Carrollton, KY After Action Report, May 16 -17, Age 7 - 72!

[brdholman]

I should still be in the bed, but wanted to get this report started.   We had the neatest make-up of people this weekend, my 2nd Appleseed (and within 3 weeks).  (Pictures will be up later today when I get home from work)

Kyle was our youngest at age 7, and Tom was our eldest at 72.  3 marines, 4 females (3 under 18 yrs old), 3 boys under 18, mostly first timers and 4 that had been before.  It was so cool.  5 dads that brought their kids to teach them heritage and shooting skills.  Again, I loved being there with my husband and my dad.

I first wanted to pick up a rifle to protect our livestock from predators.  I went to a pistol class and was thrilled that I hit bullseye.  A couple of years later, I decided I wanted to learn rifle shooting because a pistol won't do it across the farm.  Dad asked a guy and he turned us on to Appleseed, had been with his daughter.  I was so nervous going to my first one and then had a ball.  On my way to this one, got anxious again.  Once I was on the line, the anxiety faded to excitement.  Funfaler has a laid back style that put me at ease.  And seeing familiar faces in the instructors (Big John and Mudcat) helped that much more.

I highly suggest everyone attending a 2nd Appleseed soon after their first and having different shoot bosses.  Your learning is rounded out having 2 different bosses.  They each have their twist on techniques they pass on and the different perspectives make you a more well-rounded rifleman.

Yes, I made Rifleman finally!!!  I now know I can jam any gun handed to me.   But I figured out what I had to do to get through it.
What made the difference and got me from a starting 196 this weekend to a 214 was:
- step 4a
- keeping my sling tight -> when it's tight, perfect monopod
- relaxing
- checking my npoa by shutting my eyes
- not worrying about my score
- sitting in the open leg position- wow did I do better when I did this, crossing my legs just doesn't work for me

THANK YOU again to the instructors and my husband for hanging in the with me.  And to the dads for bringing their kids, it is so cool you are passing on fundamentals of shooting and being an American.

On the way home, I let the cat out of the bag and told Brad his shooting jacket and guide should be delivered anytime.  If I can repeat my Rifleman score, I will too get a jacket and join him in instructor in training.  Yes, I believe he will have an orange hat very shortly.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
Kyjam

[kentuckyjam]

I promise I will learn to login on the same computer but under my id one of these days. 

[Fred]

      You might want to take a look at http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=4577.0 - maybe even add your 'story' to the lineup.

      Everyone prob approaches their first AS with trepidation, but women prob more-so than men...which reluctance prob keeps some women from coming - when they need to come, just as much as the men...

[Fred]

    PS: I prob need to add "Welcome!"

     And that new IITs are always much appreciated!

[kentuckyjam]

Thanks, Fred, I'll add to that link.

Now that I'm a little more awake, not much, I forgot some info.

We had 3 Rifleman total.  Congrats goes out to Justin and Greg!
Thank you to John and his wife for letting us use and abuse their yard.  Grass is a dream compared to the gravel.  And thanks to the gun club (someone please help me with the name) for getting this setup! 

[funfaler]

Three Rivers Gun Club, Carrollton, Kentucky.

A small club, but very active and energetic.  They were gracious enough to host this shoot with no range fee, allowing their fellow Kentuckians to experience the American Rifleman Heritage and Traditions! 

Special thanks to them for their help, we will be having more events there this year and are also working on some other ideas that may help build the Kentucky Appleseed program.

Kyjam....heard about her, did not believe it.   Put up a Red Coat, Squares, Greenies, she can put up some very nice groups, does a great job.....put up an AQT, and nearly every course of fire, she would have a jam/malfunction of some sort...

That said, she persisted through this, and shot a very fine Rifleman score!   

It was a fun weekend, wet and soggy on day one, sunny and cool day two, really beautiful Kentucky weather for this shoot.  Plenty of youngins too, which makes the prospects of the future of this nation seem a bit brighter.

Our good buddy Kyle, all of 7, got to where he was putting in some respectable groups, and he was kind enough to drag his father along for the weekend (actually, dad was disappointed that he could not shoot, but enjoyed the program very much).

My hats off to Tom, 72 year old club member, who ran the course with the rest of us, shooting some fine groups with a 16" AR15, persisting through some Ciener issues.    Someone accused Ole Tom of knowing some of the people we spoke of during the Heritage presentations.....he assured me that he did not know any of them......but maybe their brothers 

Hats off to Greg, for not only making Rifleman on his first outting, but also, as president of Three Rivers, for taking on another effort and bringing his two daughters out for this shoot.

Mudcat and Bigjohn did a great job, as this line was rather young and inexperienced, they adapted well and we could see noticeable improvements (both in marksmanship and attitude) on both sides of the line.   These guys did Appleseed proud for sure.

