Flash Report Harvard, MA 19/20 Apr 08

[Nickle]

28 Shooters. Some pre-registered didn't show, had 2 mail-ins that showed, and no walk-ons.

Pleasant day all day, VERY warm and sunny.

Had a few knocking on Rifleman, with a little more work tomorrow, who knows?

Had a gentleman clean the PM Redcoat, a marked improvement from the AM one.

AM Redcoat had half of the shooters at 100 or better, and it went from there. One guy missed exactly one 200 or 300 shot, and it would not quite have plugged. And, he's not the PM guy that cleaned it.

LOTS of LTR's on the line, too.

[Nickle]

Well, another HOTTTTTT day in Mass.

Several didn't return, unfortunately, but hey were nice enough to let us know they might not make it back. One one day walk-on, got there just before lunch, got him fit right in and working.

We had FIVE Riflemen today, with a couple more knocking on the door. Martlet was hovering in the 190's to about 206 all day long, never could break 210.

Nickaios 223, Erik W 216, ChrisfromMA 213, Paul B 211 and the Dwarven1 at 210. I'm pretty sure Ross was the only repeat Appleseeder (correct me if I'm wrong), and the most persistent Rifleman I've yet met. Rifle trouble upon rifle trouble, even a cut hand, couldn't keep the Dwarven1 down, no way.

Of course, I had faith, as I did tell Ross I had an orange hat, with his name on it, waiting for him to shoot Rifleman this weekend, and I KNEW he could do it.

Well, congratulations to our latest RWVA IIT (Instructor In Training). Once I get them to Photobucket, pics are coming, including Ross getting his "wet down" for shooting EXACTLY 210. No creek to throw him in, so I liberally doused him with water taken from the North Bridge at Concord (I really wanted to take him there, and throw him over the bridge).

Dwarven1, as soon as The Guy gets your access changed, start checking the Instructor Schedule, and get signed up to work events.

[socalserf]

Nice work everyone in MA.
A big CONGATULATIONS to Dwarven1, I know you've been working for this a while now. Riflemen Persist!
CONGATULATIONS as well to the other gentlemen who shoot Rifleman scores.
Again, Nice work to you all!

[Martlet]

Thanks.  I had a blast.  I'm like a bulldog.  When I sink my teeth into something, I won't let go.  I have 4 days to convince the SGM how wonderful a vacation in Proctor would be this weekend.   

The instructors were great.  It can't be easy dealing with such a wide range of skill levels.  I know one person there who'd only picked up a rifle once or twice. 

[Nickle]

Yeah, that Rifleman score kept hiding from you all weekend. Folks, Martlet is a fellow Guardsman, and he was consistently in the mid/high 190's to about 206 on both days.

I was pretty tired when I posted last night, after the drive back to VT, and half unloading the Jeep. I forgot to mention that our round count for the weekend was near, maybe slightly over 500. We were doing Rapid Fire AQT's and Rapid Fire dills, trying to drive the cadence into the students, and Martlet is a good example of why. He WAS fussing his shots (those Stage 4's do look small), and rapid fire is the cure for fussing. Needless to say, he doesn't fuss much any more. Yup, sometimes shilouette's are easier than 25 meter shooting.

[dwarven1]

Thanks.  I had a blast.  I'm like a bulldog.  When I sink my teeth into something, I won't let go.

Keep at it, Martlet!

I was literally about to give up yesterday after lunch - less than 20 minutes before I shot that 210. I guess that TheGuy was right... a Rifleman persists. I'm a little embarassed when I think of how close I was to packing my toys and going home, thinking back on it.

[Nickle]

Ross, this would be a good time to post that Motivational Pic.

[elwilliams]

The shoot boss, instructors and Cheryl ran an exceptional event this past weekend at Harvard. There was no one who left without having had a great time and learning a whole lot about marksmanship and RW history. I was very excited to have shot rifleman and will proudly wear the patch on my shooting coat. I appreciate all the effort that went into planning and running the event. I hope to give back by helping Chris with the monthly mini-clinics at Harvard this year. Ive got your email and will be in touch Chris.   

[dwarven1]

Ross, this would be a good time to post that Motivational Pic.

OK, boss. As you wish:

[ripersnifle]

It was a GREAT time.
I got a the biggest kick out of seeing the "ah hah" moments when something clicked for the shooters.
They tended right to business.
They soaked in the tools the program gave them.
With some homework, they WILL get there.
Eager-to-learn attitudes from everyone I saw.
Thanks for coming, everyone.

sk
 

[Nickle]

There was a lot of shooters from the Northeastshooters.com forum, and here's a link to one of the threads on this event.  http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=29448

Once you get to the after the shoot portion, there's some good reading on how a few of these guys got there.

[dwarven1]

I do want to point out one thing: Crak, Nickle and I got there early to set up. We had to lay out the shooting lines and drive in stakes to hold the stringers up to put the targets on. We had dry, rocky ground that we had to hammer steel fence posts into... and if you've ever seen Crak and I, you'll know that we're office types, not ranch hand types! Don't get me wrong, we were doing it... but it would have taken a long time for just the two of us, especially since we had TWO different ranges we had to set up!

Fortunately, a lot of other folks started showing up... Martlet, Chris, ChrisFromMA (I think) and many more. I pointed out that a Rifleman sees what needs to be done and starts doing it without asking. Well, we have a LOT of folks who embraced that idea Saturday morning, because almost instantly there were folks laying out the wood stringers, folks pounding stakes in the ground, folks putting the stringers up - in short, everyone pitched in to help.

