Astra A75L initial impressions and review

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The Astra A75 is a strange duckling, with the A75L (L denoting Lightweight) being rarer still. This is the only Astra I have ever seen in person, and when it became available I purchased it promptly. I do not believe they are still being imported, but the
remaining parts available are under the care of EAA corp, which posts both a manual and parts list on their website.

The gun was manufactured in Spain and mine was imported through EAA in Florida. Aesthetically I would pin the Astra as a mediocre Sig p6 copy. Disassembly though, is more in line with the Browning style firearms which utilize a take-down notch on the slide which allows the slide stop to be pushed through the gun- thus field stripping the pistol.

My example has been loved little and shot less- as is evident by the significant pitting on most of the bare metal. A detail strip and clean was in order, and as one gets into the Astra, it is a very simple design that offers little challenge to work on save for the removal of the roll pins- which can be totally annoying.


My gun had some years on it- and I can track at least two previous owners. So to reduce any unnecessary stress on the lightweight frame, I replaced the firing pin spring and the recoil spring with new ones from Wolff.

The DA pull is heavy but smooth, and breaks very predictably. The SA pull is surprisingly good, breaking at a reasonable 5ish lbs with an impressively short reset.

How worn out was my recoil spring? frankly I'm not sure- comparison to the new spring (a crappy metric at best) would lead me to believe that at least some compression / set had taken place in the spring- but how much usable life was left in the spring is unknown to me.


I will say that the piece of mind I got from a fresh spring was totally worth the 7 bucks- and it is good practice when buying used guns that are very dependent on recoil spring for functionality (which is virtually all of them) to throw in a fresh spring.

That all being said, my pontifications on the history and breakdown of the Astra is completely unwanted to many of my readers, who would prefer I get onto the 'how it shoots' portion of the review.

Sadly, no pictures from the range, as it rained like a bastard the whole time I was there- but I can say the following- The Astra is actually a super fun gun to shoot. So far I have put just shy of 100 rounds through it, and I can say it has been completely reliable with everything I have fed it. There is a definite preference for 147 gr ammo, as my sights seem better regulated to the heavier ammo's impact point- but the gun is just as happy to chug along on 115 gr or lighter stuff.

I was able to shoot  all of the following:
147gr Speer Gold Dots
147 gr American Eagle FMJ
115 gr Federal FMJ
105 gr LSWC reloads
125 gr LTC reloads
120 gr LRN reloads
115 gr JHP reloads (Winchester HP)
115 gr Winchester Silvertips
115 gr Tula steel cased FMJ

The majority of the shooting was done with the Tula- which performed well. I was actually super surprised with its performance for under 9 bucks a box. I'll definitely be keeping this stuff on hand for any testing that needs to happen with new guns.

Transitions from DA to SA are something I need to practice (who doesn't?) but really controlled pairs were very acceptable on an 18 inch target all the way out to 20 yards. Though I didn't really get any overly brag-worthy targets from this gun- there was plenty of 'good enough for social work' accuracy which was easily obtained at speed.

That right there, is what you call 'pitting'

I don't often shoot guns with a decocker, but this was actually a pleasant experience and I have no negative comments on the set up. The gun carries well in a remora style holster designed for officers sized 1911 guns- though the holster is just a touch too large.

Magazines are available, and I picked up 4 at 6 bucks a piece with a bit of google foo from a retailer that is now out of stock. Expect prices to float around 12-20 bucks a mag when you do find them, and they hold a total of 8 9mm rounds or 7 40sw rounds.  All have been reliable at feeding and locking the slide back, despite being multi-caliber and  I am exceedingly pleased with the purchase.

I paid a grand total of 220 bucks for the gun, and it came with 300 rounds of 9mm ammo  and a shitty IWB holster from a LEO friend in the WNY region. After shipping I invested another 30 bucks in mags, and about 10 more in springs. All said and done, I have 260 bucks into a nice shooting, good carrying pistol with 5 mags and a decent amount of practice ammo to go with it.  I think this deal is a bit ridiculous, and if anyone else finds one similar- you should BUY IT. Realistically though, this is probably a 250 dollar gun and shooters that want one should shop accordingly.

