Rifles ignited at a shooting range outside of New Deal all because of the Appleseed Project.
“The name came from Johnny Appleseed. He was going around planting apple trees everywhere. Well, we’re going around and planting the seeds of liberty,” said O.L. Adcock, a Shoot Boss.
Adcock said rifle skills are becoming a lost art in modern America.
“We’re basically teaching rifle marksmanship that was taught prior to World War II. They have lowered their standards since then. We’re trying to bring that tradition back,” Adcock said.
The project fired up in 2005. It teaches the fundamentals of rifle marksmanship.
“We teach them things like natural point of aim, we teach them the six steps of firing a shot, and we teach them all the steady hold factors for all the different shooting positions,” Adcock said.
Out at the shooting range people didn't only learn about rifle marksmanship, they also learned about American heritage and history.
“We’re losing our tradition of being a nation of riflemen. Years ago, mothers were teaching their children how to shoot,” Adcock said.
Tim Warren is an instructor in training. He’s learning shooting skills to keep the legacy of riflemen alive.
“This is what people used to do back in the 1700s and 1800s. On Sunday they would go practice shooting,” Warren said.
Both Warren and Adcock said loading the gun and pulling the trigger is more than just a hobby. They said it’s a historic element that has played a vital role in shaping our country.
“There are some of the best people in America it seems like that we meet out here,” Warren said.
“The skills that are taught by rifle marksmanship are patience and control over your mind and your body. It teaches responsibility,” Adcock said.
In a few short years Project Appleseed has grown from a single event into a nationwide program that will see over 40,000 shooters this year alone.
