Here’s the after-action report for my first Project Appleseed event—a two-day rifle clinic at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center last weekend.
This was my introduction to the Appleseed experience, and man, what a ride. I’ve shot competitively in the past, though we’re talking 35-plus years ago, and my body was clearly not prepared for the reality of two back-to-back, nine-hour days on the range. It was a total “drinking from a fire hose” situation. I’ve always considered myself a respectable shot, but I quickly realized I wasn’t quite up to par for this!
Saturday kicked off with the safety briefing and setup before we dove into our first assessment: the “Redcoat” target. It’s 13 shots at four targets representing various distances, placed at 25 yards. (Of course, we later found out the instructors are big filthy liars—it was actually 25 meters!) The only one I managed to clear with three hits was the 100-yard target.
From there, we moved into sling adjustments for stability—a skill I actually picked up on the Battalion shooting team back in the ’80s—and the six steps of firing a shot: breath control, aiming, sight picture, trigger pull, and follow-through. We spent the rest of the session dialing in our scopes and iron sights. I was running my Ruger 10/22 Sporter, decked out with Tech Sights and a Timney trigger.
We wrapped the day with the AQT (Appleseed Qualification Test): 40 shots across four stages and three positions, with time limits ranging from a tight 55 seconds to a more relaxed five minutes. By then, the exhaustion was real and my body was hurting. I turned in a 98—a far cry from the 210 needed for that Rifleman patch!
Sunday followed a similar rhythm: safety brief, a quick recap, and then straight into the grind of shooting six to eight more AQTs. My scores swung wildly from a high of 194 down to a 109 by the end of the weekend when the fatigue finally won.
Lunch time each day was spent listening to the various instructors telling us about various Revolutionary War characters and the three strikes of the match. My homeland Red Coats were left lacking!
Despite the soreness, I had a blast. I left determined to come back with a scope since my eyes just weren’t doing me any favors with iron sights. Or so I thought. I’ve already booked my spot for the next one in April, but the plan has shifted: I’m sticking with the irons. After putting more rounds downrange and learning to really trust my Natural Point of Aim (NPOA), my groups have improved across all my rifles. I’ve decided I need to qualify with irons at least once!
Lessons learned from the first time out:
- Invest in the padding: My cheap kneepads and shooting mat just didn’t cut it. Spend the extra money on quality gear.
- Trust the process: It’s designed the way it is because it works.
- Drill the reloads: Smooth, clean mag changes buy you the precious seconds you need to actually focus on the shot.
Can’t wait to see everyone on the line!
-English Bob