Extra parts, magazine availability, and holster compatibility are all going to be issues with this gun- so lay into the above whenever you find them to increase the value of the pistol and the justification for owning it.  If one can get over those detractors and doesn't mind either going with custom holsters or 'universal' style holsters- this is a great carry gun that can take some abuse without making you overly sad about it.

The Death Spiral

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I don't know if you remember, but in 2008, James Hansen said that the Arctic was in a death spiral, and the Arctic Ice was decreasing to the point where life on earth was at risk.  

Since the same date in 2008, Arctic ice has increased by more than 15%. Global sea ice area is fifth highest on record for the date. The breathtaking ignorance of the experts is indeed breathtaking.

Heh!  The death spiral of the climate experts is the big news these days.  Those bozos demonstrate time and time again that they don't know whatthehell is going one.

Spam Comments

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Just so everyone knows, and a reposting for those that don't.  I own the comments on this blog.  It's my blog and I've never deleted a comment that disagrees with me, nor deleted a comment that takes issue with any point I might like.  I know how to take criticism and honest criticism is manna for a writer.  I do my best work when I'm criticized.

However, those comments who link to a commercial site, who are rude or condescending, or otherwise outside the bounds of polite discussion are deleted immediately.  This is my house and the rules of deportment are simple and direct.  If you can't say something in my living room or on my back deck, you damned sure can't say it here.  I'll delete those comments in an instant, with no more aforethought than I would slay a pissant.

I live for comments, I love comments, but I won't tolerate rudeness.

Now, that's enough about that.

A Tale of Two Bullets

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I've been playing with a Ruger Model 77, an old tang-safety rifle, built in 1971.  The rifle is in .25-06 and I've been piddling with loads.  Several years ago I put together a load using Reloder 22 and the Sierra Gameking bullet.  I've shot it in my son's rifle and it shows good accuracy, under an inch, so I loaded some of those for my rifle and took it to the range.

Sure enough, those went into 0.752.  Certainly capable for the deer woods  But, I wasn't getting quite the velocity I wanted, so I loaded it up one grain, to 51.0 grains of Reloder 22.  That opened the group up considerably.

One extra grain of powder and the group opens up to almost two inches.  That ain't good, the extra speed isn't worth the loss of accuracy.  However, I've got some 117 grain Hornady SST's which are pretty good bullets in other calibers.  I had loaded some of those with the same powder charge, so I let the barrel cool, then settled down on the bench and let fly.

That's a pretty good 3-shot group, and my manuals tell me that it should be running just north of 2900 fps.  I also loaded each bullet with 52.0 grains of RL22, which my manuals tell me is a max load.  As I've found with max loads, the groups opened up to the point where I don't want to share them.  This does illustrate that when you change one component, you change everything.  In this case, one grain of powder and a change of bullets made a huge difference.

That Gameking load is a proven load in two rifles, it's always shot under an inch in either of the two.  However, that bug-hole group with the Hornady bullets has my eyes open.  It might be worth it to load another dozen or so and see if that group is an anomaly, or if it will continue to be a good load.

That Pesky Law

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Why is it that people don't think that the handicap parking law doesn't apply to them?  That they're entitled to park in that blue-lined spot, if they are "only going to be a minute"?

I am taking it as my mission to disabuse them of the notion.  I bet that I ran a half-dozen people out of that spot today, and tomorrow I'm bringing my ticket book.  I've had a gut full of people parking in that spot.

I've never been a ticket-writer.  I'm simply not fond of traffic citations and will generally give a warning rather than write the ticket.  Luckily, my bosses have always supported me and haven't insisted I write a ticket when a friendly warning will suffice.  All that might change, tomorrow.