Finally, for John and Carolyn, the land owers, they endured two days of muddy Appleseed, essentially in their front yard, thanks to them, we have a place that we can have several Appleseeds later this year.  John even jumped in to help coach a couple of the youngsters.....gonna have to make a trip to Carrollton with some Orange Hats.....

Good shoot, looking forward to working in several more here.

[bigjohn]

 Greetings all,
       There were 18 participants (17 shooters) this weekend with a large percentage being youth (great to see caring parents spending time with their children) which brought an added amount of attention needed on the line.
     Funfaler was Shootboss and he ran the show with his normal informal/easygoing style , providing all the info then testing memory with pop quizes .
     Mudcat presented History ,ran the line, took a turn as Shootboss Sunday afternoon and gave personal instruction as needed-busy guy. Mudcat will make a fine Instructor.
      Kyjam and her husband (gotta get a nickname- I'll call him Mr.Kyjam) put forth a solid showing of Appleseed info taking root as both had taken the skills shown them the previous shoot and put them into practice. The Kyjams got straight to business the first morning setting out their equipment then helping others (the seventh step) by passing along needed instruction before we session started , helping with instruction as position demonstrators and question answerers (for those silent pauses during instruction presentations) . I feel both the Kyjam's may become IT's -saw a spark in them..

I wanted to thank all the students/etc. for their teachable spirits even when wet/muddy and helping the young as needed.

Big John
       

[brdholman]

I think Kyjam summed it up pretty well, but I also would like to thank the club for hosting the shoot, John and Carolyn for putting up with us and offering us shade and a place to sit, and of course the instructors. You have all made a big difference in making Kyjam and myself better shooters. Its hard to belive how much people can progress in just a few days with good instruction. Congradulations to all three new riflemen. I will work on a nickname. Seeing so many kids hang in there for two long days and the progress that they made was geat. Off to study history now....was always my worst subject, right after public speaking that is.

[brdholman]

Pictures...

[Mudcat]

Congratulations to all the new Riflemen and Riflewoman! KYjam I knew you had it in you and you would not quit until you finally got it! I believe both you and Brad will make fine IITs. Steve you are so close as well, hang in there and you too will become a Rifleman very soon.

Thanks to Three Rivers Gun club and all the members, as Stacy said you are very energetic and that shows. I believe it is a great thing to bring the young ones out for Appleseed. We have to pass this tradition on to the next generation otherwise it will get lost in todays fast paced lifestyles. It is very hard to compete with video games, tv. and sports but parents like you make it easier because you are the ones that spend time with your kids. I truely enjoyed Kyle and only having to correct him one time on a safety issue he forgot to turn his safety on 1 time all weekend. For a 7 year old that is amazing! Conner for persistimng and putting some decent groups together on sunday afternoon. Tom, for being an inspiration to us all, thank you sir. Todd you fought through some equipment issues but never got discouraged. JD the Marine on the end hammering away with the only centerfire on sunday, again you too will put it all together soon.

KYjam you are correct about attending Appleseed shoots under different Shoot bosses, it is amazing how these guys put the same info out there but do it different ways and it works. That is one of the great things about Appleseed! You never stop learning!

[kentuckyjam]

more...

[kentuckyjam]

Last round of pics. 

I have many more, but don't want to overload.  My friends at work all wanted more than the 3 or 4 pics I got last time.  And I want to show as much as I can to those interested in attending.

I took my patch and my target with me this morning to work.  Everyone was excited.  One of my managers wants to bring her son and daughter and make it a family affair.  We'll start getting their equipment together.  Another friend asked if we could teach him to do that - scared of guns until I started telling him about all this and now he's ready to shoot.  We will start looking for venues so we can get an Appleseed scheduled in the area.

Thanks again to everyone - very cool weekend.

[hawkhavn]

kyjam,

That is the way the 7th step works, see you on the line soon!

Hawkhavn

[dond]

CONTRATULATIONS KYJAM.    I knew you could do it!!! And now I don't feel so guilty about my rifle jamming on you since you seem to have a natural tendency toward that sort of thing.    I'm really looking forward to having you and Brad as IITs.

[jdf747emt]

Thanks to the 4-H club and all the instructors, I plan on getting my 10/22 and practicing, (after my eye exam)! Plus my daughter learned alot, and I plan on bringing some people from Spencer County next time, so I'm going to prep them as much as I can, and we should see riflemen patchs like falling leaves, Thanks Everybody, I really enjoyed being there, I heard Mudcat laugh one time when I was in the prone, and hot brass was falling down my pants!!!  I was going ouch! ouch!, and still trying the riflemens cadence, Now that was funny!  God bless JD