Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Well ?
If I were to say to you, “A well-educated population, being necessary to the productivity of a free state, the right of the people to read and write, shall not be infringed,” would you take that to mean that people can only read and write if doing so is in service of the state? Or only because the State desires a well-educated population?
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Events link for 2018
Look up your Florida Appleseed events here.
https://appleseedinfo.org/schedule/?qstate=FL&state=Florida
https://appleseedinfo.org/schedule/?qstate=FL&state=Florida
Monday, June 5, 2017
Do More Things That Make You Forget To Check Your Phone
Do More Things That Make You Forget To Check Your Phone
Get Thee To A PROJECT APPLESEEDTM Summer '17
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
PATRIOT WEEK Florida April 15-23
Come celebrate the most important day in American History and learn an essential skill.
Learn the essentials of shooting a modern rifle from multiple positions (standing, kneeling, sitting, prone), 6 steps of firing the shot, breathing and trigger control, natural point of aim, how to quickly zero any rifle, range estimation, trajectory and a whole lot more! No matter your current skill level, this class will give you the tools to improve, based on proven techniques. Will you take the challenge and earn the coveted title of "Rifleman?" Project Appleseed™ is a nationwide program that teaches rifle marksmanship skills that have been passed down from generation to generation and reconnects Americans with the people and events of colonial America. Though most shooting is done at 25 meters, students are taught the disciplines that allow a Rifleman to be accurate out to 500 yards* using a standard rifle with iron sights and surplus ammunition. This ability is traditionally known as mastering the "Rifleman's Quarter Mile." Teaching is performed by multiple instructors, each with hundreds of hours of training, to give you a unique opportunity to improve skills safely and effectively. So join us, hear some little-known Revolutionary War history and help us pass on the traditions of the American Rifleman.
https://www.facebook.com/FloridaAppleseed/events?key=events&ref=page_internal
Friday, August 19, 2016
Barrel Break-In Procedure
Barrel Break-In Procedure
Schools of thought
There may be different schools of thought on barrel break-in, however, this is what Precision Shooting Magazine recommends:STEP 1 (repeated 10 times)
- Fire one round
- Push wet patches soaked with a powder solvent through the bore
- Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)
- Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)
- Push wet patches soaked with a copper solvent through the bore
- Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)
- Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)
- Push a patch with 2 drops of oil through the bore
STEP 2 (repeated 5 times)
- Fire a 3 shot group
- Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1 after each group
STEP 3 (repeat 5 times)
- Fire a 5 shot group
- Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
2016 The Summer of Liberty
What are you doing to restore the Liberty that our Founders gave to US?
Might I strongly suggest coming to a Project Appleseed..
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
16/17 April 2016 ---- 7 Patriot Weekend Project Appleseed Marksmanship Clinics
Come celebrate the most important day in American History and learn an essential skill.
Learn the essentials of shooting a modern rifle from multiple positions (standing, kneeling, sitting, prone), 6 steps of firing the shot, breathing and trigger control, natural point of aim, how to quickly zero any rifle, range estimation, trajectory and a whole lot more! No matter your current skill level, this class will give you the tools to improve, based on proven techniques. Will you take the challenge and earn the coveted title of "Rifleman?" Project Appleseed™ is a nationwide program that teaches rifle marksmanship skills that have been passed down from generation to generation and reconnects Americans with the people and events of colonial America. Though most shooting is done at 25 meters, students are taught the disciplines that allow a Rifleman to be accurate out to 500 yards* using a standard rifle with iron sights and surplus ammunition. This ability is traditionally known as mastering the "Rifleman's Quarter Mile." Teaching is performed by multiple instructors, each with hundreds of hours of training, to give you a unique opportunity to improve skills safely and effectively. So join us, hear some little-known Revolutionary War history and help us pass on the traditions of the American Rifleman.
https://www.facebook.com/FloridaAppleseed/events?key=events&ref=page_internal
Monday, February 1, 2016
2016 LADYSEED from us'ens at FLORIDA Project Appleseed
Melrose, FL LadySeed March 12-13, 2016
RWVA
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/melrose-fl-ladyseed-march-12-13-2016-tickets-19425535299
Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 8:00 AM - Sunday, March 13, 2016 at 8:00 AM
RWVA Appleseed Rifle Marksmanship & Heritage Clinic
MUST READ INFORMATION!
No Refunds - however transfers are available - please see this page for more information.
This is a Ladies Only Event!! Please see our website for more information.
There are no Range Fees for this event.
