Ridgeville, SC AAR April 25-26, 2026

[UpACreek]

Thanks to Cincinnatus for writing the AAR -

First of all, I wanted to thank the Palmetto Gun Club for allowing us to use the facilities at this amazing club. With 1,000 members and an impressive waiting list to join it's top of the line. To be frank, it's just special from a support and facility perspective.

We had an exceedingly positive group with a thirst to learn. Student to Instructor ratio was wonderful and having an instructor for about every 2 1/2 students was a great luxury for students and instructors. The AllStar group of instructors were DEH, TAZDevil, UpACreek and Karl (Orange Hat) the President of Palmetto Gun Club.

The students and instructors experienced warm temperatures and clear skies Saturday, clouds and warm temperatures Sunday but an otherwise very comfortable two days. The real stars of the show however were the students delivering results through attention to instruction and perseverance. The 13 students started out on Saturday morning with a hits count target achieving 5 hits simulating 100, 1 at 200 and 2 at 300 and 1 at 400. Sunday's results were Sunday 100: 3, 200: 3, 300: 3, 400: 2, HS: 5  Cleaned: 1 and 3 New Riflemen and one Requalified!

Students progressed rapidly throughout the weekend and absorbed history few had heard before. Many who didn't qualify were just a few shots away from that rifleman score. The remaining shooters showed incredible progress with some nearly doubling their AQT scores from the first AQT on Saturday to the last on Sunday. All had great groups of shots and should be very proud of their progress.

Amazing performances were achieved by one family, Anna and Marisa, who were both hovering just shy of riflemen scores for a couple of events. Anna ended the day Sunday just 6 points short of a distinguished score giving her bragging rights over her mother who achieved a very respectable rifleman's score of 213. We are fortunate to report that not only did they agree to each take an orange hat, but the youngest family member, Milo, has agreed to help out as Applecore (until he's old enough to grab that orange hat in a couple years). He took his
duties very seriously right away and helped out for the rest of the shoot.

Another notable achievement was a rather impressive performance by Juliet. She is a newer shooter and asked for a loaner rifle and ammunition before the event. With the help of a masterful coach in TAZDevil, she progressed both days rapidly and earned a rifleman's badge Sunday with a 216! Then she shot 13 rounds during the memorial volley you could cover with a quarter. Huzzah!

John showed up Sunday with the only centerfire on the line. He showed us how it was done, requalifying with a 217 on his first AQT. Congratulations!

From a history perspective:
I think we could visualize the history of the event of April 19th 1775 as told through the three strikes, the stories of dangerous old men and dangerous old women. We were also inspired by the memorial volley and the somber silent closing of the shoot.

By the way, the word is out about Appleseed at Palmetto Gun Club where we just began matches last year. The Highpower leadership team wanted a few minutes to present an open invitation to Appleseed attendees to join their matches with electronic targets out to 600 yards. They also recommend for their new shooters in Highpower to attend an Appleseed to build solid fundamentals.

Please spread the word about Project Appleseed and bring a friend or family member to the next event to help build the program!

[UpACreek]

Pictures are worth a 1000 words - here are a few -


Ed shoots in prone - nice shirt!


David shoots in prone.


Sitting


Some of the Highpower people came over on Saturday to tell us about their program - THANKS!


Cincinnatus cards the sights for Ed


Steve shooting well while standing


Cole just got better and better throughout the weekend.


TazDevil works with Katalyn.  She did so well!


SHUGS!  Now a must stop during the weekend.  Awesome southern cooking and sometimes a show if the cook decides to serenade us.


Fashion gods DEH and Cincinnatus.  Apparantly, Dan's daughters take issue with this ensemble - something about black socks and boots.  I see nothing wrong and am myself a fashion goddess (Appleseed t-shirts go with anything, right?)


Steve was a good sport and demonstrated prone and sitting/kneeling positions for our Sunday morning review.


John shot great while kneeling


Cole and Shaun help each with Ball & Dummy


DEH and Steve team up for some fine tuning and Ball & Dummy


Cincinnatus offers a bit of advice to Marisa and Robert


Patriots outshot Purple Apple on Parker's Revenge.  Each Patriot received a copy of An American's Guide to Liberty.  The Purple Apple team all got their very own trigger training devices.


Karl attempted to qualify with a lever action rifle.  I have no doubt he will be able to do it soon, it just wasn't this weekend.


Robert and Cole both shot well once they slowed things down a bit.  They're used to rapid fire at steel targets.  It's Robert's 2nd Appleseed and he got within just a shot or 2 of a Rifleman patch.


Annie shoots prone.  DEH said, "Shoot like a girl, if you can."  This is the girl he was referring to.  High of 234!


Karl Awards Milo his bluehat - thanks for stepping up as part of our Applecore!  He was a huge help the rest of the day.  I've never had my car packed so well on the way home from a shoot.


DEH read the names for the Memorial Volley




DEH handed out the Prince Estabrook patches after our Memorial Volley.

[redbirdjr]

I was a first time participant and found the program and the leaders to be amazing. Having stuck to my Tech Sights, I certainly picked up a lot of areas for additional work but would do it again in a heartbeat. - the attending Massh*le. 

