NRA WC Adventure Camp

[TaosGlock]

How I spend summer vacation. And yes, next year they will need another instructor to help me out.
In just a few days I will be AWOL. Yup. I will be off to the NRA WC Adventure Camp.
Great 7th step opportunity!

This is where 120 of our youth from 13-17 will experience some of the wildest country left in the West, learning to hunt, shoot, and sharpen their outdoor skills. Located at the NRA Whittington Adventure offers. This is a chance for these young men and women to learn about firearms-handgun, rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader and even archery! They will experience the thrill of tracking and stalking big game, all under the guidance of the most skilled firearms instructors and outdoor specialists in the nation. There is no summer camp experience quite like it in the world. All of the adult instructors possess tremendous outdoor and shooting skills. They were chosen because of a demonstrated ability to work with young people. A camp health officer/NP will also be on site. I am honored to be part of that team and all of us are volunteers.
The camp is on 33,000 acres of rugged western terrain, 10 miles southwest of Raton, all in the scenic high mesa country of New Mexico. As you might have guessed, the beautiful landscape abounds with wildlife. All the "campers" as they are referred to will sleep in the Whittington Center's log cabin housing units and eat in the dining facility. Except when on their overnight camp trips to a remote area.
There is a 2 year waiting list so get your kids and grandkids signed up now!

I will do the "Rifle" part along with another instructor. A retired PO from Pennsylvania will help me out. I can hardly wait to get started.

Here is the rifle cabin with the rifles neatly inventoried in this remote cabin.



As these young adults will learn, our country was birthed on the principles of effective marksmanship and our freedoms exist and are maintained by a rifle. Yeah, there is more to it but we keep it simple for now.

Below, the firing line showing half of a group of 14 or so. All the ammo you can shoot on AR500 steel targets to 300 yards. Yeah, it rings with a 22 and is easily heard if there is no wind howling. At 200 yards it is easier to hear...and hit.


After the fundamentals of marksmanship are taught for the 5 positions, the will shoot a qualifying target for score at 50' with 50 rounds total using a Ruger 77/22.  This is on day 2. Whole COF of fire is NRA based, their rules, but Appleseedish none the less.
The they will qual on steel for bonus points. 1 shot on 3 of the 12" gongs and 1 shot at 300 yards on a bigger one about 5x7 MOA. They will use a Ruger 77 in 223 with a scope. I estimate about 85% hit rate on the 200's and 75% on the 300. Not bad for mostly new shooters.

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But that ain't all. I bring out my FAL, M1A, A Garand, 1903, LR-308 and the other instructors will also donate for use whatever they have. This is where we introduce them to MBR platforms and talk briefly of their history. When they go home, they will have no fear of these rifles as they will have real time experience with them. Freedom and liberty have (and will) always been maintained by the rifle!
Oh, and there are at least a half dozen AR 15's. A favorite of course!
All the ammo and firearms are graciously donated by all the major manufacturers for this wonderful cause. An a big hats off to them.












One of the neat things is they learn some field skills and hunter safety. Then they do a 1 mile loop trip on a 'shoot-no shoot' hunting type situation. They are scored on safe rifle handling while on various terrain. And of course determining what is a legal or safe target to shoot.
Follow me along on that 1 mile loop as I accompany 2 campers guided by a councilor who will score them and watch for any safety violations.
We start out in the the lush, grassy river bottom of the Canadian River Valley. Soon the terrain will get steep and wooded with cedars and ponderosa pine.



Yonder is a spot where a week or so ago a huge black bear was literally on top of a cow elk ripping out chunks. As we rounded the corner it was quite a surprise and we retreated back to safety.
Unfortunately we had to close down that event for a few days Adventure Camp is real world stuff yet. You learn to make decisions as a team.


All that remained of the cow elk after a few days. The threat was gone.



The terrain soon gets steep as we head deep into the forest.

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A quick rest part way looking down to the valley floor.



The campers have to be able to detect their targets.
That is one of the duties of a Rifleman/hunter.  If the fail to detect a shoot-able target that is a minus point. It is pointed out to them on the spot. All targets are less that 50 yards from the trail and located in safe shooting lanes.
Look in the shadows! There it is!



The end of the trek and a successful simulated hunt!
Congrats ladies!!
The hi country wildflowers are in full bloom in June-hey that rhymes.




On day 2 the campers shoot to a staggering 1000 yards at the famous Tubb High power Range.