Schedule: Sat 8:00am-5:00pm, Sun 8:00am-4:00pm (as conditions permit)
All
Participants are responsible for being prepared, Please be sure to read
your confirmation e-mail. It will direct you to links on how to
prepare for this event. or go to: http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=101.0
For Sunday only Participants, all of the skills will be taught on Saturday. We will attempt to catch you up the best we can.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
RIFLEMAN BOOT CAMP Tallahassee Fl. Jan 24-29 2016
RIFLEMAN BOOT CAMP Tallahassee Fl. Jan 24-29 2016
6 DAY - RIFLEMAN BOOT CAMP - 6 DAY
RWVA Appleseed Rifle Marksmanship & Heritage Clinic
MUST READ INFORMATION!
No Refunds - however transfers are available - please see this page for more information.
This event is a Riflemans Boot Camp. This is an event where attendees learn all that is needed to become an instructor. You are not required to become an instructor however.
Please see this link for more information.
Range Fees for this event are:
Payable at the range on the day of the event.
This is the amount the range requires per student and is not part of your instruction fees paid here. Please be prepared to pay this part at the event.
Schedule: 8:30am-5:00pm daily (as conditions permit)
All Participants are responsible for being prepared, Please be sure to read your confirmation e-mail. It will direct you to links on how to prepare for this event. or go to: http://appleseedinfo.org/
6 DAY - RIFLEMAN BOOT CAMP - 6 DAY
RWVA Appleseed Rifle Marksmanship & Heritage Clinic
MUST READ INFORMATION!
No Refunds - however transfers are available - please see this page for more information.
This event is a Riflemans Boot Camp. This is an event where attendees learn all that is needed to become an instructor. You are not required to become an instructor however.
Please see this link for more information.
Range Fees for this event are:
Payable at the range on the day of the event.
This is the amount the range requires per student and is not part of your instruction fees paid here. Please be prepared to pay this part at the event.
Schedule: 8:30am-5:00pm daily (as conditions permit)
All Participants are responsible for being prepared, Please be sure to read your confirmation e-mail. It will direct you to links on how to prepare for this event. or go to: http://appleseedinfo.org/
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Philosophy of Liberty of the Founding Generation
“Philosophy of Liberty of the Founding Generation” By: John “DrJohn” Sampson
I have been asked give a short presentation on Liberty during this Appleseed event. I must admit to being somewhat intimidated by the task, for several reasons. First, it is a very large topic. But since we are doing it in the context of Appleseed, I take it to mean what was the philosophy of Liberty of the founding generation. Why did they fight with such grim determination? What were they fighting for? Another reason is that each person fought and struggled for his own reasons, so there were many ‘philosophies’, not just one. But they were all pretty much complementary. Instead of giving you my own idea of what the founding generation had in mind, I think it best to describe their motivations in their own words, letting them speak for themselves. I will have some commentary on what they spoke and wrote, but as much as I can, I will do so by putting myself in their place and explaining as I think they would have done themselves.
One more item of difficulty is that their philosophy, their world view, so to speak, is so vastly different from ours. So much so that it is difficult or even impossible for many people even to imagine such ideas. Let’s explore them a little bit, the ideas of those men, women, and children who loved Liberty so much that they were willing to pay almost any price to attain it.
In the first place, we might wonder what they meant by ‘Liberty’. In the words of one of the most revered of the founding generation, Samuel Adams, “The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or the legislative authority of man, but only to have the law of nature for his rule.” That’s a pretty revolutionary thing to say. What are your thoughts on the matter? Thomas Jefferson said “(R)ightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add “within the limits of the law,” because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.” I might add a word about the meaning of the word “tyrant” or “tyranny”. The founding generation didn’t use these words as an epithet. Like everything they said, these words had a particular meaning. They referred to rule that was arbitrary and capricious, and treated men differently based on whim and preference, not on objectivity. It was rule based on connections and power.
I did not say these things myself, although I strongly support the sentiments. Let’s consider another quote or two from Thomas Jefferson, a man widely respected as being one of the pivotal intellectuals of the American Revolution and the principle author of the Declaration of Independence.
“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?” That’s pretty radical, don’t you think? How do you feel about the matter?
Thomas Jefferson also said, “The right of self-government does not comprehend the government of others.”
He also said, “A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.”
I think you get the drift. No need to belabor the point. The predominant theme of Revolutionary War era America was Liberty.
We aren’t going to be able to cover the philosophy of the founding generation in great depth because of time constraints, but let’s hit another couple of highlights. I would like to quote one of the most influential documents of its day, the one that seemed to encompass a great deal of the thinking that shaped their belief system. This is from the second and most famous paragraph of that document:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.---That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,-That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness.”