On Senators

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I believe that Senators and diapers should be changed often, for the same reasons.  Lots of folks are cogitating about Dick Lugar's comeuppance in Indiana yesterday, and it was long overdue.  As Michael Walsh explains: 

In the name of “democracy,” the “progressive”-era amendment fundamentally upset the balance of state-fed power that had been built into the Constitution, tipping it inexorably in favor of Washington. Unmoored from state or region for a minimum of six years — and more likely, twelve or 18 — the senators now form a club without a purpose except for their own reelections. Far from enhancing democracy, the very nature of the office now mocks it. 

As a matter of public service, I'd like to propose an amendment to the US Constitution. That any person, lawfully elected, could serve 12 years in the US Congress. They could split that up anyway they liked, but a maximum term of 12 years in either the House or the Senate or a combination threreof, and we'd send them home to wherever home might be. Also, that they would be forbidden from working for the government or lobbying the government for a term of 20 years past their government service.

Here in Louisiana we have both Diaper Dave and Katrina Mary as our Senators. We are so proud.

That Figures

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My step son came over to borrow the pickup truck, and as is my habit, I went under the front seat and took out the Super Blackhawk that resides under there.  I'll loan my truck but not my revolver.  If something happens to the truck, I'll be okay, but if something happens to that revolver, I'll be upset and aggravated.

Good thing I took the revolver out.  I found some rust on the backstrap and as I was checking it prior to cleaning it, there was no ammo in it.  I remember that I let someone shoot it and I never reloaded it.  So, I went to the ammo shelf and found that I am nearly out of .loaded .44 ammo of any stripe.  Just Damn!  It's time to get out the bags of brass and load some .44 ammo.

I have just exactly two loads for that pistol.  My .44 Special load, which is good for about 95% of the shooting I do with that revolver, is what I call my Skeeter load.  First proposed by the late Skeeter Skelton, it's 7.5 grains of Unique under a 240 grain cast bullet.  That load runs out at about 970 fps, considerably more snappy than the anemic .44 Special factory fodder.  I really like that load a lot and I believe that if more .44 Special folks used it, they wouldn't feel the need to use magnums.  There is a whole lot to like about a 240 grain cast bullet traveling at 970 fps.

The second load for that revolver is a standard .44 magnum load, proposed by both Skeeter and Elmer Keith.  I use 19.0 grains of 2400 under that same 240 grain cast bullet.  That gives me 1350 fps and knocks the living hell out of anything I've shot with it.  Both of those loads are lit with with Winchester Large Pistol primers.  I've never seen a need for magnum primers in any handgun.  2400 lights up just fine with a standard primer.

Expedience

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I see that our President has evolved on the issue of gay marriage and has decided that it's probably okay.  Lots of pundits are having a field day with his decision, but I think it smacks of simple political expedience.  He's got nothing on jobs, on the economy, on defense, on commerce.  May as well pander to his base, especially after his Vice President let the cat out of the bag.

The libertarian in me wonders why the State cares about marriage at all.  From the perspective of the State, a marriage is nothing but a contract between two persons.  It can be dissolved as easily as it is negotiated and has no real meaning except as it can be enforced.

The Christian in me returns to the teachings of Jesus, who told us in Matthew:

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[a] 5} and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Jesus is talking about divorce here, but He was careful to talk about a man and a woman.  If you believe, as I do, that the institution of marriage was instituted by God, then our President is on shaky ground if he tries to tamper with it.  May God have mercy on his mortal soul.

Friday Fiddlesticks

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Back in the old days, Cajun music was all acoustic.  There was no electricity for amplifiers, hell, there were no amplifiers at all.  Nor light bulbs.  Folks made music with what they had, and if you had a good fiddler in the community, maybe someone who could pick a guitar and a washtub, you had everything you needed to make music.

One way of making rhythm was the fiddlesticks. These willow wands, or knitting needles were used to provide a rhythm when drums weren't available and they provide a subtle counterpoint that some folks can't readily identify.  Below, we have one of the best cajun fiddlers, Dewey Balfa, playing a fiddle accompanied by a young musician on the sticks.



