Attending an Appleseed

Welcome to Appleseed

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The Appleseed Program is designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true rifleman. All throughout American history, the rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away — no ifs, ands or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as "the rifleman's quarter-mile;" a rifleman can hit just about any target he can see. This skill was particulary evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War.

So why me?
This country was founded and won by riflemen who fought and beat British forces. We invite all interested marksmen to learn the skills and techniques necessary to shoot proficiently; and then hope you'll participate in teaching and practicing with others so that together we can save this great land. Why you? Well, that's simple: if you're on this page we're betting you're a patriot, and we hope you answer the call.

What's a rifleman?
In short, a rifleman is an armed American, trained in the tradition of American Liberty. It's a man who has learned to shoot a rifle accurately — accurate enough to score "expert" on the Army Qualification Course. Until you can do that, you're considered a "Cook," unprepared and unqualified to carry a rifle on the firing line of freedom. But after attending an Appleseed AQT shoot, you'll have the credentials necessary to be a true rifleman, and will understand the critical need for defending freedom in this country.

The RWVA is dedicated to the Appleseed Program and encourages every American to learn to shoot.

Why Appleseed

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Quote from DarrellM5 who attended the Old Middlegate Station, Fallon, NV, March 15-16 AS:

"This was my first experience using slings on rifles for anything other than transporting the firearm. What an eye-opener."

Quote from knubby who hosted the Sallisaw, OK, March 8-9 AS:

"...my 16 yr old daughter Kelli really benefited from the instruction. Her shooting vastly improved. The very next weekend she competed in the Arkansas Jr. Olympic rifle match. She placed 3rd in both kneeling and prone individually(out of 93 competitors) with a 2nd place overall team finish. Appleseed Works!"

Quote from bsinger427 who attended the Davilla, TX, February 9-10 AS:

"This was my first Appleseed. Like many before me, I didn't shoot nearly as well as I thought I would. I'm one of those active duty types, so I thought I knew what I was doing. I've gotta tell you, I received more quality instruction in two days than I've had in four years on active duty!"

Riflemen aren't born...

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Appleseed: Purpose Driven Riflery

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Appleseed: Purpose Driven Riflery
By Chris Knox

(October 22, 2007) The Appleseed Project came to Phoenix this October. It was my privilege to strap into a hard-kicking .30-'06 bolt gun, lay down on a concrete floor, and, fire well over 200 rounds into the teeth of an Arizona sandstorm. It was among the most intense educational experiences of my life. By the end of the day, despite the tough conditions, I knew that my shooting had improved, but more important, I had a new perspective on what it means to shoot a rifle.

The Appleseed Project, a grassroots idea that seemingly came out of nowhere, has quietly grown nationwide and yet has stayed beneath the radar of the established shooting world. Behind it is a club with the unlikely title Revolutionary War Veterans Association. An Appleseed shoot is part history class, part rifle theory, and a whole lot of shooting. Last year a thousand people participated in Appleseed shoots around the country. This year's goal is 2,000. For 2008, it's 4,000. The longer term goal is to double the number of attendees every year.

Nonetheless, Appleseed is not about shooting.

That may seem a strange thing to say about a weekend rifle clinic where you can easily burn a couple hundred dollars worth of ammunition and where you'll be force-fed the distilled essence of 200 years of rifle-shooting knowledge. By itself, shooting is a sport – a game. At an Appleseed you'll learn to look past the game and to see the craft of riflery in a historical and philosophical context. The context is everything.

The historical context is that America owes its independence, its very existence, to riflemen. America was once a nation of riflemen. The ambitious goal of Appleseed is to make us riflemen once more. At an Appleseed a fair portion of the between-shooting time is spent on discussion of events around Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. The history lectures put basic marksmanship in a new light. Appleseed is not about shooting. It's about liberty. Freedom. Individual rights. And most certainly, it's about the right to keep and bear arms.

That isn't to say an Appleseed shoot isn't fun. It is! But it's serious fun.

