3 day Advanced KD Clinic, Kingman, AZ – Dec. 14-16, 2013

[azmule]

We've had Appleseeds that offer KD shooting on Sunday, we've had KD days for Instructors, but this was Arizona's first ever advanced centerfire-only event - open to shooters 16 and over who have attended at least one regular Appleseed.  Although lightly attended (due most likely to it being the week before Christmas), I couldn't have asked for a better crew to launch this new offering.  On Saturday morning four shooters reported to the excellent 7 Mile Hill Range in Kingman, AZ - after a brief introduction, review of our goals for the weekend, and safety briefing, we set up on a 25M line for a quick check of zero, sight-adjustment resolution, and the number of clicks from bottom to zero.

That done, we packed back up and headed out to the 1,000yd bay.  Next item was to verify front sight / scope reticle dimensions, and after a quick discussion of target detection and range finding, the binoculars came out for the target detection exercise.  I had hidden six objects the night before on the hill behind the target berm and in the desert to the left of the line - unfortunately, the strong morning wind had blown over three of the six by the time we got there; the shooters found two of the remaining three objects that I had placed, plus a few others (and some graffiti) that I hadn't noticed the night before.  Once found, the rifles came out for the ranging portion of the exercise.  By the time we finished ranging, we were bumping up against noon, so we posted some 4" squares, then broke for lunch.

During lunch, we discussed the role that riflemen played to insure Washington's victory in the battle of Trenton.  Afterward, the topic drifted a little to the economic challenges of the newly formed country immediately following the war, and of the efforts of President John Hanson to keep the hard-won victory from coming apart almost immediately.  (Though it involved no riflemen, one of my favorite stories nonetheless.)

Following lunch and a quick refresher on ballistic trajectory, BSZ, and come-ups, we set up on the 100yd line to find our exact 100yd zero.  Since the wind by that point had shifted from 12 o'clock to about 10, this was a good spot to slip in a lesson on wind compensation.  Followed by the posting of appropriately sized 4MOA squares to find our come-ups for 200 through 400yds, wrapping up a busy day to meet the range's closing time of 5PM.

Day two, warmer - but windier - opened after a quick review with a warm-up on 8" sighter squares from 300 and 200 yards before posting and shooting the first KD AQT of the weekend, running downrange for target feedback between each stage.  During lunch, the history topic was of the unsuccessful British attempt to use Hessian patrols as "bait" to draw out colonial militiamen - referred to as the "forage wars."  Following lunch - time for more AQTs!

Due to some issues near the end of day two, we began day three on the 25M line to re-verify zeros before returning to the KD bay to work in two more full distance AQTs before lunch.  During which was told the tale of two Riflemen - Colonial Rifleman Timothy Murphy, and England's Patrick Ferguson.  Following lunch, we took advantage of the extra range available by shooting at steel out to 700yds.  Since all shooters were facing a 4+ hour drive home, we wrapped-up at around 2:30 on Monday.  Before leaving, one of the "target objects" from our spotting/ranging exercise - a life-size stuffed jaguar, pictured blending into the rocks below - was nominated "official mascot" of Arizona KD shooting, and dubbed "Liz," in honor of another fearless fleet-footed female, Elizebeth Zane.

Shooters - this is the spot to provide commment, any pictures, and much desired feedback on this first-effort of an advanced centerfire class!