Hat tip to my boy.

Rainy Saturday

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It's a rainy Saturday and I'm piddling around the house.  Tomorrow is Mother's Day and we're going to church where I'll hug my mother's neck, then we're going to Jena, to see Milady's mother.  Several of the family are gathering at her house and I'm bringing Italian Beef.  It's a great recipe and everyone who samples it seems to like it.  Slow cooker, beef, au jus, what's not to like?

In this recipe as in all others, presentation is everything, so why not post a picture?


That is a great looking sandwich, isn't it?  You can click on the link above for the full recipe.

Dumbest Crook

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This idiot gets caught trying to sell is counterfeiting operation to the Pawn Shop.  Seriously.

Kenny "Boom" Smith was busted by the U.S. Secret Service for making and passing counterfeit money. Smith must have thought his funny money skills are pretty good because he attempted to sell both his counterfeit cash and his counterfeiting machine to a pawn shop. Not just any pawn shop, either.
American Jewelry and Loan is where the hit TV show "Hardcore Pawn" is shot. The store near 8 Mile and Evergreen roads has become a destination because of the show.

I'm sure that he's re-thinking his whole operation.

New Oil Found

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Have y'all read about the new oil found?  Not in the steppes of Siberia, nor in the sands of the Arabian desert, but in the heartland of America.

“USGS estimates that the Green River Formation contains about 3 trillion barrels of oil, and about half of this may be recoverable, depending on available technology and economic conditions,” Mittal testified.
“The Rand Corporation, a nonprofit research organization, estimates that 30 to 60 percent of the oil shale in the Green River Formation can be recovered,” Mittal told the subcommittee. “At the midpoint of this estimate, almost half of the 3 trillion barrels of oil would be recoverable. This is an amount about equal to the entire world's proven oil reserves.”

Equal to the entire world's proven reserves.So, just exactly how much oil is that?  According to this link, the US used about 7 billion barrels of oil in 2010.  At current rates, we could use oil for over 200 years out of this one formation.  All we've got to do is frack it out of the ground.

If President Obama is truly pursuing an "all of the above" energy policy, we could begin drilling this formation and have energy independence very soon.  I'm sure that there are plenty of companies that are willing to go there and drill.  You'd have the outfits themselves, the supply companies, the pipeline companies, and all the people that go with them.  Houses being built, roads being built, high-paying jobs with good companies.  Those folks have to eat, so grocers and restauranteurs, coffee shops, everything that comes with prosperity would go to the folks who are getting this oil out of the ground.

It's all here for us, folks.  The only thing in our way is the government.  If Obama doesn't clear the permits immediately, then we know where he stands on the issue of American energy independence.  The oil is in the ground.  All we've got to do is get it out.

An AR15 Bleg..... Carteach needs an M-16 bolt carrier.

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As Carteach learns the way of the AR, details begin to emerge. See, all the AR platforms in my past have been new up to this point. 'Fixing' them has not been an issue.

This newest stallion in the stable is anything but new. When I first took it into my grubby little hands, I had serious concerns regarding the bore. It appeared shot out. What it was... in fact... was so heavily copper fouled the rifling looked weak. An hour or two with Hoppes copper fouling cleaner and a few good bore brushes later... and the rifling looked darned good.

Function checking did eventually reveal an issue. Sometimes, rarely, but sometimes.... if the charging handle was eased forward the bolt carrier stopped half way through the receiver, as shown here:


Now, if one releases the handle, all is well. When shooting, no issues surface. It's only when the bolt is allowed to slowly go forward that any problem shows, and even then it's one in a dozen times. That said..... a problem is a problem and indicates something not up to spec. Thus, the rifle was field stripped and carefully examined (With help from the AR gurus at the rifle match). No problems at all were found, except this wear on the bolt carrier:

and of course that explains the issue perfectly (I TOLD you it was a well used unit).