Can anyone tell me what that is from? Yes, the Declaration of Independence. Let me make a few obvious comments. The founders considered some truths so obvious, so impressed on our very hearts, as it were, that they were ‘self-evident’, that is, that anyone knew they were true just by examining his own heart. Of course all the great religions reinforce these beliefs, but even if religions did not exist, we would still know these things to be true. Among these truisms is the knowledge that we have certain rights that are un-alienable, often mispronounced unalienable. That means we cannot split these rights off from ourselves even if we wanted to. They are as much a part of our very nature as gray, heavy, and space-occupying are to the nature of lead. That governments are created by people to secure those rights. Just to secure our rights to life, freedom of action, and property. The right to property is essential because if government can deprive us of our property at will, our rights to life and freedom of action are meaningless. As one of the founders, George Mason of Virginia, phrased it, if Parliament can tax us one shilling out of twenty, what security is there for the other nineteen? And the document refers not to happiness per se, but the pursuit of happiness. So it was recognized that each person had the right to live his own life as he saw fit, free from any meddlesome attempts to make him conform in any way whatever, except to leave his neighbors in peace.
One more thought on the wording of the Declaration, the phrase, “government derives its just powers from consent of the governed”. That implies that there are unjust powers as well that government exercises. Or in the words of Thomas Jefferson, speaking of the new Constitution, “Laws which violate the basic law of the land are null and void and of no force whatever.” The clergy of the Revolutionary generation well understood this concept and taught it constantly from the pulpit.
Let me just quote a few others of the founding generation, to give you a little ‘flavor’ of their thinking, so you can understand them a bit better and perhaps get a different perspective on the situation in which we now find ourselves. Capt. Levi Preston of Danvers had fought during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He was interviewed many years later and asked what it was that made him fight. The old man considered the question a bit. To prompt a reply, the interviewer asked if it was the Stamp Act, or the tax on tea, or the writings of the philosopher John Locke. Finally the old man said, “Young man, what we meant in going for the Redcoats was this. We had always governed ourselves, and we always meant to. They didn’t mean that we should.”
One more quote, from a man who wrote with such conviction, sincerity, and common sense that he rescued the War for Independence from almost certain loss. The pamphlet appeared in December of 1776 and was instrumental in boosting the morale of the Continental army and in winning the battles of Trenton and Princeton and turning the tide of the war. Let me quote:
“Britain with its army to enforce her tyranny, has declared she has a right not only to TAX but “to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER” and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then there is not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited power can belong only to God.” Thomas Paine, The Crisis. This referred to the Declaratory Act passed by Parliament in 1766, at the time the Stamp Act was repealed. England wanted to alert her American colonies that the hated tax would be repealed, but that in no way meant that England forfeited her right to rule the colonies in every way imaginable. To the colonists, that was merely a euphemism for slavery. Can government rule us in all cases whatsoever? That is, do we have a moral or ethical obligation to submit to government without any reservation, even when it violates our conscience? In other words, do we have a moral obligation to act immorally? Asked in that way, the question more or less answers itself. I would like each of you to ponder that for yourselves. Does government have the right to bind us in all cases whatsoever? Or are there limits? What are your own thoughts on the matter?
Let me quote one more of the Founding Generation, Samuel West, a Congregationalist minister In Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Revolutionary period. He gave a very influential sermon after the fighting had broken out, and he eloquently outlined the American patriots’ high moral ground in opposing British tyranny. Let me paraphrase a paragraph of his sermon. I admit that I paraphrase his words quite a bit, but only to make them more understandable to modern ears. “Thus we see that a state of nature, though it be a state of perfect freedom, gives men no right to do anything that is immoral, or contrary to the will of God, and injurious to their fellow-creatures; for a state of nature is properly a state of law and government, even a government founded upon the unchangeable Natural Law, and a law resulting from the eternal fitness of things...A revelation, pretending to be from God, that contradicts any part of Natural Law, ought immediately to be rejected as an lie... Had this subject been properly understood, the world would have remained free from a multitude of absurd ideas, which have been industriously propagated by artful and designing men, both in politics and the pulpit. The doctrine of nonresistance and unlimited passive obedience to the worst of tyrants could never have gained support among mankind had the voice of reason been hearkened to for a guide, because such a doctrine would immediately have been discerned to be contrary to Natural Law and destructive of human happiness, peace and prosperity.” He goes on to say, “This plainly shows that the highest state of liberty subjects us to the law of nature and the government of God.” In other words, men have no moral obligation whatever to obey any so-called ‘authority’ that acts contrary to God’s law, or Natural Law, or the Ten Commandments, as they would have understood the concept. What is your own opinion about that? Ever given it a thought? It is certainly not the kind of thing you hear in the popular culture, and to my way of thinking, we are the worse off because of it.
