Davilla, TX Jan 10-11

[metalbot]

Just got home.

Saturday saw about 16 shooters on the line.  I was personally under dressed.  The weather forecast said 50, so I dressed for 50.  What I neglected to check was that there would be a 20+ MPH constant wind through the day.  I was lucky that Lex T Concord was more prepared than me, and loaned me a sweatshirt and hat.

We made fairly good time on Satuday, ultimately shooting 2 AQT's before darkness started to interfere.  By the end of the day, it was clear that there would be several people chasing rifleman patches by Sunday.

Sunday saw a near full return of shooters from Saturday, which says something about their dedication given that Saturday was very unpleasant with the wind.  Sunday saw 3 new Riflemen forged on the AQT's.  Two of these were at their first Appleseed (and one is about to deploy to Iraq).

Great instructor to student ratio.  Thanks as always to Scout for hosting the event.

[Robert762]

Just got home and unpacked. Great weekend with a good turnout. Although I was prepared this time for the cold, I too wasn't ready for the wind. I couldn't feel my nose while on the line. I took to wearing my shooting glasses full time due to the wind and dust. Overnight temps down to 30, with high wind made for a short night. I don't know if anyone attempted a campfire, as I was hiding in the back of my truck.

The shooting went very well, with only a few mechanical issues that I was aware of. I don't think anyone had a major issue with their rifles.

Today went quickly as the instructors kept us on time and moving through the stages. The weather cooperated as well, and we weren't fighting a stiff cross breeze down the line. Good instructor support brought strong improvements in scores all around.

The Redcoats fear Texas! 

[scuzzy]

Got back from the Davilla Jan 10-11 shoot. A good time was had by all and I dang sure met some outstanding individuals.

Mark was our main instructor on the line for most of the weekend with lots of guidance from Scout. Mark did a very good job of setting us newbies straight. I thanked Mark for making me realize what a piss poor shot I really am. Having put thousands of rounds downstream over the years, I had assumed that I was a pretty good shot. Ha. There are a lot a bad habits I have built up over the years and this weekend was the beginning of learning the proper way to fire a rifle.

The most difficult thing for me, even now, is learning NPOA. Having muscled all my shots over the years, it is hard to unlearn all of my old bad habits. I am working on it though. There was a big temptation to shoot at least one AQT using my own old method just so I wouldn't make such lousy scores. Heck, I was getting some pretty embarrassing scores. Heck, on one AQT I threw the sheet in the trashcan before anyone could score it. However, I resisted the temptation to use my old bad habits and kept up with using the AS methodology. I am glad I did, by Sunday afternoon I could see an improvement in my AQT scores. I did manage a 193 on the next to last AQT on Sunday.  I might have broke 210 but failure to feeds made getting even a 193 pretty dang tough. Yeah, I know, excuses, excuses. I WILL get the 210 sooner or later though.

Scout said the failure to feeds are a good thing though. It makes for good practice trying to free a jam. I didn't think it was much fun though.

Saturday was one windy son of a gun, which made holding the rifle while standing a challenge. It was about 50 degrees but it felt pretty cold to us Texans. Sunday was really nice though. The wind died down late Saturday night. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

On Sunday during lunch Mark gave us the third strike of the match. Afterwards Scout tossed Mark a Red Hat. Mark looked as happy as a pig in a poke. Congratulations Mark. You earned it. Your three strikes of a match was told in a heartfelt manner and your instruction on the line was professional.

All of the instructors did a heck of a good job. There was always somebody there to give assistance or a word of encouragement when needed. I can't say enough good about the caliber of the AS staff. A tip of the hat to all you guys.

While I can't remember all the names of everybody due to old timers disease, I would like to thank BigD, Lex, Scout, Ron, Robert762, Kevin, Mara, John, Roman, Will, Alex, and anyone else whose name I can't remember for the assistance, comradeship, and just plain old good time that I had this weekend.

[metalbot]

I thanked Mark for making me realize what a piss poor shot I really am.

And I told you then, you aren't a poor shot.  You are shooting better than 99% of the people who simply own rifles.

Having put thousands of rounds downstream over the years, I had assumed that I was a pretty good shot. Ha. There are a lot a bad habits I have built up over the years and this weekend was the beginning of learning the proper way to fire a rifle.

This is really common at Appleseed.  Lot's of people think they are "a pretty good shot".  Until you start adding time pressure, and specific courses of fire, and magazine changes, and NPOA shifts, and dozens of other shooters on the line, and all sorts of other distractions.

