WINTERSEED 2017 -- Harvard, MA 02/18/2017

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Shooters! Listen up!! You preparation period for Winterseed 2017 at Harvard Sportsman's Club begins now!

Saturday, February 18, there will be a ONE-DAY Appleseed at HSC. Should the weather cooperate (and we WILL shoot in any weather..even if it is WARM) this will be an opportunity to earn the coveted, but seldom offered, Winterseed patch.

Those who earn the Winterseed patch distinguish themselves as being a Rifleman's rifleman. The icicle patch proves that the wearer can make their shots count under some of the most difficult conditions New England has to offer. Rifles freeze, ammunition sticks to ungloved hands, bulky clothing makes movement difficult at best, and the overall level of discomfort makes this event a challenge for even veteran Riflemen. It's an awesome event!

Don't be a sunshine Patriot. It's time to shake off that cabin fever. Come out and take the challenge.

Register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harvar...-winterseed-one-day-event-tickets-30218093130

For more information:
http://www.appleseedinfo.org/search-states-location.php?locationid=205&id_event=5066
 
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My wife and I will be there for our third Appleseed. Hoping for cold weather. Thanks for helping with the program, it's great!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I forget... What is the Winterseed temperature threshold... In order for it to be counted as one?

Per the Appleseed Shoot Boss Manual..

"Winterseeds
If the SB determines a shoot occurs during winter conditions they may decide it is a Winterseed and shooters may earn the Winterseed badge.

Winter conditions generally occur between November 1st and March 31st and include elements of wind, cold, and snow."

Per the Shoot Boss for this event..

With the exception of cold (being very near or below freezing temperature, that being32 degrees Fahrenheit) any of the named elements may be included, omitted, or in some cases, where reasonable substitutions (e.g., freezing rain) may be acceptable to the Shoot Boss, and which constitute sufficiently adverse and winter-like conditions, Winterseed badges may be awarded to qualified Riflemen, at the discretion of the Shoot Boss.
 
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It should perhaps be pointed out that the previous answer was given by the Shoot Boss for the event.
 
Per the Appleseed Shoot Boss Manual.. "Winterseeds If the SB determines a shoot occurs during winter conditions they may decide it is a Winterseed and shooters may earn the Winterseed badge. Winter conditions generally occur between November 1st and March 31st and include elements of wind, cold, and snow." Per the Shoot Boss for this event.. With the exception of cold (being very near or below freezing temperature, that being32 degrees Fahrenheit) any of the named elements may be included, omitted, or in some cases, where reasonable substitutions (e.g., freezing rain) may be acceptable to the Shoot Boss, and which constitute sufficiently adverse and winter-like conditions, Winterseed badges may be awarded to qualified Riflemen, at the discretion of the Shoot Boss.

Fingers crossed for a blizzard and the day off!

It should perhaps be pointed out that the previous answer was given by the Shoot Boss for the event.

I figured as much. You gonna make it out to this one?
 
What is the average round count for one of these?

That depends on a lot of factors.

The average level of experience of shooters will determine the flow of the event and how fast we can get into (and cycle through) the AQTs.

The weather conditions will also factor in as well.

All this being said, 600 rounds ought to be enough, however I strongly recommend bringing more, just in case.
 
My son Patrick at last years Winterseed
IMG_2040.JPG
It was brisk
I think the temp was 6

The firing pin in my AR15 froze at one point, too much grease.

My Winterseed Rifleman patch is one of my favorite things.
 
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Shooters! We're a little over 3 weeks away from Winterseed 2017 and there is still time to sign up.

Football season will be over, so come on out and celebrate the original Patriots!

Time to get off the couch and beat the winter doldrums.

