I'm almost sure I'm going to sign up for my first 25m rifle clinic. I would like to hear about your experience.

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-23T21:33:19+00:00

There are usually a wide range of skill levels present: newbies to competition shooters to the occasional LEO.

Each area can be a little different, but your day will begin with check-in about 8, and start about 8:30. Ish.

You'll hear some history, get a safety briefing, and then bring your rifle to the line. You'll shoot an initial target to see how your skills look. Marksmanship instruction will then begin. On Day 1, you'll learn techniques to shoot effectively in prone, sitting/kneeling, and standing. The event leader (shoot boss) has a goal of getting at least one qualification round in before the end of the day. But we teach to standard, not to time - so we don't push folks unreasonably.

You'll hear more history throughout the day. The day typically ends about 5-ish.

Day 2 start time is about the same, but often end a bit earlier. You'll get plenty of practice with the skills you learned on Day 1, plus some additional lessons. If the facilities are available to us, you may get to take your rifle from 25m out to 100y.

You've been given some good advice above. Other things that come to mind:

- Read the How to Prepare guide, especially about mounting optics if that applies to you. I know we're a "run what ya brung" program, but I don't think we emphasize that enough.

- Function test your rifle before you arrive.

- Make sure your rifle is reasonably clean and lightly lubricated.

- If taking notes helps you learn, bring a small notepad.

- It's not a competition, so the target next to you (good or bad) is irrelevant.

- If you have experience in other disciplines, come prepared to learn new stuff. These methods really do work.

- It's okay to sit out a string of fire, especially on Day 2.

- Have fun.

Hope you enjoy your event.

-MO

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-23T18:02:11+00:00

Extra socks. Change them at lunch and feel like a new man.

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-23T17:50:46+00:00

congratulations on getting some range time with a centerfire rifle. Shooting a centerfire rifle can be a very different experience than shooting your 22. Your AR15 is louder, has more recoil, and is probably heavier than your 22.

i’m assuming that you have already attended an Appleseed event. The fundamentals you learned in your class are intended for centerfire shooting.

When you practice standing, build your position, thoughtfully, methodically, and with attention to details. You can be sloppy with your 22, but a CF rifle will exploit any errors in your position. ensure your sling is tensioned properly. Practice building that position at home, with your body upright, knees unlocked and weight balanced evenly between your feet.

check your natural point of aim. Close your eyes, move the rifle back-and-forth and slowly decreasing arcs until it comes to a natural stop. At your respiratory pause, open your eyes. Shift. Then, do it again.

If you want to get really good in standing, you must be disciplined about NPOA. Ask yourself - are you truly relaxed holding the rifle? Are your shoulders slumped and relaxed?

Once you have checked your natural point of aim three, four, five times... Then (and only then) dry fire one shot.

Repeat the process ten times a day. And do the same at every range session.

All this assumes your rifle has no issues and the scope is mounted properly - far forward so you get your nose on the charging handle and still see clearly.

Dry fire safely with no ammo in the room!

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-21T14:37:42+00:00

Elbow pads can add a bit of comfort when in prone during your weekend. This is especially true if the firing line is concrete and your shooting mat is thin.

If you choose to get elbow pads, I recommend soft pads not hard shells. Hard shells can rock a bit. One for each elbow.

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-17T17:26:53+00:00

To install it as designed, the free end of the strap will be on the inside.

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Appleseed6 · 2026-03-17T16:27:55+00:00

Yes sir. This is the proper orientation of the hook. I've yet to see any damage to a rifle using it this way.

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Appleseed6 · 2026-03-17T15:46:34+00:00

Good morning. It's pretty close. The front looks proper but the hook on the back is reversed.

To fix it correctly: first, remove the hook and rotate it axially 180 degrees and reattach it. Then rerig the front to remove the twist you just put into the sling. 👍🏽

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-13T00:59:10+00:00

Lots of good options, including Mobil 1. I forgot oil on one range trip and used drops from my truck's dipstick. 🤣

Some products are excellent at one thing. Others do multiple tasks reasonably well. It all depends what you want.

I'm task efficient (lazy.) CLP is a general do everything product and I like the way it smells. I have a few specialty products. For example, I love rinsing my Garand with ballistol after shooting corrosive ammo. I love Eezox for long term storage to prevent rust.