So the Fat Man needs an AR bolt carrier. Preferably, an M-16 carrier as it weighs in an ounce or so heavier than the AR-15 version. I'd like to slow the action speed just a smidge, and a little extra weight there would just suit the purpose.

So... the question: Does anyone know a good seller who has an M-16 bolt carrier in stock?

Carteach dusts off his wallet and buys a....

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Sling mount


Just a quick note: The fat man needed a forward sling point for the M&P 15-22. Using a sling at the upcoming Appleseed event seems like a must... and I would very much like some training in how to use it properly. The M&P lacked such a device, but having a rail farm as a forearm, adding the mount is a snap. Ordered from Amazon.com, with free shipping no less, this little do-hickey is exactly what's called for. Fitting a 1.5" sling perfectly, with no swinging and rattling hardware hanging off it. Simple, strong, cheap, and does everything it needs to without a fuss.

The fat man approves.

Living by the rules....

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This past weekend, I had the honor of working with a new shooter. At the tender age of 26, he showed an interest, and asked to 'shoot some of my guns'. Moments like that are to be approached with some planning and forethought, and the days events began in... of all places... the living room. There, some basic rules were discussed.

There is a quote that lives because of the internet; A Russian, hearing someone say some situation involving a firearm was unsafe, is reported as saying "Is gun! Is not safe!".

Now, I haven't managed to track down the source of that quote, and I'm not going to invest much time in doing so... because I agree with the sentiment with all my heart.

Is gun! Is not safe!

Speaking with Todd Jarrett about gun safety, he makes no bones about it. Things happen, and if someone shoots long enough they will get hurt, in some way, eventually. It's nearly as dangerous as walking down a city sidewalk. The thing is, sidewalks seldom kill or maim people, but weapons can.

Firearms are designed to spit small pieces of metal out at very high speeds indeed. All the philosophy and history aside, the sheer physics of how a firearm works means they are dangerous. The same can be said for many things in our lives. Knives, cars, power tools, medicines, and even the thirty foot deep well pit I stared into last night.... all these are useful, and dangerous. Dangerous... if mistreated or mishandled.

To make the dangerous things in our lives a little safer, and a lot more useful, we have rules we follow in dealing with them. For shooters, Jeff Cooper gave only four rules. Following them at all times when handling firearms limits the odds of a tragic incident to an acceptable level. Firearms will never be 'safe', not as long as physics rule the universe, but the risk can be mitigated and controlled.

Jeff Cooper's four rules:

1. All guns are always loaded!
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy!
3. Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target!
4. Always be sure of your target!

These rules may seem simplistic, but given a little thought they make tremendous sense. It takes violating at least two of these rules to have a truly bad day. Take a moment and think of the combination's, and what they mean. Here, a previous post on what happens when they are ignored. Glen lived to tell his tale, so learn by it.

There is value to breaking these rules down and examining them. The rules by themselves are life savers, but a deeper understanding helps make them work.

1) All guns are always loaded! What this means is every firearm should be treated as if loaded, giving every consideration to where the muzzle is pointed and that it might go off at any moment. There are very few shooters indeed who have not had a surprise 'bang' at one time or another. In my lifetime of shooting, I have had five 'unexpected discharges'. Because I followed the rules, none of those incidents was even close to being tragic.

Now.... allowances must be made. In order to work on and service a weapon, there are times when the muzzle is going to cover someone, or we will need to literally look right down that hole ourselves. To make that safe, gunnies develop the habit of opening the action of every weapon they touch, looking in the chamber, sticking their little finger in the empty hole, removing the magazine, etc. It may seem extreme, but it's smart... and is generally accepted as a hallmark of an experienced and safe gun handler.

2) Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy! 'Cover' is an older way of saying 'point the bangie end at', and can be looked at that way. It means exactly what it says... don't point the bullet spitting end of the weapon at anything or anybody you are not willing to put a killing hole in. Period. End of discussion. Got it? Good! Now stop pointing that pistol at me, and yes, I know you just checked the chamber. Point it someplace else before I take it way from you.

3) Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target! Again, it means what it says. Firearms are designed to do things. If they are working correctly, the way to make one go bang is to pull back that little lever under your pointer finger. If your finger is not touching the lever, they almost never go bang.

This is not to say that unexpected things don't happen, and firearms sometimes do go 'bang' for unexpected reasons. They do... it happens... because they are machines designed by humans and humans are fallible. That said, if the four rules are followed every single time, an accidental or negligent discharge is far less likely to hurt anyone.

4) Always be sure of your target! This one is not so simple. The best way to explain the rule is this; The shooter is responsible for the entire flight of the bullet, and it's final resting place. Once the projectile has left the barrel, there is no calling it back, so the shooter should know exactly where it will end up and everything it might hit in between.

What is the final backstop? Is there one you are sure of? The point is... if the shooter is not sure exactly where the bullet will rest after it's flight, then the shooter really can't say where it will end up. That is bad.... because 'someplace over that way' can so easily turn into 'someone over there'.

Now, trap shooters firing out over a large field can rest assured their shot will fall to the ground with relative safety after traveling a few hundred yards. Range shooters generally have a heavy dirt berm to shoot into, making the event a fairly sure thing. Field shooters? Not so easy... and not to be taken lightly. A stand of tree's cannot be trusted to stop a bullet, as chance takes too heavy a hand. A large body of water might suit, if there is no chance a boater might wander into the area. No... best is to see exactly the spot the bullet come to rest, and do so before ever touching the trigger.

Follow the four rules. When handling a firearm... live by these rules till they are ingrained habit. Complacency is the enemy of experienced shooters, and smart gunnies review these rules on a regular basis, and thank anyone who points out an error on their part.

Off to Appleseed today!

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I'm so excited I woke an hour earlier than needed! This weekend I am shooting an Appleseed event, and the Fat Man is on the road shortly, headed for adventure and a heady learning experience.

My bag is packed, with my new Knee Pads and my new Elbow Pads, as every single person who advised me said they are necessary. Also... a case of bottled water, a bottle of Advil, and Liberty (My Garand).

As time permits, I'll be taking photos and watching how things are done, so I may report out to our faithful friends and readers here. Folks... I have been looking forward to this for weeks!

Appleseed, day one (Updated)

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Survived the first day of Appleseed.
Shot a lot.
Tired.
No blog for you. You come back later. I'm going to just lay here on the floor.


(Update: The next morning (day 2), getting ready to do it again.....

After a long hot shower, a good meal, a glass of spirits, and a solid nights sleep.... The Fat Old Man is still tired and hurting. Nothing in Appleseed is difficult on it's own, but pile them all on and do it a few hundred times... and now it gets interesting.

Some thoughts on Appleseed, Day One:

• There are 18 shooters at this event, and four volunteers from Appleseed doing the grunt work. About a third of the shooters are young folks, with their parents and grand parents there to guide them. This is a wonderful sight, and is a fine testament to the future. The Appleseed volunteers are people of the finest caliber, spending hour upon hour poking, prodding, and most of all... teaching... people in the art of accurately shooting a rifle.
• All the folks who gave 'Ol Carteach advice.... you were right, each and every one of you. Every single thing I was advised to take along, I needed, and I quickly discovered everything I forgot to bring.... especially as I could hear those voices 'tutting' their disappointment in my head: "We TOLD you to take a chair! We TOLD you to take sun screen. We TOLD you..... lunkhead".
• I suspected the M&P 15-22 would not take well to being fired with a sling, and I was right. I discovered how to free float the barrel simply by removing one piece, and that helped... but not enough. It will still spread groups hard at the slightest change in sling pressure. I shot better groups without a sling, on that rifle.
• I also suspected my old bi-focaled eyes would be a problem, and I was right on that as well. Last night I mounted the Eotech back on the M&P 15-22, in an effort to better hit my target. By days end the 400 yard targets simply faded to a washed out haze in front of my sights, which were themselves a haze. Today I may do better.
• One thing these old eyes did see.... and a glad sight it was.... young folks learning the way of the rifle, being tutored by parent, grandparent, and teacher. A wonderful, wonderful thing... and shows what Appleseed is all about.

