Maryland Project Appleseed 2020

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  • Catch-10-22

    Appleseed Shoot Boss
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 27, 2009
    774
    PG County, MD
    Maryland Appleseed 2020 Year End Summary

    Well, 2020 was a tough year but we ended on a strong note thanks to all the students, instructors, and volunteers that made the year a success despite COVID restrictions and cancellations.

    Some statistics to put 2020 in context:

    • We held 19 shoots, only one fewer than 2019! That was despite 11 cancelled events, by far the most in the history of the Maryland program. We appreciate the flexibility and understanding of our shooters and host ranges throughout the year – we all were forced to adapt.

    • Out of those shoots, 10 were sold out and 2 were nearly so for a rate of nearly 70%! I know some of that was due to having to reschedule folks several times but with 3 shoots in 2021 sold out or close to it, you will want to sign up early.

    • We ended up with 175 shooters out of a total capacity of 225 – this matched our highest ratio of attendance since 2014 at just under 75%. This was despite massive capacity restrictions at our ranges.

    • We had 45 new or requalified Rifleman for a rate of about 26%. This is off our all-time high last year but well above our historical average of 19%. It reflects a lot of new and youth shooters coming to the program, which is great – we want a new generation of people interested in our message of history and rifle marksmanship to come through the program every year.

    • There were 5 shooters that qualified Distinguished and we had another Perfect 250 in Maryland. Shannon is 1 of only 5 people to do it in the history of the Maryland program and is by far our youngest - Huzzah!

    • 2020 was ushered in by a Winterseed and 2 people earned that special icy looking patch. We will see if our January and February events provide the right inclement weather – we shoot rain, shine, sleet, or snow – in 2021.

    • We only had one Rimfire known-distance event (200-yards) with 2 qualifying Rifleman earning that coveted rocker. We hope to have more events next year.

    • 30 cleared Red Coats, once again proving that cleaning that target is harder than making Rifleman. Our new half day events will be using the Red Coat as a “hits count” target for most of the instruction, so if the 400 yard target or Morgan’s Shingle keep making you a cook, sign up for one of those events to take that next step toward Rifleman!

    The instructors understood what a difficult year it was for everyone but it was obvious all year that folks were energized and motivated to attend our events.

    We had a lot of new shooters who wanted to learn basic marksmanship and safe firearm handling skills. We had a lot of experienced shooters that wanted a refresher or to learn new skills and positions. And, of course, we had many experienced Appleseeders that wanted to requalify and pick up new sets of skills (long range, pistol, etc.). All of you are welcome!

    We understand folks are starting to feel the effects of ammo shortages and cost increases. But remember that shooting skills are perishable – use it (ammo) or lose it (skills). Our new half day and a wider swath of one day events should keep ammo expenditures reasonable. If ammo is holding you back from attending, write to the shoot boss and they may be able to help.

    Thanks to our dedicated volunteers and instructors this year. I know COVID was a concern to many and that put pressure on some of our core volunteers to step up and deal with uncertainty, range restrictions, and masks that constantly fogged up glasses.

    Despite that, we were able to maintain our 3 students per instructor average across all our events due to dedicated instructor participation, which allowed for substantial attention to safety and quality of training.

    We also grew the Maryland cadre of instructors and volunteers:

    • 1 new designated Shoot Boss (Catch-10-22)

    • 1 new Red Hat Instructor (Agent711) and one that spent a lot of time in Maryland (thanks BillP_556)

    • 2 new Orange Hat Instructors in Training (FunctionCheck and kniwolf – thanks for stepping up!)

    • 2 new Blue Hat AppleCore Volunteers (Liberty Boy and Bravo_Alex – Huzzah!)

    • 2 new Patriot Pistol Instructors (Catch-10-22, Etervigila – CatGravity is just one step away)

    Overall, we had 20 instructors and volunteers working shoots this year, which is higher than 2019. However, with a bit step up in events, ranges, and students planned for 2021, we could use more help bailing the ship. If you are interested in volunteering with the program or would like to rejoin the instructor cadre, WE NEED YOU!

    Finally, throughout the year we try to provide some other content in addition to our announcements and AARs to both promote the program and help folks on their journey to Rifleman and beyond through MDShooters and the Appleseed Forums, some written by instructors, others by students:

    Appleseed Patriot Pistol Preview

    CZ455 Scout Appleseed AAR

    My First Appleseed 12/5-12/6 2020

    A huge thank you to all of the ranges that hosted us this year!

    • Anne Arundel Fish and Game Conservation Association (AAFG) in Annapolis

    • Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore (AGC) in Mariottsville

    • Sanner's Lake Sportmans Club (SLSC) in Lexington Park

    • Delmarva Sportsman Association in Suddlersville

    We also had two ranges back in the fold this year:

    • Berwyn Rod & Gun Club in Bowie

    • Leetown Gun Club in Kearneysville, WV

    These ranges not only offer fantastic facilities for shooters of all kinds, but their commitment to Project Appleseed reflects their commitment to expand and enhance the community of shooters and actively engaged citizens - we can't thank them enough for the support.

    We are always hoping to add new ranges - both indoor and outdoor - and re-introduce ourselves to clubs where we have previously been active. Looks like we will add at least two new ranges in the Maryland and Southern PA this year. We are especially interested in finding ranges that would accommodate Patriot Pistol events at 7 yards. If your club is interested in hosting an event, we can make it happen!

    We are always looking for new ways to enhance the experience of our students and instructors as well as to bring new people into our community. If you have questions, comments, or feedback, we are absolutely open to suggestions.

    If you know anyone who could benefit from Appleseed, please suggest our program to them – we want to continue to grow the shooting community in Maryland while also helping folks understand the value and perishability of their rights.

    We are nearly done scheduling our 2021 events and are rolling-out some cool new class types (half days are on the calendar at Annapolis!) so please subscribe to the upcoming 2021 thread as well.

    Hope to see you on the line!
     

    Catch-10-22

    Appleseed Shoot Boss
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 27, 2009
    774
    PG County, MD
    Some people do great with well broken in BX25s. Some do not. Have to be sure the seat correctly and don’t get nudged out of alignment by your sling or support hand.

    But, they have more leverage for insertion and removal than the 10 round mags. That is why I put TK bumpers on my 10 rounders.
     

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