Thanks, I'm familiar with the Appleseed project, in fact I ordered a sling from them for the rifle I've been writing about. I'm planning on taking my girlfriend to one soon to help introduce her to rifle shooting.

Of course she'll want her own rifle before then...;^)

It never ends.

Meanwhile back at the design lab, I found what may be the perfect case to slip into the stock, some reading glass cases I found at the local 99cents store. They even come with reading glasses! They're plastic slip together tubes, I took the pocket clip off and sealed the resulting hole with some silicone. They fit just about perfectly with some room left to wrap some tape around each one.

The current plan is to attach a leash made out of some 3/32" mini-paracord that I got from County Comm to each case, I'll then attach the other end to the plate that I mounted into the stock. This will allow me to simply drop each case down into the stock and easily retrieve them. One will be a mini survival kit the other will hold 20 rounds of ammunition and a tiny wrapped piece of synthetic brillo type pad for cleaning as recommended by Leigh in an earlier post. I'm going to put a small bag of dessicant in that one as well, to keep the moisture down and also to keep the ammo from rattling around.

I also picked up a nice stainless steel screw and washer to use to attach the buttplate.

And while I was out shopping, I stopped in and picked up the latest acquisition to the armory. A like new but used Marlin 1894C lever action rifle in .357 magnum. Got it for about $200 less than a brand new one and it included a nice strap and a soft case. Solid wooden stock so I won't be dropping any ammo or other stuff down into it.

I carry a cleaning kit with my survival gear more in case my rifle gets wet than to deal with any fouling.

That is the reason my wife and mom wanted the 22's in the first place. They both want to go to the appleseed event as well. I got to talking about it at work and one of the CNA's and one of the RN's I work with want to go to it as well. I did my homework and it sounds like it will be a good learning event for the basics of shooting. I am still not sure why my wife wants to go to it cause she qualified expert in the Air Force. But, I am going cause I can always learn something and she wants to go.

As far as the mini-14, we love ours. I dont have any complaints about it and it does anything it was designed to do with out any problems.

I'm a very good shot with rifle and I shoot pistol competitively. The two Appleseed events I went to were well-run, safe, and fun. I learned some good things, too. Definitely going again.

I looked up the appleseed project sites and have to ask ...

WARNING - PLEASE don't go political on this thread.

The Appleseed Project looks very cool. What a great thing to bring your family - or youth groups - to learn about shooting and marksmanship, but ...

Some of the verbage on the Appleseed web sites seems kind of far right - maybe suggesting a dislike of current U.S. government (this is hard to ask without getting political) and a desire for the government to change.

If I were to go to an event, is it REALLY just about shooting and marksmanship? ... or will there also be some amount of presentation/preaching about governments, politics, or other political views or desires?

NOTE: I'm not revealing my political opinions here, nor judging the views of the Appleseed Project, nor do I want to hear about your political opinions. I'm just asking about what really goes on at Appleseed Project events.

I am unsure of the Appleseed events, so will not comment.

As for our local range, we have come up with a bi-weekly 22 shoot at 50 yards using the USBRA 50 yard targets. They are very competitive targets, to say the least, and should make for some fine shooting. Open sights won't be of much help on this one, but anyone with a telescopic sight on their 22 should have a chance at cutting an x. I know of some guys using Anshutz actioned 22s with 40x power sights that will still miss the x, and they are great marksmen otherwise. A little breeze is all it takes.

That may sound too competitive for some, but last years 50 yard competitions on a target that was less than an inch square yielded a dozen finalists that had to come back the following week for a shoot off. It seems a bit too exclusive, but it is open class, so it is to be expected. I intend to propose some restricted class competition later in the year so people with a stock gun and iron sights can have some competitive fun as well.

Not sure about the politic involved and that is not what I am going for. I am going for the oppurtunity to learn, remember and practice my skills and refine them more then what they are. I can always learn more - always.

Since I brought it up I will step back in to take any heat. I cannot speak for the organization as a whole and beyond being an attendee twice, have no affiliation, but I can say without reservation that at the outset the instructors at the two events I attended were crystal clear about politics staying off the range and out of the event. No endorsements, criticisms or political views were expressed in my hearing. One participant at my first shoot who started to make what sounded like it could become a political comment was reminded that this (the shoot) was not the venue and he desisted.

I certainly do not intend to interject any political angle into any discussion here. It was simply presented as a low cost opportunity to do some relatively high-volume shooting, stress testing the rifle is a pleasant benefit (though not when my front sight drifted right off the barrel), and receive some pretty darn good instruction in marksmanship.

Thanks pworks36!!

That was exactly the kind of insight I was looking for.

Now back to the original topic. Sorry for the short hijack.