The NRA was founded on
November 17,
1871, by two
Union Army officers, Col.
William C. Church and Gen.
George Wingate, who were upset with the poor marksmanship of their troops. In a magazine editorial written by Church, he stated their primary goal was "providing firearms training and encouraging interest in the shooting sports".
[1] From 1873 to 1892, the NRA operated a rifle range at
Creedmoor in
Queens Village, New York, where
National Guardsmen were trained and international competitions were held. Civil War Gen.
Ambrose Burnside, also a former Rhode Island governor and U.S. Senator, was the first NRA president.
[1] Former
President Ulysses S. Grant was elected eighth president of the National Rifle Association in
1883.
[2] Other Union generals, including
Phillip H. Sheridan and
Winfield Scott Hancock also served as president at various times.
In 1934, the NRA formed its "Legislative Affairs Division". While it did not directly lobby until the formation of the Institute for Legislative Action (
NRA-ILA) in 1975, it did mail out legislative analyses and facts to its members, so they could take action themselves. During
World War II, the NRA reloaded ammunition used for guarding factories involved in wartime production, and sought to help arm Britain against potential invasion with the collection of over 7,000 firearms for that country's defense.
[1]
In May 1977, the NRA began a rightward shift after controversy erupted within the organization over the possibility of banning "
Saturday night specials." In the so-called "Cincinnati Revolt", more than 2,000 NRA members met in the Cincinnati Convention-Exposition Center until nearly 4 AM.
[3] Harlon Carter, a member of the NRA's Executive Council who had been fired as political action director, was elected the new leader of the NRA. He announced:
Beginning in this place and at this hour, this period in NRA history is finished. There will be no more civil war in the National Rifle Association.
[4] Since this change, the NRA has consistently opposed any proposed legislation that purports to limit access to guns by law-abiding citizens. However, they do strongly support some laws restricting access to guns by criminals (notably
Project Exile in
Richmond, Virginia). The shift also resulted in the ouster of at least one board member who "was told this is a single-purpose organization" after he expressed support for strong wilderness preservation.
[5]
The NRA publishes several magazines. The organization's official journal is
American Rifleman.
American Hunter was added in 1973, detailing hunting tactics, locations, and gear.
American Guardian, created in 1997, originally focused on self-defense and recreational issues; in 2000, it was renamed
America's 1st Freedom and now covers legislative and political topics.
Women's Outlook addresses home security, personal protection, and programs like "Women on Target" and "Refuse to Be A Victim"
[6] (
Women's Outlook ceased publication in the Summer of 2006. Its editorial content was merged into
America's 1st Freedom).
In 1990, the NRA Foundation, a
501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, was established to fund gun safety and educational projects.
The NRA has served in a variety of roles over its existence. Besides its political functions, it has been — at various times and in various degrees — an organizer of shooting competitions; a general promoter of marksmanship and firearms safety; an advocate for gun owners, collectors and sportsmen; and an umbrella body for the many local and regional clubs involved in the various firearms-related hobbies.
