AAR: KD Evansville, IN (Red Brush Rifle Range) October 21-22, 2023

[sur+rifle]

Fall brings an annual Appleseed KD to Red Brush Rifle Range near Evansville, IN.  And this was one to remember, not for the gorgeous weather but for the excellent group of patriots on the firing line and instructing!

The shoot this year was a 2-day event.  The first day was spent at 25 meters, both refining accuracy and then getting familiar with the sighting systems on the centerfire rifles.  Sights were adjusted at 25 meters to an approximate Battle Sight Zero of 300 yards for the next day. 
The second day started with Morgan's Shingle at 250 yards.  The five shooters were joined by six from the instructor corps for a total of eleven taking a crack at joining Morgan's cadre.  Congratulations to Jerry and Big John for earning their Cold Bore Morgan's Rifleman patch!  And Big John did it STANDING with a borrowed rifle.  Huzzah!

The marksmanship instruction continued with additional aspects of the three challenges to distance shooting.  This included covering wind theoretically as the 30 mph gusts from Saturday turned into a zero value 3 mph wind on Sunday.  We therefore moved quickly onto the AQTs.
Terry faced some equipment challenges.  His scope would only sporadically take in the clicks he was entering.  Turned out his turrets were loose which took a little bit of time to diagnose.  Despite this, he was the first to earn his KD patch.

Jerry was next.  He was shooting excellent groups at 25 meters on Saturday.  And this translated to a KD qualification through application of his BSZ approach. 

The other shooters showed strong improvement throughout the day.  A lot came down to getting familiar with their rifles, especially for those using ballistic reticles for hold overs.  Todd started strong but had to leave early so didn't get his third crack at the patch.  AGT was gaining about five points on each AQT, quite a rate of improvement.  Aaron and Andrew were knocking on the door in the 30s.  I really wish we had the time for another AQT so they could have broken through. 

As a final exercise we did a zeroing at 500 yards to put proof to the rifleman's quarter mile.  All the shooters were on the target with just the "typical" come ups.  Earlier in the day Andew shared his family's connection to Daniel Morgan.  Wonderful to have the descendent of an American Revolution Rifleman at our Appleseed KD event!  It showed with his first try, 5 hits out of 5 shots at 500 yards!

On the history front we had excellent presentations by Jayshoneybunny, Geek, and Big John on the various contributions of riflemen during the American Revolution and the war of 1812.  Being close to Halloween, we added that the "Headless Horseman" is based on the folk tale of the "Headless Hessian of the Hollow."  This is the story of one of the mercenaries reportedly struck down by Washington's men during the battle of White Plains, New York.  Truly the Hessians had lost the hearts and minds of the colonists so much so that their memory became a story of a demonic spirit.  I also added in a bit of extra historical context on Washington's powder shortage and the raid of Bermuda.

A very big thank you to the instructor corps of Big John, Geek, Jayshoneybunny, Darkfoot, WilderMars, and AGT for making this shoot such a success.

NOTE: Photos to come in the following days.

[Big John]

This was a good shoot. The students were alumni of previous Appleseed clinics and each possessed a great learning attitude and good spirit. The weather was extremely cooperative and quite comfortable in the afternoons with the October sun providing the best contrast I have seen at which to shoot at Redbrush. The fantastic facilities at Redbrush, with a very wide 500 yard line, allowed us to field multiple target lines at once, necessitating only slight modifications for the Morgan's Shingle and 500 yard activities. We now even have nice bathrooms as well, and a classroom we could have booked if the weather had not been forecast to have been so wonderful. 

We had a very full two days, with students staying till the end. Saturday was a comprehensive review, and Sunday spent most of the morning converting that to full range, then running AQTs in the afternoon. Bookending Sunday with Morgan's Shingle in the AM and the 500 yard ranging exercise shows what can be done in a Rifleman's Quarter Mile and on the first shot of the day.

Here are pictures.

Captions:
1. Left side of the firing line with Darkfoot coaching.
2. Lineboss Geek, the right side of the firing line, and Wildermars observing.
3. Wildermars coaching Todd
4. Solid groups from experienced Appleseeders.
5. Darkfoot reviews NPOA while Wildermars and AGT observe.
6. JHB reviews seated position with Wildermars modeling.
7. and standing position as well.
8. Aaron applies the review to standing.
9. As does Andrew and the line with Geek, Wildermars, and AGT running the line.
10. Sur+Rifle teaches Battle Sight Zero BSZ at 25 m.
11. Darkfoot and Sur+Rifle review setting the BSZ at 25 m.
12. BSZ at 300 m.
13. The line boss is somehow comfortable kneeling on gravel.

[Big John]

More pictures.

Captions:

14. Terry requalifies and poses with the shoot boss.
15. The man himself.
16. I dinged the shingle, so I posed with the shoot boss.
17. Jerry shot the shingle and poses with the shoot boss.
18. The man himself.
19. Our 500 yard range set up for AQT in the 10 am sun.
20. The line shooting seated with Darkfoot keeping redundant time.
21. Jerry shooting seated.
22. The Geek calls out something as Line Boss while Wildermars stares it down.
23. Terry and the line shoot prone.
24. The 3pm sun really made the targets pop.
25. Terry and the line shoot seated.
26. Downrange on an AQT.
27. Terry and the line shoot standing.

