Manheim, PA, August 15th and 16th

[atticus]

When you travel around our Great Country you will see some beautiful places.  Pennsylvania is no exception.  We had some fantastic views at Manheim over the weekend.  However, the most remarkable thing I will remember about Pennsylvania wasn't the scenery, it was the 14 liberty minded Patriots that arrived at the Elstonville Sportsman's Association range early Saturday morning.  These brave men and women gave up a weekend of air-conditioned leisure to learn about our forefathers/mothers and the traditions and skills of the American Rifleman under a very hot August sun.

The family structure is also strong in Pennsylvania, we had the brothers Mike and Rob (I spent the weekend mixing their names up ), Maria and Paul brought their four children, Rick brought his grandson Brian, and Bob Sr. brought sons Rob and Dennis.  George's wife and son were there supporting his efforts to master his brand new AR.

I want to give a big thank you and a hearty thumbs up to each and every one of you guys and gals.   Talk about a perfect example of Perseverance, by 2 in the afternoon on both days, I know I was ready to throw in the towel.  However, as I watched these dedicated Patriots; working on new positions, hugging hot rifles, and DECREASING GROUP SIZES, while smiling and generally having a great time, I new I couldn't give up.  You guys were my inspiration for continuing. THANK YOU!

We had number of totally new shooters or shooters that had only limited experience. Some went from totally missing the targets to 6-8 MOA groups.  Our high score of the weekend (206) came from Anthony S., while Maria was within striking distance with a 189.  Sadly, it was late in the day on Sunday and the sun had taken it's toll on everyone's energy and concentration.  Scores started falling off.  The shooters probably would have continued shooting AQTs all night, I finally pulled them off the line around 4:30 Sunday afternoon.  While we saw a great deal of progress, we didn't get to award any Rifleman patches.  The bright side is, Elstonville Sportsman's Association is a DAR, each and everyone of the attendees promised to go home and spend the next few weeks dry-firing.  Then, in September or October, when they return for another Appleseed, WITH TWO OR THREE NEW FACES in tow, their friends will be impressed when they shoot a rifleman score on the very first AQT of the day.

We did have one bit of excitement, by Saturday afternoon, Chainsaw decided that his orange hat no longer fit and traded it in on a BRAND NEW RED HAT.  Congratulations!  I also want to thank Spanner and Uncle Elmer for a fantastic job.  The shooters were not the only ones out in that hot August sun.  It was easy to see the instructors withering away late in the afternoon on both days.  You three did a great job and showed some fine leadership skills, instructing and coaching shooters all the while dealing with the adverse conditions. I also need to thank Frank for helping set up the lines on Friday night and the assistance with registration and instructing on Saturday morning.  Herb, the PA SC also drove over both days even though he had family commitments that prevented him attending this weekend.  THANK YOU guys for helping make this a successful shoot.

Last but not least, I want to thank the Board and Members of Elstonville Sportsman's Association for providing a great place to hold an AS.  Without a place to shoot we couldn't accomplish our mission.

I hope to see you all soon back out on the Appleseed trail.

Atticus aka Russ

[atticus]

I didn't get a chance to shoot many pictures, but here are a couple I did manage.

[George Donnelly]

Hey thanks atticus and the other instructors and everyone else who was there. I had a great time, I learned a lot. I went from zero redcoats on Saturday morning to knocking em down at 200 yds on Sunday morning. My AQT score went up 60 points from Saturday to Sunday too. This was my first time shooting a rifle and your great instruction made the experience painless and very productive.

Thanks again guys and see you next month.

[George Donnelly]

To promote the next one I created a facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=129632078336

If you're on facebook, pls invite your friends! I'm offering rides and loaner rifles (will have to scrounge those up or buy 'em). Wish me luck.

[James E]

Shooters, LISTEN UP!

I know that Atticus told you this many times over the weekend.  A RIFLEMAN PERSISTS!  Each and every one of you got the necessary instruction to shoot a rifleman score.  Now you just need to persist.  Dry fire at home, by the numbers, every day.  Practice those positions, especially prone.  Start doing it today, while the instruction and motivation is fresh.  Got questions?  Ask them here, you will get help.

Please, honor our American Heritage by remembering the sacrifice, and persisting.  Would Isaac Davis let you just slip back into your everyday routine?  No, he would have insisted that you show up!  So next time Appleseed comes to your town, be prepared!  I promise you that if you dry fire at home, you will be able to add 50 to 70 or more points to your best AQT score next time.  Think how good that will feel to shoot a rifleman score on Saturday the first AQT!  Think how much better it will feel when you have a handful of friends there to watch you do it, too.

[atticus]

JamesE,

You know me, I like to push the Appleseed mantra of Persistence.  I like to tell stories of people I have met and things I have experienced.

