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Mt. Appleseed October 18-19

Started by SavageShootr, October 19, 2008, 01:56:00 AM

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SavageShootr

Another beautiful day out here at Mt. Appleseed, in Piru, CA.

As I drove in this morning, the sun was coming up over the hills. There were a few clouds, but not the kind that produce any rain. The kind that make the sunrise look like a painting that only God could have painted. It was Glorious.

We had 21 shooters on the line today. Thank You ALL for showing up to learn Markmanship and Heritage. We had lots of new faces and met some of the nicest people. Did you ever notice that the nicest people come to Appleseeds? We also had some old friends come by to participate in the event, one of them brought a friend as well.  ;D All of the shooters showed improvement today. As was evidenced by the marked improvement in the Redcoat Target from the beginning of the day compared to the Redcoat at the end of the day.

Thanks to V, f-stop, Rock-chucker and camljr for coming out and teaching marksmanship and history today.

Congratulations to Mike for shooting a Rifleman score today! ;D ;D ;D

On the drive out of the range I was struck by the beauty of the sunset. It was indeed a Glorious end to a really good day.

More tomorrow.

~SS
"Listen to everyone, read everything, and don't believe anything unless you can prove it."' B.C.
"It isn't like it is life or death...it is more important than that." MrPete

impactco

#1
Thanks so much to all the instructors for their professionalism and skill. I have been shooting since I was about 9 years old but have never had any training on how to use a sling and I am now 50 years old. Shooting prone and sitting was also foreign to me up until my practice sessions last weekend. This event really helped me understand the basics well enough to make the leap to shoot the Rifleman score! I would have loved to come back for Sunday but irritation of an old bungee jump injury to my lower back stopped me cold. :'( I can barely walk today but it was worth it!

Now it's time for me to help spread the word to my friends and relatives that they need to participate in a future Appleseed event!

Thanks again!

Michael

impactco

Having missed out on Sunday at Piru, does anyone know how many participants shot a Rifleman score?

V

Quote from: impactco on October 20, 2008, 12:05:49 PM
Having missed out on Sunday at Piru, does anyone know how many participants shot a Rifleman score?
We missed you on Sunday. You missed a cracking good story on a Dangerous Old man and Steve "Cal 7.62" finally shot rifleman and stepped into his orange hat. Congratulations Steve. (I'm sure pictures will follow)

We had a good number of returns on Sunday, most of the two day people actually did come back (not knocking on you Michael, I had to skip my first AS Sunday with back problems so I feel for ya) and a good number of them were knocking on the door but had to leave early for long travel purposes. As usual our "never handled a rifle" before group showed the greatest promise, positions and techniques almost perfect off the bat, no bad habits to "unlearn", etc. I look forward to seeing them back again to shoot their Rifleman scores.

Remember guys, dry-firing and practice at home is golden, each dry-fired by the numbers shot is worth 5 down range - you go to the range just to verify that your dry-firing practice is working ;) Practicing the positions and transitions will then take care of stretching out those aches and pains.

Speaking of which, I'd really like to tip my hat to a "Dangerous Old Man" that I had the honor to meet and teach this weekend. Don was there with his new rifle and a bum hip joint. He was there early and amongst the last to leave both days. He persisted with the transitions and continued to shoot AQT's with us even after he couldn't do the transitions anymore. If anyone is an example of how and why being an American Rifleman isn't just about a score and a patch it was Don on the line this weekend. And he's coming again and bringing some friends... Great to meet you, mate!

Cheers
Phil

LayloPro

YAY for Cal7.62!!!  :o 8) ;D HUZZAH!!
KNEW you were gonna do it....really soon....you've been knocking on the door long enough!! :o ;D
And it sounds like you had some other folks out there that "got it" too.....Congratulations on the other "new" Riflemen!! Great job, Michael, I look forward to meeting you.
What a great place to shoot, & learn the history, isn't it? 8) And like SS says, the extra beauty being there just makes it all that much more special...... ::)
Guys, (&SS!), it sounds like you had another "Piru Spectacular!!" ;D ;D 8)

Gotta love "Dangerous old men", eh?..... :)

We'll be seeing you guys soon....... ::)
LLP
"The truth only hurts if you're guilty." 

"Fast / cheap / good....you only get 2....Your choice."

