Fresno Eight Oh Nine RBC or More Cowbell

[Cal 7.62]

Being at a Rifleman Boot Camp is like 100 times better than an Appleseed because;
A) You get to get to meet and hang out with people of the highest caliber (riflemen and riflewomen) all week.
How did The Guy put it ?(I'm paraphrasing here) "all I need to know is that you're Appleseeders"
B) You get to camp out for a whole week.
C) You get to shoot for a whole week.
D) You can smile because you're making good use of your freedom. ( Don't repent just yet Mr Adams!)
I'm leaving tons of stuff out otherwise I could probably write a novel about my week at the RBC. If I don't put something down now I won't get a chance later. But if I do I'll be sure to include it here.

All this comes after a wonderful California instructors meeting in Yosemite Natl. Park. We arrived back at the Fresno Rifle and Pistol Club campsite about 12:30 A.M.  Uh Oh, gotta attend an RBC tomorrow, better get some shut eye NOW! Lights out, get to sleep. Next AM; Wake up early, take a shower, (camping AND A SHOWER, this is heaven!) have a little breakfast, get up to the line, go over the intro, safety, etc., go get the equipment. Wow! I feel like it's my first day at an Appleseed again. And to be blessed by the presence of "The Guy"  This is where I find out that " if you don't use it you loose it". After having shot rifleman last Oct. I must confess, I haven't shot more than about 50 rnds or did any dry practice.* hangs head in shame*    Any way it definitely showed through out the week, the old ways had crept back in. (Not to mention the muscles covering my ribs got stretched out again, painfully, when in the prone position)(MORE COWBELL) Don't be like me, let this be a lesson for you other's who may be SLACKING a bit out there!  Dinky's NPOA drill from hell was a reall eye opener  I liked that! I think it was Wednesday when I shot a rifleman score again. 210 to be exact, and not one splash of water in 100 degree weather! Now who's slacking!    During the KD part of the RBC I found out my M1A's magwell seemed to be out of spec as the mags all went in rather tight. (Just sent it back to the factory today) I did however hit the gong and targets at 300 yds and was at last able to get on paper at 440 yds before I had to quit due to sore rib muscles. I stuck around till 3ish on Sat. for the Appleseed after the RBC. I REALLY HATED LEAVING (as do we all) but, I at least wanted to spend one day with my little girl before daddy had to got back to work.
It was great meeting the new riflepeople (not trying to be PC, we're just people of the rifle) and seeing some familiar ones too.
This was the best week of my life! (Well almost . Let's just say it's up there in the top 10, maybe even top 5)
I just want to say a hardy thank you everyone that had a hand in this event. The wonderful instructors (you know who you are),   the FRPC range people, the cowboy action shooters for our use of their facilities and ice, < the behind the scenes people who make it all happen  and the attendee's (who found their cowbells) 
Hopefully to be continued...

[Cal 7.62]

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[Cal 7.62]

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[Marpat Whittemore]

How I spent my 5th wedding anniversary.

Well telling people that I was going to spend 8 days in the Fresno desert for my anniversary got a few laughs from my friends and family. The trip ended up being one of the greatest vacations ever!

I was able to hit rifleman with iron sights, which for me was a huge achievement. I had to start over and relearn how to shoot with my right hand because I am too blind in my left eye to see the sights.  Then we found out that my ammo had different velocities and the stock was too long and low.  The instructors were able to help me through the equipment issues so we could figure out what I needed to do to improve my shooting.  Before we were done our field gunsmithing had cut 2 inches off a wooden stock, grinded 1/8 inch off a front sight, mounted slings with zip ties, made a frankenstein rifle after a trigger broke, and duck taped many pieces of foam to several rifles to get proper cheek welds and hand positions.

My goal of going to the Rifleman boot camp was to get my wife to be able to shoot rifleman.  Not only did she get to qualify as a rifleman, she accepted the challenge to be a instructor in training and took an orange hat.

If you are trying to decide if you should go to a rifleman boot camp, it might be one of the best things you ever do. We had such a great time sitting around the campfire talking with like-minded individuals who wish to save the nation. It was also great telling stories and jokes until we were laughing so hard that we had trouble trying to keep from falling out of our chairs. It was great to know that we were not alone and that there are others who want to save the country.  Appleseed is the way and now is the time to start bailing.

