AAR: CT Instructors KD Shoot and Cookout

[The Log]

Location: NWCSA rifle range
In attendance: Jay Haich, Glock23, Old Ironsights, Who_Me? and The Log
Weather: Intense sun coming straight up range, a bit windy, warm until the sun set

We started around 11:00 with the traditional Appleseed shuffling of shooting benches. Benches? We don't need no stinking benches! There were a few small groups of shooters on the other end of the range throughout the day, and at one point or another they all got Seventh Stepped - except for the one guy who has been to an AS or two; he was busily Seventh Stepping his shooting partner for us.

Most of us set up squares at 25 yards and got to sighting in the rifles we never get to use anymore. Once everyone was reasonably on paper, Who_Me and I busted out a couple of AQTs with our .22s while Jay Haich and Glock23 got their national match M1As up to snuff. Old Ironsights donated use of his spotting scope to the cause while he dialed in his M&P15-22. Everything was very relaxed and easy going.

We took a lunch break courtesy of Mrs. Log around 13:00 - New Haven's own Hummel hot dogs in kraut and grilled onions, slow-cooked in beer. Tastes as good as it sounds, mates - you missed a feast. We followed that up with a chocolate-banana cake - to me, cake is only a vector for frosting, but this cake is fine all by itself.

Our "prone pillows" nicely re-stuffed, we set out to the 200 yard line with our D targets. We spent the rest of the afternoon putting the Appleseed KD magic to use. I tried a KD AQT using reduced-size targets to simulate 300 and 400 yards. I was using CortJestir's graciously loaned AR with Eotech, and I was getting pretty good groups, but I was having trouble discerning the three targets, since they were very close to each other. A splash of paint or some ribbon or something would have helped, but it was getting hard to manage trips down-range with the other shooters, so I just cut my losses and saved the ammo for another day.

The day wrapped up when the sun went behind the berm finally and it started to cool off. Not before getting to blast a clip through OI's M1 Garand - what a pleasure to shoot! We did the usual "leave it cleaner than you found it" and discussed the day before heading out. We all agreed that these shoots should happen more often - at least twice a year. I'll try to stick one on the schedule for late spring 2012. It probably won't be at NWCSA - they'll be closing the rifle range soon for construction, so this was probably the last AS event until next summer.

To all who attended: thanks for making the effort, and thanks for the good bonding and excellent discussions. To those who missed it: I really hope you can make it to the next one.

And now for a few pix:


Jay Haich perfects his technique with his national match M1A


"We'll teach you all the skills you need to hit a 20" target at 500 yards using only a sling - no bags, benches or bipods - oh, wait..."


Guess what she wants for Christmas now...

[Glock23]

Hey, hey, hey - I'm expanding my tool box. I've already mastered the sling. I want a new challenge...