A few buddies have been nudging me toward an Appleseed clinic for a while now. It’s a two-day deep dive into the bread and butter of marksmanship—traditional positional shooting and the fundamentals of every shot. For those who haven’t heard of them, they’re a national non-profit run by the Revolutionary War Veterans Association.
Most of these clinics are weekend affairs held at ranges all over the country. They’re famously open to everyone, from total novices to “I’ve been doing this for decades” types, all wrapped in a safe, family-friendly, and strictly non-partisan atmosphere.
The curriculum is laser-focused on the mechanics of a perfect shot and proper form. It all culminates in a qualification test; if your score is high enough, you walk away with the coveted “Rifleman” patch. Everything is shot at 25 yards, so both centerfire and rimfire rifles are welcome on the line.
There’s also a heavy dose of Revolutionary War history woven into the instruction—which should make for a particularly entertaining weekend for a Redcoat like myself!
The logistics are a bit of a haul; the nearest event is a three-hour drive north with a bright-and-early 8 AM start time. As for the gear, I’m currently torn between bringing the S&W M&P 15-22 or sticking with the classic Ruger 10/22 Sporter.
-English Bob