Change is on the way… Starting sometime this year (tentatively this first quarter of 2016), the NRA pistol course will consist of a Phase I run by the NRA Online and a Phase II shooting portion run by actual instructors. Students will need to complete the online portion at home before registering for the hands-on shooting portion with an instructor. The good news is that we will be able to devote more time to actual firearms training vs. classroom instruction. More to follow as the implementation process continues. Expect changes in pricing and additional training options on our firearms page.

Earning your Rifleman’s Patch. It’s been a long journey but I FINALLY qualified with a Rifleman’s score at a Project Appleseed event last weekend. By way of introductions, I spent 27 years in the Army and have never failed to qualify expert with my assigned weapon. For the last 10 years of my career, that assigned weapon was a pistol. My last qualification with a rifle came in 2003 when we were preparing to go into Iraq. My SOPMOD M4 with EOTech sights was zeroed in the Qatari desert in the middle of a sandstorm, but the results were still Expert qualification. So fast forward to 2013 when I attended my first Appleseed near Guntersville, Alabama expecting to walk in, be a first time “Go”, and walk away with my patch. I unpacked my Ruger 10/22 with a cheap scope and proceeded to embarrass and frustrate myself. The instruction was awesome and helped me learn to use a sling (although I didn’t have one at the time) and diagnose the fact that my rifle scope was loose on its base.  My groups were marginal and inconsistent.  As a right handed but left-eye dominant shooter, I was also experimenting with learning how to shoot left handed for the first time. It is worthy of discussion that use of the sling was never taught to me in Basic training or at any time during my earlier shooting career. Outside of competitive shooting instruction from a fellow student (female by the way) in college, the sling was usually the tool to keep your weapon from hitting the ground when you were tired from carrying your rucksack over a 20 mile course. And that training also includes the Special Forces Qualification Course! The military does a good job of teaching rifle marksmanship to tens of thousands of new recruits every year. The targets are commonly scored simply as hits and misses with no degrees of precision in between. The Appleseed program focuses on precision marksmanship under time and learning through history.

With my new found information, I was looking forward to my next opportunity to earn that patch! A few months later, I attended another Appleseed event near Birmingham and again fell short. This time, my biggest challenge was my inefficient Natural Point of Aim and a tendency to drag my trigger finger while squeezing the trigger on the rifle stock. I had attached a hasty sling to my rifle but had not practiced using it in a looped sling configuration. My trigger finger “rubbing the furniture” was a new phenomenon to me. I just did not feel comfortable with this ‘new” technique. It was after this experience that I decided to study the Appleseed site and turned my rifle into a true Liberty Training Rifle. I added a set of TechSights that mirror the true military sight picture of the M4.

I was also unable to efficiently change magazines during the event too and one of the instructors installed an extended magazine release for my 10/22 which greatly reduced my times to change out the magazine during a Course of Fire.

 

Almost a year later, our Alabama Shoot Boss Rusty sent me a note of another opportunity to earn my patch for prior Appleseed attendees. This abbreviated shoot was my first opportunity to use the TechSights and while I loved the sight picture, my old eyes missed the clarity offered by my scope. It is an old saying among good shooters that if you can see it, you can kill it. Unfortunately for me, I could not see the target with enough differentiation against my front sight post to make the shot with confidence. I looked on the line and I was the only one shooting with iron sights. One of the instructors also helped stabilize the stock by applying some grip tape to the butt plate.

I can never complain about shooting almost 400 rounds during the day but I was STILL walking away without my Rifleman’s patch.

Fast forward another 6 months and two years from the start of my Journey. I took my rifle out to the range with a new Simmons 22 Mag scope and sighted it in at 25 yards. After sighting in, I noticed my groups were not what I had hoped for. I decided to stop using my “Auto Match” bulk .22 rounds and invest into some quality match ammo. A quick search on the interweb brought a new 25 round magazine and 300 rounds of .22 Norma Match ammo to my door. Last weekend, I arrived at Rusty’s home range and felt fairly confident in my equipment and my own ability after ACTUALLY practicing dry fire drills and NPOA prior to the event. The first set of shots gave me the tightest shot group I’ve EVER had from my Ruger. As the day progressed, I noticed my sight picture began to suffer as my head wanted to rest on the stock and impinge on my ability to see through the scope. Rusty suggested raising my cheek piece on the stock with some foam and tape. Several AQTs (Army Qualification Test) later, I finally met my goal and earned the patch.