A Winterseed is definitely the best outdoor activity of the season, and here's why:

1. No lift lines.
2. Traffic to and from is pretty much negligible
3. We generally don't have to cut holes in the ice
4. Nothing smelly and frozen to have to clean.. although, we don't guarantee you won't need to use smelly (to some) cleaner though..and your rifle, gear, and you, WILL thaw..eventually..
5. Exercise! Our 4 minute drills are guaranteed to get the heart pumping!
6. You get to hang out with folks of character, those who "Know what they are about"..
7. The stories we tell!
8. You get to shoot, a lot! ..and that is not fun when?
9. Winterseed is the perfect excuse NOT to do something you don't want to on a Saturday. "Can't do it, got to go to Winterseed!"
10. You get the chance to earn probably the coolest patch EV-AH! One that tells quite a LOT about its owner, and gives serious bragging rights..

Sign up now, computers are standing by!
 
CRAP! Excited that I could finally do an appleseed shoot! Forgot I can't bring my rifle here now.
If you're from out of state, and wondering whether it's legal to bring your rifle in, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBdpINm9UBU.
If it's legal for you to possess it, it's fine for you to bring it.
If you think your rifle might be illegal and still want to come, a loaner can probably be arranged.
 
Is this intended for 22LR? Or are other calibers allowed? 600 rounds of centerfire isnt cheap...

While not required, the .22LR rifle is most commonly utilized at an Appleseed. The course is 25M, targets range from the size of a postage stamp up to about 6" across, and the round counts tend to be high, in the Northeast anyway. So, from an economic standpoint, the .22LR rules the day.

Other calibers are allowed (8MM or less IIRC, but 17WMR is not). It all depends on how much $$$ the shooter wishes to spend, and how much abuse the shooter wants to absorb (like the Mosin M44 shooter).

Veteran Applessed shooters can attest that the course of fire is definitely a challenge, even with the lowly .22LR. Also, the skills learned and practiced at Appleseed will improve your CF shooting at a much discounted cost.

In short, bring what you feel comfortable shooting all day. Iron sights, optics both are allowed and have their own merits. Do not feel that you have to have a certain type of rifle. The most common rifle found at Appleseed is a Ruger 10/22, but we see many different makes and actions of .22LR, as well as Mil-Surps from time to time.

I often hear that folks would come, but they don't have a good enough rifle. In my experience more is less and less is more. The more fancy and complicated the gear, the higher probability for failure. Too many times I've seen expensive rifles become jam-o-matics while bolt-shooters, and 10/22 shooters go all weekend long with nary a glitch. That's not to say don't bring one if you have one. Appleseed is also a great proving ground for gear. Shooters REALLY get intimate with their equipment after 1000 rounds!

Appleseed is NOT a contest. Appleseed is about self-improvement. We instructors love it when we see shooters noticeably improve over the course of an event when things start to click and you can see groups shrink.
 
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Awesome. I will run it by the wife. but I would love to come with my Mossy Blaze and a Red dot. That little rifle is as reliable as the sun.
 
Hope to see you there. Given we have time before the event, I recommend:

1. Get a GI web sling and swivels (appleseed store has them)
2. Have enough magazines (4 or more) to hold 40 rounds. Max of 10 rds per magazine is allowed during the AQT.
 
Would this be OK for my first Appleseed event, or should I succumb to the intimidating pictures (piles and piles of snow) from the past 2 years?
 
Would this be OK for my first Appleseed event, or should I succumb to the intimidating pictures (piles and piles of snow) from the past 2 years?

Of course! My first Appleseed was shot during the tail end of a tropical storm. Then again there have those who have said about me "That boy ain't right.."

A Rifleman will persevere in any weather.
 
Shooters! Time is getting short! Less than 3 weeks left to go!

Time to stop "thinking about " signing up .. and sign up!!

I've got Winterseed Rifleman patches that need homes with qualified Riflemen!

When asked what you did over the weekend on the Monday after the event,
wouldn't it be great to say "I qualified as Rifleman in one of the toughest shooting challenges New England has to offer!" .. what did YOU do?

Take the challenge, show what you can do!

Even if you come out and do not qualify, you STILL walk away with more of my respect than a shooter who could qualify but who won't come out in the cold.

Don't think about us.. BE one of us!!
 
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Woohoo, I'm signed up!