I have given you a lot to think about. And I certainly hope it has stimulated your thinking, and that you will read more. The thoughts, sentiments, and beliefs expressed are those that motivated a peace loving people to rise up and defeat the most powerful empire the world had ever seen. Their thinking is so different from the popular culture of today that it is hard for many people even to conceive of it. But to my way of thinking, their morality, responsibility, and determination are far more agreeable to me, and harmonize with what I feel to be just and true, than any amount of what I get through the popular culture. I hope it holds some attraction for you as well.
Let me end this with one more quote from one of my very favorite founding fathers, Dr. Joseph Warren. He was one of the principle leaders of the Patriots in Boston at the time of Paul Revere’s ride, one of the most influential and admired men in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in June, 1775, fighting off the Redcoats so that as many Patriot militia as possible could escape and live to fight on. He spoke these words at the commemoration of the Boston Massacre in 1775:
“Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.”
I have been asked give a short presentation on Liberty during this Appleseed event. I must admit to being somewhat intimidated by the task, for several reasons. First, it is a very large topic. But since we are doing it in the context of Appleseed, I take it to mean what was the philosophy of Liberty of the founding generation. Why did they fight with such grim determination? What were they fighting for? Another reason is that each person fought and struggled for his own reasons, so there were many ‘philosophies’, not just one. But they were all pretty much complementary. Instead of giving you my own idea of what the founding generation had in mind, I think it best to describe their motivations in their own words, letting them speak for themselves. I will have some commentary on what they spoke and wrote, but as much as I can, I will do so by putting myself in their place and explaining as I think they would have done themselves.
One more item of difficulty is that their philosophy, their world view, so to speak, is so vastly different from ours. So much so that it is difficult or even impossible for many people even to imagine such ideas. Let’s explore them a little bit, the ideas of those men, women, and children who loved Liberty so much that they were willing to pay almost any price to attain it.
In the first place, we might wonder what they meant by ‘Liberty’. In the words of one of the most revered of the founding generation, Samuel Adams, “The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or the legislative authority of man, but only to have the law of nature for his rule.” That’s a pretty revolutionary thing to say. What are your thoughts on the matter? Thomas Jefferson said “(R)ightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add “within the limits of the law,” because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.” I might add a word about the meaning of the word “tyrant” or “tyranny”. The founding generation didn’t use these words as an epithet. Like everything they said, these words had a particular meaning. They referred to rule that was arbitrary and capricious, and treated men differently based on whim and preference, not on objectivity. It was rule based on connections and power.
I did not say these things myself, although I strongly support the sentiments. Let’s consider another quote or two from Thomas Jefferson, a man widely respected as being one of the pivotal intellectuals of the American Revolution and the principle author of the Declaration of Independence.
“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?” That’s pretty radical, don’t you think? How do you feel about the matter?
Thomas Jefferson also said, “The right of self-government does not comprehend the government of others.”
He also said, “A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.”
I think you get the drift. No need to belabor the point. The predominant theme of Revolutionary War era America was Liberty.
We aren’t going to be able to cover the philosophy of the founding generation in great depth because of time constraints, but let’s hit another couple of highlights. I would like to quote one of the most influential documents of its day, the one that seemed to encompass a great deal of the thinking that shaped their belief system. This is from the second and most famous paragraph of that document:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.---That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,-That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness.”
Can anyone tell me what that is from? Yes, the Declaration of Independence. Let me make a few obvious comments. The founders considered some truths so obvious, so impressed on our very hearts, as it were, that they were ‘self-evident’, that is, that anyone knew they were true just by examining his own heart. Of course all the great religions reinforce these beliefs, but even if religions did not exist, we would still know these things to be true. Among these truisms is the knowledge that we have certain rights that are un-alienable, often mispronounced unalienable. That means we cannot split these rights off from ourselves even if we wanted to. They are as much a part of our very nature as gray, heavy, and space-occupying are to the nature of lead. That governments are created by people to secure those rights. Just to secure our rights to life, freedom of action, and property. The right to property is essential because if government can deprive us of our property at will, our rights to life and freedom of action are meaningless. As one of the founders, George Mason of Virginia, phrased it, if Parliament can tax us one shilling out of twenty, what security is there for the other nineteen? And the document refers not to happiness per se, but the pursuit of happiness. So it was recognized that each person had the right to live his own life as he saw fit, free from any meddlesome attempts to make him conform in any way whatever, except to leave his neighbors in peace.