I also recognized in myself that my learning has only just begun. I am taking the challenge to earn my Orange hat and participate as an Instructor in the Project. If you have the opportunity to attend an Appleseed, do so… Even after a fulfilling military career, my own marksmanship ability has improved more in the last few months than the previous 30 years. Arrive with an open mind and you will leave better prepared to shoot your weapon in defense of your Nation, your family and yourself.

After the NRA notified me of the largest indoor range in the US, I knew I had to take a trip to see it. We visited Colonial Shooting Academy in Richmond Va. The CSA has an extensive line of firearms, reloading equipment, and accessories in addition to their well-laid out ranges. The exterior of the building is surrounded by range rules to ensure new shooters are constantly reminded of safety concerns. They are WELL in EXCESS of COL Coopers 4 main rules. The facility has an extensive offering of NRA and Virginia state firearms and CCW courses offered monthly. The Basic Pistol Course runs a bit less than $160 without range fees while the Virginia CCW course runs a bit less than $140. For this pricetag, you get top notch multidisciplined instruction in an airconditioned, comfortable, top-notch facility. Their range fees are based on membership status, type of range and availability.

The last few days were historic in Northern Alabama.  We received about 9 inches of snow over a 10 hour window.  The county closed most of the roads for the day and let us enjoy the snow muffled silence. The homestead was able to stay warm; attic never went below freezing and the snow helped provide the insulation when the outside temp went below 22 degrees F.  Enjoy the view… We did!

I learned a couple of useful things yesterday while attending the local Gun Show.  I have an M1 Garand which I purchases from the Civilian Marksmanship Program when we lived in Louisiana in 1998.  This was my first “battle rifle” because it was relatively inexpensive to purchase and had a history of reliability.  After 200 rounds of surplus ammunition and 8 PCS moves, I realized I haven’t really been shooting it much.  In researching the rifle, I learned it is over 70 years old, and was produced in November of 1944.  The thought of owning a rifle that might have served at the Battle of the Bulge and led to the end of WWII was intriguing.  When I first placed it for sale on Armslist, the biggest question was “what was the throat and muzzle erosion”?  I had no idea since non of my paperwork from CMP gave any detail. At the gun show, I met Charlie of Complete M1 who offered to inspect my baby. The receiver is Winchester and the Springfield barrel was evaluated as throat erosion 3, muzzle erosion 0; very good to excellent condition.  Every part of the inspection in terms of the quality of individual parts and overall condition was positive.  I feel pretty lucky!  The second revelation at the gun show was the near total absence of trainers.  If you want a pistol, rifle, shotgun, military kit, knife, boutique jewelry, NRA membership, or 2nd Amendment T-shirt, there were hundreds of options. I found only one booth offering Firearms training (and they were literally in the back corner!).  The lesson here is that there is desperate need and great opportunity for quality instructors.

 

 

The Farm was largely vacant of productivity this year resulting in some disappointments and some potential successes. Our soil amendments were not fully developed in our first year of production so the yields were somewhat smaller than we’d hoped. Our peppers did well and one particular cucumber was a rock star. Unfortunately the corn and most of the other tomatoes did not yield much. This year we have over 6 cubic feet of compost to put on our plants so we are hoping for better yields. WE are also planning on spreading cow manure as a supplement to “beef” up the soil. The fruit trees planted this year seem to be doing well but none have born fruit yet. They are much sturdier than when we planted them and seem to be enjoying the sunlight we hacked out between the pine growth. We lost both of the English Walnut trees but the Carpathians are still hanging in there. We purchased a camper to take trips this fall visiting both girls in Columbia SC and Augusta GA. It was nice NOT to be forced into another La Quinta Inn (nothing against their hosptitality but…) nearby because they are the only sure way to take the dog on our trips. On one of our travels in September, Mike completed the NRA Basic Pistol Instructor Course near Buford GA while we enjoyed the camping at Lake Lanier. We also spent some time at the Fort Gordon Army Travel Camp seeing our Army Nurse. For the first time in 6 years, we were able to have both of the girls home for Christmas. One of the girls had some very special news to share but we are all sworn to secrecy. (Don’t Ask!) The VP and I enjoyed having everyone back under one roof. Amy continues her painting and is developing some superb skills that adorn just about every room in our home. Just before the end of the year we trained our first set of students in the Pistol Class who graduated with certificates, patches and improved skills. It was an honor to instruct them! I also completed the NRA Personal Protection in the Home Instructor Course last week and look forward to increasing my instructor and student skills. We had some minor health emergencies with some family members but we are thankful these ills appear to have resolved themselves.