Will this be difficult with a bolt action Ruger American? In .22lr, I only have this and a 10/22 (but that's a special edition with an engraved stock so I don't really want to bang it around).
 
You have added a bit of difficulty to be sure, but I have seen bolt-gunners qualify as riflemen on several occasions. Make sure you have enough magazines. That would be 4 - 10 round mags.
 
You have added a bit of difficulty to be sure, but I have seen bolt-gunners qualify as riflemen on several occasions. Make sure you have enough magazines. That would be 4 - 10 round mags.

Would it be better to bring a semiauto .223?
 
Would it be better to bring a semiauto .223?

It's your wallet :)
There's some extra difficulty in using a bolt gun, because you have to get fast with the bolt, and do it without breaking position. Of course, extra difficulty means extra bragging rights too, and if you like bolt guns and plan to keep shooting them this is a good way to learn. If your go-to rifle is a .223, and you can swing the ammo, that's a good choice too. Either way, you'll learn a lot.
 
Would it be better to bring a semiauto .223?

If you prefer, bring both. But, as Lupis42 stated, the bolt-gun adds more "stuff" to have to be concerned with while shooting.

I started down the Appleseed trail with a semi-auto, then after shooting a qualifying score, switched to a bolt-gun. I'll be the first to say it's definitely do-able, but it ain't easy. Later after switching back to a semi-auto, qualifying seemed almost TOO easy..

I have witnessed several shooters with bolt guns qualify. One first time shooter at Leyden was embarrassed that he "only" had a bolt-gun (New Ruger American IIRC) yet he qualified fairly early..and there were semi-auto shooters who did not.. but he was the exception.

I have also watched bolt-shooters that were scary-fast and accurate at High-Power matches.

REMEMBER -- It's not the gear but the nut behind the trigger that defines the outcome. If you rely on your gear and not develop the skill, you will have to depend on your gear to get the job done. This is true In many facets of life... think long-division..

In reality, if you had a muzzle-loader with iron sights, the principle is still the same. If you know your rifle and the load, you should confidently hit the mark every time.

Bring what you feel comfortable with and the AS instructors will work with you to help you develop the skill with the gear you bring.
 
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Shooters! Less than 2 weeks to go..Your extended prep period begins now!

1. Time to find all your gear .. mat..extra mags..hearing and eye protection..AMMO..warm clothing.

2. Make sure that rifle is clean. Do NOT over lube your rifle as the lube will most likely turn gummy in the cold. Malfunctions are unfun! Murphy already has enough to work work. Don't give him any help! Also check that your sights and action screws aren't loose..and use LOCTITE where possible!

3. Find time to do some stretching.. get into that sitting or kneeling postion..in and out of prone..

4. 10 - 15 minutes a night of NPOA and dry fire practice. Practice your 6 steps..A little every night can make a HUGE difference. Maybe also practice some safe and smooth magazine changes.

NOTE: SAFETY FIRST. ANY handling of firearms needs to be done in a SAFE area with NO AMMO in that area..check, check , check that rifle! Is it EMPTY? Remember RULE number 1! ALWAYS KEEP THE MUZZLE IN A SAFE DIRECTION!

New to Appleseed.. not a problem.. work on 1 through the stretching part of 3.. we'll help you with the rest.
 
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Snow! Yay!

On the flip side, the forecast for February 18th currently calls for a high of 32F, 25% chance of precipitation (read: rain) and the last significant snowfall is predicted for Wednesday. hbennett, I am considering being disappointed.
 
Snow! Yay!

On the flip side, the forecast for February 18th currently calls for a high of 32F, 25% chance of precipitation (read: rain) and the last significant snowfall is predicted for Wednesday. hbennett, I am considering being disappointed.[/QUOTE

Disappointed? Why? If you are concerned about that weather not being winter-like, fear not. Snow in and of itself does not a winter make. I consider freezing rain and 32 degree temperature to be very winter-like, and pretty miserable if you ask me. I envision ice forming on cold barrels and on front sight posts.. Tell me THAT won't test a shooter's metal and make for adverse shooting conditions!!
 
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