Applessed is only $60 for the weekend? WTH?

[Garymac]

Hey, 60 bucks for a two days of first class rifle marksmanship instruction is a bargain. People pay hundreds of dollars for "long range rifle classes" and don't get as much as you will get in a weekend Appleseed clinic.

How can Appleseed be so inexpensive and still be good?

It is inexpensive because the instructors are all volunteers. Appleseed is a non profit national organization and no one gets paid. It is a labor of love for all of us.

What makes it a great program?

First,the teaching methodology we use is second to none. It is a step by step progressive learning. You hear it, you see it, you do it step by step. Lots of shooting is involved.

Second, top notch instructors. To become an instructor one has to attend a minimum of two Appleseeds and shoot the expert score. By doing so one earns one's Rifleman patch. Shooters then have to be invited to join the instructor training program. The instructor program is a 4 step program with both written progress checks, evaluations and on the job training. It takes somewhere over 100 hours of OJT along with evaluated advancements to become a full instructor. That includes all our of points of instruction, the history and range safety. Compare that with sitting in a classroom for a day being taught the test and then paying a fee for one's credentials to become a firearms instructor. Appleseed's instructor corps is second to none.

Third, history and heritage. One learns the historical foundation of our shooting heritage. The people who built America made choices and sacrifices that created our system of self determination. The freedoms and liberties we enjoy today are a direct result of what they did. All Americans need to hear the story and put those gifts they gave us in historical perspective and context.

Fourth, not for newbies or babies. Appleseed is not a kid's shooting program. It is for everyone. The fundamentals which include proper positions, proper steady hold factors, steps of firing a shot, use of a sling etc is something all shooters need regardless of their experience. Yes, kids and new shooters benefit greatly from solid formal instruction. It something every kid and new shooter in America should do. It is also something every experienced shooter can benefit from. Appleseed is a challenge. It is not easy but we give you the tools you need. I guarantee you will learn something and it will make you a better shot regardless of your experience.

Bottom line, it's all good. The shooting, the instruction and the history. It is something every American needs to do