Flash Report! Vermont (Aug 07)

[Fred]

     Vermont in August sure beats NC in August!

     While temps were in the hundreds in the Old North State (how do those people stand it? ), up here in beautiful Vermont it's in the 70s!

     And a nice, old-timey range to shoot on, reeking of the 1950s "retro" look.

     Twenty-two shooters showed up - all but 4 with .22s - and two of those switched to .22 before the day was out - is this the wave of the Appleseed future?

    Fortunately, we had a tough, barking Army NCO to whip everyone into shape, and Fred had little to do, other than relate some basic history.

    Easy to do, since just the day before, he had visited Isaac Davis's house (people are still living in it - can you imagine, living in Isaac Davis's house?);

     * handled a flintlock used by one of our guys on Lexington Green on dawn of April 19, 1775 (he fired it at least twice at redcoats of the 4th and 10th Light Infantry companies);

     * visited the house of Jason Russell, the man who on the afternoon of April 19, decided to defend his "castle" and died - along with 16 other people, some of them redcoats, doing it (at least that's how many bodies his wife found in the house when she returned - how many were wounded and carried off to later die, is unknown);

     * inadvertantly stumbled across Jason Russell's grave, with it's charge of "bloody redcoats" carved in stone for eternity - and right next to it was Ammi Cutter's, leader of the graybeards who deprived Percy of his cannon ammo by capturing his supply wagon that day;

     * visited Munroe Tavern in Lexington, Percy's temporary HQ that afternoon before the retreat to Boston, and stood in the room with the table used by the British surgeon to treat redcoats wounded in the retreat from Concord;

     * visited Buckman Tavern in Lexington, where Parker's men stayed thru the night until mustered for their dawn confrontation (this last with fellow RWVA member crak);

     * visited Lexington Green with crak, where we encountered a young colonial-garbed guide who had some interesting things to say;

     * and visited the National Heritage Museum run by the Masons in Lexington, a first-class operation in every respect.

     All this after starting the day at the Concord museum, where we saw one of the two lanterns hung in the tower of the Old North Church on the night of the 18th and a pair of Major Buttrick's ("Fire, fellow soldiers, for God's sake fire! Fire as fast as you can!") pistols.

     Guess you could say, almost drowned in history that day, but struggled to the surface long enough to stop at the National Minuteman Museum to pick up some copies of the "Bloody Butchery" broadside issued that day by our side.

     Not to say there's not a lot of Rev War history in VT, and Nickle will gladly tell you (hey, he had ancestors on Lexington Green on That Morning, so no wonder!).

     RWVA member "ripersnifle" showed up and was one of the few people who didn't need to be there, putting all his shots on the one-inch square like he was born doing it.

    As for the other 21, there were some good shooters who showed, altho the "Redcoat" target quickly sorted everyone out.

    Since one of the ladies was firing extremely well, we chastised the rest of the guys by saying if they didn't improve, we'd run into town at lunch and buy a bunch of cheap dresses.

     Sure enough, down at the targets, one young fellow had a group that covered the paper, and he was asked, jokingly, what size dress he needed - and he answered "a size 12, I think".

     There was silence for a moment, then a voice from the crowd said "I don't know whether to be more concerned about his shooting, or the fact he knows what size dress would fit him".

     We did the usual, trying to get people to put on their slings with precision, not sloppiness; to educate their trigger fingers; and to get the basics of firing a shot down pat.

     Several members of this site were there and I hope they will weigh in with their impressions, as I don't know everyone who was there.

    Now, today, back to polish people up...

[Nickle]

OK, the weekend is over. Fred should be getting home sometime today or tomorrow.

In the meantime, a few statistics and pictures.

We had 24 students over the weekend. 22 on Saturday, 14 on Sunday. 2 of the Sunday students were a Sunday only couple, and that was because he had to work Saturday (one day off in the week, and he goes to an Appleseed, my kind of folks). Many of the students were locals, but there was a few from Maine (Sandanbob and son), Mass (Dwarven1 and another NES'er), a few from New Hampshire and a bunch from Vermont, including GMB74 and son, BruceR and the Mrs, Dusty and Brad (blueskys's grandsons) and a couple of their friends, tychoseven, ripersnifle and a bunch of locals and not so locals. Most were using .22 rifles. Yankees are known for being tight with our money, and there's your proof. We're smart, and it shows.

Youngest student was 12, and there were several other youngsters there. I saw some impressive scores for new shooters. Fred didn't tell you that the lady that was showing the guys up was a cute little 17 year old and a fairly new shooter to boot. He also didn't tell you the guy that knew his dress size was also a teen. He got a big dose of humility, that's for sure. We'll be seeing more of the whole crew this fall.

2 shot Rifleman over the weekend, GMB74, and a gentleman from a couple of miles from me, Lee. Lee made his during an AQT session that was under tighter times, and using a Rugger 77/22 bolt gun.

The weather held out Sunday, even a little more hot and muggy than Saturday.

[Nickle]

More pictures

[Nickle]

Forgot to mention that Fred learned a lesson on just how serious some folks up here are.

He jokingly told the Dwarven1 to "drop and give me 20", which was immediately complied with, even with Fred protesting he was just kidding.

Must be the first time a student got "smoked" at an Appleseed for a poor group.

[Fred]

     Yes, and the "poor group" was not poor at all - about 1/2" in size - 2 MOA, to you Appleseeders - and entirely in the black 1" square.