"Amateurs talk hardware. Professionals talk software. It doesn't matter what's in your hand or between your legs. It matters what's in your heart and in your mind." Lt Col. Dave Grossman.

impactco

Congrats to Steve! Sorry I missed Sunday but I'll be back another time. I'm going to convince my wife that she needs to do an AS and get her patch!

I picked up a PSL-54C last week and shot some photos of it yesterday. I did not use the weapon at AS but it looks nice with the shirt! Thanks again.


valleyguy

#6
Hi all,

I had a great time -- As I mentioned to some, I did some shooting in Boy Scouts, but nothing formal (didn't take the merit badges on that topic), so being only 1 1/2 months into the hobby, I thought it best to take advantage of this great opportunity to learn the right way and not get into any bad habits off the back.  It also gives me something nice to strive for with my shooting, and a measuring stick to judge my progress by.

Many thanks to the staff/instructors (Savageshooter, Phil V, Rock Chucker, Randy, Camel Jr.) who spent their entire weekend coaching us, being patient, and passing on the skills we needed to shoot like Riflemen.  I can't even fathom being at a range for 10+ hours a day and not shooting, so clearly there was a lot of self-sacrifice there and dedication to the cause.  Also thanks to Phil for taking our good-natured ribbing of his accent -- we only tease because the English accent is everyone's favorite, and it's also great to hear American History relayed in it.

Congrats to both Michael and Steve!!!  It was great to see two accomplished shooters take the top honor.

Also, just some of my reflections and tips as a noob for those who are considering attending their first Appleseed, either as noobs or experienced shooters, and are reading this trying to figure out what they will need (mods, please move this if it clutters the thread) --

1.  Be prepared (yes, the Scout motto) -- there are several checklists on this site for what to bring, how your gun should be equipped, etc.  While the staff here will glady try to make accomodations for you, it would seem the polite and considerate thing would be to try to find out ahead of time what you need to have on site.  There are some things you want to do ahead of time, so take a month to prep (buy slings, swivels, sights, ammo, pads, etc.)

2.  Practice the positions at home ahead of time, even if you do it imperfectly.  You can find a lot of this on Google, or this site, but the main point of this is to stretch muscles you may not have stretched in years, and thus leave you in better shape for game day.  I myself practiced for a couple of weeks prior, and thus was not in that bad shape on Sunday, though today I'm feeling it  :P ::)

3.  Bring elbow pads.  Though I ended up not using them on Sunday, as I found I was more comfortable without them, it's better to be safe than sorry.  If you can find ones with adjustable straps, all the better, as mine kept sliding around and weren't stable (which is why I stopped using them).

4.  Bring layered clothing, and something to cover your gun.  The weather is unpredictable, and some days might be hot, others cold.  You might need more covering than other people, or find gravel is agitating your knees.  Just bring layers.  Also, it got pretty windy during the noon hours with dirt blowing around, so bring a towel or old T-shirt to wrap the action of your gun.

5.  Bring a pad or shooting mat.  Midway has them for $20 on special every so often -- it's a bargain, get it, you'll be glad.  People who only had blankets tended to be uncomfortable, and feeling rocks hurting your legs while prone or sitting can hurt your performance.

6.  Bring both sunblock and insect repellent.  You may be in the sun for extended periods of time, and you might find flies and other bugs bothering you.  I brought both, had no sunburns (and I'm blond and pale) or bug issues.

7.  Bring water.  They provided a supply of water, but you shouldn't count on that, and you're going to need to stay hydrated.  I recommend diposable water bottles with a snap top -- easy to use, can be refilled, and not anything you'll worry about damaging or misplacing.  You're going to need to stay hydrated, if you're not having to use the bathroom constantly, you're probably not drinking enough water  ;D

8.  Bring good ammo -- in most cases, .good 22lr if you are shooting a Ruger/Liberty Rifle.  A lot of people had cheapo bulk Federal .22lr, which misfires/stovepipes about every 20 rounds in my Ruger.  I  brought Fiocchi, $23 a brick at Turner's here in L.A., and the cheapo Remington Gold from Walmart (about $9 I think) also works well for mine (though is dirtier).  You'll be glad you spent the money and time, as misfires/stovepipes can kill your score and concentration.