[DEH]

[DEH]

[StuartV]

Thank you to Carol, Duane, Karl, Steve, and Dan for the great coaching and also patience and hard work.

@DEH, I especially want to thank you for the words of encouragement at the end of the day on Sunday. It was my second 'seed in 2 months and still no Rifleman patch. We'll see if the third time is a charm. I already updated my rifle, as you suggested, to enable use of my GI sling exactly as y'all teach it, instead of the "modified" way I had it setup last weekend.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to another 25m clinic before November, but I went ahead and signed up for the Rimfire KD in November to ensure I have a spot.

Thank you all again.

[DEH]

Thank you to Carol, Duane, Karl, Steve, and Dan for the great coaching and also patience and hard work.

@DEH, I especially want to thank you for the words of encouragement at the end of the day on Sunday. It was my second 'seed in 2 months and still no Rifleman patch. We'll see if the third time is a charm. I already updated my rifle, as you suggested, to enable use of my GI sling exactly as y'all teach it, instead of the "modified" way I had it setup last weekend.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to get to another 25m clinic before November, but I went ahead and signed up for the Rimfire KD in November to ensure I have a spot.

Thank you all again.

Glad you signed up

[Roswell]

Wow! This looks like an awesome event! Good job everyone! 

[StuartV]

I went to CanCon East on Saturday at the Clinton House (Clinton, SC).

I shot the 1 Mile Challenge and earned the challenge coin.

They provide a Barrett 50BMG, ammo, a steel plate at 1 mile, and a spotter to help you. You get 2 shots. My first shot missed. The spotter told me to hold on the right edge of the target and the 2nd shot was a direct hit. 

The whole time I was behind the rifle, all I could hear in my head was "SQUEEeeeeeeze!" 

[UpACreek]

I went to CanCon East on Saturday at the Clinton House (Clinton, SC).

I shot the 1 Mile Challenge and earned the challenge coin.

They provide a Barrett 50BMG, ammo, a steel plate at 1 mile, and a spotter to help you. You get 2 shots. My first shot missed. The spotter told me to hold on the right edge of the target and the 2nd shot was a direct hit. 

The whole time I was behind the rifle, all I could hear in my head was "SQUEEeeeeeeze!" 

Congratulations!!!  and I'm jealous.  My furthest distance is 9xx yards.  Someday

[StuartV]

Glad you signed up

The third time WAS the charm! 

I did the 25m clinic at Charlotte R&PC up in Waxhaw yesterday and today, and I finally earned my Rifleman patch.

Neil and the Steves were the instructors and they did a fine job. I don't mean to take anything away from them when I say that I give most of the credit for my ultimate success to @DEH. I feel like it was mainly what I got out of my two weekends with DEH and the rest of the crew at the last two seeds at PGC that finally gelled for me this weekend.

Well, and there was one other important tip that I got from an experienced Appleseed shooter on reddit just last week. That person gave me a new perspective on how to breathe for stages 2 and 3. Those were the bane of my patch at the previous two seeds.

On reddit, the person broke down the transition stages and went through the number of seconds from Fire until the first shot, number of seconds for the reload, etc,. And explained the way they breathe as a sharp inhale and explosive exhale, and a pause. They said they could easily get off the actual shots in 10 seconds, with breathing like that. Which leaves plenty of time for things like finding the NPOA.

It was that metric that finally clicked for me.

At my previous seeds, y'all told me to "breathe faster". That didn't get it sufficiently through my thick noggin. I was still trying to breathe "normally" (for me), just "faster". But, hearing that metric - 10 shots in 10 seconds - finally did get it through my head.

I now describe it as "don't shoot at the rate you breathe. Breathe based on how fast you want to shoot."

In, out, squeeze. Repeat. All within 1 - 2 seconds per breath/shot.

Once I started breathing like that in stages 2 and 3 (and trusting my NPOA), I was getting off all my shots well within the time, and with decent accuracy. I scored 40 points on Stage 2 a couple of times and that was always my WORST stage before.

So, thank you AGAIN to DEH, @UpACreek, and all the other instructors and helpers that were at this 25m event down in Ridgeville. Y'all gave me the foundation for the success I had this weekend.

@NeilR, do I get some kind of bonus points for shooting the AQT right-handed for 1 stage and left-handed for the other 3? 

[DEH]

Awesome!.  Glad to hear!

[StuartV]

Awesome!.  Glad to hear!

Thanks. See you in November! 

[Mike AKA Bandaid]

This is just cruel. Being born and raised in the south, (and now living in the great wet north,) we got nuthin like this here in the Pacific NW. I'm going to be craving shrimp and grits for the next month! Looks like a great shoot!

[DEH]

Awesome!.  Glad to hear!

Thanks. See you in November! 

Looking forward to it.  We have a regular 25meter event Sep 26-Sep 27 at Palmetto Gun Club in case you want to hone your skills some more.  Or even go for the 250 patch.  There are still 2 (I think) Tippman M4's left for students who shoot a 250/250 at a 25 meter event. https://appleseedinfo.org/250_250_contest/

Not surprisingly, The first one was awarded in SC. I would like to see that trend continue.