One more thought on the wording of the Declaration, the phrase, “government derives its just powers from consent of the governed”. That implies that there are unjust powers as well that government exercises. Or in the words of Thomas Jefferson, speaking of the new Constitution, “Laws which violate the basic law of the land are null and void and of no force whatever.” The clergy of the Revolutionary generation well understood this concept and taught it constantly from the pulpit.
Let me just quote a few others of the founding generation, to give you a little ‘flavor’ of their thinking, so you can understand them a bit better and perhaps get a different perspective on the situation in which we now find ourselves. Capt. Levi Preston of Danvers had fought during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. He was interviewed many years later and asked what it was that made him fight. The old man considered the question a bit. To prompt a reply, the interviewer asked if it was the Stamp Act, or the tax on tea, or the writings of the philosopher John Locke. Finally the old man said, “Young man, what we meant in going for the Redcoats was this. We had always governed ourselves, and we always meant to. They didn’t mean that we should.”
One more quote, from a man who wrote with such conviction, sincerity, and common sense that he rescued the War for Independence from almost certain loss. The pamphlet appeared in December of 1776 and was instrumental in boosting the morale of the Continental army and in winning the battles of Trenton and Princeton and turning the tide of the war. Let me quote:
“Britain with its army to enforce her tyranny, has declared she has a right not only to TAX but “to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER” and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then there is not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited power can belong only to God.” Thomas Paine, The Crisis. This referred to the Declaratory Act passed by Parliament in 1766, at the time the Stamp Act was repealed. England wanted to alert her American colonies that the hated tax would be repealed, but that in no way meant that England forfeited her right to rule the colonies in every way imaginable. To the colonists, that was merely a euphemism for slavery. Can government rule us in all cases whatsoever? That is, do we have a moral or ethical obligation to submit to government without any reservation, even when it violates our conscience? In other words, do we have a moral obligation to act immorally? Asked in that way, the question more or less answers itself. I would like each of you to ponder that for yourselves. Does government have the right to bind us in all cases whatsoever? Or are there limits? What are your own thoughts on the matter?
Let me quote one more of the Founding Generation, Samuel West, a Congregationalist minister In Massachusetts Bay Colony during the Revolutionary period. He gave a very influential sermon after the fighting had broken out, and he eloquently outlined the American patriots’ high moral ground in opposing British tyranny. Let me paraphrase a paragraph of his sermon. I admit that I paraphrase his words quite a bit, but only to make them more understandable to modern ears. “Thus we see that a state of nature, though it be a state of perfect freedom, gives men no right to do anything that is immoral, or contrary to the will of God, and injurious to their fellow-creatures; for a state of nature is properly a state of law and government, even a government founded upon the unchangeable Natural Law, and a law resulting from the eternal fitness of things...A revelation, pretending to be from God, that contradicts any part of Natural Law, ought immediately to be rejected as an lie... Had this subject been properly understood, the world would have remained free from a multitude of absurd ideas, which have been industriously propagated by artful and designing men, both in politics and the pulpit. The doctrine of nonresistance and unlimited passive obedience to the worst of tyrants could never have gained support among mankind had the voice of reason been hearkened to for a guide, because such a doctrine would immediately have been discerned to be contrary to Natural Law and destructive of human happiness, peace and prosperity.” He goes on to say, “This plainly shows that the highest state of liberty subjects us to the law of nature and the government of God.” In other words, men have no moral obligation whatever to obey any so-called ‘authority’ that acts contrary to God’s law, or Natural Law, or the Ten Commandments, as they would have understood the concept. What is your own opinion about that? Ever given it a thought? It is certainly not the kind of thing you hear in the popular culture, and to my way of thinking, we are the worse off because of it.
I have given you a lot to think about. And I certainly hope it has stimulated your thinking, and that you will read more. The thoughts, sentiments, and beliefs expressed are those that motivated a peace loving people to rise up and defeat the most powerful empire the world had ever seen. Their thinking is so different from the popular culture of today that it is hard for many people even to conceive of it. But to my way of thinking, their morality, responsibility, and determination are far more agreeable to me, and harmonize with what I feel to be just and true, than any amount of what I get through the popular culture. I hope it holds some attraction for you as well.
Let me end this with one more quote from one of my very favorite founding fathers, Dr. Joseph Warren. He was one of the principle leaders of the Patriots in Boston at the time of Paul Revere’s ride, one of the most influential and admired men in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in June, 1775, fighting off the Redcoats so that as many Patriot militia as possible could escape and live to fight on. He spoke these words at the commemoration of the Boston Massacre in 1775:
“Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.”
Monday, July 27, 2015
LADYSEED Florida --- Make your reservations SOON.
