By GINNY COOPER / Staff Writer

CALERA—Project Appleseed will offer a rifle marksmanship clinic June 21-22 at Double Tap Training Grounds LLC.

Project Appleseed is an activity of the Revolutionary War Veterans Association, a non-profit organization that seeks to educate others about the sacrifices made for the country’s independence, and is dedicated to teaching American heritage and history as well as foundational rifle marksmanship skills in a family-friendly environment.

“You get to spend time with your family in a historical and fun environment,” Double Tap Training Grounds owner Kim Phillips said.

Participants are taught skills that help a rifleman to be accurate out to 400 yards, with iron sights, standard rifle and surplus ammunition. Participants are competing to be “expert riflemen,” a designation earned by scoring 250 points through answering questions about Paul Revere’s famous ride and successfully completing target shooting, Phillips said.

Sign-in for the two-day clinic begins at 7:45 a.m. June 21. The clinic starts at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until 5 p.m. both days.

Most of the instruction at a Project Appleseed event is conducted on the firing range at 25 meters, at scaled targets to simulate shooting out to 400 yards. Participants should bring their own ear and eye protection, rifle with sling and ammunition, rifle mat, bug repellent, hat, sunscreen, a packed lunch, snacks, drinks and plenty of water to stay hydrated.

A .22 caliber rifle is recommended due to the cost of ammunition, but students are welcome to use a centerfire rifle. Both scoped and iron sight rifles are welcome. About 200 rounds of ammunition will be needed per day.

Sign-in for the two-day clinic begins at 7:45 a.m. June 21. The clinic starts at 8:30 a.m. and will continue until 5 p.m. both days. Marksmanship clinic fees are $60 for adults, and $20 for youth under 18. Active military, guard and reserve, law enforcement officers with ID, disabled, elected officials and revolutionary re-enactors in costume are free. Additional club range fees of $10 for the weekend apply.

Pre-registering is recommended. To register online, visit Appleseedinfo.org. For more info, contact Rusty at (256) 824-0408 or email rusty.appleseed@gmail.com.