9. Bring the right sling -- the USGI sling, you can get it a lot of places.  Search here in the forums for links.  Midway has 2 from DPMS (one black, one green) that fit the Ruger fine, and were great when I used them.  You also need swivels, and you may need to drill into your stock to install them -- easier than it sounds.

10.  Get ready to be uncomfortable, and to be a bit frustrated.  You're going to be out of your comfort zone, and Rome wasn't built in a day.  I have a feeling a lot of what we learned needs to be reinforced with muscle memory and practice, both at home and on the range.  Like they say here, a Rifleman persists.  Just come with a good attitude and have a good time.  And be glad you live in a country where you can still do this.

Ok, that's my $20, I mean $0.20 worth, thanks all!

Glenn (aka Valleyguy)

impactco

#7
Yep, Glenn is spot on. Both of us would like to suggest that it might be a good idea for those who are shooting anything larger than a .22 to bring a mat or piece of carpet to curb the dust generated by their muzzle blast. My AR kicks up a lot of dust so I brought an old piece of carpet and placed it on the ground under the muzzle area. The M14 being used adjacent to us created an explosion of dust and sand with every shot. It was very annoying to nearby shooters. My $.002 worth.

rock-chucker

Hi all:

I get to finally chime in also on a really nice Appleseed weekend.

congratulations to our new Riflemen, Cal7.62(Steve) and Impactco (Mike)!

Great job persisting, Steve.  Welcome to the legion of orange.  You knew this day would come, and so did I.  I had a feeling that THIS would be your appleseed;  the one to get you over the top, and so it was!  I admire and appreciate your committment to the Appleseed project.  Anyone who signs up and goes to Instructor Boot Camp BEFORE getting the patch is definitely committed and has my respect.

Great job also, Mike.  I could tell by your targets Saturday morning that you were a good bet to make it this weekend.  You definitely have the right stuff.  Well done!  Sorry not to see you Sunday.  Hope you're getting to feeling more yourself by now.  Please do come back, and definitely bring your friends.  I hope you will consider joining us as an IIT.  I can't tell you how rewarding it is.

Thanks to all for coming.  We had a lot of real "newbies" out, many of whom had never fired a shot before in their lives.  CC, Kevin, you guys Rock.  CC, your attention to detail will take you far.  How is it that I didn't notice that Glen's shoes did not match his outfit?  That is a "steady hold factor" I just never thought of to check!  Kevin, you really amazed me with your attentiveness to the material presented and results you achieved.  Fantastic.

Chuck and Rudee, I'm so glad you came out, too.  Sorry you had so many malfunctions, Chuck.  You really hung in there through them all.  Both you guys really made progress, and it was really a pleasure to have you.

Pete, Irma, Vicky, thank you all for coming, as well.  There is just something really special about having a family all come out together.  It gives me hope for America.  Please do come back!

We even had one fella who just couldn't stand to leave Mt Appleseed and camp out for the weekend; despite risking being supper to the 20 odd resident coyotees or being trampled by all the cattle roamin around.  Was a pleasure to meet you, Mark.  Hope to see you again, also.

Glenn, thanks for coming.  You shot really well, also.  Hope to see you out again, and please do bring some of your fellow valley guys and girls with you.

I even got to see my old friend Steve with his M1A.  thanks for doing what it takes to join us, Steve.  Was really good to see you again.  I told Vivian you came out.  She was glad to hear it and asked if you brought your dog!

I don't quite have it in me right now to name everyone down the firing line.  Every one of your presence made my weekend.  Thanks so much to all of you for coming.

Even my very own girl Lixian came out to shoot this time around.  Her first Appleseed.  She made  great progress, had a lot of fun, and I just love seeing her on the firing line in camo.  Thank you, BB!  Wo ai ni.

As always, our Appleseed staff was a joy to work with.  Good shoot-bossing, Savageshootr!  V, and F-stop, great job also.  I always learn from you guys.  Cam, great job too.  Congratulations on your marriage and debut in orange!  Thanks for checking in, Arc.  Looking forward to seeing you again at a shoot in the near futer.

See ya'll soon!

Well, time to check out the AAR from our great sibling Appleseed shoot over the weekend down in Corona!