Fred of Fred's M14 Stocks is the self-effacing prime mover behind Appleseed. The Ramseur, North Carolina resident sells stocks and other shooting accessories from a web site (http://FredsM14Stocks.com) and through Shotgun News. But the business is a sideline. What Fred does is Appleseed. The Revolutionary War Veterans Association and the Appleseed project grew out of Fred's experiences running a local gun club. He was disappointed at how few members knew – or were even interested in learning – how to shoot. "If you're going to be in a fishing club, you should know how to fish – and if you belong to a gun club, you should know how to shoot. Anybody can buy hardware. Appleseed exists to tune up the software." That software exists between the shooter's ears.

Much of the shooting at an Appleseed happens at 25 meters (or yards, depending on the facility). That seems awfully close until you notice that the targets are scaled down. The shooting standard is four minutes of angle – equivalent to an inch at 25 yards or four inches at 100 yards. It doesn't sound like much if you've heard gun shop talk of one-minute or half-minute rifles. Four minutes sounds easy. Until you try it.

If you attend an Appleseed you may shoot longer distances as a confidence builder, but long range shooting isn't entirely necessary and the trips downrange cut into the jam-packed shooting schedule. The shorter range also opens the field up to .22 rimfire rifles. That's another of the many virtues of Appleseed. Any sighted-in rifle is suitable for Appleseed. Some will naturally do better than others, but instructors won't disparage anyone's rifle. Instead they may suggest what sort of rifle might make it easier to shoot a better score.

There is no equipment race in Appleseed. If anything, there's a certain amount of snob status for the most Spartan rig. A rifle – any rifle – with any sights, a sling, a pad or piece of carpet, and maybe a jacket with elbow and shoulder pads is all the equipment you need to get started.

My own experience with Appleseed showed the project at its best. A hard gusting north wind punctuated by swirling dust devils lifted target frames out of their holes and sent them sailing over the line. The Ben Avery public range and a Civilian Marksmanship Program Creedmoor Cup match closed up shop and went home to watch football, but the Appleseed crowd staked down the target frames and called the firing line ready. To quote Fred, "A rifleman is persistent." We proved it that weekend.

Appleseed events are scheduled all over the country. To find one near you, visit their web site at http://appleseedinfo.org/. I can't think of a better way to learn back-to-basics marksmanship than to put it in the context of history and the principles of freedom.

Permission to reprint or post this article in its entirety is hereby granted provided this credit is included. To Receive the Firearms Coalition's bi-monthly newsletter, The Hard Corps Report, send a contribution to The Firearms Coalition, PO Box 3313, Manassas, Va. 20108 or visit FirearmsCoalition.org and ShotgunNews.com. ©Copyright 2007 Neal Knox Associates

Rifle Marksmanship Video

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HERE

These are Excellent videos for those who would like to know more about rifle shooting. They are great for both the beginner and the expert who needs a refresher. The series focuses on the M1 garand, but the techniques can be applied to any rifle. part one covers sling usage and shooting positions. Part 2 covers sight adjustments and also has one of the BEST explanations of windage adjustments EVER. The film was made in 1942/43 for the war department and is now in the public domain, so it can be copied and recopied at will. Please give a copy to anyone you may think would be interested in becoming a better shooter then visit http://www.appleseedinfo.org/ to find out about an APPLESEED shoot.

Range Commands

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The upcoming course of fire, (COF), will be explained before we go down range to check targets from the previous string. Please pay attention so you will know how to prep your magazines, which stage we are shooting and how, etc. This way you will not waste your prep period loading mags, asking what we are doing next and such.

You will be called to the line with the command “Shooters to the line!”

You will then be given a preparation period of specific length with the command “Shooters, your _x__ minute preparation period begins now!”, during which time you can prep mags, BUT NOT LOAD MAGS INTO RIFLES! You may handle the rifle, adjust sights based on what you saw down at the target line, adjust slings, etc. but I highly recommend that you not waste it!
You should sling up and get a good position and begin to dry fire as soon as possible. So, pay attention so you can get a few things done before your prep period, and you’ll not lose valuable time during you prep period doing mundane tasks such as prepping mags.

Next, you will hear: “Shooters, your preparation period has ended! Safeties ON!”
(Leave the safety on until you are in position and ready to fire.)

