Register today for the 2009 Women's Wilderness Escape

Registration is open for the 2009 Women's Wilderness Escape!

Scheduled this year for September 24 - October 2, 2009, the Escape provides women 18 and older with a nine-day "get away" opportunity to experience the softer side of firearm education.

If you need any persuasion that this trip is one you should take, check out the 2008 Women's Wilderness Escape Scrapbook. The inaugural attendees enjoyed a wide spectrum of activities, from silhouettes on the range to archery in the field.

Spots are expected to fill quickly, so request your information and registration form today! Grab a friend or a relative or go alone and make friends there.

Women On Target® see increase in participation

2008 has been a good year for the NRA's Women On Target® Program!

Program Coordinator Beth Hellman brings us the following update:

We have had a record-breaking number of Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics so far this year — 239 — and a record-breaking number of participants — more than 7,000!

To learn more about how Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics can help clubs, click here. To request a Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic Guidebook, contact us online or call 800-861-1166 for more information.

The above photograph is from a clinic held at Coon Creek, California, directed by Patricia McLelland-Merydith. To have a photo from your clinic posted on the blog, e-mail it to Danielle at dsturgis@nrahq.org!

2009 LEAD Instructor Schools are online

As an organization, the NRA has been providing firearms training, competition, and safety programs since its inception in 1871. The Law Enforcement Activities Division has trained more than 50,000 law enforcement firearm instructors in the past 45 years.

2009 Law Enforcement Instructors Development Schools are now posted online. Don't wait too long to register as spots fill up quickly.

Courses are offered in the following disciplines:

• Handgun Instructor
  
• Handgun / Shotgun Instructor
  
• Tactical Shooting Instructor
  
• Tactical Shotgun Instructor
  
• Patrol Rifle Instructor
  
• Select-Fire Instructor
  
• Precision Rifle Instructor

If you have questions, call (703) 267-1640 or e-mail Lead@nrahq.org.

Tips for Safer Holiday Shopping

Refuse To Be A Victim®, the nation's premiere safety program for men and women, operates on the premise that the most important step to ensuring your personal safety is making the decision to refuse to be a victim. That means having an overall personal safety strategy in place before you need it.

Through a three to four hour seminar, Refuse To Be A Victim® participants learn the personal safety tips and techniques needed to avoid dangerous situations and avoid becoming a victim.

Just in time for the madness of holiday shopping, the Refuse To Be A Victim® staff has gathered a list of tips for safer holiday shopping:

• Shop with a friend, and shop during busy hours. If you must travel alone, let someone know your schedule. Carry a charged cell phone with you.



• Keep your car keys easily accessible, or in your hands, to and from the parking lot. If you have a panic or alarm button on your keypad, keep your finger near the button. Lock your door immediately after entering your car.



• Park in an open, well-lit area. Ask a mall security guard to escort you to your car. Be aware that a criminal may be following you back to your car, so be especially vigilant in parking lots. Walk with confidence and strength.



• Be aware of your surroundings. Criminals look for an easy victim who is preoccupied or easily distracted. Take time to scan your surroundings and make quick eye contact with people you see.



• Carry only one credit card. Make a copy of all of your ID and credit information and keep it in a safe place at home. Don’t flash your cash.



• Dress comfortably, and wear shoes that allow you to move quickly.



• Keep your arms free. Carrying a lot of packages, a large purse, or other items makes you a target.



• Trust your instincts. Be vocal. Yell and catch people’s attention if you think someone may be up to no good. Be specific. Yell in your loudest voice, “Back off!” “Go away!” or “Leave me alone!” It’s better to make a scene — even if you are wrong — than to be a victim.



• Don’t reveal personal information about your holiday plans or travel schedule in public. If you are talking over a cell phone, for example, be aware that others are listening.



• Protect your identity and your credit information. Verify the security of online sites you visit. Don’t reveal personal information over the phone or in public. Holiday scams may include telemarketing ploys, fake charities, and prize drawings, and other means of identity theft. For example, no one needs your Social Security information.

Look for a Refuse to Be a Victim® seminar near you to learn the comprehensive program.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From everyone here in General Operations at the NRA — including the National Firearms Museum, the Education and Training Division, the Competitive Shooting Division, the NRA Range, the Law Enforcement Activities Division, Friends of NRA, NRA Clubs and Associations, and the Media Relations Division — a very happy Thanksgiving!

Above, Andrea Cerwinske, our Deputy Executive Director, poses with a turkey she harvested during a Women On Target® hunt last March. For more information on future hunts, look here.

Winchester Qualification Program

The Winchester/NRA Qualification Program has courses of fire designed to take shooters from beginning skill levels (Pro-Marksman, Marksman) through intermediate levels (Marksman 1st Class, Sharpshooter, Expert) up to a nationally recognized skill level — Distinguished Expert — the pinnacle of the program.

