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History of the National Rifle Association
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The Beginning
Col. William C. Church and George Wingate began the idea to "promote and encourage rifle shooting" (www.howstuffworks.com) and target practice. This was the beginning of the idea for the National Rifle Association. -
National Rifle Association Chartered
New York granted the National Rifle Association a charter. This was the official beginning of the interest group, the National Rifle Association. -
Creed Farm funded by New York for National Rifle Association
In 1872 New York helped fund practice grounds established on Long Island, to be used for range activities. -
National Rifle Association Had To Move
Due to opposition to the National Rifle Association and the range activities the Creed Farm was gifted back to the state in 1892, and the base for the National Rifle Association moved to Sea Girt New Jersey. This became the permanent home of the NRA. -
Started to reach out to youth chartering clubs
In 1903 the National Rifle Association started to reach out to youth and chartering clubs at colleges, and military acedemics, and overall promoted the benefits of marksmanship. -
National Firearms Act Passed
Due to the gangster era, and machine guns, the National Firearm Act passed, which limited types of guns allowed to be owned. This act placed restrictions on machine guns such as the "Tommy Gun" and other large capacity automatic weapons. -
Hunting Safety and New York
In 1949 the National Rifle Association (working with New York State) created the first Hunter Education Course, to try to promote gun safety and education. This is now managed by the state "Fish and Game departments" (http://www.nrahq.org/history.asp) across the country. -
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Gun Control Act
This gun bill passed in june of 1968, and limited the sales of guns, making it so that felons, drug addicts and those deemed mentally unfit. This is still regulated today by the Bureau of Alchohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. -
The Beginning of Politics and the NRA
Due to the National Firearm Act and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act the National Rifle Association felt it necessary to ban together and create a politics and lobbying based "arm" or sub group of the NRA, to work to protect American's rights under the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which protects the right to bear arms. -
Eddie Eagle (R) Gun Safety Program
In 1988 the National Rifle Association helped to create the Eddie Eagle (R) Gun Safety Program that teaches kids from younger than kindergarten to third grade to not touch guns, and find an adult. This program helps educate children that guns are not toys and states: "STOP. DON'T TOUCH. LEAVE THE AREA. TELL AN ADULT." (http://www.nrahq.org/history.asp) -
Non-Profit Foundation For Gun Education
In 1990 the National Rifle Association established the NRA Foundation, which is a non-profit fund specifically for gun education and safety for all of the public. (http://www.nrahq.org/history.asp) -
Membership At All Time Highs!
In May of 2013 the National Rifle Association had more than 5 million members, and continues to grow. The interest group is still growing, and still offers gun safety training and education to all who are willing to listen.
