Editing National Rifle Association (section)

===Early history===
[[File:William Conant Church.JPG|thumb|upright|[[William Conant Church]], one of the NRA's founders]]
A few months after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] began in 1861, a national rifle association was proposed by Americans in England. In a letter that was sent to President [[Abraham Lincoln]] and published in ''[[The New York Times]]'', R.G. Moulton and R.B. Perry recommended forming an organization similar to the [[National Rifle Association (United Kingdom)|National Rifle Association]] in Britain, which had formed a year and a half earlier. They suggested making a shooting range, perhaps on the base on [[Staten Island]], and were offering [[Whitworth rifle]]s for prizes for the first shooting competition with those rifles. They suggested a provisional committee to start the Association which would include: President Lincoln, Secretary of War, officers, and other prominent New Yorkers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1861/08/09/archives/a-national-rifle-association-patriotic-action-of-americans-residing.html|title=A National Rifle Association.; Patriotic Action of Americans Residing Abroad|date=August 9, 1861|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 13, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/mal.1025500/?st=gallery|title=Abraham Lincoln papers: Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833–1916: R.B. Perry and R.G. Moulton to Abraham Lincoln, Wednesday, June 12, 1861 (Loyal Americans in Europe volunteer services)|work=The Library of Congress|access-date=April 13, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1861/09/09/archives/prize-rifles-a-note-from-patriotic-americans-in-england.html|title=Prize Rifles A Note from Patriotic Americans in England|date=September 9, 1861|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 13, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The ''National Rifle Association of America'' was chartered in the [[State of New York]] on November 17, 1871<ref name=incorporation>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1871/09/17/archives/the-national-rifle-association.html |title=The National Rifle Association |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 17, 1871 |quote=A meeting of the National Rifle Association was held in the Seventh Regiment armory yesterday, Gen. J.P. Woodward, of the second Division, presided, and Col. H.G. Shaw officiated as Secretary. Articles of association were presented and adopted. The incorporators are composed of forty prominent officers and ex-officers of the National Guard. Membership in the Association is to be open to all persons interested in the promotion of the rifle practice. Regiments and companies in the National Guard are entitled by the by-laws to constitute all their regular members in good standing members of the Association on the payment of one-half of the entrance fees and annual dues.}}</ref><ref name=NRABriefHist/> by ''[[Army and Navy Journal]]'' editor [[William Conant Church]] and Captain [[George Wood Wingate]]. On November 25, 1871, the group voted to elect its first corporate officers. Union Army Civil War General [[Ambrose Burnside]], who had worked as a [[Rhode Island]] [[gunsmith]], was elected [[List of presidents of the National Rifle Association|president]].<ref name= firstelection>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/93095681/ Meeting of the National Rifle Association Election of Officers]". ''The New York Times''. November 25, 1871. p. 3.</ref> When Burnside resigned on August 1, 1872,<ref>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/534107672/ Notes of the Day]". ''The New York Times''. August 1, 1872. p. 3.</ref> Church succeeded him as president.<ref>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/93280208/ National Rifle Association]". ''The New York Times''. August 7, 1872. p. 2.</ref>