By the time a shooter completes the Distinguished Expert rating, he or she has attained a proficiency level paralleling that of a competitively classified Sharpshooter.

After you take the basic NRA safety course and are comfortable with your firearm of choice, the Winchester/NRA Qualification Program will help you stay motivated and advance your skills.

For more information, visit the website or call the NRA Qualification Coordinator at (703) 267-1505.

Friends events this week

The Friends of NRA's events are coming to a conclusion for the year, with more banquets planned for 2009.

12/11/2008
Wardsville, Missouri

12/12/2008
Madison Lake, Minnesota

As usual, we will keep you posted when the next schedule is posted!

Annual Club Awards Deadline Extended to Dec. 15

Our friends over at NRA Clubs and Associations have an update on their annual Club Awards: the deadline for submissions is now December 15, 2008, rather than the originally-scheduled December 1.

The categories are as follows:

• Outstanding Club Award - The club that has demonstrated noteworthy achievement in all aspects of club operation


• Outstanding Youth Club Award - The youth club that has demonstrated noteworthy achievement in all aspect of club operation


• Outstanding State Association Award - A State Association’s effectiveness in carrying out the purposes and objectives of the National Rifle Association in the state or territory for which the State Association is organized


• Public Service Award - Individual who most generously volunteered time and services, promoted NRA on a national level or held activities with a national impact

You can download the NRA Club Awards Application, or contact the NRA Clubs and Associations Department (800-672-2582 or clubs@nrahq.org.)

Literature from NRAstore.com

A coworker recently told me her father would be driving into Virginia for Thanksgiving and mentioned he would be bringing a pistol or two.

This reminded me of the phone calls we get about traveling with firearms. I always refer callers to our NRA Store website, which features the Traveler's Guide to Firearm Laws of the 50 States. A bargain at $12.95, the book contains the contact information for state regulatory agencies and a section outlining interstate reciprocity.

The Traveler's Guide would make a great gift for any defenders of the 2nd Amendment who take the occasional roadtrip.

The National Firearms Museum's Store has one of the broadest collections of firearms literature, but if you're not in the northern Virginia area, you can enjoy an equally wide assortment at NRAstore.com. Choose from a diverse firearms library: every book from The Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting to Charlton Heston's The Courage To Be Free.

Another excellent — and reasonably priced — gift idea is NRA: An American Legend. This hardcovered jewel has more than 300 pages, many of them featuring full-color illustrations, and is currently on sale for $14.97. Shop to your heart's content knowing 100% of NRAstore.com profits come directly to the programs of the NRA.

Historian Alexander Rose to visit NRA

Alexander Rose, a military historian and former journalist, visited the National Firearms Museum as part of his research for writing American Rifle: A Biography (FSB, 2008).

He returns to the Museum next month to talk about the book with Senior Curator Doug Wicklund. The NRA's Indoor Range will allow Wicklund and Rose to fire a variety of rifles.

Rose says his book draws on the words of soldiers, inventors, and presidents and encompasses the Revolution to the present day to present an "entertaining history of this most essential firearm and its place in American culture."

In an article titled "Who Put the Rifle into the National Rifle Association?" at the History News Network, Rose writes

Why is the National Rifle Association called the National Rifle Association? It seems an odd choice considering the organization's commitment to the Second Amendment, which refers broadly to "arms," not rifles, that require keeping and bearing. Wouldn't it make more sense for the NRA to call itself the National Firearms Association or the National Gun Association? Rifle comes across as a little ... exclusionary. I mean, what about all those millions of pistol and shotgun owners?

At least that's what I naively thought before I began writing American Rifle: A Biography. As it happens, there are very sound reasons, rooted in its foundation in 1871, for the NRA's emphasis on rifles.

Continue reading the article here.

We'll be sure and catch up with Rose himself during his visit. Stay tuned!

Barb Baird's Next Big Thing

I met Barbara Baird, pictured at left, at the NRA Bianchi Cup back in May 2008.

Formerly affiliated with the Women's Outdoor Wire, Baird is tackling a new project: the Women’s Outdoor News, or the WON. It

"is here to serve women in the outdoors by blasting information in the form of an e-mail newsletter to mailboxes worldwide. Born out of a desire to capture the energy and up-to-the-moment tactic of using the electronic age, the WON delivers the latest news about women in the outdoors, events, gear, tips and Barbara Baird’s weekly blog, Babbs in the Woods."

We think you'll like it. Pass it on to any outdoorswomen you know!

National Youth Ambassador Program

Sam Olsen started as an intern in the NRA's Youth Programs department, which is part of our Education and Training Division.

She is now a full-time program coordinator in Youth Programs. She is also the inaugural Youth Ambassador. A recent article she wrote for the NRA's InSights magazine, "NRA's National Youth Ambassador Program," explains a bit about the program:

The reason I became the Youth Ambassador is because of my shooting background. I have been shooting competitively for the past eleven years in a variety of events with some of the shooting done with the local 4H Club ...

