I've been wanting to hit an Appleseed event for a while.   Has anyone been to one at the Tusco Rifle Club in New Philadelphia / Dennison?  It's one of the closest events for me.  Any input?  Pros or cons on the facility?  Anything I should be aware of or items to or not to bring?

Also, not site specific, but for those that have done one of these, would you suggest an AR with open sights, RDS or magnified optic?  Or not an AR at all?  I'm leaning toward a standard M4'gery with open sights.  I have some options and time to gear up prior to the event.  

Thanks in advance.

Appleseed Project Schedule


ETA:

We're signed up for 4-16&17.  


ETA again:

We're signed up for Vienna.  Anyone else?

Appleseed is a great program and you'll have a great weekend wherever you sign up to attend. I signed up for one in Gibsonburg a few years ago and enjoyed it enough to join the instructor cadre.

I can't answer any questions about the Tusco range but can help you get prepared to attend.

Nothing wrong with an AR for the class, round count will be 300-500 rounds for the weekend.

Optics or irons is personal choice. I'd skip the red dot and go with irons or low power magnification. Ultimately you'll be aiming at 1" targets at 25 meters. The dot may be too large and cover the entire aiming point.

You can get quite a jump on the weekend by practicing with your rifle and having it sighted in for 25 meters before you arrive. Work as many bugs out of the equipment before you get there.

A list of equipment:
1. Dependable rifle, cleaned and sighted in
2. Two mags minimum, four is better
3. 1.25" wide USGI sling and swivels
4. Shooting mat, tarp, carpet, sleeping bag. Something to keep you off the grass especially if it rains.
5. Eye/ear protection
6. Water, lunch, snacks
7. Lawn chair, shade canopy if not at a covered range.
8. Bug spray, sun lotion, rain gear
9. Learning attitude
10. Bring a friend, wife, kids. Anyone that can safely handle a rifle is welcome.

Personally I'd bring a 10/22 or AR-15-22 to save on the cost of ammunition and switch to center fire the second day.

Anyone can attend an Appleseed and learn something to improve their marksmanship. There is quite a bit of American history shared through the weekend that will stir your soul and make you proud to be an American.

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

Never shot the appleseed event I believe it is held on tusco main range which is the 300 m directly in front of you when you enter the main entrance of club. Any other questions about club I can answer.

Tusco is a Great club.  There are 7 ranges and a Trap house. All the ranges have benches and cover  They have 2 heated clubhouses with bathrooms, just in case you are bring any Ladies. Check them out.

http://www.tuscorifle.org/

Thanks for all the quick replies.  I think I'll go with open sights.  And I'll plan to also take the dedicated 22 just to have the option, unless the boy wants to go, in which case I'll leave that one for him.  

As it comes closer, I may have some more specific inquiries.  

Is it possible to have too many mags?  Load them prior?  All 30 rounders?  Wish I had my suppressor stamp

Oh, I have a few single point slings and a standard USGI sling.  As I don't normally utilize a sling when shooting, but I know that is part of the event, any better 2 point slings in the $25-35 range you would suggest or just get another USGI for $7?

I attended a appleseed at Tusco a few years back.  It went well, we shot on concrete so bring a shooting mat.  It was under a roof so it was nice to be out of the sun.  As for a sling you need one of the USGI M1 slings you buy them from appleseed store if needed http://store.rwvaappleseed.com/page13.html  There are no better slings for appleseed.  I highly recommend looking up how to use it in advance and practise getting into positions.  After 2 days up and down getting into weird positions things gets a little sore.  


There are mag change requirements so a max of 10rnd is all you really need in a mag.  

I used a 10/22 with tech sights and was offered a chance to shoot at 500m on day 2.  I ended up with my rifleman patch early Sunday and had a great time.  A friend of mine asked me to go with him to one in May so I'm going to go again.  I might take a scoped 10/22 this time, I haven't decided yet.  I would be interested in opinions on people who used scopes and how things went for them.

Good luck

My son and I did a Tusco appleseed a couple years ago. Its a very nice range and you shoot from under cover on a concrete pad so take a decent shooting mat. We got food served to us by a scout troop using the property for a weekend campout. We took a 10/22 and an M1A. On Sunday some of the guys that were doing very well were pulled to the side and we were allowed to shoot out to 500 yrds on steel silhouettes  using an M1A and Garand. We were also able to back our vehicle up to the covered pavilion so all of our stuff was right there and accessible. You should be able to go to the appleseed archives and see pics from past Tusco events.

can someone tell me when it is I would like to go.

need as much advance time as I can get


tks

1texan

Added the schedule to the OP.  Hope that doesn't make me seem like a shill.  Eh, I know at least one mod here, he "might" vouch for me.

Hmm, same day as the planned UCOA 3-gun in April.

Decisions, decisions.

I've been meaning to get to one of these for a couple years now. This will be the year.

