Colorado Springs, CO - AAR - Aug 21-22, 2021

[Captain]

A great group of Appleseeders gathered at the Pikes Peak Gun Club (PPGC) this weekend to embrace our American heritage of Liberty and rifle marksmanship. The weather was hot but the shooters were determined to persist. By the end of the weekend, tremendous progress was made by all the shooters. There was a new Rifleman Patch earned, several requals and even some cleared Redcoats by the last target of the event. More details to follow, but I thought I'd start with a quick group picture we managed to capture on the first day.



More pictures to come as I get caught up!

[Jerry Hall]

Thank you Rob and all who participated during this event! 
Let freedom ring!!!     


Jerry

[Captain]

Like all Appleseed events, we covered safety before we even brought the rifles out.




Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. - Benjamin Franklin

[Captain]

Most of the morning, shooters and instructors worked on learning the fundamentals of precision marksmanship while shooting prone - position, firing the shot and natural point of aim.






These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. - Thomas Paine

[Captain]

At lunch and during the afternoon, we heard "The Three Strikes" of the match or the story of April 19th, 1775.






If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[Captain]

Near the end of the first day, we had the opportunity to put everything learned so far into practice by working on the Appleseed Qualification Test (AQT) target.



We also had an opportunity to recognize some younger shooters on the line this weekend. Great job to Jacob and Charlotte.



Red Hat Instructor Flux, also received his "10 Event Pin" (albeit two events late!). This represents nearly an entire summers worth of weekends volunteering to spread liberty. Huzzah!



To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them…"
- Richard Henry Lee, Declaration Signer

[Captain]

Sunday's round count started to climb as we got behind our rifles to review the previous days lessons.



There were also some more stories of enormous sacrifice and courage by those who would win our Liberty.



Here are some photos while shooting standing.







If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed;
if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly;
you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.
There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. -- Winston Churchill

[Captain]

All the shooters made progress in their marksmanship. John and Mel brought several rifles to the line to work on groups and to get good zeros. Mel was out on the line all weekend despite suffering through some pretty intense hand pain (not Appleseed related). Sue was a completely new shooter and worked though her initial nervousness to move from safely handling her rifle to shooting some pretty impressive groups. Nice job! Kenny worked through some rifle issues and was "in the hunt" for his Rifleman patch by the end of the event. Tim brought his nephew Jacob out, who at 10 years old was our youngest shooter and did a great job on the line the entire weekend. Michael and Charlotte were only able to attend the first day of the event but both made strides toward solid shooting. I hope we'll see you both at another event soon. Just to put some numbers behind my claims, shooting the first Redcoat of the event, our group had an effective range of only 44 yards. By the last Redcoat on Sunday, the group's effective range was 343 yards!! One of the largest increases, I've seen at an event!

There were also some standout performances. Chin would earn his Rifleman's patch early on day 2 and go on to make score several more times; very impressive work at his first ever Appleseed. Tim just missed getting his patch, but did clear the final Redcoat of the event!


Chin getting his Rifleman's patch



Tim and Black Russian getting their Saratoga coins for clearing the Redcoat


It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. ......~ Abraham Lincoln (Gettysburg Address)

[Captain]

Most of the instructors took an opportunity to get on the line and "walk the walk" with four instructor requals. Bravhrt shot a personal best as did Flux who shot a 242 to earn his Distinguished patch! Congratulations!


Flux shoots Distinguished!


We also had an instructor who completed his progress check for his Redhat and has been submitted for promotion. I'll make a post as soon as it's "official".

It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men. - Samuel Adams

[Captain]

And it's official, Bravhrt completed his Red Hat progress check! Huzzah!

[Captain]

And here's a few more photos taken by another instructor . . .