As the National Youth Ambassador, I was able to attend several events in the summer of 2008. I had the opportunity to travel to Grand Rapids, Nebraska, to talk to the youth at the 4H Invitational. That event was such a great experience for me ...

There are a lot of youth who do not know what the shooting sports have to offer such as scholarships for college, representing the United States in the Olympics, learning about our Second Amendment, and how to safely operate a firearm ...

The Ambassador program aims to inform youth about the shooting sports and the opportunities that can be opened up.

The new InSights website offers some web exclusives in addition to featured content from the magazine. Check it out!

Gun Show THIS weekend!

Don't forget about the Gun Show at the Dulles Expo Center this weekend!

The National Firearms Museum will be there in its usual booth — one of more than 1,000 booths scheduled to display firearms at the show.

Our sources tell us the Museum staff will be there showcasing the following guns:

• The Sharps Model 1874 .45-100 rifle which shipped to Conrad & Rath in Fort Griffin, TX in 1877. This store was one of the primary outfittingpoints for buffalo hunters in Texas.



• Sharps Model 1874 rifle in .50-90, the famed "Big Fifty" cartridge, widely used by buffalo hunters. Introduced in 1875, this cartridge could hold up to 110 grains of powder and was the most powerful cartridge chambered in a Sharps rifle during the buffalo hunting period.



• A-marked Sharps Model 1874 .45-70 rifle, made during the 1879 to 1882 period. 700 of these were built from leftover parts and sold at a discount as the Sharps Company began to decline.



• Sharps Model 1874 military rifle in .45-70. This rifle, complete with a diary from the owner, was used by a market hunter in Montana and theDakotas to supply meat to railroad crews.

National Firearms Museum + Museum Store Offer Extended Holiday Hours

The National Firearms Museum and Museum Store are pleased to offer extended hours for the holiday season. New hours of operation are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays.

Museum Director Jim Supica implemented the plan as a way to attract more visitors to the Museum, which currently sees some 40,000 people a year through its doors. He sees the holiday season as an important time for the Museum: "Of special significance at Thanksgiving is the Mayflower Gun, which is just inside the entrance of the Museum," Supica said. "This wheellock musket, brought to America by John Alden on the Mayflower, is a national treasure, believed to be the only known surviving Pilgrim firearm."

While you're at the Museum, be sure to stop by the Museum Store! Store Manager Benjamin Van Scoyoc keeps a fresh rotation of NRA logo and collector items. Check out the enormous array of books and gun-specific literature.

The store is currently packed with goodies perfect for holiday gift-giving. Pictured below are the ever-popular multicolored shotgun shell light strands, sold at $24.95 per package; NRA teddy bears at $5.95 each; ornaments priced at $5.95 and $6.95; a wooden chest which sells for $89.95; and a made-in-the U.S.A. NRA logo T-shirt priced at $21.95.

T-Day minus one week

In celebration of Thanksgiving, the Administrators of General Operations gathered in the NRA Cafe to sling plates full of turkey breast, traditional stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Pictured above, left to right: Andrea Cerwinske, Beth Donaldson, Patty Burt, and Kayne Robinson.

If you're in the greater Fairfax area, stop on in! The NRA Cafe serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.

NRA Postal Matches

Ever heard of NRA Postal Matches?

No worries if not. We have an update from NRA Postal Program Coordinator Dian Bullock in our Competitive Shooting Division that will answer any questions you might have.

NRA Postal Matches are competitive shooting activities in which participants fire a stated course of fire on their home ranges. Witnesses are present to verify that match and safety conditions are followed. The score sheets and targets are mailed to the NRA for scores to be certified, a results bulletin prepared and awards mailed to the winners of the match.

Postal matches are ideal venues for youth shooters to build their competitive skills before actually entering formal competition, as well as excellent practice matches for the more experienced competitor.

There are a number of fraternal sponsored matches open for their members only, some of them include: JROTC cadets, VFW members, 4-H members, BSA summer camp participants, Venturing crews, DeMolay International members, Royal Rangers, and FFA members. In addition, matches for Smallbore Rifle 3- and 4-Position, Conventional and Center Fire Pistol, 3-Position Air Rifle, and Air Pistol are open to all interested individuals. Membership in the NRA is not a requirement.

A complete list of available NRA-sponsored postal matches is available on their site. If you have questions that weren't answered in Dian's update, feel free to call her at (703) 267-1482 or e-mail postals@nrahq.org.

Kayne's hunt report: Zimbabwe Cape Buffalo

Executive Director of General Operations Kayne Robinson took a trip to Zimbabwe in search of a cape buffalo. From the picture above, we see he was successful!