Get your Ladyseed ON.........................
https://www.facebook.com/FloridaAppleseed/photos/gm.1609085806028108/10153106558009912/?type=1
https://www.facebook.com/FloridaAppleseed/photos/gm.1609085806028108/10153106558009912/?type=1
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Liberty Teaching Rifle
Liberty Teaching Rifle LTR or Family Teaching Rifle
The object of this build was to make a lithe, light weight rifle, to use for teaching marksmanship skills with Florida Project Appleseed. The rifle had to be able to be used effectively by students young or old and small or large. The rifle had to be able to be quickly configured for the shooters body geometry and sighting preferences (irons, scope or dot)
I've built a few Liberty Teaching Rifles (LTR) for myself and for other friends specifically for their build and shooting style. But this rifle is different, it wasn't designed to be a perfect fit for everyone, but a better than stock fit for anyone. Another thing was that the rifle had to be kept as close to stock as possible. Project Appleseed is built around the premise of the 4moa Rifleman. A person using a good stock rifle with good standard ammunition and a GI Sling will be adequate to engage a 4 moa target at 500 yards, the traditional 'Rifleman's Quarter Mile'.
The rifle had to be kept mechanically as close to stock as possible. This would reinforce the 'shooter skill', 4moa Rifleman concept of Appleseed over the Hollywood/Advertiser brainwashing, $$$ equal hits, version of marksmanship.
The base was a Ruger 10/22 birch stock 50th Anniversary Model with an 18in barrel. cost $180
Four reasons for this choice.
1st It's is the most common rifle at an Appleseed.
2nd It is the Chevy 350 of the rifle world, parts are cheap and readily available.
3rd Reliable - Rugers and Marlins are rifles that will work all weekend (500rounds) without cleaning.
4th Ease of cleaning (1 screw).
As an Appleseed Instructor many times I'll get home after 2 days of teaching marksmanship with 4 filthy, wet, sand covered rifles to clean and I didn't get to shoot one round. Ruger 10/22s and Remington 597s are easy to completely strip down to the individual components. The Marlins, not so much, so it was eliminated from my considerations. The Remingtons were eliminated because in my experience they wont constantly go the full weekend with out cleaning. (YMMV)
Modification to the Ruger (Remember the object is to keep as stock as possible)
Trigger & Bolt Group
The stock trigger was as about as bad as I've ever had on a Ruger gritty, creepy and broke well past the 8lbs that my trigger Gage reads to.
Cleaned and stripped the components.
I polished the trigger spring strut ball end, which had a rather sharp edge to it.
I also modified the lawyer designed bolt lock/release and did modify with a dremal/fine diamond file for one handed operation. For instructions go to
( http://www.instructables.com/id/Ruger-1022-DIY-Auto-Bolt-Release/?ALLSTEPS ).
Then I cleaned the pins and metal parts (not springs), gave them a light coat of Miltech-1 then baked at 150 in the oven for 30min. Applied a second coat while still warm and repeated.
The rest just a good clean and light lube with CLP.
Results Trigger break 4 3/4lbs, 85% of the creep gone with a fairly decent break. At a minimum this is what it should have been shipped with from Ruger. Cost 0$ + time
Next installed a drifted the front sight out and installed a TechSight front with longer National Match post (#TRS210) (Blue Loctight all sight screws) Cost 22$ = time
Followed by installing a UTG Ruger 10/22 (MNT-22TOWL) scope rail (I did not use the supplied Ruger rail mainly to get more for/aft adjustability for proper scope eye relief) Cost 10$ + time
I'm still waiting for the UTG Sub-compact adjustable Rear Sight (MNT-910) (locks to scope rail) Cost 25$
(see **Addendum** below)
I also added a NCstar Comp/Flash hider but not for the usual reasons.
I put them on 1st to keep out a possible bore obstruction, 2nd to protect the muzzle crown and 3rd this particular break doesn't have any ports pointing to the ground. Helps keep the dust and sand down.
(don't forget to Blue Loctight it) Cost 10$ + time
Appleseed shoots a lot from the prone position and many times our firing lines are on the dirt. The new shooters are concentration on rifle operation, proper sling use and steady hold factors sometimes lose a little muzzle awareness and go what we call 'Worm Diggin', with the barrel. The comp helps to prevent a muzzle obstruction and a "bad Thing".
STOCK ASSEMBLY
I've used a lot of different 10/22 replacement stocks and ended choosing the Blackhawk KNOXX AXIOM R/F Ruger 10/22 Stock in color tan.