R-C

Liberty Dave

I wish I could have been there Rock Chucker. Neck has gotten worse and just concentrating with pain management while I wait in the legal process. You people sure were fun to be around. Hope to find my way there someday. Did Bob get close to selling enough tickets yet for the M1 raffle or did you already have it? Couldn't help but be curious.  :)
Dave
"Let us speak courteously, deal fairly, and keep ourselves armed and ready." T. Roosevelt

impactco


MrBill

Sounds like a great time at Mt Appleseed!

Congratulations Steve & Mike!  Steve, We all knew that it was coming soon, thanks for taking on the Orange Hat.

Mike, if you haven't yet, I encourage you to go orange also.  The satisfaction of instructing is even greater than shooting your Rifleman score.

Two simultaneous California Appleseeds in one weekend.  Kind of warms the cockles of your heart (whatever cockles are?)  Congrats to our two new Shoot Bosses, Savage Shooter (Piru) and Kool Aid (Corona). 

I'll translate Steve's Pin Ying.  Wo ai ni = I love you - in Mandarin   ;D

Lixian - Please let Liz know how your experience was.  I want to get her to an Appleseed and your Blazing the Trail might just be the impetus needed to get Liz away from the law books for a weekend

Cheers

Mr Bill

"Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest."  Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi

socalserf

Quote from: rock-chucker on October 21, 2008, 03:00:40 AM

congratulations to our new Riflemen, Cal7.62(Steve) and Impactco (Mike)!

R-C

Congratulations indeed!!!

Quote from: Liberty Dave on October 21, 2008, 03:44:29 AM
Did Bob get close to selling enough tickets yet for the M1 raffle?
Dave

The rifle did get raffled and went to a fellow who attended the July 4,5,6 Piru event.
I won't mention his name but his 30-06 bolt rifle came apart during the shoot and he didn't have the money to replace it.
Funny how those things work.

Quote from: MrBill on October 21, 2008, 12:49:23 PM
Two simultaneous California Appleseeds in one weekend.  Kind of warms the cockles of your heart (whatever cockles are?)  Congrats to our two new Shoot Bosses, Savage Shooter (Piru) and Kool Aid (Corona). 

Cheers

Mr Bill

I belive that these shoots represent the third Shoot Boss performance for both SavageShooter and KoolAid.
California is now an SB exporting state!!
Go Cali!!!!
"we cannot improve what we do not measure."


Johnnyappleseed

Another great AS in Piru ;D
Congratulations to all the new Riflemen+ welcome aboard.
LLP Red Hat  ;)congratualtions , Sir  , Cal762 Excelent,looking forward to working with you
Thanx to all the instructors + special thanx to everyone who attended.
I was told by a very good source this AS was one of the best ;) Sorry I was not there :( :(See post from ElPaso shoot  :D
Semper Fidelis
JA
Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Calvin Coolidge

MrBill

#14
Oooops  Open mouth, insert cleaning patch!   :o

Ohh nooo!!! now I know that Shoot Boss Sluggo (Savage Shooter and Kool Aid) are gonna' be mean to me!    ;D  ;D  ;D

Oh well, Thanks for being Shoot Bosses both of you.  I aspire to one day step up the additional weight and responsibility of the Green Hat. 
"Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest."  Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi

Cal 7.62

Yes, I have some pics. Busy right now, but will post when I get a chance. Another GR8 Piru Appleseed!
"Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions - The Eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us..." - George Washington

Old Glory!

Shoot Boss Sluggo? :o :o

Savage what ever happened to your patient demeanor?  Seems like you are getting kinda tough on Mr Bill at-least.  Sounds like a great shoot you all had.  For all you first timers,  go again and bring friends. :D

Colycat
"My primary objective is to change hearts and minds, for that is where the gaping hole in the hull of the USS America lies. I am looking to make a spark and praying that it will ignite, by their own will, into a bonfire in their hearts and souls."  PHenry

"Folks, this Appleseed thing doesn't work if we get a patch and go home. It doesn't work if we shoot a Rifleman score and remember the good times we had out on the range. It only works if we take that 7th Step and spread the 'seed. HUZZAH!!!"  Slim 


April 18-19, 2009  "The seeds of rifle marksmanship were sown in good ground.  In the end, then, every attendee walked away as an instructor for their friends, family, coworkers.  May you tend your patch in Liberty's garden well and through a long life."  Francis Marion

G-man68

Hi everyone. I just wanted to say that I had a great time on Saturday. I truly learned a lot from the instructors, who obviously love what they do. Thank you to all of you.