He wrote the following report exclusively for NRAHuntersRights.org:

I contracted for a Cape buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe through Grant Adventures, Parrish, Florida. The safari company was Ingwe Safaris, Harare, Zimbabwe, a company with long experience there. The safari covered the period June 17 through 23, 2008, which was close to the time of the Zimbabwe election and significant internal turmoil. In fact we encountered absolutely no problem on the entire hunt or related travel.

Checking-in on arrival at Harare there was a $30 fee in U.S. cash. We were met by Bill Bradford, a principal in the safari company. There was absolutely no hassle or difficulty getting through the airport with guns, ammo and equipment.

We stayed overnight at a bed & breakfast owned by friends of the safari company; the cost was $140 per person in U.S. cash.

In the morning we flew in Cessna Stationair 6 airplanes to the Dande Safari area, a little over an hour away. Flying saved time, and since this was days before the Zimbabwe election, it avoided any difficulty related to election disputes that one might encounter driving surface roads.

Murara Camp, our base, is about 100 miles north of Harare, in the Zambezi Valley. It is typical of a high quality safari camp. The permanent A-frame huts sleep two hunters each, have hot and cold water, a shower, toilet and generator lights for a couple of hours in the evening and early morning. There is an open-sided cabana for eating and a fire pit for evening socializing. Vehicle transport was reliable in the company’s good-quality Toyota trucks.

Dande Safari area is a vast expanse with terrain that looks like South Texas. It has a lot of game. We saw elephant, crocodile, lion, warthog, impala, and buffalo every day.

Continue reading here.

Friends events this week

The following cities are featuring Friends of NRA banquets for the upcoming weekend:

11/20/2008
Chesapeake, Virginia
Victoria, Texas

11/21/2008
Canby, Minnesota

11/22/2008
Kotzebue, Alaska
La Grande, Oregon
Perry, Iowa
Port Royal, South Carolina

11/25/2008
Willmar, Minnesota


Check here to find the event nearest you.

One week later: still thanking soldiers

One week ago today a group of veterans gathered at the NRA Range. See the entire slideshow here.

If you forgot to tell the veterans in your life thank you, it's never too late! An NRA membership makes a great gift for anyone, especially if you pair it with a commemorative NRA Christmas ornament or ball cap.

The National Rifle Association offers disabled veterans life memberships at a discount in addition to complimentary one-year memberships to active-duty military personnel. We'd like to encourage everyone to find a way to show appreciation for the veterans around them.

Stay tuned to NRAblog.com for details on future veterans' events, including an expanded array of activities for Veteran's Day 2009!

Happy 137th Birthday, NRA!

As though you need an excuse to eat birthday cake!

Dismayed by the lack of marksmanship shown by their troops, Union veterans Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate formed the National Rifle Association in 1871. The primary goal of the association would be to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis," according to a magazine editorial written by Church.

After being granted a charter by the state of New York on November 17, 1871, the NRA was founded. Civil War Gen. Ambrose Burnside, who was also the former governor of Rhode Island and a U.S. Senator, became the fledgling NRA's first president.

Continue reading here.

Why should kids hunt?

Yes, another link to our friends at NRA Hunters Rights.

JR Robbins has an update on PETA and its attempt to ban hunting by anyone under 18 years of age. Robbins points out that youth taught the proper respect for firearms and the outdoors through hunting learn discipline, concentration, sportsmanship, responsibility, and safety.

Here at NRAblog.com, we will soon profile some of the activities available through our Youth Programs division. Don't forget to check out the newly launched website of the NRA's youth magazine, InSights.

If you know someone under 18 who might benefit from learning more about the outdoors, encourage them to look into the NRA's Youth Hunter Education Challenge,  or YHEC.

Is your Hunting Club insured?

NRAHuntersRights.org walks hunters through a lot of situations, and one some hunters may not even know about is the question of Hunting Club insurance. More than 8,000 NRA affiliated clubs participate in the program, which offers protection if someone is injured, in addition to other benefits. Is your hunting club insured?

Because hunting clubs are involved in a potentially dangerous activity, concerns about liability should be a priority for not only the club, but the landowner as well. Despite how well the club promotes safety, it takes just one over-zealous hunter not following a safety rule or a slip on a tree stand for an accident to occur.

NRA affiliated clubs have a distinct advantage over other clubs — access to the NRA Endorsed Insurance Program. Created by the NRA and industry experts, the program is designed specifically to cover the unique exposures facing hunting clubs, providing coverage for club firearms and million dollar liability coverage.

If you or someone in your household is getting ready for hunting season, bookmark NRAHuntersRights.org and visit regularly.

Museum's Phil Schreier featured on History Channel tonight

R. Lee Ermey, aka "The Gunny" (who I was lucky enough to meet during his appearance at the National Police Shooting Championships in September), will feature the National Firearms Museum's senior curator, Phil Schreier, on the new History Channel show, Lock N Load, tonight.