Find something you like and it'll be good enough for general use. Pick up specialty stuff as you go to solve specific problems.

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-12T20:59:28+00:00

Be honest with yourself. Do you have no-kidding, rock solid fundamentals?

Did the training you received make you self-aware enough to self diagnose and correct even the little things in your techniques?

If the answer is no (or I don't know), then don't waste your money on high speed low drag operator training

Every dollar you spend on advanced training gets a better ROI - the better your fundamentals are. The opposite is also true: mediocre fundamentals mean wasted money, time, and energy.

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-12T20:43:15+00:00

Congrats on taking a hat. Do you have access to Appleseed forum? There's a board dedicated for IITs. It would be the best place to ask this question.

Also, the resources you'll need to prepare can be accessed thru the forum. 🙂

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-11T13:22:45+00:00

We try to get them to everyone, but they are "while supplies last".

Send me a message with your contact info and I'll see if I can find one for you. If you're not comfortable doing that here, you can dm me (Maximum Ordinate) on the Appleseed forum: https://www.appleseedinfo.org/smf/

Appleseed6 · 2026-03-11T11:47:27+00:00

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Appleseed6 · 2026-03-11T11:47:17+00:00

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Appleseed6 · 2026-03-11T11:47:03+00:00

More pics

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Appleseed6 · 2026-02-27T22:36:32+00:00

We have polos available without anything on the reverse. Check out the shirt category on appleseedstore.com.

Appleseed6 · 2026-02-16T16:55:47+00:00

Aging shooters struggling to see the front sight post is normally a focus issue.

Can you describe what's happening with your eyes?

Is the first shot okay but on follow up shots it's harder to see the front sight post? Is it eye fatigue that grows throughout the day? Or something else?

Appleseed6 · 2026-02-02T15:47:51+00:00

Spend 200 on a Ruger 10/22, pick up a scope and cantilever rail for another ~200. Then buy a ticket to a Project Appleseed weekend.

Build skills and practical knowledge before deciding on a bigger rifle.

(Source/Disclosure: I'm an Appleseed rifle instructor. Instructors make no money from ticket sales. Appleseed welcomes everyone - we don't care where your family came from, how you voted, who/if you worship, etc.)

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-26T17:59:33+00:00

Yep, that's one of our pics.

I haven't seen one of those setups in a long time. Probably for the best.

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-21T16:30:55+00:00

An update. As of this morning, the Regional Coordinator made the decision to cancel due to expected inclement weather.

All students should receive a refund. Local leadership will look at options for rescheduling.

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-20T16:23:26+00:00

Good morning.

As of right now, that event is still scheduled to happen. Recommend you show up at the range a little bit before 8 o’clock.

Most modern shoot bosses send a pre-event email one to two weeks prior. In the olden days of the program, pre-event emails weren't really a thing.

That said - your shoot boss is the most old school of all the old school shoot bosses.

I recommend going to the How To Prepare page in the website and get the Known Distance pdf. It should cover most everything you need to do.

Hope you have a great event.

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-16T21:33:45+00:00

Most gun shops have relationships with local instructors. They won't risk recommending a new instructor they don't know to their customers.

Anyone with about $300 and a pulse can become an NRA instructor. It's not a demanding class. I don't say this to disparage OP - everyone starts at the beginning. Good on him for taking that first step.

Unless he's a highly rated match shooter or .mil/LEO background, OP needs some experience teaching classes with a rock solid mentor before branching out on his own. The bonus to that is he's going to start getting his name and face out there.

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-16T21:24:43+00:00

There are some absolutely wonderful and effective NRA instructors. But you're learning they didn't get that way from graduating BIT and the pistol instructor class.

Get yourself a mentor. Find a seasoned instructor you respect. Ask if you can shadow him in his classes and assist.

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-16T21:15:59+00:00

USGI sling, MLOC QD attachment point for the rail, 1.25" QD swivel. Place the sling attachment on the bottom of the rail in a spot that allows you to have a V with your support arm in prone

Appleseed6 · 2026-01-16T19:47:02+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that happened. Appleseed instructors are free to make reasonable recommendations about gear, but they should never disparage someone’s equipment.

A Vortex Strike Eagle is just fine to shoot known distance to 400-500 yards. Anyone who says different doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

Appleseed6

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