     BUT the center of the group was 1/4" RIGHT - 1 MOA to you Appleseeders - and Fred (jokingly, of course) said, "you call that centered? Drop and give me 20!"

    Guess he forgot he was in Vermont?   

     Hats off to the intrepid Appleseeder who educated Fred on what to expect in Vermont (even if I do recall that he was from - shudder! - Massachusetts).

[sandanbob]

I have a few photos on my camera that I will upload to my computer tonight and see how they came out.

Darren, while a good kid, is actually my nephew, and not my son.  :-)  We had a good trip, and are planning on getting out on Saturday to review and practice.

I will say Darren was surprised (as was Fred) when he had that malfunction that mashed the .22LR casing, and threw hot gas and powder out. 

[Darren_Hartley1988]

Though I have not shot the volume of .22LR bullets that some people have, That was the first malfunction of that kind, that I have had.  I am used to my little model 60 that jams on every 3rd shot, so Having Powder and Gas in my face was a shock, I was thinking to myself, that if anything would make me develop a flinch, that was it. Good news was, Didn't affect my "Flinch Factor". 

                                                       *Bobs Nephew A.K.A- Darren

[dwarven1]

     Yes, and the "poor group" was not poor at all - about 1/2" in size - 2 MOA, to you Appleseeders - and entirely in the black 1" square.

     BUT the center of the group was 1/4" RIGHT - 1 MOA to you Appleseeders - and Fred (jokingly, of course) said, "you call that centered? Drop and give me 20!"

    Guess he forgot he was in Vermont?   

     Hats off to the intrepid Appleseeder who educated Fred on what to expect in Vermont (even if I do recall that he was from - shudder! - Massachusetts).

And, as I recall, AFTER dropping for 20 pushups (and surprising my overweight, out of shape self by actually FINISHING all 20!), I then adjusted my scope 2 clicks left and corrected that.

[Grin Reaper]

So, push-ups have replaced flogging and public ridicule as motivation tools?
I didn't get the memo...

[Nickle]

So, push-ups have replaced flogging and public ridicule as motivation tools?
I didn't get the memo...

You didn't catch that we do all 3?

Push-ups for the folks with minor stupid mistakes (like a 2 MOA group in the wrong place, an obvious NPOA issue), asking what dress size they take to the ones with bad groups and flogging for the ones that can't make the times, or get in the right position. 

Wait until I spring the "dying cockroach" on them. 

[The Guy]

LOL

Drwarven, did you get some skate board tape to replace the feild expedient duct tape for the but plate?

Did Ben and Liz make it up for VT?

[rgrosz]

Oh No not the dreaded 'Dieying Cockroach', what next marching to The Fish Cheer' and 'I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag" 

Rob

[Nickle]

LOL

Drwarven, did you get some skate board tape to replace the feild expedient duct tape for the but plate?

Did Ben and Liz make it up for VT?

Liz did, but not the same Liz that was at Hartford. This one is his niece, and she happens to be a local.

Ross was shooting a 10/22 (with a V8 Weaver on it), after he realized his M1 Carbine needed work. Kind of a good thing, as the Dwarven1's eyes (and glasses) need work.

[dwarven1]

Dwarven1, did you get some skate board tape to replace the feild expedient duct tape for the but plate?

Not yet, but I'll pick some up this weekend so I have it for Monday's mini-Appleseed at Harvard.

Did Ben and Liz make it up for VT?

Unfortunately, they could not; Liz is getting ready to go back to school, and they have lots of planning to do for their WEDDING in 2009. Yup, he FINALLY got off of the stick and proposed. I can just picture the gift registry... His & Hers FALs, 20 cases of .308... 

[Nickle]

Ross, you say that like it's a bad thing. He's lucky, she shoots.

[dwarven1]

Like what's a bad thing? That they'll want his & her FALs? Hell, no! That's a GOOD thing!

But he ain't getting one from ME until I see better groups out of a .22! Ben's a bit of a recoil whore - likes that big BANG! He just needs to learn to shoot better and get the good habits established FIRST before he should start using a full-size MBR... his groups in April showed it.

[Nickle]

Got to agree with you on that one.

BTW, got the triggers today. They should go out sometime next week.

[dwarven1]

If there's any way to get them to MA by Thursday, I'd appreciate it; heading out Friday morning to see the kids. It'd be great to be able to bring the rifle down.

Of course, since he's in NY and his birthday isn't until the following WEDNESDAY, I may just have to transfer it to his fiancee... who IS 21. 

[Nickle]

Well, I got an e-mail today from a guy that attended Proctor, and I thought I should share it.

I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity to shoot last month at Proctor.  Even though it was really hot and I had a terrible headach I still enjoyed it.  I normally think constantly about work all the time but that was the first time in at leat ten years that I did not think about work.  When I got home my wife asked me how it went and when I told her that I did not think about work she was very happy.  I actually felt very relaxed for about a week afterwords.  The following Sunday after church my wife asked what I wanted to do so I said lets go to Minuteman Park and surprisingly enough she said OK.   We walked a little on Battle Road and went to the Old North Bridge.  It was the first time any of had been there.  My  thirteen year old daughter even had fun.  The following week my daughter and I went back to Battle Road with our bikes and road along the road.  I purchased a couple of books at the visitor center, Battle Road and Minuteman.  It is a small world as I served with the author of Minuteman when I was with NATO.  Appleseeds is a great program and I really thank you and Fred for doing it.