Here's how the History Channel describes the show: "Ermey takes us on a fascinating ride through the pathology of the rifle: where it came from, who thought of it, who improved it, its victories, its defeats, its impact on history and where it is now."

Tune in at any of the following times:
Friday, November 14 09:00 PM
Saturday, November 15 01:00 AM
Sunday, November 16 12:00 PM
Tuesday, November 18 11:00 PM
Wednesday, November 19 03:00 AM

And check back at NRAblog.com for an overview of the episode!

Annual Club Awards deadline Dec. 1

It's time to nominate your hardworking NRA Club, Association, or individual for an NRA Club Award:

The National Rifle Association’s Clubs and Associations Program recognizes NRA Members, NRA Clubs, and State Associations for their dedication to the Second Amendment at the community and state level. Four awards are offered to acknowledge significant accomplishments achieved in areas of organization, operation and public service rendered.

The categories are as follows:

• Outstanding Club Award - The club that has demonstrated noteworthy achievement in all aspects of club operation


• Outstanding Youth Club Award - The youth club that has demonstrated noteworthy achievement in all aspect of club operation


• Outstanding State Association Award - A State Association’s effectiveness in carrying out the purposes and objectives of the National Rifle Association in the state or territory for which the State Association is organized


• Public Service Award - Individual who most generously volunteered time and services, promoted NRA on a national level or held activities with a national impact

You can download the NRA Club Awards Application, or contact the NRA Clubs and Associations Department (800-672-2582 or clubs@nrahq.org.)

Veteran's Day @ NRA Range: Photos

The NRA Range's first-ever Veteran's Day shoot was a smashing success. More than three dozen active duty and retired military stopped in between the hours of 5 and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 11, including NRA Executive Director Kayne Robinson, a retired Marine.

The Range was closed to the public, as it is every Tuesday. Special thanks to NRA Range Manager Greg Wodack for donating the use of the range.

Participants enjoyed a wide spectrum of firearms, all provided courtesy of the National Firearms Museum. Museum staff Jim Supica, Doug Wicklund, and Phil Schreier were on hand to assist.

Remington and Midway USA sent boxes of ammunition, and other donations allowed each participant to leave with a knapsack full of NRA gear. Thanks to NRA Competitions, NRA Education and Training Division, NRA Publications, and Paralyzed Veterans of America.

The entire slideshow is below. Photos are downloadable!

This week's Friends events

Is there a Friends of NRA banquet in your area this week?

11/13/2008
Hodges, South Carolina
Mason City, Iowa
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Sikeston, Missouri

11/15/2008
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Pleasanton, California
Salem, Oregon
Tooele, Utah

11/17/2008
Kearney, Nebraska

11/18/2008
Yakima, Washington

Women On Target inspires women to try hunting

The fact that five women would even want to travel to South Dakota for the first day of pheasant season is a sign that traditional hunting and shooting stereotypes are becoming a thing of the past. That shift in thinking can be attributed in large part to the success of programs aimed at getting more women involved in the shooting sports — programs like NRA's Women On Target®.

Fittingly, those five female pheasant hunters met at a Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinic this past summer at the Hudson Rod, Gun and Archery Club in Hudson, Wis. They caught the shooting bug almost immediately, shot trap together for a few weeks and became fast friends. A trip to South Dakota to try their hands at pheasant hunting seemed like a good idea, so the quintet made arrangements to stay with guide and taxidermist Don Behrns in Bruce, S.D.

"The corn had not yet been harvested, and keeping an eye out for one another was challenging enough, let alone seeing birds," said one of the hunters, Laurie Wotruba. "But great fun was had by all."

The women hunted for three days and brought home 14 birds and many stories and great memories. They all agreed hunting is very different than standing at the 16 yard line and yelling "Pull!" for the clay bird — but shooting pheasants out of the sky is nothing short of a rush!

It may not have been one of the official hunts run by Women On Target®, but for those five women, the camaraderie, thrill and sense of accomplishment were exactly the same. And like women all across the country, they’ve shown that hunting is no longer just for men.

If you’re a woman who wants to give hunting and shooting a try, visit NRA Women’s Programs at www.nrahq.org/women, or call (800) 861-1166.

Business Alliance update

Son Nguyen from NRA Field Operations brings us this update:

NRA Business Alliance members are currently taking advantage of many great benefits to help their business as well as support the NRA.

The Business Alliance program has recently expanded its benefits in order to provide businesses that support the NRA more great deals.

Companies such as Payment Alliance and Globalinx have teamed up with the NRA to provide discount services to business members on credit card processing and telecommunication services. Countless businesses have taken advantage of the great rates Lockton Risk Services has provided for liability insurance. Lockton has now added a new health insurance program for small businesses and their employees.

