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darth.unix.jedi@gmail.com

http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/08/27/reconsidering-2/

All I require is that you do it is three things. Do it my way after the inital RedCoat target of the first day. You also must attend one of “my” shoots. Email me for a complete list. You must also come with an open mind.

If you do not have a rifle that can use 1.25 sling swivels (GI Web sling), you may borrow either my M1A (you supply ammo), my XCR (I will supply 200 rounds 5.56, you wil need another 200-300) or either of my 10-22 LTR’s (Liberty Training Rifles, 1 with irons, one with scope) and Ammo for the weekend. There may also be other Rifles availible for loan depending on which shoot of mine you attend. We will see the when and wheres and see what else is availible.

I taught Melancton Smith and his wife, letting them use my Rifles (He insited on paying me for my ammo, but I cut him a deal on the South African! LOL!).

Why am I doing this?

Simply because you shouldn’t critique without experience is a little of it.

The most of it is this.

The program is good, and a good thing. Even if the History does not impress you or touch you, the skills you will learn will. There is no Kool Aid to drink (but there is an Instructor out in Cali named that!!LOL!) though I would recomend plenty of water.

Tac gear is not needed, but I would wear fatigue pants simply because jeans are a bit constricting in certain positions. If you bring your own Rifles, you will need at least 2 mags holding a total of 10 rounds, although 4 twenty rounders would be better. 5 enblocks, or x number of stripper clips, etc. Email me, or reply here if you can’t see mine for some reason, and we will figure it out.

I hope to see you there soon(ish).

Of course, if you turn me down, I expect you to STFU until such a time as you can attend, and give an experienced oppinion.

Guy

ps, yes, we are not all things Rifle related. Fundamentals, yes. Will you leave knowing more than before? Yes. Will you have a good time? MY $140 says you will.

Having lived in California, the opportunity and incentive to go out shooting was seriously lacking most of those years as well.

Then I moved to Wyoming! I took a lot of serious training with my handguns, but was reluctant to try a rifle until I went to an Appleseed here. What an eye opener that was! Every accommodation needed was given to me, and I had a lot of fun as well as excellent instruction. I set it up with my gun club to host another Appleseed each spring from now on… and I’ll be there.

I’ve got a long way to go, much to learn, and I’ll be happy to be the cook. I’m too old for the front lines anyway, but by golly if the camp gets attacked, I can give a good account of myself.

The history is absolutely necessary. Far, far too many people have never really heard the truth.

Is Appleseed the best, or right for everyone, or perfect the way it is? Of course not. But it is best for some, and everyone involved is working hard to improve it all the time. I don’t know how much more anyone could expect.

I have found that Appleseed is an excellent method of getting people to the range, and teaching them to shoot. There are other methods, and I’m not going to knock any of them, but I have yet to find a program that does it quite as well, on a nationwide basis, for anywhere near the price.

Koolaid? You get some of that, no matter how much you try not to… the glock-sters, the cult of JMB, H&K fanboys, small bore fans, .308 -or-nothing shooters, folks who support one shooting school or another… There’s always that element. We do our best to orient the program around shooters, not hardware, and I’ve never seen an Appleseed’er speak ill of someone else’s attempt to educate shooters.

Bad packaging? Can’t undo what’s been done. The Appleseed folks (myself included) believe in what we are doing. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be dedicating our time and energy to the program. Promotion is a difficult job, we do our best. Got a good idea of how we should be packaging ourselves? Come on in, we’d be glad to have you!

Chris Midkiff
Appleseed Program
Missouri State Coordinator

First off, thank you for letting me question you, on your blog and your bandwidth.

I come from a science fiction fan background, where people disagree with you, just to be polite. I’ve also seen flame wars up close, where Fan A asserts “That will never work”…and Fan B makes it work.

I overreacted, based on my background and I apologize.

E. Charles–

YOU! YOU’RE AN–oh wait.

I believe military doctrine dictates what gets taught in basic. I believe that doctrine changes over time, and is sometimes wrong (Maginot Line, anyone?).

Current U.S. military doctrine does not teach the use of the sling; it has in the past.

I think that your comparison to a martial arts school emphasizing a certain technique, while bitter to swallow, is apt. For what Appleseed is teaching, the sling is useful and works. So…?

Here’s the deal.

Go to the next Appleseed near you, pay the $70 admission, and attend both days’ classes with as open minds as you can muster.

If, at the end of the Sunday session, you truly believe that you and the other attendees didn’t receive your money’s worth, I’ll comp each of you the admission fee.

Takers?