Manchester, TN AAR - July 1-2, 2023

[Tennessee Beast]

I appreciate all the patriots that came out this past weekend...both students and volunteers.  It was a hot one and Calienteseed patches were earned!!!  I have respect for everyone that came out and am very grateful for the visiting instructors from Florida and Georgia.  They were a great asset! 

Day one started off with an excellent rendition of the First Strike by special_K.  Then we covered the safety briefing and shot the Redcoat target.  Don B. cleared the target and we had 6 students with maximum effective range of 300 yards and 4 shingle shots.  Huzzah!  At this point, I knew it was going to be a great shoot.  We then covered sling use, 6 steps of firing the shot, steady hold factors for the prone position, and natural point of aim.  The first square we shot showed that the students had listened to instruction well.  We shot a few more squares, pulled the targets, took a group picture and went to lunch. At lunch JustKim gave a moving second strike and then we learned about how our targets "talk to us" and how to move point of impact to point of aim using "Inches, Minutes, Clicks" (which Maximum effort presented very well...per students' comments) .  It didn't take too many more squares before most of the students and their equipment were zeroed.  After a mag change drill and instruction on transitions, we were ready for stage 3 of the AQT.  We at Project Appleseed love our poultry, so we had to cease fire during the string because a turkey wandered onto the range (this actually happened many times the first day).  The students lost 10 seconds, but no turkeys were harmed in the process.  We then went to seated (stage 2), standing (stage 1), and finally stage 4...the money round.  Even though 10 seconds were lost due to a turkey time-out, Don B (245) and Rick M. (216) still shot a Rifleman scores (Rick shot his with a iron-sighted, tube-fed, lever action).  We shot a Redcoat target, which showed a lot of improvement (2 cleared targets and 6 shingle shots).  I think everyone was glad that Day One was over. 

After a good night's rest, the students were ready for Day 2. We started the day with hearing about some Dangerous Old Men and Dangerous Dames.  Then, we had a safety briefing and a review of the instruction thus far.  When we shot the Redcoat target, we saw vast improvement (3 cleared targets and 9!!! shingle shots...HUZZAH!).  We had a few drills and were able to get an AQT in before lunch.  At lunch, Booney Stomper regailed us with a history lesson on how one person (Thomas Paine) was able to make a difference in the outcome of the Revolutionary War.  Then ArmyVet gave us an excellent KD Presentation.  Then we moved the backers out to 100 yards and shot 5 rounds.  The 22's and 9mm shot low and the 223/556 shot high as expected.  As the students were measuring and marking their targets (we were going to make adjustments by IMC and shoot another group), a lightning storm developed.  Students and volunteers were told to go to their cars for safety.  After that blew over, we moved the target stands back to 25M and ran several AQT's.  The scores were amazing! Don B. (248!!), Steve Z. (246, 245, 231), Tyler Y. (228), Rick M. (213), new Riflewoman Wendy G. (216, 224, 223), New Riflewoman Michelle D. (223...first event), Bren B. (233, 227), and new Riflewoman Kendall B. (218, 218...the entire B. family are now all Riflemen and Riflewomen...HUZZAH!!!!!).  We then shot a final Redcoat and confirmed that we have a lot of talented shooters (3 cleared targets and 10 shingle shots!!!).  I ended the day with awards presentations (the Florida Cadre and Mossburg from GA received TN Cadre Patches.

Team Georgia on the job by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Don and Kendall enjoying some daughter/daddy time by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Mrs Wacky watching students do squats by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

upacreek telling the Third Strike by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

We love our poultry, so we took a turkey time out by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

gunjunkie and ArmyVet coaching on the line by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Old Navy Doc holding down the line by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

youth earning their William Diamond patches by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Rick M. with a Rifleman's Score on the first AQT by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Don B. with a Distinguished Score on the first AQT by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

waky and Mossburg meeting in the middle by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

ArmyVet doing an equipment inspection by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

A Happy Family by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Mossburg giving the "All Clear" on the right side by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Rick M. and Wendy G. working on their Rifleman patches by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Mossburg offering some advice to the shooters by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

Booney Stomper helping Hannah C. with kneeling by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

ArmyVet teaching kneeling with Booney Stomper by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

ArmyVet and JustKim on the mats by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

A Happy couple and their ARs by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

gunjunkie and waky coaching on the line by Robert Wadley, on Flickr

[JustKim]

This was a really great event!  We had instructors come together from several different states and worked together like a well-oiled machine.  It was a joy to see and work with everyone!!  The event was well-organized.  Thanks Robert for a great shoot!

We had one family with three generations present and all three were a joy to work with -- that was cool!  We also had some couples, fathers and daughters and fathers and sons and good friends all on the line.  It was a pleasure to work with them all!

This was a great event and I'm sure Gunjunkie and I will be back in the near future!!

[gunjunkie]

This was a weekend well spent. It is always great to see old friends, and making new ones.
Tennessee Beast kept things moving no matter what the weather tossed his way.
It was great seeing so many young folks on the line, shooters and instructors. Both Special K and Mossburg did an outstanding job, and I look forward to working with them again soon. I can't say enough good things about the instructors at this event, they all did a fantastic job and worked as a well oiled machine.
We had a very variety of skill levels shooting, some very good shooters and some that needed a little help but in the end everyone improved and had a good time doing it.
Great job Robert, thanks for the invite.
   

[Mrs Waky]

It was a great weekend. It was well organized and kept moving (aside from wild turkey interruptions).
Waky and I are glad we made the trip to TN. We met a lot of good people, both instructors and students, that we hope to work with again soon.

[upacreek]

Here's a photo dump of both days.  This is such a nice range.  The instructors and shooters made it awesome.


A group shot.  Only the line boss, two shooters, and the turkeys are missing from the photo.


Cleveland makes sure Seamus is all set.  The kid was tough as nails and ate up instruction all day.


The instructor to shooter ratio was pretty close.


Cease fire.  Fowl on the play.  It was the only AQT for Saturday too.


Booney Stomper gave his neighbor, Hannah, some instruction.  It's good to 7th step in your neighborhood.


Did I mention this is a great range?  It even has a PA system.


Ball and Dummy Drill

Ball and Dummy Drill

Ball and Dummy Drill

Ball and Dummy Drill

Ball and Dummy Drill

Ball and Dummy Drill


Heating up lunch.  It was a little warm out this weekend. 


Rick was nice enough to give us volunteers a lesson on tube fed rifles.


The seated and modified seated positions.


JustKim gives some 1 on 1 instruction


Riflewoman x 3!  Nice job Wendy.


Rick - he scored even higher the first day despite the turkey interruption.  As Tennessee Beast said - Rick used an iron sighted, tube-fed, lever action rifle.


Rifleman Tyler - nice job!



Rifleman requalification for Bren (x2)


Riflewoman x2 for Kendall - rounding out a WHOLE family of riflemen. 



Don shows us all how to shoot.  248!!!


A family of Riflemen.  A few that stayed home shot their Riflemen scores at other shoots.

There were two more that shot Rifleman scores that preferred their pictures not taken - nice job.  Everyone else shot better and better throughout the weekend.  I hope everyone had fun and will come back again.