If the stage begins standing, you will hear “STAND!” The next command is:
“With xx rounds, LOAD!” (then, "Safeties ON!" for stages 2 and 3) At this time you will charge the rifle and prepare to fire, so sling up, and aim at YOUR target. Next you will hear “Is the line ready?” I will ask:
“Ready on the right?” then “Ready on the left?” then “All ready on the firing line!” If you are ready, simply do nothing. If you are NOT ready, signal by raising your hand. Maintain muzzle awareness! When the line is ready I will issue the command: “FIRE!” You will shoot to the completion of the stage or course of fire, or until time runs out, when I will issue the command: “Cease fire, cease fire, cease fire!”

When you hear the command to cease fire it is NOT a yellow light! You do not pop off that last round or finish out the stage! Cease fire means stop immediately. The command may be given for safety reasons so you must stop firing immediately.
This command belongs to ALL of us, and anyone can call it. If you see an unsafe condition which warrants the call, just do it, we’ll sort it out later.

Next you will hear “Unload and clear!” Make your weapon safe using the steps we talked about previously. I will then ask: “Is the line clear on the right? Is the line clear on the left? The line is clear, the line is clear!”

Shooters will then usually be called to line center and be told what is coming next. DO NOT walk in front of the firing line until given the command: “Shooters may go forward of the firing line and score/ check targets!”

If your rifle malfunctions, clear it and continue shooting. If you cannot clear it, keep the muzzle in a safe direction, take the magazine out, put the safety one, lock the bolt back (if possible) and with your finger off the trigger, ground the rifle, and raise your hand for assistance.

AQT Targets

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10 rounds Standing in 2 minutes - possible 50 points

10 rounds Standing to Seated in 50 seconds with a mag change (load 2 & 8 or if your rifle doesn't allow that load 5 & 5)
5 rounds per target - possible 50 points

10 rounds Standing to Prone in 60 seconds with a mag change (same as above)
3 on first target, 3 on second, and 4 on last - possible 50 points

10 rounds Slowfire Prone in 5 minutes. No mag change necessary
2 on first target, 2 on second, 3 on third, and 3 on last - Double the score on this stage for 100 possible points.

Total clean score would be 250 points.

Since this is a Quick and Dirty AQT and uses only 40 rounds instead of the full blown AQT with 50, and also due to the smaller number of targets and NPOA shifts, it takes a score of 210 instead of 200 to qualify.

QD AQT - Upload a Document to Scribd

Liberty Training Rifle Set-up

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What to Bring to a Shoot

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The Six Steps of Firing the Shot (short version)

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1. SIGHT ALIGNMENT -- Line up the front and rear sights

2. SIGHT PICTURE -- Keeping the sights lined up, bring them onto the target

3. RESPIRATORY PAUSE – Deep breath, exhale partially, hold breath as front sight touches bottom of target

4A. FOCUS YOUR EYE -- Focus your eye on the front sight

4B. FOCUS YOUR MIND -– Keep front sight on target

5. TRIGGER SQUEEZE –- Squeeze straight back while front sight stays on target

6. FOLLOW THROUGH -- Sighting eye open, take mental picture of where sights were when rifle discharged, and follow through with trigger

The Six Steps of Firing the Shot

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The experience of thousands of shooters over the last few hundred years has been distilled down to these six steps for firing the shot. If you will put aside all notions on shooting acquired until now and try this, it will improve your shooting. If you fire every shot “by the numbers” you will improve.

(1) SIGHT ALIGNMENT:
(a) Aperture or “peep” sights: Just center the top of the front sight “post” in the ring of the rear sight. The top of the post should be centered horizontally, (same amount of daylight on either side), as well as vertically, (top of post half way up the circle).

(b) Open sights: Center the front sight “post” in the notch of the rear sight. The post should have equal amounts of daylight on either side of it, and the top of the post should be the same height as the left and right sides of the notch.

(2) SIGHT PICTURE:
While maintaining the sight alignment, bring the sights onto the target and place the bottom of the target on top of the post. Now you should have all three parts in alignment: the top of the front sight post centered in the rear sight, and the target sitting centered on top of the post. This is called the “6 o’clock” hold. Others of you shooting certain rifles, (Sights that are difficult to change), may have to use a POA=POI hold, (Point of Aim = Point of Impact) just hold the top of the post “center of mass”.