In addition to the savings, a percentage of the proceeds will go back the NRA to help protect your 2nd Amendment rights. Members will also be able to open accounts with Corporate Express, a Staples company to receive discounts on office supplies. FedEx will offer shipping discounts starting December 2008. All Business Alliance members will still be able to take advantage of current benefits such as a free listing on the online directory that reaches nearly four million NRA members as well as a monthly NRA magazine.

Please call 1-800-672-2582 or visit www.nraba.org for more information.

The Art Contest Judges speak...

The Media Relations Division of NRA General Operations expected the usual landslide of entries for its twenty-first annual NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest. They were not disappointed.

“Once again, we received entries from all over the nation, from the children of NRA members and from entire art classes looking to experience drawing wildlife and competing in an official contest,” Director of Media Relations Andrea Cerwinske said. “Much of our staff, and especially our intern, Kyle Jillson, has spent many hours entering data and sorting entries.”

Three NRA employees representing different divisions of the association — J.R. Robbins, the competition's founder (now editor of NRAhuntersrights.org); Harry Jaecks, Art Director of NRA Publications; and Meg Guegan, Director of Communications in the Office of Advancement — spent an afternoon serving as judges. They discussed what makes judging the Contest a challenge.

“The hardest thing is being fair. Judging is so subjective that two different judges will likely pick two different sets of winners and offer solid justifications for their decisions,” Jaecks said. “That is especially true when we have, as we did this year, such a large number of fine pieces from which to choose.”

Geugan echoes this sentiment, noting that a winning piece must combine both creativity and “outstanding technical skill.” Entries are judged on anatomical accuracy, color and detail.

“It’s exciting to see kids combining their creative skills and their interest in game animals,” J.R. Robbins said. “Many of these kids hunt, or are learning to hunt, and drawing an animal is a good way to learn game identification — a fundamental skill for any hunter.”

For information on the 2009 Youth Wildlife Art Contest, visit http://www.nrahq.org/YOUTH/wildlife.asp, call (703) 267-1595, or e-mail artcontest@nrahq.org.

2008 World Action Pistol Champions

The World Action Pistol Champions have been announced!

Check out the World Action Pistol Championship page in order to view complete results and a ton of photos.

Across the globe in New Zealand, the United States' competitive shooters have represented the nation well. So well, in fact, that all four champions are American competitors:

Open Champion: Doug Koenig, 1920-181X

Metallic Sights Champion: Vance Schmid, 1902-133X

Iron Man Champion: Bruce Piatt, 3811-321X

Ladies Champion: Helen Jeavons, 1892 147x

Chantilly Gun Show

Three short weeks from today, the National Firearms Museum and other NRA departments will be at the Dulles Expo Center, pictured above, for another chapter of The Nation's Gun Show.

Stop by the Museum's booth with your questions for our curators — I have yet to see them stumped!

The hours are:
Fri. 3 PM - 8 PM
Sat. 9 AM - 5 PM
Sun. 10 AM - 5 PM

As ever, the NRA will be set up outside the Expo Center; join the NRA or renew your membership, and you'll get free admission to the Gun Show. Otherwise, you'll pay the following:

Friday $18.00 for a 3 day pass
$12.00 each day for adults
$6.00 for teenagers 12-17
Children under 12 are FREE with a paying adult.

4H Youth Programs partner with NRA Youth Programs

Recently, the NRA Youth Programs Department met with Glenn Applebee, the new head of 4-H Youth Programs, to discuss NRA’s ongoing support of the 4-H Youth Shooting Program.

Applebee is a lifelong NRA member and shooter and was actively involved in 4-H shooting sports when he was with the cooperative extension at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

According to Applebee, 4-H recently formed a new, national-level youth shooting committee. As the two new chairpersons of that committee — Mississippi’s Suzy Holder and Michigan’s Tom Coon — settle in to their new assignments, the longstanding relationship between the NRA and 4-H shooting sports will resume.

If you know an organization that might benefit from NRA Youth Programs support, contact Youth Programs Coordinator Chip Lohman at (703)267-1550 or clohman@nrahq.org. Participating groups include American Legion posts, JROTC units, 4-H clubs, FFA chapters, and U.S. Jaycee chapters.

Read more about the benefits of joining forces with the NRA's Youth Programs department here.

World Action Pistol preliminary results

We don't know how they do things in New Zealand, and we haven't yet heard from Pistol Coordinator Tom Hughes, but some results have been posted to the Official World Action Pistol Championships website. Please consider them preliminary until Saturday's conlusion of the event.

That said, it is looking good for Team U.S.A.:

Doug Koenig is in first place for the Open Match, which is underway.

Bruce Piatt came in second place in the Metallic Sights Match.

The two American teams for the Metallic Teams Match came in first and second:

1st USA Metallic A: combined score of 3770‐279 Vadasz, R Miculek, J
2nd USA Metallic B: combined score of 3741‐239 Schmid, V Mattheyer, T


Be sure to visit their photo gallery.

