When I went to Pecos for Run n Gun a few months ago, I realized that my slung shooting wasn’t great. Good enough for that race, but it definitely could have been better. I’m especially weak offhand and from kneeling. So I decided to do something about it . . .
What I didn’t realize when I went to Run n Gun was that every other person there was an Appleseed instructor. So when we decided to kill some time shooting at metal plates while the roads dried out, I got some choice instruction on how to make my rifle shooting better. A lot better. In fact, had I had that instruction before I ran the race, I likely would have done a bit better. So as soon as I got home, I surfed the Project Appleseed site to find an event near me.
And lo, Fredericksburg, Texas, two short hours from Austin, offers Appleseed events nearly every month. So I grabbed two gun buddies, ordered some Tech Sights for my 10/22 (review forthcoming), and spent months trolling the internet for .22 LR ammo. As you read this, I’m rolling out with gear, guns, ammo, and my dog to the family ranch to set up our base of operations for two days. But what is Appleseed? From the About Us Section of their website:
Through Project Appleseed, the Revolutionary War Veterans Association is committed to teaching two things: rifle marksmanship and our early American heritage. We do this for one simple reason, the skill and knowledge of what our founding fathers left to us is eroding in modern America and without deliberate action, they will be lost to ignorance and apathy.
Is there a direct relationship between understanding our country’s founding and civic virtue? The answer should anecdotally be quite clear. As our citizens’ knowledge of founding principles has declined, so too has our involvement in this government ‘of, by and for The People.’ Instead, our citizens seem all too content to relegate governmental decisions and knowledge to those that have been elected, all the while assuming these officials’ abilities and agendas are working on their behalf. We believe that if this trend continues, our country will be left with an expansive gulf between the populace and the government.
Count me in! Oh, and guns. I don’t have a clear picture of what the next two days hold, but I’m confident enough in the knowledge that I should come back with a little less rust on my skillset around rifle shooting and with a much better appreciation for American history.
My registration fee was $60 and the range fees are $5 a day. Given how much good training costs, if this is even remotely decent — and from everything I hear it is really good — then it’s the deal of the century. Oh, and history. I love history. A lot. Dream scenario for me is to be a professor of Texas history at a small university somewhere rural where I can shoot, reload, and hunt every day.
Stay tuned as I post updates and photos from what promises to be a fun, albeit slightly wet, weekend out in the Texas hill country. If it’s good, we’ll write about it. And if it sucks, we’ll write about that, too. If you’re planning on being there, shoot us an email at thetruthaboutguns@gmail.com with your contact info so I can be sure to say hi.