(3) RESPIRATORY PAUSE:
Now take a deep breath and let it out slowly while watching the front sight. Notice that it falls while inhaling and rises while exhaling. When the front sight reaches the 6 o’clock hold position, just hold your breath at that point. Your inflated lungs, (A natural action), holds elevation.

How long can you hold? In 5 to 8 seconds your ability to fire the shot well diminishes. And that’s if you’re in good shape. First to go is vision, and you won’t be able to get that crisp sight picture you want. Then you may even begin to tremble. Don’t rush the shot. If you’ve been holding more than about 5 seconds, take another breath and start over.

(4) (a) FOCUS YOUR EYE ON THE FRONT SIGHT: (A physical task)
Your eye cannot focus at more than one distance, and you are trying to keep three things at three different distances aligned. Hundreds of years of shooting by thousands of true riflemen have proven that the best way to sight your rifle is to focus on the front sight. The target will be fuzzy in the distance, perched on the front sight post like a pumpkin on a fencepost. The rear sight will be fuzzy in your periphery. But this is the only way your eye can line up all three things accurately. It is imperative that you focus ONLY on the front sight. This is not a natural thing and requires constant monitoring and correction. If your groups start to expand, the first thing you need to ask yourself is if you are truly focusing on the front sight.

(b) FOCUS YOUR MIND ON KEEPING THE FRONT SIGHT ON THE TARGET: (A mental task)
With everything you can muster, focus your mind on keeping that front sight PRECISELY where it belongs on the fuzzy target. This requires considerable concentration and effort and is also why all these steps must become automatic muscle memory functions to leave the mind free to concentrate on the front sight.

(5) SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER:
I didn’t say “pull” the trigger, nor slap, nor snap the trigger. The tendency is to snap the trigger rearward when the sights are perfectly aligned before they can get off target again. The problem with this is that the bullet is not yet out of the barrel and the added motion you impart to the trigger will start the bullet downrange at a slight angle, which only grows more divergent from the target as it goes downrange.

Squeeze the trigger straight to the rear using a steadily increasing pressure, much the same as pushing the plunger on a ball point pen. You can stop at any moment. If the target is slightly off line, don’t release the trigger, just hold the pressure you have already. As the sights come back into place, continue squeezing. Repeat until the rifle fires.

The finger should contact the trigger as low as possible, (for greater mechanical advantage and to prevent touching the bottom of the receiver.), and in the middle of the first pad of the finger. The trigger finger should be curled to an extent that no part of the finger between the last knuckle, (nearest the palm), and the pad touching the trigger itself touches any part of the rifle.

When you are caught touching the stock with the inside of the trigger finger you will be told that you are “dragging wood”. Dragging wood will cause your shots to fly because it imparts a slight movement to the gun while the round is still traveling down the barrel. Dragging wood is the most common firing line error, but fear not, as this habit will be beaten out of you during this weekend.

(6) FOLLOW THROUGH:
This actually has two parts- HOLD THE TRIGGER BACK, and TAKE A MENTAL “SNAPSHOT”. You must hold the trigger back, (momentarily), to allow the bullet to clear the barrel before moving your finger again. Try to hold it to the rear until you have the sights aligned on the target again, and then release the trigger just enough to re-engage the sear. You can usually feel as well as hear an audible “click” when this happens. Do not remove your finger from the trigger!

When the shot goes off you should also make a mental note of where the front sight was because that is where the round went. At first it will seem impossible to do, but with practice you will notice that sometimes you saw exactly where the sights were. (Dry firing is the perfect time to develop this skill) After a while you can “call the shot”. This means that even when you can’t see a hole in the target you will know where that shot went and could actually draw it on paper to compare with the real thing when you get down there.

The ability to call your shot is important because if you called it 5 o’clock and just out of the black and then you check the target and that is where it hit, it wasn’t a bad shot. It actually went just where it was told to go. You just need to focus more and do the 6 steps required to put it in the V ring.

