on a sunny day, let alone in the misery cut loose on her Saturday.  She adapted, overcame, and stayed on target.  Soon enough, so did her rounds.



Stacey has everything he needs.  He accepted instruction, asked questions, made adjustments and improved at every turn.  This was an 4 MOA marksman who discovered that mastering the AQT is a weighty animal indeed.



Then there was Larry.  In his second Seed Larry had a hard time overcoming Sausagefingeritis, a terrible and debilitating disease that afflicts 10/22 owners everywhere.  Larry improved on every AQT throughout the weekend from a 197 to a 203 to a 207 and a 208 until, after the wall hit on Sunday, he dropped to a 199.  Then, suddenly, his scope jumped off his rifle during the next to last AQT!  What HORROR!  Everyone was brokenhearted seeing Larry's excellent, fun-loving, and determined attitude despite this terrible situation.  How would he be able to get the scope back on and zeroed with a solid IMC before the final chance at Rifleman? 
Then old SPQR stepped onto the scene.  As Heath arrived and became a hero of ideas, so too did SPQR prove that he was more than rugged good looks and roguish charm.  Having Larry zero his rifle with a five shot group on the sighter silhouette on the next to last AQT then IMC, our illustrious Shoot Boss gave Larry a fighting chance.  But was that enough?  Perhaps not, but SPQR knew that all Larry needed was a call to that which was already within him, the Spirit of the American Revolution and sight of those who would rob us of our Liberty.  On came the rarefied Red AQT!



The result? 
A Rifleman 



Thank you to the Orange hats and Boots on The Ground Kyle and Ryan for all the help and work.  Thank you to the Glaubers, our hosts, for the lovely generosity and hospitality.  Thank you SHOOTERS!

More pictures to come

[SPQR]

More Pictures!!!!

Kyle oversees his students with a watchful eye


tryitagain is starting to get it Sunday.  Herding cubs is tough work, herding yourself can be tougher.  Perseverance is its own reward.


HQ yells a lot.....all the time.


Ryan had an easy time since the girls wouldn't let him do anything! 



Shoot Boss THIS!


We got patches!  Isabella ROCKS!


Memphis Belle and Napoleon show what it takes to be Riflegirls


Savage hangs tough with the patch and rocker

[colycat]

SPGR,

This has to get the reward for the best AAR on a small shoot.  Fantastic job on the shoot, and thanks for making it happen.

[SPQR]

A shoot is only as good as its shooters.  We had some dandies.

[Mudcat]

Yes great AAR! Sounds like a great shoot too. Sounds like a good time was had by all.

Oh and it looks like you might have forgot the top of that 1 tent. You might remember to put that on next time you might stay drier. 





Thank you so much for making this happen!

[yellowhousejake]

HQ yells a lot.....all the time.

Do not degrade my favorite IIT. You will get the SC hammer dropped. 

Great job, thank you SPQR and HQ for pulling this one back from the edge of the schedule.

YHJ

[HQ]

Yes, I know, I always forget the line boss is supposed to whisper!  Silly me.

It was a good shoot, the weather was incredible.  Who knew the wind could blow from every direction at once?  Thank goodness for the sun on Sunday!  Even with the weather though, this line stuck it out.  There was no discussion of a couch from them! 

This line was very cool to work with and at one point I looked down and realized that the jr. shooters and females out numbered everyone else!  This is an excellent statistic if I may be so biased.  Everyone was great to work with and absorbed what we had to say.  When I finally did finish line bossing Sunday afternoon, and got down on the line I had the distinct pleasure of working with Napoleon, Memphis Belle and our new rifleman!  One thing I learned quickly, heaven forbid an instructor offer to help lock a bolt back!  Those girls knew what they were doing and they did it!  They were an inspiration to watch this weekend!  Keep at it and you will both see those scores rise through the roof!

SPQR has commandeered my camera and all of the pictures, but I'll get some up soon.

[tryitagain]

That was great.  We definitely earned our Sunday weather!  Much thanks to SPQR, HQ, Kyle and Ryan.

[AuntieBellum]

Looks like a fantastic weekend!  Great job, everyone!

[brdholman]

Looks like fun. Sorry we missed the shoot and visiting with everyone. Good jod SPQR and thanks for the help. I'm glad to see that Larry earned his patch and hope to catch you all next time.
Brad

[son of liberty]

A big thank you to everyone who came out, I hope to see you all again.

[kDan]

Great reports here on the coast from SunnyAM, the daughter of tryitagain and and older sister of several of the cubs.  I think tryitagain had even borrowed a cub from a friend.  They had a blast!

Thanks everybody there for keeping the faith and running a great shoot.