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Elwood, IN, AAR - 14-15 March 2015

Started by TJ Kackowski, March 16, 2015, 01:57:21 PM

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TJ Kackowski

Winter's death grip on Indiana was broken this weekend as the snow and subfreezing temperatures made way for sunny skies and 60 degree days at Elwood Conservation Club.  Unfortunately what was left on the ground was standing water at the base of the backstop and a muddy, mucky mess to slog through.

Nonetheless, 15 brave Americans made their way to this event to learn how to shoot their rifles more accurately, to lean of their heritage, and to generally just have a good time in the sun.

The end result was a thick layer of mud on bodies, clothes, and gear, but smiles on all the faces.

Tremendous improvement was shown by all.  With several students knocking on the door to a Rifleman's score and nary a safety violation at the firing line.  The most egregious offense was a persistent lack of engaging the rifle's safety.  The Instructor Corps was baffled by this activity as it wasn't isolated to any one or two individuals.  It just seemed to move randomly throughout the line.  Fortunately our eagle eyed RSO's never let one slip by.

By the end of Sunday's activities, we had four new Riflemen.

Ben H. was first out of the blocks with a score of 214.  He then followed that up with a 231 and a 211 before he hit a wall and started shooting more like a neophyte than a Rifleman.  Posting pedestrian scores in the 200 - 209 range.

Jim S. followed suit a bit later posting a 211 with his M1A.  He then switched to a Ruger 10/22 and posted another Rifleman score that the Shoot Boss neglected to record.

Bill S. finally found his Rifleman score at 215.  Bill has been working on this for the past two years.  He truly demonstrated the perseverance it takes if one wants to join the Rifleman's ranks.

Chris P. was our final Rifleman of the day with a score of 222 on our final AQT of the day.

As impressive as these Riflemen were, this Shoot Boss was even more impressed by the Dads who brought their sons and their son's friends out for the weekend.  Nearly half the line was comprised of this group.  Huzzah!

A hearty congratulation needs to go out to two men who stepped up to help the Appleseed program.

Bill S. took an Orange Hat and is starting his journey toward full Instructor.

Jim S. took a Blue Hat and will be a huge asset to our AppleCore program.

Finally, to all the students who participated this weekend.  Thank you for coming out to play in the sun with us.  You're a fine group of Americans who show the same kind of spirit demonstrated by our forefathers.  Continue working on your Marksmanship skills.  I look forward to seeing you again down the trail.

BrotherBill3

Great Weekend - Great Club - Great Instructors - Great History - and some great Marksmanship!

Thanks Elwood CC, TJ, LS6, IndyGunGuy, Rich 1580, Magazines ...

Congrats to the Riflemen (cough cough). My bad I think I missed a photo op on 1 - I hope someone got the 1 I missed.

I have bunch of other pictures too, (a few are NOT even of my own targets; LOL); a bit of narrative ...
I just have to catch a break - finish uploading and so on and so forth so ... 

Back with :pics: later ...

BB3

bocefus78

This was my first seed. I honestly can't remember the last time I had that much fun with a firearm in my hand!

Thanks all who volunteered!  Good people like you make the shooting sports what they are and you continue to pass it on down.

BB3...hurry up with the pics! I didn't take any (didnt want mud on my phone) and the people I have told about the event want some pics!

I had so much fun, I want to volunteer! 


BrotherBill3

DAY 1 - AAR:

There may be some "BILL HUMOR" in here - or not - as written for another forum of good (but goofy) gun folks

Probably alot of picture of my targets - it is for my tracking as much as anything. ... sorry there too.

It was wet; but the drizzle stopped just a bit before we were getting started.

TJ gave us the first strike ...


Sat.Morning Redcoats:
Since my 2nd Seed - I've attempted Morgan's Shingle "cold bore" ... prior to that I had shot it last in the string. I guess the temp / condition differences threw me off a bit - I've typically done better. Boo on the start:


First Sighter:


Third Sighter - Improving - getting a group:


Fourth sighter:   That felt good:


Second Strike and Lunch Break - TJ did a good job w the story!



Shot w/ this blue hat and his wife (both riflemen) at Noblesville last fall:
Here he showing Cross Legged, Cross Ankled, Open-Legged and Kneeling:









NOTE: after my last practice run, where I had to shoot UNDER the line bench at MCFG - so I sat cross-ankles - I worked with this again today. Up until then I had been doing Kneeling - which I like for keeping you at a more 'moderate' height.  We shot row 2 and row 3 (untimed practice) from this position (instead of row 3 prone - AIM SMALL MISS SMALL)




And with the transition: - Tried to keep my fast rifleman's cadence - but this wasn't timed.  Still new position; if I can do this "in time" ... it is just about the difference.