I told one story about a young man I know that came to an AS, he had very little experience with a rifle.  He brought a Ruger 10/22 with a scope.  I watched as he fought with that rifle all day Saturday, I offered encouragement, instruction and tips. He had problems with his scope, he had problems with malfunctions, he worried that his eye-sight was not what it used to be.  I don't recall what his high score on an AQT was, but I know it was in "Cook" territory.

Before he left on Sunday, I told him he needed to go home, take a day or two off to rest, and then start dry-firing.  I told him to dry-fire every day between now and the next Appleseed he could attend.  For once, someone took my advice.  He went home, spent a month dry-firing.  He remounted his scope.  He went to the range, which would only allow bench shooting, and zeroed his rifle.  After a month of dry-firing, he attended his next Appleseed.  On the FIRST AQT of the day on Saturday, he shot a 234.  I believe I have the number right, if not, I send my sincere apology to the young man.  He also shot above the Rifleman score of 210 on the next two AQTs.  That tells me it wasn't luck or chance.  It was SKILL, developed from dry-firing.  He then accepted an Orange Hat and started passing his knowledge and skills on to others.  Here, I believe John Adams would smile, as he looks down upon us.

I also told a story about another young man I know.  I worked along side this young Orange Hat in Fort Meyers, FL.  It had been a long, hot weekend under the strong Florida sunshine.  We were volunteering at an Appleseed that was held on private property.  The land owner had watched and listened to us "preach" the traditions of a rifleman all weekend.  Finally, after the Appleseed shoot ended, he decided that we should prove our worth.  He wanted one of the RWVA instructors to shoot an AQT.

I had flown down to Florida, so I had an excuse, I didn't have my rifle.  The responsibility fell to the young Orange Hat.  This being a dedicated Appleseeder, he had been busy for the last month, balancing work and Appleseed promotions, he had no time to go the range.  However, he had been dry-firing regularly.  We had also spent the last couple of days passing on the traditions of the American Rifleman, instructing fellow patriots about the six steps, NPOA, and Rifleman's  cadence.  He grabbed his AR10, prepped his mags.  He fired two sighter rounds to verify his zero.  I called the line.  Without going down range, he fired Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3 and Stage 4, of the infamous AQT.  I ran down range and pulled the target.  I scored the target, no need to worry about the 30 caliber rule, he was shooting a .308.  It was a 232.  Twenty-two points above the minimum Rifleman score of 210.  Again, I could see John Adams smiling.  A score of 232 and this young man had not shot a live round in over a month!  Ladies and Gentlemen, dry-firing works!

Not to be out done, Chainsaw related one of VAshooter's stories of a young soldier.  This soldier had a dream of winning a gold metal at the Olympics.  However, he was transferred to Hawaii.  When he arrived, he couldn't find a range where he could practice.  What could he do?  Everyday, in his basement, he would don his shooting jacket and sling up.  He would build his position. He would imagine that he was at the Olympics, this was the final round.  This shot would determine which athlete would win the gold.  Everything was on the line.  Then, he would follow the six steps, he would take the shot.

Two years later he won a spot on the USA Olympic Shooting Team.  I believe it was the 1976 Olympics.  It was the nearing the end of the competition.  There were two competitors left.  It was our young American Rifleman and another athlete.  It came down to the final shot.  Later, our Hero, was asked how he withstood the pressure.  How could he make that final shot with so much on the line?  His response, "I have made that shot every day for the last two years".  Only another American Rifleman can understand his answer.  Again, I can see John Adams smiling.

These are stories, true stories, but they are still just stories.  However, this is the thing that differentiates us from other animals; we have the ability to learn from other people's experiences.  Please take my advice, listen to JamesE, listen to VAshooter, dry-firing works.

[George Donnelly]

I remember someone saying there were modified targets (AQTs and redcoats) on the forums that I could use for my dry-firing at home. I've looked through the forums but can't find them. Does anyone know where those might be? Thanks!

[lprgcfrank]

George - PM inbound on your e-mail.
Frank

[carben]

I want to thank all the instructors. What a life changing experience. I never did care much for history when I was in school. Boy has that changed. As a homeschool family, we will be doing American History this year and spending a major amount of time on the Revolutionary War. This experience has brought a new understanding and appreciation of what it means to be an American.

I keep thinking about what motivated our founding fathers. As Atticus said, they did it for posterity - for us. Had they tried to do it for themselves, they would have failed because they they would have wanted to be around to enjoy liberty which means they would not have been willing to sacrifice their lives which means we'd still be under English rule. Wow, would each of us possess that kind of courage, understanding and resolve.

While my elbows heal LOL, I am pricing out guns and mods so that I can start practicing and be prepared for next month - hopefully to attain Riflemen score - 21 points to go. And yes, I plan on bringing some new folks along.

I just thought of two more places to spread the word about the Appleseed Project. A cyber school yahoo group and a homeschool forum. See you next month.

[lprgcfrank]

Carben,
Thanks for the great note!  See you in September!
Frank