Editing National Rifle Association (section)

=={{anchor|Safety and sporting programs}}Programs==
[[File:National Firearms Museum - Inside (53890602620).jpg|thumb|Inside of the National Firearms Museum (2024)]]
The National Rifle Association owns the [[National Firearms Museum]] in [[Fairfax County, Virginia]], featuring exhibits on the evolution and history of firearms in America.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nramuseum.com/museums/national-firearms-museum.aspx|title=NRA Museums: NRA National Firearms Museum|website=www.nramuseum.com|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307060817/http://nramuseum.com/museums/national-firearms-museum.aspx|archive-date=March 7, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In August 2013, the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum opened at an expansive [[Bass Pro Shop]]s retail store in [[Springfield, Missouri]]. It displays almost 1,000 firearms, including historically significant firearms from the NRA and other collections.<ref name=Murphy130803>{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Kevin |date=August 3, 2013 |title=NRA opens Midwest museum showing nearly 1,000 firearms |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-museum-idUSBRE97207920130803 |work=Reuters |access-date=August 3, 2013 }}</ref> The NRA publishes a number of [[periodicals]] including ''[[American Rifleman]]'' and others.<ref name=NRAPubs>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrapublications.org/ |title=NRA Publications |publisher=National Rifle Association of America |access-date=June 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923095646/http://www.nrapublications.org/ |archive-date=September 23, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The NRA sponsors a range of programs about firearm safety for children and adults, including a program for school-age children, the NRA's "Eddie Eagle". The organization issues credentials and trains firearm instructors.<ref name="KBTX">{{cite news|last1=Treybig|first1=Amber|title=Local NRA Chapter highlights importance of gun safety|url=http://www.kbtx.com/content/news/Brazos-Valley-Friends-of-NRA-highlight-importance-of-gun-safety--475057893.html|access-date=April 23, 2018|work=KBTX|date=February 24, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Schultz|first1=David|title=Encyclopedia of American law and criminal justice|date=2012|publisher=Facts on File|location=New York|isbn=978-0816081455|page=628|edition=Rev.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Snia9Kt7rokC&pg=PA629}}</ref>

In 1994, following disagreements between the NRA and athletes over control of the program of Olympic [[shooting sports]], the [[US Olympic Committee]] recommended [[USA Shooting]] replace the NRA as the national [[Sport governing body|governing body]] for Olympic shooting. The NRA dropped out just before the decision was announced, citing a lack of appreciation for their efforts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-08-sp-21671-story.html|title=Split Leaves U.S. Team Short of Its Target: Shooting: Funding is biggest problem without NRA, but group says progress is being made that may again include NRA|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 8, 1995|last1=Dohrmann|first1=George}}</ref>

The NRA supports marksmanship training as well as hosting the National Rifle and Pistol Matches at [[Camp Perry]], events which are described by the El Paso Times as "America's world series of competitive shooting".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Meili |first1=Launi |title=Rifle - Steps to Success |date=2008 |publisher=Human Kinetics |isbn=9781492584063}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Golob |first1=Julie |title=Shoot - Your Guide to Shooting and Competition |date=2012 |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing, Simon & Schuster |isbn=9781626366077}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Standifird|first=S.L.|title=Making his mark: El Paso sergeant member of winning national rifle team|url=http://www.elpasotimes.com/communities/ci_16097464|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122070420/http://www.elpasotimes.com/communities/ci_16097464|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 22, 2013|newspaper=[[El Paso Times]]|access-date=October 9, 2010|date=September 17, 2010|quote=The national matches are considered America's World Series of competitive shooting and have been a tradition at Camp Perry since 1907}}</ref>

In 2014 the NRA temporarily moved the National Smallbore Matches to [[Bristol, Indiana]] in advance of Camp Perry hosting the 2015 [[Palma Match]] (Long Range World Championships).<ref>{{cite web |author1=Elwood Shelton |title=NRA Smallbore National Championship Temporarily Changing Venues |url=https://gundigest.com/more/how-to/smallbore-national-championship-temporarily-changing-venues |website=GunDigest |access-date=1 August 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201001001226/https://gundigest.com/more/how-to/smallbore-national-championship-temporarily-changing-venues |archive-date=October 1, 2020 |language=en-US |date=October 29, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015 it was announced the change was permanent.<ref>{{cite web |title=NRA Smallbore Rifle Championships Staying in Indiana |url=https://www.nrablog.com/articles/2015/11/nra-smallbore-rifle-championships-staying-in-indiana/ |website=NRABlog |publisher=National Rifle Association of America |access-date=1 August 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20180402205732/https://www.nrablog.com/articles/2015/11/nra-smallbore-rifle-championships-staying-in-indiana/ |archive-date=April 2, 2018 |language=en-US |date=November 5, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NRA Smallbore Nationals Move Permanently to Indiana |url=https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2015/11/nra-smallbore-nationals-move-permanently-to-indiana/ |website=AccurateShooter.com |access-date=1 August 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20160722082159/https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2015/11/nra-smallbore-nationals-move-permanently-to-indiana/ |archive-date=July 22, 2016 |language=en-US |date=November 9, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The move drew criticism from shooters as the Bristol ranges lacked affordable accommodation, trade stands per Camp Perry's "Commercial Row", or even interest from the NRA - whose own publications had only reported on the Camp Perry matches.<ref>{{cite web |author1=William Dutton |title=Open letter to NRA Competitions Division |url=http://williamdutton.com/open-letter-to-the-nra.html |website=williamdutton.com |access-date=1 August 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20150930232355/http://williamdutton.com/open-letter-to-the-nra.html |archive-date=September 30, 2015 |language=en-US |url-status=dead}}</ref> A fall in participant numbers led to the foundation of the American Smallbore Shooting Association in 2016 as an apolitical match organiser to address the NRA's perceived lack of interest in smallbore competition shooting.<ref>{{cite web |title=About - ASSA |url=https://www.americansmallbore.com/about.html |website=Americ |publisher=American Smallbore Shooting Association |access-date=1 August 2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240704164558/https://www.americansmallbore.com/about.html |archive-date=July 4, 2024 |language=en-US |url-status=live}}</ref>

The National Rifle Association maintains ties with other organizations such as the [[Boy Scouts of America]] and [[4-H]] and contributes to youth shooting programs.<ref>{{cite news|title=National: 11 facts about the NRA|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/11-facts-about-the-nra/2012/07/24/gJQANYcM7W_gallery.html#photo=11|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=February 2, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Keilman |first1=John |title=Rising popularity of trap shooting heralds the return of high school firearm sports |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-high-school-clay-target-shooting-20210514-672baattazgpfelaw7qvj7nvqm-story.html |access-date=October 4, 2021 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |date=May 14, 2021}}</ref>

The NRA hosts annual meetings. The 2018 meeting was held on May 3 in Dallas, Texas. More than 800 exhibitors and 80,000 people attended the event, making it the largest in NRA history. President Donald Trump and Vice President [[Mike Pence]] addressed attendees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/05/04/trump-and-pence-nra-conference/580716002/|title=Live stream: President Trump and Vice President Pence speak at annual NRA Convention|website=USA Today}}</ref>