[Big John]

The rest of the pictures:

Captions:
28. Terry qualifies as KD Rifleman and poses with the Shoot Boss.
29. The man himself.
30. Jerry qualifies as KD Rifleman and poses with the Shoot Boss.
31. The man himself.
32. Andrew landed 5 of 5 after establishing come-ups on the 500 yard target and poses with his 5/5 cleared target at 500 yards.

[Paladin223]

Even as a repeat offender, I'm always impressed by the quality of instruction provided by the Appleseed instructors.  Sur+rifle and his cadre of instructors were top notch.  The format on the KD range and the rides down range made the day very doable for this this old timer.

The Red Brush range is excellent and made the KD event a joy.  It is truly a great experience take the knowledge learned at 25 meters and show that it works at full range. With the fantastic weather, the weekend couldn't  have been better.

Congrats to Jerry and Big John on there shingle shots.  And to Jerry for going all weekend with a 308 and also earning his KD patch with it.

All-in-all, a great weekend and thanks to everyone who put so much into making it happen.

[sur+rifle]

Sur+rifle and his cadre of instructors were top notch.  The format on the KD range and the rides down range made the day very doable for this this old timer.
...
Congrats to Jerry and Big John on there shingle shots.  And to Jerry for going all weekend with a 308 and also earning his KD patch with it.

Thank you!  And congratulations to you too!  I have a feeling you will hit Morgan's shingle next time.

[AmBa]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to drop in and share my experience at the recent Appleseed Known Distance (KD) event at Red Brush Rifle Range. This being my third Appleseed event, I feel particularly compelled to express just how remarkable this one was!

First off, let me tip my hat to the incredible group of instructors - Big John, Geek, Jayshoneybunny, Darkfoot, WilderMars, and AGT. You guys have hands down been the absolute best instructors I've encountered across my Appleseed journey. Your expertise, patience, and ability to convey complex marksmanship concepts in an understandable way truly set this event apart. The marksmanship insights and historical knowledge you all shared were not just informative but also deeply engaging.

I was using a brand new rifle and optic for this event, which added an extra layer of excitement (and challenge!) to the whole experience. Adjusting to the new equipment was a journey in itself, but thanks to the quality instruction and personal guidance, I felt more in tune with my gear than I could have hoped for initially.

Watching Jerry and Big John earn their Cold Bore Morgan's Rifleman patch was inspiring! And let's talk about Big John doing it standing with a borrowed rifle - just wow!

I also want to shout out to the other shooters. Seeing everyone's skills sharpen over the course of the event was truly a testament to the effectiveness of the instruction and the camaraderie on the range.

Now, about my own performance - I genuinely believe that had I had just one more shot at it, I could've snagged my KD patch too. I was just getting into the groove, understanding my new rifle and optic better with every shot, and inching closer to the scores needed. Next time, I'm confident I'll make it!

Finally, the historical presentations added such a rich layer to the event. Learning about the Headless Hessian of the Hollow and Washington's powder shortage was fascinating and served as a reminder of the heritage and legacy we're part of as riflemen and women. (Riflepeople?)

In conclusion, this event wasn't just a shooting practice; it was a holistic experience that combined skill, history, and camaraderie in a way that I've found to be unparalleled. A massive thank you again to the instructor corps and fellow shooters. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Thanks again,

Aaron

[Geek]

AmBa,

Thank you for sharing your experience.  Your comments are why we enjoy what we do.  Volunteers with Appleseed have a mission to share our passion for liberty.  Getting to share it with folks like those in attendance at this event energizes us. 

For many, the Appleseed season is coming to a close.  The fall colors remind us that cold weather is coming to those of us in northern climates.  I contend the season for Appleseed never ends.  Our true cause is Liberty.  Sharing the passion and our mission is not weather-bound.  Something you did not share is your connection to Morgan's men.  As a descendant of a true rifleman, I saw the embers and passion glowing in you.  That passion is waiting to be shared.  I encourage you and all attendees to share this experience with others. 

As for the marksmanship instruction and clinics, dry-fire as much as possible.  If you can incorporate transitions and shooting positions beyond prone with that dry-fire, even better.  That muscle memory you create will show incredible results at your next event.  Stage 2, transition to sitting, was a rough one for me, especially with a center fire rifle.  I spent a month practicing the transition and dry-firing in that position.  It was worth the time investment.  Be sure to remove all ammunition from the room where you do the practice.  Explaining an accidental discharge is a conversation no one wants to have.

I look forward to seeing you again at future events.  Your dad seems like he wanted to join the fun too.  I doubt it would take much to get him come join you on the line.  It is a family thing after all.

In liberty,

Geek

[sur+rifle]

Now, about my own performance - I genuinely believe that had I had just one more shot at it, I could've snagged my KD patch too. I was just getting into the groove, understanding my new rifle and optic better with every shot, and inching closer to the scores needed. Next time, I'm confident I'll make it!

Thank you for the kind words.  Regarding earning the KD patch, I think you are right.  You had settled in and seemed poised to break through.  It is just a matter of rifleman persistence now!  Some dry practice as Geek suggests along with some more time getting used to the sight picture should get you there.