Rifle marksmanship is very much a question of becoming mentally focused to do the things that you need to do to fire a shot - and to do it consistently every time.  Very few people with rifles actually practice that. 

[BDG]

This latest AS has come and passed. It turned out well. I'd have liked to have seen everyone carry over on Sunday, but we lost a few people from Saturday due to the biting wind chill. Not too many people had kicked up their tents! I saw lotsa people just kicking it in their trucks/cars. I neglected to ask Alex if he was wearing any additional clothing under his BDUs to stay a bit warmer. I'll ask again next time.

metalbot, congrats again on the red hat. You done us proud.

I ended up leaving the site at about 6:30 with Respiratory Pop on the way back to his place in Corpus where my car was parked. We arrived at around midnight after having stopped for dinner in Round Rock. My drive at that point was still about 3 hours. I was talked into sleeping over and leaving in the morn. Well, ole Pop is pretty persuasive. Much chatting about orchids, greenhouses, storage, reloading, and some other stuff abounded. In the morning, we drove over to Starry Gun Range and checked it out for suitability as a new host for an Appleseed. It looked good to me. There were several bermed mini ranges on the property, and several of them would work for shooting AS protocol. Pop is in the process of getting paperwork done to get it on the calendar.

Well done to our 3 new Riflemen. Keep shooting and bring in more shooters next month!

[(Sim) Σμ]

Thanks to everyone for helping Roman.  He had a great time and is chattering along about it.  My father had a really good time, although he was disappointed in how well he was doing.  He said he doesn't like getting up and getting down that much anymore.  I told him to take it easy and shoot from sitting more.  Maura (Eleanor of AQT) has been trying her best to get him to go to some flexibility classes, but he won't go. 

He thinks Appleseeds are *great* for families to do together.  I'm going to sucker him into coming again next time, since Maura has to get CPE for her certs.  I'll tell him I need help with Roman and he'll probably agree.  He just needs to stretch out a bit.

I'm still looking for a Houston range where we can go and practice AQTs, since I really need to tighten up standing and prone.  Gee, that's only most of the AQT!

See you all in February!

[CaptG]

Sim,
Aromatic told me that American Shooting Center, near Hwy 6 & Westheimer, allows shooting from field positions. We're kind of talking about getting together to practice. We can also shoot at my place near Sealy, but the pile of horse turds i have for a backstop doesn't allow for more than a few targets at a time. My schedule's also kind of strange so a lot of the time I'm only home during the week. PM if you want to see about getting some of us together.
Guy 

PS. Any of ya'll in the Houston area are welcome to come by & shoot. A couple of people at a time can shoot and others could coach etc. I know I'd probably be advancing my skills quicker with help. I work 4 days on & 4 days off & try to shoot every other day when I'm here.

[Lex T. Concord]

MANY Thanks to Mark and Scout for another excellent Appleseed!

Mark did an outstanding job of running the line and telling the Three Strikes and Dangerous Old Men!  He earned his Red Hat, and I add my Congratulations for a Job WELL Done!

It was great to see many of the fine Shooters from Davillia, Eleven Oh Eight, as well as meeting many of the new Shooters, and experiencing the joy of watching the three new Riflemen emerge.

Other than some challenging weather Saturday, it was a GREAT Shoot!

Stay safe All, and PERSERVER!

Blessings,
Lex

[Eleanor of AQT]

What can I say?  It was a good time.  Lex is right, "A Rifleman perseveres."  I'll say that is was NOT cold enough that, if by a certain chance, you wet your finger to test the wind before firing, it wouldn't have frozen to your trigger - but close! 

Which leads me to address another issue... The sorry state of weather preparedness by y'all (my spouse and father-in-law included)  Sim forgot  his coat, hat and gloves, my father-in-law, his hat and gloves.  Man, a time like this, I wish I liked pink and feathers!  They were wearing my spares, right down to my long johns.  I am beginning to think y'all believe in that "Global Warming" stuff.  'Nuff said.

Anyway, humor aside, thanks to all for helping Roman.  Especially Scout, who gained a .22-sized hole in his knapsack! Big congratulations to Metalbot - well-done and well-earned! And to the new Riflemen...way to go! Sim is on the verge and Pa-in-law, though rusty, was scoring 50 pts on the standing portion of the AQT.  Roman wants to be a Jr. Instructor.  He was loading that Cricket faster than anything I had ever seen.  My father, who came in December, is talking to everyone about AS.  He even walked into the Army recruiter out where I live, to tell him about it - being 74, I don't think he was worried about signing the dotted line! 

I challenge you to bring someone new to AS every time you come.  We (Sim 'n' I) have, have you?   <