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AAR Denver Oct. 26/27 2019

Started by Long Rifle, October 31, 2019, 01:32:38 PM

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Long Rifle

Thanks to the Skyline Hunting and Fishing Club in Denver for hosting our 2nd event this year. Beautiful location just inside the foothills east of Denver. Wildlife abounds at this range. We passed some mule deer on the way in and a bull elk stood on the side of the road as we approached the range.

Great turnout. We had 16 shooters attend on Saturday. Many had never attended an Appleseed event previously. Everyone was attentive, and eager to learn. The weather was pretty darn nice for October in Colorado. The next day however was dramatically different.

Sunday dawned (well it was light out, I never saw the sun) grey, drizzly, and cold. Freezing rain had fallen in the night and it took 15 minutes to scrap the rock hard ice from my windshield after I swept off the 4" of snow on top of the ice. The roads were pretty slippery. The range is up a mile long dirt road so there was some concerns whether we would even be able to get up the road.

I was doubtful that anyone would come back for Sunday but right on schedule, 8 intrepid shooters rolled up the road to the range. I was really excited to see the turnout. For the rest of the day the conditions were challenging. Blowing snow and temps in the low 20's made it tough to feel that trigger finger. In the end everybody rose to the occasion and we got 5 rifleman out of the 6 shooters that finished the day. They all got the coveted Winterseed patch. In fact, at some point a couple of shooters literally had icicles on their faces. All in all, it was a great event. Fall weather one day and winter the next. Classic Colorado weather.

Good job to everyone that came to the event and keep practicing the skills we showed you. We look forward to seeing you at the next event.
Those that can, DO. Those that can DO MORE, teach.
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

HapHapablap

The bitter cold made me not want to take my gloves off to take pics at this shoot, so I only got a few.

Day one, sunny and beautiful, had Long Rifle getting low to do some instruction:



Day two and I could have built a snowman on the brim of my hat.



Despite the snow and cold, Captain was able to hand out patches to five persistent Winterseeders. Congratulations to all!

Do good, recklessly.

Captain

Wow, this event was filled with the unexpected. First, was yet another "sold out" event for Colorado at the Skyline Hunting and Fishing Club. Huge thanks to Lockheed Martin for making this private range available to Appleseeders from the Front Range. And also a special thank you to the range officers who volunteered to be our "chaperones" over the weekend and helped get all the Appleseeders out to the range in this secure area. It is easy to see why this has become Colorado's most popular Appleseed location!

Saturday may have started out a bit chilly, but it was short sleeve weather by late morning. A couple of no shows balanced out walk-ons and the line was nearly full . . .

Fear the incoming storm would close the range, Saturday was full-on Appleseed Firehose!








Cease fire, waiting on the neighboring range


Finishing some squares.


Nations youngest instructor calling the line


Ethan nailing his target


Bruce getting some tips from Black Russian


Ryan working the prone position


The range had a hard closing time which precluded the inclusion of a proper AQT. We did have one student who accepted the offer to complete a rapid fire AQT in lieu of our afternoon redcoat. Huge congratulations to Jerome for his outstanding performance and persistence. He has been shooting well for quite some time but had been unable to put together everything for the coveted "Rifleman's" patch. He would not be denied on this day and without any warmup, he got his patch on the last event of day 1 on his sixth Appleseed. Great job!
There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range

Captain

And on Sunday, the storm had arrived. Two years into the War for American Independence, in the bleak month of December, Thomas Paine wrote,
Quote
These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in time of crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; . . . "

Sunday's weather did indeed test the Appleseeder's who made it out to the range on Sunday. Freezing rain, snow and cold greeted those heading out into the darkness of Sunday morning. The line was moved back to provide a little relief from the snow for the eight folks who returned that morning. Ian had to give up his spot on the line so he could man his snow plow for Douglas County (thanks!).






New firing line . . .


Paul warming up with a Redcoat


Dave gets ready to shoot


As the morning snow increased, some had to leave for fear of road closures blocking the route home . . .
There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range

Captain

Actions filled with snow and ice, clearing peep sights with hand tools and warming up turrets and sights to make adjustments, the shooters would not be deterred from their task.







Cold end of the line . . .


Bruce working his frozen sights.

Ethan bracing against the storm.


Ryan firing the AQT


Not too cold for instruction.

You call this cold?

There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range

Captain

By the end of our "snow day", one shooter had made big strides in getting his group size way down and five shooters earned their Winter Rifleman's patch. Really a great job and definitely a group who were ready to lay claim to their marksmanship heritage.



Following on with the quote from Thomas Paine I started above, "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value." I know our new and requalifying Riflemen will hold that patch dear.

Of course, Thomas Paine wasn't talking about our patches but something far more precious, our liberty . . . "and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated."

Every Appleseed weekend renews my spirit and I hope all the students and instructors this weekend came away with a little more of that unique American love of freedom in their hearts. That was the real goal.
There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range

TaosGlock

Outstanding job guys, especially on day 2 of the event! :snipersmi
And congratulations to the new Rifleman! :~
89 fantastic Appleseeds since 2008/24 Libertyseeds!
Adventure Camp Director/Current Lead Rifle Instructor: NRA WC Raton,NM
New Mexico's first Rifleman: Sept. 2008 NRAWC
Their walls are filled with cannonballs, their motto is don't tread on me-Grateful Dead
Liberty is not a cruise ship full of pampered passengers. It is a man of war and we are all crew-Boston T. Party
"Make no mistake, when you cheer for the people of the American Revolution, you are cheering for traitors and criminals.
They broke the law, because liberty is always illegal"- Larken Rose

Jerry Hall

Greetings All,
Wow, what an adventurous weekend. I really like the look of the snow falling(just not the pains that come with it).
Congratulations to all the new Riflemen, forged on the anvil of the AQT!  :snipersmi
Hats off to Y'all for persevering through that day's weather, this exemplifies commitment: (doing what you don't want to do, when you don't want to do it, in an Ice storm).  :bow: :bow: :bow:
Happy Trails,
Jerry
"The significant problems we face today cannot be solved with the same level of thinking that we were at when we created them. Albert Einstein."

"One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Captain

It really was a great weekend but even better is we have another sold out 2 Day Rifle Clinic the weekend before Thanksgiving! Front Range Riflemen are coming out to embrace their heritage in what may well be another chance to earn the rare Winterseed patch!
There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range

Tiger_Shilone

That shoot was a lot of fun on sunday, probably my favorite one so far!   It really made a great first impression on my friend I brought to this event, he still hasn't  stopped  talking about 2 weeks later and wants to go to another clinic.   He is also spreading good word around his work and circle of friends as well so hopefully we get some more new shooters ;)

We had between 2-3 inches of snow fall on us during the class on sunday.   Apparently the lube I used on my 10/22 did not like the cold as it malfunctioned 13 times out of 23 shots (redcoat and first square targets) so back to the bolt I went.   The new CZ457 action is a huge improvement over the previous series of CZ  22 actions and ran flawlessly on both sat and sun, good weather and bad so I was glad I brought it as a back up.




Captain

Wow, thanks T_S, coming from you, that is high praise! I'm glad your "plus one"  ;D enjoyed the event and I hope he can make it back again (and following your great example . . . bring his buddies)! We only have one shoot left in Colorado this season and then it's the four months of dry fire (or road trip!).

Hope to see you on the line again for Patriot's Day!
There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range