Election for USAS Shooting Coach/Official Board of Directors

Our Training Department asked us to pass the word along to USAS members and NRA certified coaches reading this blog:

The election for the USAS Shooting Coach/Official Board of Directors seat is extended one week. All USAS licensed officials and USAS/NRA certified and higher level coaches that are current members of USA Shooting may vote. If you did not receive a ballot, please contact Bob Foth at 719-866-4881 or by email at Bob.Foth@usashooting.org. Ballots may be faxed to 719-866-4687, returned electronically to Bob Foth or returned by mail and postmarked no later than November 12th.

NRA members' virtual trophy gallery

The Trophy Gallery, a popular feature of NRAhuntersrights.org, is especially relevant this time of year as we enter the hunting season.

Submit your photo to huntersrights@nrahq.org to show off your harvest.

Ben Humphrey of Pownal, Maine, poses with his first deer, above, on November 1 in Pownal.

NRA Recipe of the Month: Wild Turkey Roast

The Recipe of the Month is Wild Turkey Roast, from Sugar Ferris of Arlington, Texas.

For more recipes, get a copy of the NRA Members' Wild Game Cookbook.

Camp Perry: target carrier improvement

Mike Krei, NRA's Director of Competitive Shooting, spends two months at the National Matches at Camp Perry each summer. NRAblog.com debuted at Perry of 2008 and is looking forward to a bigger and better outreach for the 2009 Matches.

Krei and his staff work on improvements to the Matches year round. He reports that the supplier of the new target carriers on Viale Range have completed modifications. "They've added new brass bushings and new wheels for much easier function," he said. "High Power Shooters at the Camp Perry Championships will find the modifications greatly improve the ease of operation."

The new carriers were built by Precision Products.

Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics slideshow

Our Women's Programs Department asked us to set up a slideshow with some pictures from 2008 Instructional Shooting Clinics around the country. We thought we'd share it here, too!

This week's Friends events

This weekend presents another array of Friends of NRA banquets:

11/6/2008
Cleveland, Texas
Hamilton, Virginia
Michigan City, Indiana
Mt. Morris, New York
Saluda, South Carolina
Shelbyville, Illinois

11/07/2008
Alliance, Nebraska
Delta, Utah
Franklin, New Hampshire
South Boston, Virginia
Susanville, California
West Warwick, Rhode Island

11/08/2008
Auburn, Washington
Bethel, Alaska
Dixon, Illinois
Evanston, Wyoming
Gardnerville, Nevada
LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Lusk, Wyoming
Mexico, Missouri
Moriarty, New Mexico

11/09/2008
Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

11/11/2008
Castroville, Texas

Veteran's Day at the NRA Range

The NRA Range is hosting our nation's veterans and active-duty military on Veteran's Day, a week from today.

Veterans and active-duty military will receive four-star treatment at the state-of-the-art indoor range. The event starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. Firearms and ammo will be provided, and a light dinner will be served. A variety of departments within General Operations are donating items, including T-shirts, coffee mugs, and baseball caps, to be handed out to participants.

"Veterans are appreciated by the NRA's four million members every day of the year, but we'd like to offer this token of gratitude on Veteran’s Day," NRA Executive Director and retired Marine Kayne Robinson said. "We are always looking for new ways to show our brave servicemen and women we care."

Don't forget to encourage your military friends to participate in the Free Membership for Active Duty Military program, and put those Veteran's Day cards in the mail. It's one week from today, after all. 

NFM's Gun of the Month: The Fastest Gun's Golden Guns

The Gun (actually, Guns) of the Month at the National Firearms Museum are these Colt Single Action Army revolvers, which belong to Bob Munden, the fastest shot alive.

These revolvers are customized with gold plating, engraving, and vertical hammer spurs to aid in speed fanning and thumbing for fast draw.


Visit the museum website for more about these guns, and the GUNS WEST! exhibit in which they're displayed.

A change for Indoor Smallbore Rifle Shooters

The following comes from H.Q. Moody in NRA's Competitive Shooting Division:

Starting in 2010, the 50-foot target, A-36, will no longer be used for sanctioned tournaments. The A-36 Target will be replaced by the NRA/USAS50 Indoor Target and will be first officially used for the 2010 National Indoor Championships that start January 1, 2010.

The 2010 NRA Smallbore Rifle Rules will reflect the change. Find information about NRA's Competitive Shooting Division's Rifle Programs here.

For more information on the rule change for Smallbore rifle, e-mail Hmoody@NRAHQ.ORG or call 703-267-1475.

NFM hosts its first Eagle Scout Court of Honor

The NRA’s National Firearms Museum was proud to host its first Eagle Scout Court of Honor on Thursday October 30, 2008. Boy Scout Zach Nobel of Fairfax Troop 50 received his coveted Eagle Scout rank badge and ribboned medal in the auditorium of NRA Headquarters following a tour of the Museum.