If the rounds all consistently fall in the same spot, just not in the right spot, say for instance too high, too far left, etc, then you will have to move the sights during your next prep period. (Stress shooting tight groups and do not allow sight adjustments for shooters with groups larger than 8 MOA. They need to get the 6 steps down first, otherwise they will “chase the sights” all day)

Basic Shooting Positions

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Standing:

Facing nearly 90 degrees to the target, standing straight up, feet at a normal spacing, comfortable distance apart, sling up! Keep the forward hand open or lightly gripping the rifle, fingers clear of the operating rod. You may want to hold the fore stock a bit further aft than other positions, and remember when you are adjusting the sling or dry firing not to put you hand so far back that it would cover where the magazine will be. The sling should be snug, under the back of the hand, across the forearm and high on the bicep. Elbow nearly straight under the rifle, trigger hand gripping the rifle firmly and pulling the butt back snugly into the pocket with the trigger side arm held elbow high (“chicken wing”) to form a better pocket. M1A guys may want to flip up the butt plate. Head as nearly vertical as possible, turkey necked. If your head is laying over on the rifle you need to raise the butt in the pocket for a better “cheek weld” and therefore, eye/ sight alignment.

Make gross adjustments on target by shifting the rear foot left to right for windage, and closing up or spreading the feet for elevation.

Sitting:

(A) Cross legged: Sit at a 30 to 45 degree angle to the target, toward your strong side, with your legs crossed. I like my right heel under my left leg, so my right leg folds in last. Others want their left foot in last.

Try to get as low as possible without “canting” (tilting) the rifle. Again, the front hand should be open or lightly gripping the rifle, and remember to clear to op rod. Sling should be snug, under the back of the hand, across the forearm and high on the bicep.

The elbows should be in front, (on the target side), of the knees. This is very important! If you place the elbows on top of the knees you will lose your NPOA on every shot due to the recoil. So remember to keep the elbows in front. Trigger hand grips the rifle and pulls it snug back into the pocket. You body will be canted and your head may be leaning considerably, but try not to cant the rifle. Get a nice cheek weld and turkey neck. Make gross adjustments on target by shifting your butt left or right for windage and sliding your hand along the fore stock for elevation.

(B) Crossed Ankles: If you can't get your legs down into a crossed leg position, you may be able to get nearly as stable by sitting and simply crossing your ankles. Make sure your legs are supported by your feet, (As a fulcrum), and that your legs are relaxed, (no muscle input holding your legs up). Place the elbows on the forward, (Target), side of your knees. Make gross adjustments as with the cross legged position. Not as stable as cross legged, but less painful.

(C) Feet in front (open stance): Again, sit at an angle to the target, although a little more nearly facing the target than cross legged. Keep your knees spaced the correct distance to accommodate the elbows in front of them. Feet should be flat if possible and spread as far as possible to gain stability. This is not as stable as cross legged, but may help some of you out who cannot do that. Make gross adjustments on the target by shifting your feet simultaneously to the left or right, keeping your butt essentially stationary, for windage and drawing the forward hand along the stock to adjust elevation. Remember to keep the elbows in front of the knees.

Kneeling:

Kneel with the weak side leg forward, bent with the shin near vertical, and the strong side leg underneath you. You should be sitting on the inside of the foot/ankle. If you aren’t that flexible, then on your heel, with the heel at the base of the spine. Put your forward elbow in front of the knee. Your trigger arm should be “chicken winged” or holding the elbow out to form a good pocket as with standing. Get a good cheek weld and don’t forget to turkey neck.

Prone:

Facing about 30 degrees to “strong side” of the target, lie down on your belly and roll about 1/8 turn to the weak side. While propping up on the “flat” or back of your forward elbow shoulder the rifle. Keep the front hand open or lightly gripping the rifle, clear of the op rod. The forward hand is no more than a post or support for the rifle. The sling should be snug, under the back of the hand, across the forearm, and high on the bicep. Front elbow should be as nearly under the rifle as possible. (If the front sight doesn’t fall and then rise vertically when you inhale and exhale then your elbow is not far enough under the rifle.) The weak side leg extended in a straight line back. The trigger side leg should be bent about 90 degrees with the knee as far forward as possible to anchor the opposite side hip, get you more off your diaphragm, (easier to breathe, less influence on the rifle while breathing), and reduce the effects of recoil. The trigger side elbow should be on the mat, (not in the air), and spaced properly. Get a good cheek weld and remember to turkey neck. To make gross adjustments, anchor the front elbow and rotate everything around it. Shift the hips left and right for windage, and slide the the hips forward or back to gain proper elevation. Don’t allow the magazine to touch the mat.

