Hello Hugh,
Just wanted to offer this information about the availability of .22LR ammo for training purposes for youth under 18. As many readers of the blog are aware, the Appleseed Project [1] is a leader in rifle marksmanship education and telling the story of the history, choices, and sacrifices made by the men and women of the founding generation on April 19th, 1775 (first battle of the Revolutionary War). The value of the knowledge gained, both in practical skill gain using a rifle and in increased knowledge of our shared heritage, cannot be overstated, with the price for a weekend of instruction at only $60 for adults , $20 for youth, and free for active military, law enforcement, and elected officials.
For the last year or so, however, attendance at Appleseed shoots nationwide has plateaued to some extent, due in large part to the difficulty in obtaining .22LR ammo. (For time’s sake most of the shooting takes place at 25 meters using scaled down targets representing ranges out to 400 meters.) This year thanks to grants from Federal and CCI ammunition makers, many state Appleseed chapters now have access to .22 ammo for use by youth (under 18) shooters at Appleseed events. If you know any young people who would benefit from hearing the stories of the founding of this country and learning the safe and effective use of a rifle, there has never been a better time, since with their ammo more available, it is that much less you need to scrounge for your own use! Just make sure you contact your local state Appleseed coordinator [2] prior to signing up to make sure there will be ammo for you at the shoot you wish to attend.
The Appleseed Project is the primary focus of the Revolutionary War Veteran’s Association, a 501(c)3 education non-profit. – J.S.