[[Union Army]] records for the Civil War indicate that its troops fired about 1,000 rifle shots for each Confederate hit, causing General Burnside to lament his recruits: "Out of ten soldiers who are perfect in drill and the [[manual of arms]], only one knows the purpose of the [[Iron sight|sights]] on his gun or can hit the broad side of a barn."<ref>Bellini, Jason (December 20, 2012). [https://www.wsj.com/video/a-brief-history-of-the-nra/3DDF033D-26D7-4979-B5CC-C995CF99467D.html#!3DDF033D-26D7-4979-B5CC-C995CF99467D "A Brief History of the NRA"]. ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.</ref><ref>Achenbach, Joel; Higham, Scott; Horwitz Sari (January 12, 2013). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-nras-true-believers-converted-a-marksmanship-group-into-a-mighty-gun-lobby/2013/01/12/51c62288-59b9-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_story.html "How NRA's true believers converted a marksmanship group into a mighty gun lobby"]. ''[[The Washington Post]]''</ref><ref name="craige">Craige, John Houston ''The Practical Book of American Guns'' (1950) Bramhall House pp. 84–93</ref> The generals attributed this to the use of volley tactics, devised for earlier, less accurate [[smoothbore]] muskets.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/timeline-of-the-nra/2013/01/12/351bcb26-5b9c-11e2-beee-6e38f5215402_story.html "Timeline of the NRA"], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', January 12, 2013.</ref><ref name=Kerr1990>{{cite thesis |first=Richard E. |last=Kerr |title=Wall of Fire – The Rifle and Civil War Infantry Tactics |url=http://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a227467.pdf |publisher=US Army Command and General Staff College |year=1990 |access-date=April 29, 2012 |archive-date=December 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201004755/http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a227467.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Ambrose Burnside State House portrait.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Ambrose Burnside]], [[Union Army]] general, [[Governor of Rhode Island]], and first president of the NRA]]
Recognizing a need for better training, Wingate sent emissaries to Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany to observe militia and armies' marksmanship training programs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Excerpt: How Canadians helped create the NRA|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2015/12/20/how-canadians-helped-create-the-nra.html|first1=A.J. |last1=Somerset|date=December 20, 2015|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]] }}</ref> With plans provided by Wingate, the New York Legislature funded the construction of a modern [[Shooting range|range]] at [[Creedmoor Rifle Range|Creedmoor]], [[Long Island]], for long-range shooting competitions. The range officially opened on June 21, 1873.<ref name= grandopening>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/93350525/ America's Wimbledon: The Inauguration]". ''The New York Times''. June 22, 1873. p. 5.</ref> The [[Central Railroad of Long Island]] established a railway station nearby, with trains running from [[Hunterspoint Avenue (LIRR station)|Hunter's Point]], with connecting boat service to [[34th Street (Manhattan)|34th Street]] and the [[East River]], allowing access from New York City.<ref name= rangeopen>"[https://www.proquest.com/docview/93326235/ The National Rifle Association]". ''The New York Times''. June 12, 1873. p. 5.</ref> <!-- At the time, Queens was not yet part of New York City. -->

After beating England and Scotland to win the [[Elcho Shield]] in 1873 at [[Wimbledon, London#Rifle shooting|Wimbledon]], <!-- please check the linked article before changing. -->then a village outside London, the Irish Rifle Team issued a challenge through the ''[[New York Herald]]'' to riflemen of the United States to raise a team for a long-range match to determine an Irish-American championship.<ref name="irishamerican">{{cite web |author1=David Minshall |title=Creedmoor and the International Rifle Matches |url=http://www.researchpress.co.uk/index.php/marksmanship/creedmoor/creedmoor-and-the-international-rifle-matches |website=Research Press |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025025428/http://www.researchpress.co.uk/index.php/marksmanship/creedmoor/creedmoor-and-the-international-rifle-matches |archive-date=October 25, 2017 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref> A team was organized through the subsidiary ''Amateur Club of New York City''.<ref name="irishamerican"/> [[Remington Arms]] and [[Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company]] produced [[breech-loading weapon]]s for the team.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Breechloading Sharps: History & Performance |url=https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-breechloading-sharps-history-performance/ |website=[[American Rifleman]] |publisher=National Rifle Association of America |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725030821/https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/the-breechloading-sharps-history-performance/ |archive-date=July 25, 2021 |language=en-US |date=May 21, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Although [[muzzle-loading rifle]]s had long been considered more accurate, eight American riflemen won the 1874 Irish-American Match firing breech-loading rifles. Publicity of the event generated by the ''New York Herald'' helped to establish breech-loading firearms as suitable for military marksmanship training, and promoted the NRA to national prominence.<ref name="craige"/>

