On the surface, Project Appleseed is a two-day rifle marksmanship event designed to take you from being a simple rifle owner to being a true Rifleman. An American tradition, the Rifleman has been defined as a marksman capable of hitting a man-sized target from 500 yards away – no ifs, ands, or buts about it. This 500-yard range is traditionally known as “the Rifleman’s quarter-mile.” A Rifleman ca
n hit just about any target he can see within that radius. Marksmanship skill (albeit with smoothbore muskets) was particularly evident in the birth of our country, and was the difference in winning the Revolutionary War, right from the first day. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll find that the marksmanship is really conveying important aspects of our shared American heritage. About one thousand instructors, who are all themselves seasoned and expert marksmen, frame their teaching with the stories of April 19th, 1775. Because the Battles of Lexington and Concord showcase the way ordinary people, both men, women and families took a stand for liberty and self-government. And that’s what we need more of today, ordinary people who are once again willing to do what’s needed to preserve the governing ideals gifted to us by the Founders.