We did transition to Prone - HFB1 (who I 'enabled') was shooting to my left - but put most of his shots on my target ... LOLz  - no worries - since not scored - but that middle target was nice:



Afternoon RedCoats: - Better - mostly - went got all 3 at 300, but pulled 1 at 200; Got the SHINGLE.


Third Strike - TJ is on it - with an Attentive Group! ... "AMERICA":


Youth Patches! - YES - YOUNG AND OLD were at Lexington and Concord
and Young and Old - can learn from the training at Appleseed:


The field at the end of the day was starting to dry - but it was a pumped mud pit most of the day:



AFTERMATH:
A brick of 22 LR $35
(YMMV)

Midway Pro Shooting Mat $50

Project Appleseed Event $80
(Best rifle markmanship, history & freedom program!!)

A wife that lets you bring your mudded up mat into the house to dry because she love you and supports you supporting Liberty: PRICELESS


- I have more pictures from Day 2 ... and a narrative - but not 'put together' - that'll be tomorrows work.

ENJOY!

FortPatriot

All of my clan had a great time - thank you so much! We posted a few pictures and a video of Isaac shooting the M1 at Fortpatriot.com - he's still smiling about that !!

http://fortpatriot.com/2015/03/when-marksmenship-met-history-appleseed-report/


Chris P (the one who didn't get Rifleman - yet) :)

navybowhunter

Sounds like a great event!  Awesome pictures!


BrotherBill3

#6
FortPatriot - Excellent writeup on your link and great photos. Thanks for the huzzah.  Way to 7th Step. I wore my new hat all around the office yesterday. ...

I had a similar problem w/ my scope last September on my Back up 795.  I started shooting low and couldn't fix the problem.  It wasn't even "loose" enough to tell it was loose; but it was sliding in the dove tails (almost off) and I never realized it until I went to sight in stuff for the next run.

Hope to finish my AAR Day 2 post today and post all the rest of the pictures - feel free to share them to 7th step!!!

ghosst

This was my first Appleseed event and despite my rifle malfunctions I had a blast. I look forward to upcoming events, and hope to earn a rifleman patch.

Thank you to all of the crew, you guys (and gals) run a first class event.

BrotherBill3

DAY 2 - Elwood Conservation Club

BTW - if you're NE of Indy - and want a 'club - range' to join - this is a GREAT place - and growing range!

OK well start off w/ IT IS TIME to Shoot some Regulars ... errr Redcoats -
Posted across "The Green" (it was green at the start):



My Target - ugh. But better than day 1, I think ...


Last 3 sighters - OK - feelin' good:



I heard asked - "DO YOU EVEN NPOA BRO?" once
Some NPOA shift Practice ... I thought I heard 'cease fire' as I readied 2nd shot but no ... lost NPOA. (and yanked 1 - but called it)



Then 2 morning AQT's: - 160 (eek!! what? who? not me! Oh drat!)  Followed by 208 (dang it - 1 shot!!)



Lunch - 1 new rifleman (sorry I missed lots of names) - I think we all got in our "Rifleman's Bubble" early - BTW - I am posting all the "EPIC" (up / left) poses ... for the 'drama' LOL.



TJ talking about Dangerous Old Men:



Lone Star 6 Tells us about Dangerous Women (young and old)




After lunch (plus a few Tums / Rolaids for me) my acid reflux kicks in and seems to mess me up in prone - I just said relax and let go.  I felt like I shot this like complete junk - but 194 ... what? Me? OK.  Meanwhile while that was being scored so we could keep moving ... I shot this:


Other scored as well - even better:  More Patches! New Riflemen!!!! (Throughout the day) - Huzzah!!!!





Oh - and this clown:



I think there was 1 more but I missed a picture AND I was bad as to not get everyone's names

After claiming my long awaited status as a rifleman - I was wound up - and new it would do me in to try to follow it up immediately ... my head was still going yeah! Yeah! Yeah!  Kind of like when I you tag your first deer, big Cheshire Cat Grin and all ... so I did the next AQT

L E F T H A N D E D ... and stank - except for the first / Standing stage.
This is is the only way I've shot left handed before.  I think there is potential and will probably try to work on this more.  WHY?  Because it reinforces the learning, and the techniques of the steady hold factors and NPOA.  And I like a challenge.

Standing 41
Transition Sitting: 23
Transition Prone 0
Prone: 7 x 2 = 14 ... yuck. - Time To Learn -
. . . . . . . . TOTAL = 88

Last AQT of the day (back to right handed) was only fair 202.
BUT what I've heard from others about being relaxed after you shoot your first rifleman score - IS QUITE TRUE. I smoked through the transition rounds done well ahead of the time limit. I was far more relaxed this time than ever before.