(black stocks get HOT in Aug in Florida on an uncovered firing line - a new shooter will not get good cheek weld on a stock if it is the temp of the Sun) Minor cheek weld adjustment are handled with pipe insulation and vet wrap.
1 Screw Disassembly (like stock 10/22) for cleaning
Light Weight
Free Floated Barrel Assembly
Sling swivel mounts factory installed
Smallest diameter pistol grip (easier for smaller hands to grip)
Pistol grip close to trigger, easier to achieve a good C-shaped trigger position
Stock Length of Pull (LOP) 9 3/4 in - 13 1/2 and just by slipping on a M-4 butt you can increase this to 14 1/4 inch and add a GI rubber recoil pad you' re up to 14 3/4 inch LOP. With that kind of range you can fit just about any size humanoid.
Added to stock A pair of TALON 1 1/4 swivels the one piece style Cost 10$
Finally a M1/M14 GI canvas sling Cost 15$
The Blackhawk - KNOXX AXIOM 10/22 Adjustable Stock Cost 65$
So for right around 300$ you get a very adjustable LIBERTY TEACHING RIFLE to help you teach the next generation of shooters both young and old.
******ADDENDUM******
Finally received the UTG Sight it looks to be very durable and does work with my TechSight Ft Sight. It does not have "click" style adjustments of the TechSights but the adjustment mechanism works well. I will post the adj = moa when I get a chance to give it a thorough range session.
*******ADDENDUM to ADDENDUM ********
The Weaver/Picatinny friendly UTG Micro-Sights work great with the TechSights target Front sight
(Item #TSR210 - Front Sight Tower Assembly for Ruger - Steel
* Replacement Front Tower Assembly for TSR200. This includes the base, extended target post
(.050 inches taller than standard post) spring & detent, and mounting hardware. )
This was the first 3 rounds out-of-the-box for the UTG sight. For you Appleseeders use the TechSight chart for front elevation. The UTG Mini Sight works out to about 1.33 MOA per rear mark Up and Down. YMMV depending on the distance between your particular sight set-up.
After ascertaining the adjustments, the next 5 were top of the black. This was acceptable as the indoor range I was using only went out to 20 yards, not the usual Appleseed 25 meters. Shots 6 and 7 were just to verify the 1.33MOA adjustment for the elevation of the rear sight.
You might have noticed the removable cheek pad. Smaller faces are a tad low for good cheek weld. It's made from 1/2 black pipe insulation ($1.50 for 10ft at Lowes/Home Depot) and Camo Gorrilla Tape. Cut to length, split down the middle and cover with the duct tape. Easy On, Easy Off, the duct tape adds stiffness to the pad and holds it in position. It usable on many rifle stocks.
Please feel free to add questions or comments. I've had quite a few students ask about a flexible Family Teaching Rifle and would appreciate your ideas ( to steal ;) ).
The object of this build was to make a lithe, light weight rifle, to use for teaching marksmanship skills with Florida Project Appleseed. The rifle had to be able to be used effectively by students young or old and small or large. The rifle had to be able to be quickly configured for the shooters body geometry and sighting preferences (irons, scope or dot)
I've built a few Liberty Teaching Rifles (LTR) for myself and for other friends specifically for their build and shooting style. But this rifle is different, it wasn't designed to be a perfect fit for everyone, but a better than stock fit for anyone. Another thing was that the rifle had to be kept as close to stock as possible. Project Appleseed is built around the premise of the 4moa Rifleman. A person using a good stock rifle with good standard ammunition and a GI Sling will be adequate to engage a 4 moa target at 500 yards, the traditional 'Rifleman's Quarter Mile'.
The rifle had to be kept mechanically as close to stock as possible. This would reinforce the 'shooter skill', 4moa Rifleman concept of Appleseed over the Hollywood/Advertiser brainwashing, $$$ equal hits, version of marksmanship.
The base was a Ruger 10/22 birch stock 50th Anniversary Model with an 18in barrel. cost $180
Four reasons for this choice.
1st It's is the most common rifle at an Appleseed.
2nd It is the Chevy 350 of the rifle world, parts are cheap and readily available.
3rd Reliable - Rugers and Marlins are rifles that will work all weekend (500rounds) without cleaning.
4th Ease of cleaning (1 screw).
As an Appleseed Instructor many times I'll get home after 2 days of teaching marksmanship with 4 filthy, wet, sand covered rifles to clean and I didn't get to shoot one round. Ruger 10/22s and Remington 597s are easy to completely strip down to the individual components. The Marlins, not so much, so it was eliminated from my considerations. The Remingtons were eliminated because in my experience they wont constantly go the full weekend with out cleaning. (YMMV)
Modification to the Ruger (Remember the object is to keep as stock as possible)
Trigger & Bolt Group
The stock trigger was as about as bad as I've ever had on a Ruger gritty, creepy and broke well past the 8lbs that my trigger Gage reads to.