A quick deal alert.... Victorinox Swiss Army Knife.....

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(I'll pull this post when the deal vanishes...)


The knife pictured above, a Victorinox Swiss Army Pioneer Pocket Knife, is a REAL Swiss Army knife. I mean the one their citizen-soldiers actually carry. The one I own came from a friend in that country, who gifted me the knife along with some other goodies from his home land. He carefully described the knife, and it's uses within their military.

It remains to this day one of the best pocket knives I have ever owned, from a simple utility point of view. I may carry a snazzy assisted opening lock blade most days, but this Victorinox traditional Swiss Army pocket knife is the one I trust to live in my 'Oh Crap' grab and go bag.

Yes... at this price, I am ordering another. $24 and free shipping for Prime members.

Appleseed, two days of well spent time....

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The Appleseed Project. What is it... and what is it all about?

The 'Ol Fat Man just got done a weekend Appleseed rifleman clinic, and is now happy to report out for the folks here on Carteach0.

Copied in whole from the Appleseed web site:

"The Revolutionary War Veterans Association is committed to renewing civic virtue - prioritizing civic responsibility over personal interests and indulgence. We are wholly comprised of volunteers who commit time, resources and passion toward achieving the RWVA mission. As a 501(c)3 organization, we promote civic responsibility through the teaching of colonial history and the American tradition of rifle marksmanship in a safe, non-partisan environment."

From my experience this weekend, that is exactly what Appleseed does. It's an effort to ignite the hearts and minds of Americans through the teaching of history, and basic marksmanship skills. At the time of the American Revolution, the people of this nation were unique in the world, and part of that was wrapped up in the way we fought the war... as individual soldiers, each tasked as a 'rifleman', and each tasked to use their ingenuity and skills to bring down the enemies of their homeland. Actual 'rifles' saw very little use in the Revolution, but the skills involved in being an individual marksman certainly did.

Where just about every other nation in the world treated their soldiers as automatons to be directed in every action, en-masse, the fledgling United States depended on it's citizen soldiers to act with individual intelligence, and an understanding and belief of what they were doing and why. This meant one man.... one lone elderly American.... with no orders and no help, could harry, harass, and slow an entire column of British troops . Before the British troops could be formed into ranks as ordered, present arms as ordered, and fire as ordered.... that American militiaman had fired on the column, downed several enemy soldiers, and ridden away to wait around another bend in the road.

This very act set the United States apart from all others. The idea that every man and woman was an individual thinking intelligent citizen and could decide for themselves the best course of action against an aggressor... this idea was foreign to every major nation at the time.

It's this uniquely American attitude and tradition which Appleseed reminds us of.

Each Appleseed event is part history, and part rifleman instruction. Invaluable skills are taught to shooters both young and old, with rest breaks involving stories and lessons from history, all centered around a particular date. April 19th... the day of 'Paul Revere's Ride', and what it means to us as Americans.

The instructors at every Appleseed event are volunteers. They don't spring forth from the ground in shooting jackets, patches, and red hats.... they have to train and earn the instructor hats they wear. An Appleseed seminar is not a walk in the park... it's hard work, and doubly so for the instructors. Still, they give their time, effort, and skill.... in the tradition begun by Americas first citizen soldiers and militia.... as individuals doing what they believe is right.

Now... follow along in images as we walk through 'Ol Carteach's weekend at Appleseed!



Most of the history taught at Appleseed comes from this heavily documented book, Paul Revere's Ride . Based on first hand primary sources from the time, it's a riveting story taken from the inception of our nation.