I brought a friend with me and signed up for both days, however due to being called to work on Sunday, I was unable to return. I work early morning shift, and was at the event with no sleep in nearly 24 hours. But I felt that the training was that important. My friend also was sleep deprived after a long drive from Arizona that morning. This along with out lack of rifle handling experience, made for a humbling experience to say the least. But I truly felt that I have learned more in that one day than I have ever learned in my life about becoming a rifleman.

A little background... I am currently a federal officer and am well versed in pistol shooting. I usually shoot expert with a handgun. However, I really wanted to learn rifle skills for all the reasons spoken about at the event, and for my own personal reasons. It was an eye opening experience trying to shoot tight groups with a rifle, with wich I have little experience.

Most law enforcement officers are not trained to any extent with rifles. This is due to the resistance of agencies to deploy rifles for line officers. This trend is changing however. Many smaller departments and rural agencies have been deploying patrol rifles for some time. Eventually the patrol rifle will become standard issue in most of American law enforcement. I want to be ready and able.

I also wanted to comment on the state of affairs between law enforcement and those we serve, in regards to gun ownership. Many civilians have a distrust for LEO's, especially when it comes to gun ownership and the special treatment of cops over citizens by legislatures. The vast majority of LEO's are pro-2nd amendment. We support not only the right to own firearms, but the right to concealed carry. We also are concerned about the political climate in America today. Me and my fellow officers understand the need to learn about our proud heritage of riflemen, and their role in keeping us free. I would encourage you all to bring any LEO friends/family to this event. You'll find that were just like you, only most likely, worse shots with a rifle.

Having said that, let me caution you, that there is a great divide between cops and citizens which is being fostered by bad law, and a prevailing us.-vs.-them attitude in many agencies. I have seen the training and equipment that is being utilized as law enforcement becomes more and more militarized, and the citizen is being stripped of effective measures against what could later lead to tyranny. As I said the average beat cop is pro 2A. The brass may not be. I believe we need a bridge between law enforcement and those we serve. I think the Appleseed project is one way to bridge that gap.

I am pledging that I will not enforce any law that sees law enforcement confiscating firearms. Many of my fellow officers have pledged the same. That should be encouraging to you. But the battle is only beginning. We all need to be vigilant in defending the 2nd amendment. We all need to get active at all levels. This is a battle we can't afford to lose.

Thanks again. Next time I see you, hopefully Ill be a rifleman.

G-man68

SavageShootr

G-man68,

Welcome to the forum!

I am glad you feel that your rifle skills improved. Thank you for coming out. I'm sorry you couldn't make it back for Sunday. Maybe next time you attend an event you can return for the second day.

I believe you are correct about LEO's. I know several LEO's that are Pro 2A. I appreciate your comments here.

~SS
"Listen to everyone, read everything, and don't believe anything unless you can prove it."' B.C.
"It isn't like it is life or death...it is more important than that." MrPete

SavageShootr

Quote from: Old Glory! on October 21, 2008, 11:06:58 PM
Shoot Boss Sluggo? :o :o

Savage what ever happened to your patient demeanor?  Seems like you are getting kinda tough on Mr Bill at-least.  Sounds like a great shoot you all had.  For all you first timers,  go again and bring friends. :D

Colycat


hmmmmmmm  MrBill was at Corona last weekend. I don't know how he knows about my new rep as a ShootBossSluggo.  :D
"Listen to everyone, read everything, and don't believe anything unless you can prove it."' B.C.
"It isn't like it is life or death...it is more important than that." MrPete

MrBill

It was the only way I could come up with a reason for an "ohh nooo!!!! in my post  ;D
"Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest."  Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi

Camljr


It was another beautiful weekend at Mt. Appleseed, Piru, CA.

Thanks to all who attended and came with a "ready to learn" attitude.
I also want to commend SavageShootr for her patience with me as a newbie IIT, in learning the Appleseed way of doing things. I appreciate the lessons learned and the communication. A sign of a true leader. You did an excellent job, I'd say.