At the end of the boot camp I was able to make hits on a 20-inch target at 600 yards.  I also wanted to thank Bob and Kool Aid.  I brought magnetic ammo and did not realize that I could not shoot it at the range.  Bob said he would trade my magnetic ammo for non magnetic ammo but Bob was in LA and here was no way for me to get it until Kool Aid stepped up and decided to deliver it.  He drove the ammo and several of his rifles all the way to the range (about 4+ hours). My M1 failed to cycle and we were unable to fix it and Kool Aid loaned my wife and I Minerva and Vera and ammo. I know how much Kool Aid loves these rifles and I was honored that he allowed me to borrow them for the week.

By the way I ended up with an extra green tarp and I am missing a cheap Barska Binoculars.  PM me I have your stuff or you have mine.

Marpat Whittemore

More Cowbell

[Marpat Pippi]

I went to Appleseed because my husband wanted me to learn how to shoot a rifle. I learned a lot, but I needed more hands on practical time to really succeed in becoming proficient with the rifle. Rifleman Boot Camp gave me that extended practice time with instruction to help me achieve a Rifleman score.

My husband and I went to Rifleman Boot Camp for our 5th anniversary trip. It was a wonderful experience and after experiencing Boot Camp, there is nothing else I would have rather done.

At Rifleman Boot Camp I got concentrated practice over multiple days. While I had learned the six-steps and greatly improved my shooting by going to 2 Appleseeds prior to Boot Camp, it was at Boot Camp that I received the extra instruction, extra practice, and fine tuning of my skills to achieve a Rifleman Score. The instructors were experts in both their knowledge of shooting and of history. There were also Riflewomen instructors who gave me the specialized instruction to develop a more comfortable and stable position for my feminine body. They also helped me figure out a sitting position that worked for my body (a position that had previously caused me great frustration and perplexity). The also helped me modify my rifle to make it fit me. We sawed the stock down, changed the receiver and barrel for one of the instructor's loaner rifles with a Scope (because I had trouble seeing with iron sights due to my blind as a bat eyesight), and they added a foam cheek piece so that I could properly look through the sights (Sight Alignment!).

Boot Camp began on Sunday and by Wednesday I scored Rifleman on the Army Qualification Test. On Thursday and Friday we moved from the 25 yard range and practiced shooting at full distance (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 yards). The instructors broke down the mathematics/physics of shooting long distance and adjusting sights accordingly to be simple to understand.

While shooting by day, the nights were a great time of bonding around the campfire, making smores, telling stories, cracking jokes, and most importantly learning about our American Heritage and History.

I must give much thanks to The Guy and Dinky who drove all the way from Illinois and Ohio, and spent their time to give us instruction. To Romeo's Hero for helping organize everything and her great instruction too. To Bob 210 who offered to trade ammo when our ammo was unshootable because it was magnetic. To Kool Aid who drove 4+ hours both ways to bring us long distance rifles, including his favorite Vera and Minerva, and to bring us the Ammo. To EagleScouter who shared his knowledge of gun mechanics and taught me how to disassemble and clean my rifle, change parts, and clean my magazines.

The Appleseed Program and Rifleman Boot Camp is full of wonderful and dedicated people that are passionate about helping you learn and succeed in marksmanship and remember and honor the sacrifice of the citizens that founded our country so that we can have Freedom.

When I think about my experience at Rifleman Boot Camp, I have nothing but positive feelings. The one word that describes how I feel is INSPIRED. I am inspired by the wonderful and dedicated people I have met. I am inspired to be a better American. I am inspired to continue learning and become a better rifleman. I am inspired to learn more about our American history, and I am inspired to teach others.

[The Guy]

Glad to have been there.

On the way to CA I was a bit aprehensive about how the week would go.  Not the people, as they were Appleseeders, but everything else.  "Should I take that 'Not Legal In California' sticker off my car?" (Hell NO!) "Worry about my flash supressor?" (Nah, but Hollywood MArine had a brake for me incase), "Will they be waiting for me at the border?" (they were, but my rep must have preceeded me, as they waved me right through.  Bet someone got a pink slip over that one!!).  These were but a sampling of my random thoughts.  All for naught, as it turned out to be a glorious week.

I had the pleasure of training a great group of folks, from starting point zero to already SB qualified, in the ways of both the Rifleman, but the Instructor as well.

I also had the pleasure of seeing my Brother Koolaid again.  Been to long there Bro.

Thanks to the CA folks for making me so welcome!

See you again when I can, and don't forget to travel and see how the "other half" lives when ever you can.

Guy