All,
Another great shoot down in the books at Fernan.
I would like to bring special attention to the fact that this shoot occurred on Memorial Day weekend. Let us never forget all that has been sacrificed for our freedom, from April 19th, 1775, up to today.
Also, we had more then a few veterans on both sides of our line, shooters AND instructors. Thank you for your service!
I was again the designated photographer for this shoot. Due to some failure to communicate about the photo release, not very many pictures were taken Saturday, but I got a few Sunday. Hey, all Appleseeds at Fernan basically look the same anyways, right?
Earl and eert running the morning briefing:
Scoob teaching proper sling use while BaldSinceBrith demos. I'm proud to say both of our pretty much brand new IIT's did absolutely fantastic, and are some of the best additions to the instructor corps I've yet seen. Both of you guys are welcome back up here any time. In fact we might even request it
Scoob, you in particular make a FANTASTIC line boss. Careful, if you're too good, it might just become your permanent assignment.
Earl teaching Talking Targets. We confess to assigning as much instruction to Earl as we can simply so we can watch and take notes on a true master of teaching marksmanship! Earl, it's a great pleasure to run a line with you, as I learn something new about marksmanship, history, and indeed myself every time. You are an inspiration to us all, and indeed the primary reason behind me becoming an instructor in the first place.
Mr. Clean teaching... something which I've forgotten, while eert looks on.
The line Saturday morning. It's great to see that we're starting to get a decent crowd out at our shoots again! I hope all of our shooters will continue on 7th stepping to everyone that will listen, leaving brochures places, etc. We need your help to keep these shoots running, guys. Most of all we need shooters.
Earl telling First Strike, setting the bar pretty high for us to follow with the remainder of the history for the weekend.
Which BaldSinceBirth managed to reach, with a very impressive Second Strike, even without taking into account the fact he hasn't been doing this very long. John, I have no doubt you will become one of the best Storytellers we have around here.
Sunday afternoon, shooters experimenting with a wide variety of sitting positions.
Earl teaching Standing (not offhand!
) while BSB demoes this time
Yours truly told the Third Strike, the aftermath, and relayed some quotes to wrap up Day One. I can only hope I did good enough to live up to the bar set, and convey our message. I attempted to get this on video... The following is all that was recovered:
Oops. Technology hates me...
Starting off Day Two with fantastic weather once again!
Look, I finally got a picture of Shoot Boss eert where he looks fairly happy!
The line in Prone on Sunday
Jeff shot very well, and also volunteered to help me out with promotions locally, for which I am very grateful! I also see an orange hat in his future, hint hint. He picked up a patch quite handily on Day two, with two qualifying scores.
Vince comes from a SERE program at a local Air Force base, and shot extremely well. I might point out that he's using a tube feed with old model Tech Sites because his .22 AR with a red dot was "too easy". He wasn't even sure his targets were close enough to Rifleman to turn in... Don't think he shot below 220 on Day Two!
Kyle came up from down south a ways, for his second Appleseed, and shot rifleman on the very last AQT of the day! Cutting it a bit close, aren't we? He also was our only shooter to bring out the "real man's gun" of a .308.
Now, my favorite picture of the weekend, and probably the best shot I've personally taken.
That'd be BaldSinceBirth shooting with his .300BLK AR. (An instructor shooting? No! Not possible!)Now, look forward of the ejection port.
Still don't see it?
Look closer.
OK, I'm done now. I'm just really proud of that picture. And I will be very disappointed if one of those doesn't become BSB's new avatar.
Moving on, Ron and Lisa B., some of our returnees, doing Ball and Dummy. Great to see you guys back again!
Sarah, Alex, and Joe, another family on the line. Special mention should be given to Sarah, who had never touched a rifle before Saturday Morning. She was shooting 180's by the end of Sunday! That's truly remarkable improvement, there, and I dare say some natural talent? Alex also showed massive improvement, despite dealing with his fair share of equipment issues. Joe, I'm glad we finally got it so prone, if not necessarily comfortable, was at least tolerable!
Toby and Darla were more returning shooters. They were able to spend time polishing their skills, and showed that they had both come a long way, despite yet more equipment issues. Darla also shot rifleman quite handily!
Morgan observed on Sunday, but was able to be convinced to shoot on Sunday. Despite being a very new shooter, she did very well, and I have no doubt we will see her back at shoots again!
Emily was very, very close to shooting rifleman. She's also a blue hat (sorry, didn't catch you're forum name!) Remember, practice and focus is everything in this game!
(Also note the lowest scope rings I think I've ever seen...)
Obligatory Butterfly-on-a-rifle shot
Shooters shooting KD on Sunday, the AR platform was definitely prevalent this time around :
BSB decided to take pity on the rest of us and keep things a bit more quiet...
Joe trying out an unusual Kneeling position that was nevertheless quite effective
There's so much time in Stage Four, Jeff and Vince decided there was plenty of time for a nap!
Madison, one of our youngest shooters, ran a bolt action like a champ!
Centerfires back on the rack once we're back into the AQT grind... And one errant 10/22, somehow?
And, last but not least, the rifleman pictures!
(FYI, two of our new riflemen, Lloyd and Wayne, requested no pictures be taken.)
So, I'll go ahead and talk about them anyways.
Wayne, fantastic job! You came a long ways from barely hitting paper on Saturday AM to shooting rifleman Sunday PM! I look forward to seeing you and Gus back on our line again.
Lloyd, congratulations! It's great to see a shooter come back. Means we must be doing something right! And it's especially great to see said returnee have, say, perfect trigger control after you harped on them for the entire last shoot!
Now the pictures:
Jeff (NEW!)
Vince (NEW!)
Kyle (NEW!)
Darla (NEW!)
BSB/John (REPEAT, OBVIOUSLY!))
Beth (REPEAT!)
Alright, that's all I got for now.
Oh wait, one more thing. Thanks again to our IIT's for dragging shooters along with them! You picked up my slack. All of the friends I asked were busy with this thing called... Prom. Huh.
Roland, over and out.