Phil also rocked with his enthusiasm and leadership, helped make it all worth while. Seems like he has been doing this forever... he has it down cold.

Also, congratulations to our new Riflemen, Cal7.62(Steve) and Impactco (Mike)!

And it was good working with the other IIT's... Rock-Chucker, called the line like a pro, heard him load and clear!
F-stop, you did a good job on the line, and also helped a lot of the new shooters with their shooting skills.

Glenn, Kevin, and a couple others were knocking on the door of the Rifleman score. They will get there, I am sure.
Also want to commend Don for staying and working through his physical pains to persevere til the end. True dedication. Also CC was able to go from Hiding her head in her hands at the first rifle blast of a high power rifle going off two mats over, to persevering and getting the 250 yard headshot on the last redcoat! She made great progress !!!

I was given the task on Sunday of giving history on a "Dangerous Old Man"  Samuel Whittemore...
Never heard of him before that day, but found and compiled a story anyway... (Websearches are a wonderful thing)
I got through it about 3/4 of the way, and got into the story so much that I choked up a little while describing his horiffic injuries he received from the british regulars. Never did that before in public..... But I think the story, as told, did enlighten a few people to the sacrifices and dedication of even the oldest Patriots of the day.

Thank God for their dedication and sacrifices, or we may have never known the freedoms we take for granted, and we must always fight to keep them. We cannot become complacent thinking "the other guy" will do the hard work...

Well, all in all it was a great weekend, with a lot of things learned by all involved.

See you all at the next Appleseed!!!

Cameron

96 SHOOTS SO FAR!

WSMR Instructor 03/10  -  SAPPER STEEL!

�The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection�   Thomas Paine

Proverbs 22:3  -  A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even when checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy, nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat".
Theodore Roosevelt

Junior Birdman

   Choking up when talking about Samuel Whitemore? Man, I'm glad I don't do that........ ::)

   Good show chaps!  Always a great time at the Piru Range.  Congrats on the new Riflemen and IITs!  JB
"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." John Adams

Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them. Fredrick Douglass

rock-chucker

hey G-man68.  thank you for coming all the way over to our shoot, and for posting regarding the sentiments of LEOs (It took me a moment to figure out that you weren't talking about astrology...).  Glad to hear that most LEO's are pro 2A.  It would be great to have more officers attend our shoots send some on over!

It is true that we are very much about rifle marksmanship, but even more than that we are about coming together as Americans who value being American.  Thank you and your fellow officers for choosing to be American above all else and vowing not to support gun confiscation activities.  Kudos to you all.  You're right, the 2A battle is one we absolutely must win.  Now you know why we do what we do, beside the fact that it really is a whole lot of fun.  As fun and enjoyable as it is, I doubt many Appleseed instructors would call it a "hobby".  this is work which must be done.  As you point out, the alternative is utterly unacceptable. 
 
Liberty Dave, nice to hear from you.  I was wondering what happened to you.  Sorry to hear you are still having problems.  Hope you get relief soon and come out and see us.

Cam, I didn't really do justice to your presence at the shoot.  You will go far.  Great energy and passion for helping each shooter in every way you can.  Excellent job on dangerous old Sam.  It's funny hearing you talk about getting choked up telling the story, and reading JB's comment about getting choked up.  I thought I was the only one who got choked up.  It seems most or all of us do!  As human beings, patriots, Americans, and lovers of libery; the actions of our forebears strikes a nerve which runs very deep in all of us.  Glad to have you on board, bud.

R-C

 

Cal 7.62

Here are some pics.  8)
"Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions - The Eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us..." - George Washington

Cal 7.62

More pics.
"Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions - The Eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us..." - George Washington

Cal 7.62

A Rifleman persists!  ;D
"Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions - The Eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us..." - George Washington

V

Hey G-man68,

Sorry I didn't reply, the page 1 to page 2 flip over between visits fooled me  ::)

Quote from: G-man68 on October 22, 2008, 12:27:27 AM
I am pledging that I will not enforce any law that sees law enforcement confiscating firearms. Many of my fellow officers have pledged the same. That should be encouraging to you. But the battle is only beginning. We all need to be vigilant in defending the 2nd amendment. We all need to get active at all levels. This is a battle we can't afford to lose.