It helped that this round / AQT had no failures to feed - which PLAGUED me throughout the day.  So much that 1 stage 4 (prone) - I had to mess w/ the bolt and action EVERY SINGLE SHOT - and I nearly called me for time; I was last one shooting and the Line Boss thought I was done when I pulled the mag to fix / feed the next round right.  I was much more focused and shot almost well enough. 


Since I twisted (sorta kinda)  Matt H.'s (HFB) arm into showing up - or "enabled" him ... He was hanging just at 205 to 209 all day ... he needs to get his head out of the way.  Had 'count' screw ups on these two AQT's or he had it. "How many holes are where" matters.  That did him in, at least twice.

I know he'll get it done. 


We did a little Team "Dueling Redcoats" -
Rules 1) 13 rounds each;  2) Cleared target (3 shot each + 1 headshot) to count;  3) time limit 2 minutes;  4) most HITS wins.  Since having learned to "speak up" I somehow took / was put in charge ...  7 guys per team so we put guys to get the minimum hits per target by who felt best at hitting them;  1 guy called cleared targets - then rest of rounds went to standing / stage 1 to get as many hits as possible.  It seemed to work - we won - both attempts.  The 2nd go round the other team adopted a similar strategy - and it was CLOSE.

First run Dueling Targets (I didn't get to get a photo of 2nd set):


Winning Team w/ our RWVA Patches - (cool swag!!!)



Final Redcoat: AND
Shoot Boss TJ brought his U.S. Rifle, .30 caliber, M1 Garand; so 10 of us took turns shooting 1 clip apiece (yes it loads from a clip!)
Final Redcoat Left - M1 Redcoat Right - along with the patchs and such.



Some CLOWN thinks he can help instruct ... well I hope he can ... just keep him away from being dramatic (look at that pose!) ... and make sure he sticks to the story - or it might take as long to tell as it did to live it - so they let him (cough me cough) have an orange hat:



Conclusion / Follow up
When I started this path - I wanted to do it using "my own stuff" so I knew I could do it with what I had.  And now, I made it - with my 38 year old Marlin that is my first gun I got when I was 9; wearing its $30 Wal-mart Tasco 3x-9x scope (I won't buy another tasco like this; AA Optics and Vortex is where it is at for me and they support Appleseed) But it is better than the stock irons this had which never stayed in place and had no consistent adjustments.  The only 2 changes I made were consistently using CCI ammo that I found worked best and most reliably, and adding a proper sling in place of a luggage strap.

Rifle, Patches, my AWESOME new hat, and the AQT that got me over it. 


Also - this last picture is a link to the whole folder where all the pictures are. I may even have a few more to add.

BrotherBill3

Last thoughts ...

Thanks - again - to TJ Lonestar6, Magazines, Indygunguy and Rich1580
AND to Elwood Conservation Club.

Thanks to all the great folks that showed up, persevered through the mud.

To the first timers - I hope you all come back. Every event I've been too, I have learned and picked up new info.
The fundamentals are sound - and the presentation allows you to focus and build them up.
A little at a time - there just is not enough time to get it all in one trip.
(Kind of like visiting Orlando theme parks! - but with history marksmanship and heritage!)
And every instructor and shoot boss and person on the trail will have small, but consistent points that will make the history story come alive each time.

So come back - bring a friend or 2 - See you on the line! :)

brianheeter

Wooot!  Congratulations to all the new riflemen.  Thanks for taking a hat, BrotherBill3.

It looks like you guys had a great inaugural shoot at Elwood.

C ya,

brian
(refuse to) Kiss the Ring!

Ironhead1190

Quote from: TJ Kackowski on March 16, 2015, 01:57:21 PM
Ben H. was first out of the blocks with a score of 214.  He then followed that up with a 231 and a 211 before he hit a wall and started shooting more like a neophyte than a Rifleman.  Posting pedestrian scores in the 200 - 209 range.

Couldn't have said it better myself, TJ! I let pride get the best of me, and I squandered my opportunities to repeat those results. There's no excuse for me, and I appreciate the well-earned teasing I got from the others on the line.  ;)

I vow, here and now, to keep practicing and confirm what I had previously worked so hard to achieve. I hope to have pleasure of shooting with you guys again! Maybe I can finally convince my dad to join in and get his patch too.

Orangedotfever

BrotherBill3 isn't just doing the epic pose, he's doing the epic Babe Ruth pose. LOL. Congrats.  O0
"Need", has nothing to do with it!

"Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway." John Wayne

"I'd like to know why well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazy and complaining people who think the world owes them a living."  John Wayne

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what to have for dinner.
Liberty is a well armed lamb.

BrotherBill3

Quote from: Orangedotfever on March 27, 2015, 10:03:12 AM
BrotherBill3 isn't just doing the epic pose, he's doing the epic Babe Ruth pose. LOL. Congrats.  O0

Either that or I just stink at being a "poser" ...  :-[