Senior Curator and fellow Eagle Scout (class of 1980) Phil Schreier wrote the following first-hand account exclusively for NRAblog.com:

Nearly 100 members of the Troop joined proud parents Melissa and Joseph Nobel and their guests in watching 17-year-old Zach receive the highest award offered by the nearly century-old Boy Scouts of America. Prior to the ceremony I led a 45-minute tour of the museum's 15 galleries and 85 exhibit cases.

Scoutmaster Steve Polchek presented Zach with his new rank award as well as a congratulatory letter from NRA Secretary Major E. J. Land Jr. USMC (Ret.) and a special certificate from the NRA commending Zach on achieving the highest award Scouting has to offer.

When I was 18, I was privileged to participate in the Inauguration of President Ronald Reagan. While serving as an Honor Guard of Eagle Scouts at his viewing stand, I met General of the Army Omar N. Bradley. General Bradley told me that he was “happy to see that the youth of this country is still participating in worthwhile endeavors such as Scouting.” Watching the network news, you can easily become jaded about our future until you participate in an event such as Zach’s Court of Honor. Meeting young men of quality and drive such as Zach assures us our future is in good hands. It took me nearly 30 years to fully appreciate General Bradley’s words.

The Museum welcomes opportunities to host tours for Boy Scouts and other interested youth organizations.

Scoutmasters wishing to secure a congratulatory letter and NRA Certificate of Recognition for their Eagle Scouts should write to:

NRA Secretary Major Edward J. Land Jr, USMC (Ret)
11250 Waples Mill Rd.
Fairfax, VA 22030

Please give approximately 60-90 days' notice before the Court of Honor.

NFM's Trick or Treat a success

The National Firearm Museum's first-ever Trick or Treat event was a ghoulish good time yesterday with dozens of participants enjoying the festivities. The slideshow above shows some of the decorations scattered throughout the Museum's exhibits.

Pirate Phil served donuts, apple cider, cookies, and coffee in the lobby. Other museum staff dressed as soldiers and cowboys were on hand, and NRAblog.com's ferocious mascot, Fang the puggle, made a guest appearance.

Children disguised as Transformers, witches, pumpkins, zombies, and princesses wandered through the darkened Museum, collecting candy and trinkets from pumpkins lit by glow sticks. Cobwebs and bloody handprints added to the eerie atmosphere, and a soundtrack of creepy sounds echoed throughout the galleries.

NRAblog.com is challenging Museum Director Jim Supica to outdo this year's festivities with a haunted halloween sleepover in the museum next year. We'll keep you posted!

Women On Target see increase in participation

The Women On Target® program is one of several programs in the Women's Programs Department of the NRA.

Program Coordinator Beth Hellmann has spent the past several years helping club members from across the nation to organize clinics. The program has become nationally recognized as a safe, fun way to acquire a new skill, and participation has increased 21 percent in 2008.

Hellmann offers the following commentary:

While shooting is often perceived as a male-only sport, Women On Target® proves that women enjoy it just as much as men, and for the same reason men do: It's fun!

There's nothing like the feeling of empowerment that comes with learning a new skill — especially one that is a little off the beaten track for most women. Often, women tell me that they are interested in learning to shoot because they want to learn a new sport, develop a hobby, or to learn to protect themselves.

Without training by skilled, knowledgeable instructors, that possibility is remote. Thanks to our unparalleled safety record, women know that training at NRA's Women On Target® Instructional Shooting Clinics is the best choice for them to begin their firearms education.

Additionally, Women On Target® volunteers and host clubs provide all necessary equipment for the beginner, who typically owns no firearms. This includes eye and ear protection, targets, ammunition, firearms, and most of all, a firing range. Grants may be available to defray these expenses. Clubs interested in grants should contact their NRA Field Representative or download an application.

Women On Target® is also an excellent gateway. Women who are hesitant to attend a regular NRA Basic Firearms Training course feel that Instructional Shooting Clinics are perfect for them.

We've spent much of the past two years creating new programs for women — programs that are user friendly and may even be conducted on an individual basis. This includes our Women On Target® postal match program. Women may compete with others all over the country by completing a course of fire and submitting their entries to NRA/Competitive Shooting Division.

Our new Women On Target® Marksmanship Qualification Program provides another incentive for women to continue shooting long after the clinic is over. Special patches designed with a feminine touch are available for qualified women.

We've also designed a variety of new program support materials, provided free of charge to registered clinics. In addition to providing items for the participants, we provide certificates of appreciation, red hats, and red safety vests for volunteers. After all, our program would not be possible without volunteers! This year alone, over 4,000 volunteers have made Women On Target® instructional shooting clinics possible for nearly 7,000 participants.