Cleaned and stripped the components.
I polished the trigger spring strut ball end, which had a rather sharp edge to it.
I also modified the lawyer designed bolt lock/release and did modify with a dremal/fine diamond file for one handed operation. For instructions go to
( http://www.instructables.com/id/Ruger-1022-DIY-Auto-Bolt-Release/?ALLSTEPS ).
Then I cleaned the pins and metal parts (not springs), gave them a light coat of Miltech-1 then baked at 150 in the oven for 30min. Applied a second coat while still warm and repeated.
The rest just a good clean and light lube with CLP.
Results Trigger break 4 3/4lbs, 85% of the creep gone with a fairly decent break. At a minimum this is what it should have been shipped with from Ruger. Cost 0$ + time
Next installed a drifted the front sight out and installed a TechSight front with longer National Match post (#TRS210) (Blue Loctight all sight screws) Cost 22$ = time
Followed by installing a UTG Ruger 10/22 (MNT-22TOWL) scope rail (I did not use the supplied Ruger rail mainly to get more for/aft adjustability for proper scope eye relief) Cost 10$ + time
I'm still waiting for the UTG Sub-compact adjustable Rear Sight (MNT-910) (locks to scope rail) Cost 25$
(see **Addendum** below)
I also added a NCstar Comp/Flash hider but not for the usual reasons.
I put them on 1st to keep out a possible bore obstruction, 2nd to protect the muzzle crown and 3rd this particular break doesn't have any ports pointing to the ground. Helps keep the dust and sand down.
(don't forget to Blue Loctight it) Cost 10$ + time
Appleseed shoots a lot from the prone position and many times our firing lines are on the dirt. The new shooters are concentration on rifle operation, proper sling use and steady hold factors sometimes lose a little muzzle awareness and go what we call 'Worm Diggin', with the barrel. The comp helps to prevent a muzzle obstruction and a "bad Thing".
STOCK ASSEMBLY
I've used a lot of different 10/22 replacement stocks and ended choosing the Blackhawk KNOXX AXIOM R/F Ruger 10/22 Stock in color tan.
(black stocks get HOT in Aug in Florida on an uncovered firing line - a new shooter will not get good cheek weld on a stock if it is the temp of the Sun) Minor cheek weld adjustment are handled with pipe insulation and vet wrap.
1 Screw Disassembly (like stock 10/22) for cleaning
Light Weight
Free Floated Barrel Assembly
Sling swivel mounts factory installed
Smallest diameter pistol grip (easier for smaller hands to grip)
Pistol grip close to trigger, easier to achieve a good C-shaped trigger position
Stock Length of Pull (LOP) 9 3/4 in - 13 1/2 and just by slipping on a M-4 butt you can increase this to 14 1/4 inch and add a GI rubber recoil pad you' re up to 14 3/4 inch LOP. With that kind of range you can fit just about any size humanoid.
Added to stock A pair of TALON 1 1/4 swivels the one piece style Cost 10$
Finally a M1/M14 GI canvas sling Cost 15$
The Blackhawk - KNOXX AXIOM 10/22 Adjustable Stock Cost 65$
So for right around 300$ you get a very adjustable LIBERTY TEACHING RIFLE to help you teach the next generation of shooters both young and old.
******ADDENDUM******
Finally received the UTG Sight it looks to be very durable and does work with my TechSight Ft Sight. It does not have "click" style adjustments of the TechSights but the adjustment mechanism works well. I will post the adj = moa when I get a chance to give it a thorough range session.
*******ADDENDUM to ADDENDUM ********
The Weaver/Picatinny friendly UTG Micro-Sights work great with the TechSights target Front sight
(Item #TSR210 - Front Sight Tower Assembly for Ruger - Steel
* Replacement Front Tower Assembly for TSR200. This includes the base, extended target post
(.050 inches taller than standard post) spring & detent, and mounting hardware. )
You might have noticed the removable cheek pad. Smaller faces are a tad low for good cheek weld. It's made from 1/2 black pipe insulation ($1.50 for 10ft at Lowes/Home Depot) and Camo Gorrilla Tape. Cut to length, split down the middle and cover with the duct tape. Easy On, Easy Off, the duct tape adds stiffness to the pad and holds it in position. It usable on many rifle stocks.
Please feel free to add questions or comments. I've had quite a few students ask about a flexible Family Teaching Rifle and would appreciate your ideas ( to steal ;) ).
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