Web Sling Help

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Sling Use

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Proper Sling Use

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Red Coats

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Gray Coats

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Common Firing Line Errors

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The Real "Scoop" on What to Bring

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#1 most important thing.... A teachable attitude. If you already think you know everything, then don't go yet, wait until you grow-up and mature and when you are ready to listen and learn then and only then will you learn what you need to know to be a rifleman. (a sense of humor is a good thing too...) [And a desire to persist - Fred]

#2 Bring 5 empty magazines. Don't try to get ahead of them by loading in advance, you will just have to unload. They have a bad habit of telling you to load 5 mags with two cartridges each in them. Ideally, Mags should have a 20 cartridge min capacity. That's Ideally, they will take you anyway they can get you, but this would really be helpful. [The last statement is true: bring what you got, we'll help you get it done on the line - Fred]

#3 A ground cover. This is really important, you will spend a lot of time on the ground, it may be rocky or in the case of Worland, infested with fire ants. Ok, we stayed away from them, but still this will make your life easier. A carpet remnant works great. We went to Walmart, got a indoor/outdoor area rug 8'X6' for $20 and cut it in two. It worked great, people were envious. There are lots of shooting mats around and those worked good too, but they really weren't big enough for spending 8 hours on teh ground. And, the shooting mats blow away, the carpet stays put and keeps your rifle and gear out of the dirt. Deal of the century. [The carpet is a good idea - it will prob be big enough to fold over your rifle to keep flying dust and grit off it... Fred]

#4 Elbow pads These were life savers. I bought them at Walmart for $6 they were the soccer Knee/elbow pads. Measure around your arm before going so you know what size to get. Another guy had hockey pads, and I'm sure they make specialized tactical models. But get something to protect your elbows. [Appleseeders have told me to stay away from elbow pads with hard outer protection, as they make a 'ball' that makes your elbows wobbly - instead, get elbow pads that are soft on both sides - Fred]

#5 A hat, it would be best if it covered your neck. My other half is still suffering from a bad sunburn, even though he used sunscreen. It was so bad, he stopped on the way home and bought a floppy hat. ["Boonie hats" are the thing, and maybe a neckerchief for neck protection - Fred]

#6 A little note book and pen. I'm talking those little spiral notebooks about 2.5" x3.5" approx. The ones that will fit in your back pocket. And of course, a pen. No time or space for a big one. Great for taking notes of sight settings and scores.

#7 The standard list of no brainers... Sunscreen, eye protection, hearing protection, both the muffs and plugs used together are recommended, but I found I couldn't hear the instructor with both. Lots of Water!!! Lots of sunscreen. One guy said he went to Gurnsey and got burned so bad he blistered!!!!!. Lots of sunscreen, put it on throughout the day. esp on your neck and ears. [And nose - but don't forget reflected sunlight, so hit under your chin, and the backs of your hands... Fred]

#8 Lots of water, yes, this is so important, it's worth mentioning twice. It's real easy to get dehydrated out there and not drinking enough.

#9 A light lunch. You will need to feed yourself, but I wouldn't recommend anything too heavy. It's too hot (of course it might not be where you are) too much getting up and down, and in the case of Worland, the bathroom was too far away. Fruit worked well for us. It was easy to keep and eat and helped rehydrate us also.