Thanks, guys - we couldn't have started shooting as soon as we did without your help! It was a great group of boys and girls and I hope I see more of them at area Appleseeds!

[Vintovka]

Hi all, "ChrisFromMA" from NES here.

I wanted to take a sec and reiterate my thanks and congratulations for an outstanding event!  Nickle, Jim (sorry, I don't know all your forum names yet), Crak, Dwarven1 (I include you in the instructor category, official or no ) and the rest of the crew led a fun, informative, and very historically relevant weekend.  I am very much looking forward to the next time... when hopefully I can prove that my green patch isn't a fluke 

Best,
Chris

[dwarven1]

Chris, why wait? Go to www.fredsm14stocks.com and order yourself some AQT targets for yourself. Don't wait for us, go shoot that AQT on your own.

I have some targets if you can't wait; I'm in Marlborough.

Ross

[crak]

I hate to rain on the love parade (which is well deserved, don't get me wrong), But I spent yesterday until sunset and a good chunk of today cleaning up several thousand casings across two ranges.  So a big Bronx cheer goes out to all the Wolf and 22 shooters who left the place looking like an abortion.  If I didn't know better from years of Appleseeds leaving ranges cleaner than they found them, I wouldn't vote to let Appleseed into my club a second time. 

Anyway, I still love you all.  I'm just cranky.  Great shooting over a great weekend.  Thanks to Nickle, Shane and Jim for coming down from VT and for all the help setting up, tearing down, and storing (Russ!) the target line.

[Nickle]

Safety and Introduction briefings.


Ready to shoot first Redcoat. Yeah, lots of flaws here.


After a little instruction on the finer points of Marksmanship and the Prone position.

[Nickle]

Nickaios, our high score Rifleman, with a 228. Shot in the last couple of Rapid Fire AQT's.


Paul B, another of our Riflemen, also shot in the last couple of AQT's.


Dwarven1, getting a dose of North Bridge water, for shooting exactly 210.


Our newest Northeast IIT. By the way, he's already started his training. I made him give a History lesson, and a short spiel on persistence.

[Old Dog]

Maybe we should change "police up your brass" to "police up your empty cases".  I spent a little bit of time picking up steel cases as Ramseur but it was only a few minutes out in the grass where some went past the rubber dust pads and weren't "obvious".

I wonder if one of those "push broom looking magnets" would be worth investing in to take to Appleseeds?  I'll look at the catalog (either Harbor Freight Tools or Northern Tool) and see what they cost.

Nope, not "cheap", looks like they go for about $60 up to $300 or more depending on the width and how they mount.

[Martlet]

I always tagged a coarse screen onto a rake.  It worked pretty well.

[dwarven1]

I looked around for a rake or a shovel but couldn't find anything, Crak - what did you use, and where did you find it??

Perhaps one of these should be added to our equipment list: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36903  That would help with the steel-cased stuff. And a rake of some kind for the .22. Martlet, can you post a pic of what you used?

[Martlet]

I don't have a picture.  I don't have the rake anymore.  This is what we used when we shot in the pits growing up.  Essentially it was a regular garden rake with a wire mesh basket on the back.  I'm looking at the http://www.aazelcorp.com/misc.html sand rake or the Sand Flea rake (35 bucks) that looks like it would do the trick.

[Will]

I am very active with our local rifle club. We have a pretty good little range. We try and keep it clean and the Harbor Freight roofers magnet has been a Godsend for all the steel cases. I can heartily recommend it. The brass, even .22 we don't have to hardly worry about much...that stuff is $2 a pound!

[Junior Birdman]

Hijack, anyone?   

[dwarven1]

No, not really - it's an After-Action Report. Well, we reported and found a problem - so part of the AAR would be how to fix it, I'd think.

But it does give me a chance to use a cool smiley that I found. THIS would be a thread hijack:

[Junior Birdman]

  Problems are discussed and worked out on the internal AARs, not in public.

  Now....I have GOT to get me one of those emoticans!  (Sorry for the hijack!) JB

[nikaios]

More pics!!! 

[dwarven1]

As requested...

Check-in


Oops... line is longer than it looks!


One of our younger shooters, Smallz, and IIT GMB74 (I think)


Boy, that line looks farther than 82'...


Ya need the right headgear...


Waiting for instruction


from our Shoot Boss, Nickle


And our IITs, Ripersnifle (is there an UN-ripe snifle around here somewhere?) and GMB74, flanking the shoot boss


The LTR .22 line.


Smallz (Hey, she's one of my favorite Appleseeders... she's my niece.)


Walking the line looking at prone positioning... Watch those right legs, boys.










The instructor crew: left to right they are Nickle, Crak, GMB74 and Ripersnifle (that name still cracks me up...)


Joined by BlueSkies (far left, obviously), who did admin this weekend instead of shooting (A Rifleman does what needs to be done!) and the new guy, yours truly, the Dwarven1, on the right... still somewhat wet behind the ears... and down his back, too. 

[cannonman61]

Great pictures Dwarven!

It's the first time I've actually seen Nickel or Blueskys identified, at least that I know of.

It looks like a good shoot with solid performances by both students and staff!

Congrats to all for a super job.


CM