I truly thank you for your pledge and yes I am encouraged. However, ...

Quote
Having said that, let me caution you, that there is a great divide between cops and citizens which is being fostered by bad law, and a prevailing us.-vs.-them attitude in many agencies. I have seen the training and equipment that is being utilized as law enforcement becomes more and more militarized, and the citizen is being stripped of effective measures against what could later lead to tyranny. As I said the average beat cop is pro 2A. The brass may not be. I believe we need a bridge between law enforcement and those we serve. I think the Appleseed project is one way to bridge that gap.

Like you, prior to Appleseed I have mainly been a pistol shooter (IPSC in England and IDPA here in the States) and at these events we get many LEOs. Something which I have noticed and which "older" LEOs have commented on is that the division is also becoming an "old hand" vs "new kids" as much as a "beat" vs "brass" issue. Would you agree?

You have clearly made a public pledge to us on this forum but is there a more formal campaign to which your "fellow officers have pledged the same" or is it just an informal discussion amongst colleagues in a station house by station house manner?

I was toying with the idea of approaching my local city police/county sherriffs office (Simi/Ventura) with some swat reprint/flyers for the next Piru event, your post encourages me to follow through on this.

Any suggestions on who I should ask for at the front desk to get the most sympathetic hearing? I'm afraid if I just hand them in at the front desk that a disapproving desk jockey could just throw them in the trash and they never get to the lunch room/locker room for the guys to see.

As a former British shooter who has seen gun confiscation come to fruition I am quite conscious of the need you describe to proactively prevent the them&us divide from becoming a chasm. And Appleseed is the only solution I have seen

Cheers
Phil

funfaler

Please allow a slight interjection here.

Appleseed is about building relationships, with community groups, shooting groups, LEOs, Military, etc.  Teaching rifle marksmanship and American Heritage.

There are many, many very good RKBA and Second Amendment groups out there that are doing some very fine work, this is not our are of expertise. 

Connecting people, groups and organizations to the American Rifleman Heritage is what we are about, that is about it.  Leaving all the other nessassary jobs and functions in the struggle to preserve the 2nd to other groups that are well advanced of Appleseed in those areas.

We want to share the Rifleman Heritage, as started by the Founding Generation, and passed on to us, with everyone.  Partly to honor the Founders, partly to preserve and pass on this Heritage.

We want to share this with LEOs, not for political gain, since RWVA/Appleseed is not political, but to increase the folks that understand and honor this Heritage.

Americans are very interesting creatures, very different than most of the rest of the human race.  If we can get their hearts and minds in line with the Founding Fathers, they will make the correct decisions, according to the priciples established by the Founders.

LEOs, as members of the community, are another group that we need to be introducing Appleseed to, just like the Lions, firefighters, VFW, etc.

We also offer the additional benefit to them, of quality, inexpensive rifle marksmanship instruction.  All that can benefit from that (that is everyone, right?  ;D), should be at an Appleseed Shoot as soon as they can get there.  It is our job to help them understand that.


The dips in your couch will go away if you get up and take the Seventh Step!

Scout

Great Job guys!, I love reading California AARs! I tell everyone at all the Appleseed events I instruct at how proud I am of California and our California instructors.

For so many years you guys have had stuff shoved down your throats and had to take it and as you have heard over and over again, the mantra from the left and from the rest of the country has always been, "As California goes, so goes the country".

Well get ready country!!! Things are about to change! California is about to bring the ship around.

Attention all hands aboard the USS America!!  Prepare to bring the ship about. Make for a new course and put on all available sails!! Attach a line to Sacremento, San Francisco and LA and drag them along (run out the plank to get rid of all the deadwood) and head into the sun.

Great shoot and Thanks for the loan of Johnny APpleseed for the El Paso weekend here in Texas. He is a good man and was a huge help with fine tuning the shooters on the line. The only bad thing about meeting new Riflemen from across the country is that they are usually not close enough for me to call them and ask them to come to dinner. ;D

BattleRoadUSA.com

"Who wants Ice Cream?" Fred

Sixty seconds is way too long for a minute, I am cutting it down to thirty seven seconds- SoM

"You can shout it, you can preach it, but no matter how many times you repeat it, NEVER believe your own bullSh*t." (as told to me by Grin Reaper)