#9b Snacks. Especially if you have a blood sugar problem. Sometimes the lunch break is later than you usually take it. I had 2 cereal bars in my range bag, that helped. Other suggested ganola from Sam's or Costco, that has the fruit and M & M's, Just something to help you not get through, and be sure to clean your hands with #15 before you eat. Too much lead dust floating around on the range, we don't want anybody going home dumber than they came

#10 Bring a Rifle, this is extremely important. I have recommendations here, but I'll keep my mouth shut. They will take you anyway they can get you. Be sure you know how your rifle works and breaks down. I know all the pre-shoot things say "check your rifle" but there were multiple people who brought new to them rifles who didn't know how to break them down, nor how to adjust the sight. I brought a new to me gun, but we had gun out twice before and run a couple hundred rounds through it to make sure it worked and worked well. My husband also made me break it all down to clean it. He claimed it was so I knew, but I think it was so he could get out of cleaning it. There actually was somebody who didn't bring a rifle. Luckily we had a spare and lent it to him, but it would have really slowed up our group with two people shooting one rifle. Bring a spare rifle, even if it's a .22LR. I KNOW it says that on the what to bring to the shoot. It's going to be windy when Fred is around and that's going to get grit in the gun. Be sure you understand how to clean it and keep it clean and running. Good rifleman practice too. We had a MUCH better appreciation for what our boys in the sandbox are going through after only a couple hours in the sand and wind at Worland. ["Windy when Fred is around...??" - the spare rifle is a good thing to have... Fred]

#10B Know how to adjust your sights and bring the tools to do it. Know what a click on your rifle equals.... [But if you don't, we'll figure it out for you - Fred]

#11 I found a folding chair to be helpful. You stand and wait a lot and my feet don't like that.

#12 Bring a sling for your rifle, leather doesn't work too good, but any web style adjustable sling should do the trick. Any good gun store should have them for $10 or less. You really MUST have one. If you have never shot with a sling you will be amazed what a difference it will make. If you don't know how to use it, don't worry, they teach that! they will help you get it together. [The best sling is a surplus GI green web sling - Fred]

#13 Be prepared for any kind of weather. Dress accordingly, preferably in layers so you can change with the weather. We had blowing sand at Worland, something to cover your rifle to keep the dirt out is very helpful. [Be prepared for rain, too. If rain is in the forecast, bring large plastic bags to protect your gear - Fred]

#14 Stuff to clean your gun. I wish I had had a can of compressed air to clean the grit out at night. It was terrible.

#15 Wet wipes for your hands, were helpful too. (AtlasShrug recommends you store these in your cooler on warm days).

#16 Some kind of bug spray to kept the bugs off you if you are in a buggy environment.

#17 Bring plenty of the SAME KIND AND BRAND OF AMMO. If you are shooting Black Hills .223 55gr, then shoot that the whole time. Your impact area will change every time you change ammo. It will drive you crazy. This is a good argument for only buying the same kind of ammo. You can do it, but you will find that it changes where the bullet hits and that will mess up your scores. [If you don't have the same brand, etc., come anyway... Fred]

It felt like our truck was loaded, but we were prepared for anything. Most people showing up were prepared and ready to learn, but one person not being prepared, can hurt the pace of the whole group. It's not possible to be over prepared.

Oh, did I mention to bring a good teachable attitude? It's a must have.

Oh, here's an addition. #18 Ibuprofen for those sore muscles you are going to have, because you didn't do your exercises before the shoot. I didn't find it as bad as I thought it was going to be, but I was sore. My Chiroprator was happy to see me this morning. (Thanks Fordtruck for reminding me)

#19 As Spartacus said, getting Fred's Guide To Being a Rifleman in advance and practicing would be a great help.

#20 A shooting jacket could really be a help. I don't know, because I don't have one, and have never tried one, but they look hot to me. They also look like they could be great. I'd like opinions here since I was wondering.

#21 Know which eye is your dominate eye. This is really important, and not taught at appleseed, but could be a source of frustration to somebody who doesn't know. To find out which is your dominate eye, put your hands out in front of your face, arms outstretched. Put your thumbs and index fingers out, thumbs touching, forming a square. With both eyes open, view a distant object and focus it in the center of your square, (like a wall clock or something) Now, close your eyes one at a time, note with which eye the object remained centered in your square, and which one the object moved. The eye where the object did not move, is your dominate eye. So if you are like me, and you are right-handed, but are left eye dominant, (or left-handed and right eye dominate) you have two choices, 1. You shoot left-handed like I do, or you train your right eye to be the dominate eye. Which I don't know how to do. I just shoot left-handed and it isn't a problem for me. So, if you are trying to sight your target with the wrong eye, you could be very far off and not know why.