Metro Rifle and Pistol Club at Cape Nova
On May 16, 2025, five enthusiastic members of the Metro Rifle and Pistol Club (Gary, Loren, Sidney, Olaf & Joe) traveled to the Cape Nova Rifle and Revolver Club’s range in Queensville, NS for an inspiring and educational day participating in a Project Mapleseed event.
What is Project Mapleseed?
For those unfamiliar, Project Mapleseed is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to promoting safe, responsible, and skillful rifle marksmanship among Canadians of all ages and experience levels. Founded with the mission to foster a lifelong appreciation for shooting sports, Project Mapleseed focuses primarily on .22 caliber rimfire rifles, which are ideal for beginners due to their low recoil, affordability, and accessibility.
The program is designed to be inclusive and approachable, offering structured training and certification opportunities that emphasize fundamental skills such as sight alignment, breathing control, trigger discipline, and proper shooting positions. Project Mapleseed events are held across Canada, often in collaboration with local clubs, and aim to build confidence and competence in shooters while promoting firearm safety and ethical shooting practices.
The Day’s Activities at Cape Nova
The day started with a comprehensive safety briefing, underscoring Project Mapleseed’s commitment to safe firearm handling. Following this, the fantastic expert instructors (Guy, John and Jason) guided participants through essential marksmanship techniques, including:
Shooting Positions: Prone, kneeling, and standing positions were demonstrated and practiced to help shooters find stability and consistency.
Sling Use: Instruction on how to properly use a shooting sling to improve accuracy and reduce fatigue.
Fundamental Skills: Emphasis was placed on sight alignment, breath control, and trigger squeeze-key elements that separate a good shot from a great one.
These sessions were designed not only to improve shooting skills but also to instill a deeper understanding of the mechanics and discipline involved in marksmanship.
Celebrating Excellence: Olaf’s and Mike’s Achievement
A special congratulations goes to our own member Olaf from the St. Peters area, who distinguished himself by earning the coveted Rifleman Certification – the only participant to do so that day. This certification is awarded by Project Mapleseed to shooters who demonstrate proficiency in all fundamental skills and consistently meet or exceed accuracy standards set by the program.
Olaf’s achievement is a testament to his dedication, steady hand, and “the quality of training, profound advice and useful tips provided by his fellow club members” 😁
His success was met with enthusiastic cheers from both participants and instructors, inspiring all present to continue striving for excellence.
The next day the course was held again and Mike Kelly, our club president, showed his excellent and versatile shooting skills. Not only did he obtain a Rifleman Badge, he also was awarded the highly sought after Elite Rifleman badge! Mike’s “score” tied the Canadian Mapleseed record that is held by a young lady in Alberta. Mike shot a 247 and a 248 out of a possible 250! Congratulations Mike!
Why Project Mapleseed Matters
Project Mapleseed plays a vital role in the Canadian shooting community by:
Encouraging Safe Firearm Use: Through rigorous safety protocols and education.
Making Marksmanship Accessible: Providing affordable and beginner-friendly training.
Building Community: Connecting shooters across regions and skill levels.
Supporting Youth and New Shooters: Offering pathways for young people and novices to develop skills in a structured, supportive environment.
If you’re interested in learning more about Project Mapleseed or joining future events, please visit their official websites:
Project Mapleseed Homepage: https://mapleseedrifleman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapleseedrifleman/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/876956559007450
This event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19RqobqC17/
Cape Nova Rifle and Revolver Club: https://www.capenova.com/
Photo Gallery
Photos: Courtesy of Mapleseed Project, Olaf Kuehlmann, Loren Pemberton