I am painfully aware that my rifle skills are between zero and the guy in Africa wearing a floating device shooting the AK 47 sideways from the hip. I made the decision to go ahead and go to an Appleseed event and finally learn the basics of shooting a rifle.
And I love Tennessee. There are 4 Appleseed events next month and two are an hour or less from home. There is so much shooting stuff here that I am going crazy trying to decide what to do.
I’ll give you guys the AAR when the time comes. And no, I am not expecting to come with the patch my first time around.
Appleseed is great for basic marksmanship. Next look at Defense Training International for the basics of how to fight with a rifle. There are others, too, but John Farnam is a legend.
Agreed…I was involved with Appleseed for a bit, doing some instructor training after I attended a couple of shoots and earning my patch. Its a great organization and you will learn the fundamentals of marksmanship and some revolutionary war history. If you attend one on
KD range (known distance), do that. After learning at 25 yds, nothing can substitute taking shots at 400 or 500 yds. Once you get those fundamentals down go find a reputable training outfit and take as many carbine classes as you can afford. You will learn how to run your gun, see what equipment works and what doesn’t, and understand how to fight with all your gear.
They are different skill sets, but overlap to make you a well rounded shooter, and an asset during troubled times.
Yeah man! I too have been with Appleseed for a while as an instructor. It’s a great thing (but not the only thing!) to do.
I also totally agree about seek other training such as a carbine class to complement the square range marksmanship skills taught at an Appleseed.
If you had to use a rifle for real, you’re unlikely to be using the NRA High-Power-like techniques such as loop sling and slow fire prone. But all of the fundamentals you need to be able to shoot Score at an Appleseed (sight alignment, sight picture, respiratory pause, focus on front sight, trigger squeeze, follow through) will also make you a better tactical shooter.
I am going to Appleseed next weekend – my 3rd one – and I still don’t have the Rifleman patch,and not much hope to get it either (old age tremors – Shazbot !)
Take at least twice as much ammo as suggested, a good comfortable place to go prone, lunch and snacks , water, dress for the weather,be prepared for sun or rain, you will learn soooo much history re: 19 April 1775 that you may not have known, and you will have a great time with incredible trainers. 10-22 is the preferred rifle + at least 4 mags, with or without scope. range is 25 meters with targets scaled to 100,200,300, and 400 meters. 400 meters is a rifleman’s 1/4 mile – You will have BIG fun
Joe, have you upgraded your 10-22 with some Tech Sights? It’s a military style peep aperture set of irons. If you’ve been to 3 appleseeds, I’m sure you’ve seen them. Those help quite a bit with sight picture. Other than that, try to go tighter on your sling. Try the ruger hi cap mags too…while you don’t need the capacity, they help with speedier mag changes. I also put mine in a pistol grip stock, not needed, but I thought it helped. Good luck!
Thank you for the suggestions Sir .
My sling set as a detached loop sling, not the hasty sling.
I installed the upgraded Ruger BX-Trigger. (2.5-3 # trigger pull)
Have installed the Vasquartsen Auto slide release and extended mag release.
Disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and checked all 6 mags.
The rifle has been disassembled, deep cleaned, and lubed.
I have good, clean, fresh ammo – that I used to zero the rifle with.
I think that I have reduced the mechanical variables as much as can be done, without getting into ridiculous expense.
The rifle is well zeroed, at a full 25m, with a Center Point 6-24x scope on it.
The rifle is very capable of hitting 400m sized targets at 25m repeatedly.
The only fly in the ointment is me now at 70, and beginnings of old age tremors, not bad, not a lot, but just enough to throw the 400m targets into question.
I am going more for the fun than the patch.
I will however now take a couple of the BX-25 mags with me.
WOOOO! Good on ya!
Work on your flexibility, too. You’ll be switching between positions and being limber will help.
Do some dry fire practice in the shooting positions before you go. I just barely missed my patch my first time. Got it the second. The dry fire practice helps a lot.
Also, read up on how to assume the positions properly and practice that ahead of time.
Appleseeds are great fun.