Mar 10, 2023 5 min read

I’m not so sure that the good old days were as good as we’d like to remember.

Were there really as many rabbits or pheasants or squirrels as we’d like to think during those early hunts or was our excitement so vibrant that it colors our collective memories with a rosy wash?

One thing I can say for sure is that I knew a lot of kids who spent a lot of time with a BB gun or pellet rifle or .22 in hand. I can account for miles and miles afoot with my trusty Marlin Glenfield rifle in tow. Cousin Jim was fresh out of college and got a job in the sporting goods department of J.C. Penny’s, securing a discount on the Christmas purchase and soon thereafter, I was a shooter.

I’d like to tell you that I spent so much time afield that I honed my marksmanship skills to a razor’s edge. That would, at best, be an exercise in hyperbole. In truth, I shot that rifle a lot. Every Christmas and birthday present seemed to include a box, or even a brick, of .22 cartridges. But did I become a sharpshooter? No, not even close. I had no one to teach me the proper technique for shooting a rifle. I never really learned the fundamentals of rifle craft. The closest I ever got to a real rifleman was purchasing a box of .22s in Joe Riggs’ Sporting Goods store in Waynesburg. Joe won the Leech Cup in 1955, shooting with the Marine Corps. The Leech Cup is the oldest trophy offered in competitive target shooting in the United States. He attained the rank of captain and led the U.S.M.C. team for a time. Joe was a hometown hero and a celebrity of sorts. As I look back upon missed opportunities in my life, not pursuing some training with Joe may have been one of my biggest misses.

Which brings me to the point of this week’s column, in case you were wondering if there indeed was a point. Marksmanship.

As our society moves further and further from a nation of hunters and shooters, our marksmanship skills appear to be dwindling. What was common from almost every farm boy at one time has since become a rather rare skill set. Project Appleseed is attempting to remedy that deficiency. This program teaches the fundamentals of marksmanship from the ground up. It provides not only the nuts and bolts of shooting but the historical perspective, as well as the foundations for citizenship in our society. The following is an excerpt from the Project Appleseed web page.

“In today’s world of 24-hour news cycles, changing technologies, and push-button gratification, it’s a challenge to stay connected to the values that our great country was built on. Ideals like integrity, commitment, and personal responsibility are what our founding fathers relied on to win our independence and to then make America a great nation. At Project Appleseed, we’re dedicated to keeping these timeless values alive. We promote civic responsibility through the teaching of colonial history and the American tradition of rifle marksmanship. Even after all of these years, there is much to be learned from our forefathers’ examples of perseverance, commitment, and civic virtue. With a full calendar of shooting clinics and events, Project Appleseed is here to make sure these timeless principles live on for generations to come. Whether you’re a new shooter or a seasoned marksman, Project Appleseed can help transform you from a person with a rifle into a principled and skilled Rifleman.”

Events are held in Pennsylvania as close as Slippery Rock, Quarryville, New Kensington, Beaver Falls, Palmer, Abbottstown, Finleyville and Bulger. Most events are two days. Pricing is $60, $75, $100 and $155 for one-, two-, three-day events and instructor camps, respectively. There are discounts offered for those under 18 years of age, military (active/reserve/guard), law enforcement, those disabled and period re-enactors. There are no hard and fast rules regarding age limits for shooters but rather an emphasis on safe handling practices and the ability to take a full day’s instruction. There is no requirement on caliber but .22 is recommended as a good, economical choice and some events might require the use of .22 caliber only. Check for details and other frequently asked questions on the Project Appleseed site.

While my memory might prove faulty from time to time, I am pretty sure that we may be in the good old days of shooting, right here and now. I know that I am as excited to attend an Project Appleseed as I was as a young lad with my .22 in hand, roaming the countryside. If you make it to an Appleseed event, look for me. I’ll be the old guy in the prone position with a big grin on my face. After a full day prone, I might need a hand getting back on my feet. Oh, for the good old days.