We have 2 fine rifles that will do the job if you can!
One is a 26" Savage bull barrel target rifle in 308.
Shoots 1-2 MOA with most ammo. The big target bulls are about a 5' circle or so. Most campers will hit inside the paper and the pit crew will call back the location.

Next rifle is the big 50BMG Barrett model M82A2A semi auto.
This rifle and ammo is most graciously donated by Ronnie Barrett. It spends most of it's life in the Frank Brownell Museum here at the NRA WC.



The Leupold MK 4 10X mounted on it has seen 2 tours of Afganistan!



It goes from the museum to the rifle cabin to my truck to the range and back to the cabin. It will get broke down and cleaned after the session ends.

My best personal prone group is 1.2 MOA using Barrett ammo.
Recoil is nearly nil, about like a 223.  Even if your position is a bit loose or sloppy, the rifle is very forgiving at just over 35 pounds loaded.

Here I check out NPOA while in standing/mag out. The target is huge at 6MOA. I get NPOA at the top of the backer, but read on.
IOW, for my body profile/strength a high NPOA ( top of backer), I hold rifle as normal for standing, because you ain't gonna stand there all day in a fancy High-power position. Then start the trigger squeeze as the center crosshair hits the top of the backer board, then the 35# weight will cause NPOA to normally break/shift (YMMV) down to center bull.
I only dry fired it and called the shot good! It is a silly stunt but doable for a Rifleman if you must. Maybe this year.
However, this rifle will be only shot prone vs on the bench as to lessen the recoil.


But the boom and concussion is pretty fierce and intimidating to the campers. But when they are done with their 2 shots, that have serious bragging rights...and they know it. For many of the campers, this rifle a personal breakthrough to shoot.

Boom and concussion!!
This 13 year old has no problem getting hits at 1000 yards despite the huge amount of gravel and dust being lifted up around her.
Noter her neck name tag blown to the side!
Way to get her done!

We use mats under the massive recoil brake to help alleviate the dust.
Notice the huge ejected 50 cal brass to the right edge of the pic!




When they are done they are literally walking on clouds with a renowned sense of happiness and confidence.
BTW, most of the campers can get at their 2 shots on paper and they get to keep the brass as a souvenir!


This happy camper scored his 2 hits at 1000 yards!


Here I work on getting a camper ready.



The 50 Caliber Shooters Association shares the range with us on one day and they are most supportive of us letting us share the range on two of the backers.

Time to clean.
The M82A1 is a snap to take apart and clean.
Basically start by pullig a couple pins:


Then 4 major parts for a quick field clean/lube
Check out the buffer assembly! I gotta stuff all that back in!


Note the barrel springs. 70# that needs to be pulled back when it is installed and you have to use your fingers to grab the barrel key to pull the springs back. The hardest part! Note the cleaning patches. It took nearly 25 patches to get it reasonably clean.


Check out that massive bolt! And the range card to 2000 yards. Barrett has his own special range here at NRA WC to properly use this rifle to the limits of is range.



See you in July!

[ThaiFighter]

That's awesome of you to do this and awesome that you GET to do this!  Have fun and keep 'em safe TG!

[Two Wolves]

JEALOUS!!!!!!

[Charles McKinley]

Hi TaosGlock

May Vitaniguncub be joining you for the 2016 camp.  That will be her first season as an Orange hat but she can have a week or two off.

Have a great and safe season.

[TaosGlock]

Hi TaosGlock

May Vitaniguncub be joining you for the 2016 camp.  That will be her first season as an Orange hat but she can have a week or two off.

Have a great and safe season.

Thanks!
Camp is going great and looking forward to seeing her!

[smiledochill]

I'm sure I missed it but how long does the camp last (days?)


Oops, found it.  2 Weeks.
http://www.nrawc.org/adventure/applications-forms.html

[TaosGlock]

The NRA WC Adventure Camp is held yearly at the NRA Whittington Center where I will continue to "teach your children well".

You would be this giddy too if you just shot a Barrett 50 caliber rifle.
Ronnie Barrett donated a M107A1 and ammo this year-super Patriot he is!
Yes they are hamming it up for the pic.
They just finished applying the fundamentals of precision marksmanship at 1000 yards.
What works at 25 yards works at FD. They get 2 shots and someone in the pits measure the group.

Best group shot by these campers was a staggering 2 1/2" for a 2 shot group. Sub MOA you say....hey that rhymes!
This 18" barrel is one heck of a carbine. 661 grains at 2800 fps at 7000 feet.

My other instructor is to the left.



Next session starts Monday and I will be there for another 2 1/2 weeks.