Hit the one in a Beaver Falls, PA next month.  It's close for you, and their facility is very nice.  Sundays they often let everyone go shoot steel on the big range for a couple of hours.

But is it clean?

Good point, I didn't even look at the PA schedule.  I'll check them out, thanks!

Weren't you considering hosting an Appleseed?  Any movement on that or did you need more backstop?

Well we're signed up!  Now to decide what we're shooting.  I think I'm set on my M4'gery with open sights.  

For anyone that's participated in one of these, what's your opinion on a tube fed bolt gun?  He's 14.  It's his gun, probably the rifle he's most familiar with.  Might be an eye opener to know what he and "his gun" are capable of doing.  This would be my preference, but I don't want to handicap him or have make him hate his rifle.

If the tube feeding will be an issue, I have a dedicated 22 AR or a non tech sight 10/22 he can shoot.  Other options as well, but those would make top of the list.

Great, you and your son will have a great time.

Bring what he's most comfortable with and throw in the others for back ups. The tube feed will slow him down a bit over a magazine fed rifle. Having good sights and a reliable rifle are most important.

He can make some speed loaders with drinking straws that will help dump rounds down the tube quickly.

maybe get one or two of these to help

Got everything sighted in and packed up.  Anyone else going?

I couldn't make it to this one due to work.  I still want to get one of these in someday...

Message me your zip and I'll see if there is a local instructed to get you hooked up with.

 
And I'm still in for backstop building days...

I went to the Appleseed event in Marion this past weekend. It was great and I learned a lot about shooting in general, about my gun, and some history. The instructors were kind and helpful and made it an enjoyable experience. I felt like I got a lot out of the weekend.

I had to borrow a rifle because the stock sights on my Marlin were not easily adjustable on-the-spot. Time to buy some Tech or Skinner sights.

I ended up using a 10/22 (dealing with loading that was an interesting experience) with a low-power scope. At the end of the second day we got to break out the big rifles to shoot out to 400 yards, and I even got to fire a clip from a M1 Garand for the first time.

I didn't qualify for a Rifleman patch (210 points) but I got very close...201 twice. I'll get in some practice and hit up another toward the end of the summer and earn that patch!

I had about the same experience.  The 14 y/o was a little bored with the history by the end of day 1, but he muddled through cuz he knew he'd be shooting more later.  He rode out the first day with his bolt gun but switched to my AR with the CMMG upper for day two.  He quickly realized how hard it is to shoot something other that a tin can with open sights.  I think his best was around 150.  But thats pretty good considering that was probably the second or third time he fired that AR.  For his first shoot of the sort, with timed firing including mag changes, I think he did rather well.

I was hard headed.  Didn't want to play the game to score rifleman with a built up and scoped out 10/22.  I shot my basic rack grade newly built Mforgery.  I was the only one in the whole group with a centerfire either day.  Quickly remembered why I hate mil spec triggers and tulammo.  My best was lousy 182.  Maybe next time.  And yes, there will be a next time.  

I served 5 years nearly 20 years ago, but I wasn't bored with the basic instructions of shooting fundamentals.  The heritage/history was cool too.  For anyone who's never been, it's worth the time.  If you like shooting, enjoy your freedoms and love your country, you won't be disappointed.   Take your kids too.  Our country needs them and they need to know why.

For half a day I was next to someone shooting an AR...it was quite distracting, both the concussive blast and the hot brass slapping me in the face (one landed on my back so right now I have a nice .223 shaped tramp stamp).

I did come to find I can readily shoot a man sized target at 300 yards with the iron sights on my AR15, though -- simply using the same techniques as the itty bitty 10/22

That is a great point.  The fundamentals they teach apply to rifle shooting in general and transition smoothly across platforms and calibers.  A basic 10/22 with tech sights and a couple of mags is all you need to learn to be a competent markman with an service rifle.  

Next time, I'll probably just shoot my AR 22 or throw the conversion in my M4'gery for the first day.

Junior asked if we're going again, looks like Vienna is in our future.

All signed up for Vienna!  

Good Job! What does the $2 bill mean? Never saw that before.

Did your son see improvement also?

He improved a lot.  I think his best score this time was 170 something.  And he wants to go again.  For the next time, I'll probably put more effort into getting him better prepared.  Maybe set up a dedicated AR in 22 just for him.  

The $2 bill was a "gift" or award from one of the RO's.  The significance of the $2 bill being the picture on the back is the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  On it she wrote all of the Project Appleseed info for when I first qualified Rifleman including the location, shoot boss, date, score and my name.  An extremely generous gesture.  Speaks volumes of the dedication put forth by the volunteers behind Project Appleseed.  

Cool, glad it was a good experience for him and he still wants to learn more. Did he enjoy the history any more this time or was it still boring?

The $2 bill is awesome. Bet you wouldn't sell it for $20.