A goal for every participant, The Rifleman Patch. There are several variations, and some of the various Appleseed branches have their own, but the rules are the same. Firing 40 rounds from positions, a score of at least 210/250 on a special course of fire called an 'AQT' will earn a shooter the treasured Rifleman Patch. The skills taught by the Appleseed instructors go straight towards earning this honor, but it's entirely up to the skill and dedication of the shooter after that.

The Red Coat target..... the first target fired at days beginning, and the last at days end. All fired prone, the sillouette represents an enemy soldier at ranges from 100 yards to 400 yards... with a special tiny square to represent 'The Bucket'. The bucket, or a wooden board of the same size, was the marksmanship test used as a gateway for a soldier to join 'Daniel Morgan’s Rifles'. The target (often a bucket the size of a mans head) was placed 250 yards away. The soldier had one shot, cold, to hit that bucket. If he did, he earned the right to join Morgan's Rifles, and march 600 miles from home and engage in battle with the British. At the time, British soldiers were considered accurate in fire out to 50 yards, and relied on en-masse volley fire past that.

The Red Coat target honors that history, and serves to judge an Appleseed participants increase in skill as training progresses.


Basic marksmanship skills are the very foundation of being a rifleman. Appleseed starts from square one, and reviews the skills in detail.


Gary Ritter (Roverace on the Appleseed forum) and Michael-Angel0 Laffredo (MAL) instruct the group in basic skills, working as a team to demonstrate proper positions.


Zeroing a rifle, done in a logical and scientific manner. Each tiny square represents one MOA, or roughly one inch at 100 yards. Since Appleseed is taught at 25 meters (pretty much 25 yards), the lesson directly translates into shooting at longer ranges.




Every detail useful to both new and experienced shooter is pointed out, taught, and later drilled in live fire practice. Three basic positions are taught... off-hand, seated/kneeling, and prone. In each position, sling use, natural point of aim, breathing control, and sighting are all brought into play. The basic skills of a rifleman.



Appleseed is a wonderful event for families. Fathers, mothers, grandparents, and kids... they all work together and learn together. Even an old Marine, having world class training in his past, benefits from the refresher course. For young people fairly new to shooting, building this foundation now before poor habits set in.... invaluable.






These young men received special awards, and applause from the group. Both were marked by burns from hot shell casings landing on them, yet each maintained perfect composure and muzzle discipline. The young man to the right has (for the next few days anyway) a perfectly recognizable shape of a 5.56 casing on his arm. I have never envied anyone a burn before, and should I ever get a tattoo.... it would be of that mark. Well Done young men, well done!



Range Boss Greg Harbaugh, having driven from hours away just to volunteer at the shoot... took special pains to enliven the historical aspects of the Appleseed event. He brought with him a Pennsylvania Long Rifle, and donned some costume to go with it. Using the students attention, he explain the differences between rifle and musket, and what it meant to the American militia.

Then... he loaded and fired that flintlock smoke pole, and invited others to try it as well. Yes... the 'Ol Fat man happily lined up with the kids for this one! I'm proud to report... a big cloud of smoke and one less Red Coat soldier.


Bragging time.... the image above is Greg awarding my rifleman's patch. The first AQT (Army Qualification Target) of the second day, I scored high enough to win the patch. Yes.... that is me smiling. Don't get all excited, it doesn't happen often.

And..... as Michael-Angelo Laffredo demonstrates.... there apparently is some weird tradition in Appleseed. If a shooter scores rifleman with exactly '210', he is baptized with water from The North Bridge, a central part of the history of April 19th. It's at the North Bridge where a group of American Militia routed an entire company of British soldiers, simply by employing their marksmanship skills.

Above, we see Mal inundating... er... 'annointing' 'Ol Carteach with said water, which bore a striking resemblance to freezing cold ice water straight from the cooler.

That's Appleseed. Do it.... you won't be sorry. Carteach's word on that.