Castro Valley, CA - June 21-22, 2014

[haleson]

Gather, my children, and you shall hear . . . of this past weekend's Appleseed at the Chabot Gun Club in Castro Valley!

The weather and conditions were favorable as Saturday started, with a forecast of temperatures in the low seventies and bright sun.  The shooters were on-time, and before long we had our full-capacity crowd ready to get started!

After a short safety briefing, we rolled right into instruction!  Chris, Wes, and Goose did an excellent job demonstrating steady hold factors and the six steps.

Chris and Rifleman Ron instructing the line.  In fact, this is just under half of it!

After some prone shooting and a little bit of everyone's favorite -- math in public! -- we took a short break for lunch to talk about the events of April 19, 1775.  We recalled how the colonist found themselves at odds with a tyrannical and capricious government, and how to a man (and woman), they had to decide for themselves "whether circumstances warrant[ed] obedience or resistance"*.  We left our tale with the Regulars having marched through Lexington and sacking Concord; however, the day wasn't yet over for Colonel Smith . . . or Captain Parker.

We went back to instruction with the gusto of the freshly rested and practiced positions, mag swaps, transitions, and even got an AQT under our belts before the whistle blew.  As I recall, the longest break we took was to let the deer cross the top of the range.  You won't find a more attentive and dedicated group of shooters.

We closed out Saturday with the end of our story -- of the long march back to Boston, of Parker's Revenge, and how the colonists found a new identity as free men.  We celebrated the posterity amongst us and remembered Luther Blanchard.

Some amazing young talent coming out of the Bay Area!

And with only one AQT, we still managed a rifleman's score -- Caedmon, with a 222.  It was not to be the last . . .

****

Sunday dawned, and the weather stayed true.  We lost a few shooters, but gained a few as well, and I think everyone was grateful for a little extra elbow room.

One other change -- the Shoot Boss had become the Mute Boss, and we were officially a Whisperseed!  However, our motto here at Castro Valley is "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome," and the cadre certainly did; Jules came out to us from Sacramento Valley, Kim and Laurie echoed commands, and Wes and Goose jumped on instructional duties.

Picture removed at the request of the photographed.

We started with a quick review of safety and stead hold factors, and moved right into the day's instruction.  Wes and Goose went over NPOA, six steps, and -- you guessed it -- more math in public before graduating to the last drill of the morning: Shooter/Spotter!  We got those rears moving as shooters called targets for their partners . . . who didn't know if they had ball or dummy. 

Over a break for lunch we discussed some dangerous old men, like Sam Whittemore, Hezekiah Wyman, and David Lamson, and remembered how Ruth Batherick captured what remained of a squad of grenadiers.

After lunch it was back to the line for the first AQT of the day.  We started slow . . . and made it up later, finishing a total of five in the afternoon!  We saw a number of requalifications:

Ron P. requalified with a 213 and a 220.


Nick I. requalified with a 237 and 238, the high scores of the weekend.


Caedman I. topped his 222 with 227, 230, and 231 . . . along with a 214 and 221.

And a few new riflemen!

Xavier I. turned in 218, 219, 223, 226, and 228!  Who said sibling rivalry is a bad thing? 


Rob T. shot a 174 and a 190 before bringing it all together on the last AQT with a 215!

What an excellent weekend!  My thanks to those who made it possible: the Chabot Gun Club, the instructor cadre who gave up a weekend, and -- most importantly -- all of the shooters on the line.  I hope to see you back soon!

***

If you'd like to reach one of the instructors or staff from this weekend, here are their forum handles:

Ken -- haleson
Chris -- Freeman
Goose -- snipergoose
Wes -- Relentless
Jules -- gr8tfl1
Kim -- kilakiwi
Laurie -- mamasgotaruger

*From Saturday morning's devotional quote: "Any single man must judge for himself whether circumstances warrant obedience or resistance to the commands of the civil magistrate; we are all qualified, entitled, and morally obliged to evaluate the conduct of our rulers.  This political judgement, moreover, is not simply or primarily a right, but like self-preservation, a duty to God.  As such it is a judgement that men cannot part with according to the God of Nature.  It is the first and foremost of our inalienable rights without which we can preserve no other."
                               -- John Locke

[Nero]

Wow, seems like everyone was just waiting for us to leave town to show up!     Looks like you needed everyone of the target backers we left behind - great to see!  Also some familiar faces collecting Rifleman patches!  I believe this may be the biggest shoot west of the Rockies for 2014 - I'll check on that...

ETA: Confirmed.  This was the biggest 2014 shoot west of the Rockies, and the 2nd largest in the nation so far, behind one in the Dallas area.

[kilakiwi]

Deleted.

[NorCal22Gal]

Good job to all!!  Nice to see a couple riflemen repeat their feats!!  Nick and Caedman posted some very nice scores out there!!! 

[haleson]

I believe this may be the biggest shoot west of the Rockies for 2014 - I'll check on that...

ETA: Confirmed.  This was the biggest 2014 shoot west of the Rockies, and the 2nd largest in the nation so far, behind one in the Dallas area.

Thanks for confirming that, Tim!  It was definitely the largest shoot I'd been to    Maybe we can beat it in August