In 1875, the NRA issued a challenge for an international rifle match as part of the 1876 Centennial celebrations of the founding of the nation.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Paul Nordquist |title=Origin of the Palma Trophy and Matches |url=https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2016/11/7/origin-of-the-palma-trophy-and-matches |website=Shooting Sports USA |publisher=National Rifle Association of America |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305122810/https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2016/11/7/origin-of-the-palma-trophy-and-matches |archive-date=March 5, 2018 |language=en-US |date=November 7, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Australia, Ireland, Scotland and Canada accepted the challenge, and the Centennial Trophy was commissioned from [[Tiffany & Co.]] (later known as the "Palma Trophy").<ref>{{cite web |author1=David Minshall |title=Creedmoor and the International Rifle Matches - Events|url=http://www.researchpress.co.uk/index.php/marksmanship/creedmoor/creedmoor-and-the-international-rifle-matches?start=1 |website=Research Press |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617234821/http://www.researchpress.co.uk/index.php/marksmanship/creedmoor/creedmoor-and-the-international-rifle-matches?start=1 |archive-date=June 17, 2019 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref> The United States won the 1876 match, and the [[Palma Match]] went on to be contested every four years as the World Long Range Rifle Championships.<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://icfra.com/history/ |website=International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations |date=September 8, 2022 |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224160503/https://icfra.com/history/ |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |language=en |quote=ICFRA is a confederation of independent autonomous national fullbore rifle associations and is the only World-wide body for the promotion of fullbore rifle shooting. It is the successor to the Palma Match Council. Its aims are set out in the Constitution and include the standardisation of fullbore rifle shooting rules and the promotion and control of international matches at World level, including World Championships for Target rifle and F-Class (Individual and Team). |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Historic Palma Match Results 1876-2015 |url=https://icfra.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Palma_Match_summary_results.pdf |website=International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations |access-date=May 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224160325/https://icfra.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Palma_Match_summary_results.pdf |archive-date=February 24, 2023 |date=August 30, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

====Rifle clubs====
[[File:PresidentUSGrantVignette.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Ulysses S. Grant]] served as President of the NRA from 1883 (six years after he left office) to 1884.]]
The NRA organized rifle clubs in other states, and many state National Guard organizations sought NRA advice to improve members' marksmanship. Wingate's marksmanship manual evolved into the United States Army marksmanship instruction program.<ref name="craige"/> Former president [[Ulysses S. Grant]] served as the NRA's eighth president and General [[Philip H. Sheridan]] as its ninth.<ref name=NRA2479>{{cite web |url=http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/NewsReleases.aspx?ID=2479 |title=The 'Academy' Must Now Share Michael Moore's Cinematic Shame |publisher=National Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action |date=March 27, 2003 |access-date=November 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203095618/http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/NewsReleases.aspx?id=2479 |archive-date=December 3, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The US Congress created the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice in 1901 to include representatives from the NRA, National Guard, and United States military services. A program of annual rifle and pistol competitions was authorized, and included a national match open to military and civilian shooters. In 1907, NRA headquarters moved to Washington, D.C. to facilitate the organization's advocacy efforts.<ref name="craige" /> [[Springfield Armory]] and [[Rock Island Arsenal]] began the manufacture of [[M1903 Springfield]] rifles for civilian members of the NRA in 1910.<ref name=Canfield2008>{{cite journal |last=Canfield |first=Bruce N. |date=September 2008 |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |title=To promote marksmanship ... 'N.R.A.'-marked M1903 rifles |volume=156 |issue=9 |pages=72–75}}</ref> The [[Director of Civilian Marksmanship|director of civilian marksmanship]] began manufacture of [[M1911 pistol]]s for NRA members in August 1912.<ref name=Ness1983>{{cite journal |last=Ness |first=Mark |date=June 1983 |journal=[[American Rifleman]] |title=American Rifleman |page=58}}</ref> Until 1927, the [[United States Department of War]] provided free ammunition and targets to civilian rifle clubs with a minimum membership of ten United States citizens at least 16 years of age.<ref>{{cite book |last=Camp |first=Raymond R. |title=The Hunter's Encyclopedia |publisher=Stackpole and Heck |year=1948 |location=Harrisburg, PA |page=599}}</ref>