Coeur d'Alene, ID March 12 half day event AAR

[Mr. Clean]

What a great day to honor our ancestors by honing our rifle skills. March can be risky to plan in advance an outdoor event like this. Winter weather may still be holding on or it can be an early glimpse of spring. On this day we had cool temps but not enough to deter shooting. Seven participants guided by five instructors made great progress. Some self-identified as beginners and others as a bit more experienced, but all saw noticeable improvement by the end.

Congratulations Jenny and Jan on qualifying scores over 40 points. Your ancestors would be proud!

Some equipment issues showed themselves as we put rifles to the test. This is an opportunity to learn one's own rifle, its capabilities, and shortcomings. Now that you know what a help a sling can be to your shooting, find a good one to add to your rifle. If you found your sighting system difficult to adjust or use, now is the time to seek out better alternatives to be better prepared for next time. Were you able to get a good, consistent cheek weld, or did you need to adjust/alter your stock for good sight alignment? As this was only a half day "taste" of what Appleseed has to offer you, now you know what you can gain by coming to a one or two day event. I encourage you to continue on this journey to becoming skilled with a rifle.

Until we meet again on the Appleseed trail, do yourself the favor of dry practice at home. It costs nothing and doesn't require going anywhere else. Just remember the safety rules, and verify no ammo is in the magazine, chamber, or even in the same room with you. Our next event at the Fernan Rod & Gun Club will be April 22-24 but capacity has already been sold out (yes, it pays to sign up early). Then a Appleseed Pistol Clinic event (think of it as the same experience you just had but with a pistol instead of a rifle) is scheduled for May 14th. Rifle Appleseed events are scheduled for June 11-12, August 13-14, October 8-9. For those ready for the next step advanced, there is a Known Distance Appleseed event (shooting full size targets at actual distances out to 400 yrds) September 10-11, 2022.