NRA Club Connection - Spring 2024

pg 4: 2024 NRA Gold Medal Club Award

pg 6: NRA Club Spotlight

pg 19: NRA State Association Spotlight

pg 32: NRA-ILA Update

President's Column:

Should Politicians Be Allowed To Silence Groups Like The NRA?

General Operations Update:

Shooting Sports USA - NRA's Competitive Shooting Journal

Feature Story:

2024 NRA Gold Medal Award Winners

NRA Club Spotlight

NRA Competitive Shooting Update

NRA State Association Spotlight

NRA-ILA Update

Cover Photo:

The ACM Formula for A Successful Event

NRA Program Spotlight Pg 24

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

By Charles L. Cotton President

NRA OFFICERS

*Effective, February 1, 2024

Charles L. Cotton

President

Bob Barr

First Vice President

David Coy

Second Vice President

Andrew Arulanandam Interim Executive Vice President

John Frazer

Secretary

Sonya Rowling Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

Randy Kozuch Executive Director, NRA-ILA

Should Politicians Be Allowed To Silence Groups Like The NRA?

By the time you read this, the U.S. Supreme Court should have heard oral arguments in NRA v. Vullo, a case that could have far-reaching consequences, not just for your Second Amendment rights, but also for all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans. Why? Because it could give government authorities a blank check to blacklist, and thereby attempt to silence, any political group with which they happen to disagree.

Before he resigned from office in disgrace, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed Maria Vullo to head his New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), a body with vast licensing, rulemaking, investigative and enforcement authority.

As superintendent of DFS, in 2018, Vullo issued so-called “Guidance Letters” to banking and insurance companies, calling on them to take “prompt action” to consider the “reputational risk” of doing business with the NRA.

Companies who knew what was good for them knew this was no mere friendly suggestion: Since DFS could levy multimillion-dollar fines on firms that failed to do its bidding—including companies doing business with the NRA—those companies knew that what Cuomo, Vullo and the DFS had given them in those Guidance Letters was a suggestion they couldn’t refuse.

The same day that Vullo issued those Guidance Letters, she and Cuomo—who had called NRA “the enemy”—issued a joint press release that advised, “DFS urges all insurance companies and banks doing business in New York to join the companies that have already discontinued their arrangements with the NRA ... .”

As any businessperson knows, no organization can operate without banking and insurance services. But after Vullo and Cuomo sought to blacklist the NRA, multiple firms stopped offering their services to the Association.

What was the reason for Cuomo and Vullo’s campaign against the NRA? Apparently, their biggest objection was to the NRA “promoting guns,” as they put it.

fundamental right that can mean the difference between freedom or tyranny, survival or surrender. There is no more fundamental right of free people than the right of self-defense, so speech in defense of that right should have the highest level of protection.

Former NRA President Charlton Heston said, “The Second Amendment is, in order of importance, the first amendment ... the one right that protects all the others ... the one right that allows ‘rights’ to exist at all.” But that doesn’t mean the Second Amendment doesn’t also depend on the First. Freedom of speech, freedom of association, the right to petition government for a redress of grievances, and all the other rights enshrined in the First Amendment are crucial to protecting the right to keep and bear arms.

So when Vullo and Cuomo launched their campaign to silence the NRA, the NRA filed suit to stop them. The trial court upheld our First Amendment claims, but Vullo appealed to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which dismissed our suit in 2022. Last year, we petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case, and in November the court agreed to do so.

It’s worth looking at motives here. Shortly after the NRA filed suit, Gov. Cuomo publicly reiterated that the purpose of his regulatory actions against the NRA was to “shut them down.” In 2018, Cuomo said, “If I could have put the NRA out of business, I would have done it 20 years ago.”

It’s not hard to see where this kind of abuse of power can lead. So, it’s no surprise that more than 20 “friend of the court” briefs so far have been filed supporting NRA in these proceedings, from at least 26 states, at least 18 attorneys general and dozens of organizations from across the political spectrum, from the NRA to the ACLU.

For news about your NRA, visit: nra.org and nraila.org.

Share this column online at nrapublications.org.

Now—aside from the fact that the NRA doesn’t so much “promote guns” as promote and protect the Second Amendment right to keep and bear guns—the essence of “promotion” is advocacy. Advocacy is speech. The First Amendment protects that speech—particularly and especially political speech. And no variety of speech is more political than speech in defense of a constitutionally guaranteed, God-given

As the amicus brief submitted by First Amendment Scholars concluded, “If Vullo’s tactics were permitted ... the next victim of regulatory retribution could be any organization with a message”—against conservative groups in blue states, against liberal groups in red states and everyone in between.

Free speech is a birthright that belongs to every one of us. The NRA will never surrender it!

Online Regional Report

Visit the links below to find gun shows, programs, clubs, events and training in your area.

LAW ENFORCEMENT le.nra.org

Public and private officers interested in becoming law enforcement firearm instructors should attend one of NRA’s Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor Development Schools. NRA Police Pistol Combat competition is intended to be used as an extension of an officer’s training.

GUN SHOWS

gunshows.nra.org

Dates and locations of gun shows are subject to change. Please contact the show before traveling. Discounted NRA memberships are sold through NRA recruiters. Some shows may offer free admission to people who sign up for new memberships or renewals. To become an NRA Recruiter, contact NRA Recruiting Programs at recruiter@nrahq.org

AREA SHOOTS

ssusa.org/coming-events

For more information, please contact the NRA Competitive Shooting Division at comphelp@nrahq.org

FRIENDS OF NRA friendsofnra.org

Friends of NRA events celebrate American values with fun, fellowship and fundraising for The NRA Foundation. To learn more about events in your area, visit friendsofnra.org, contact your local field representative or send an email to friends@nrahq.org.

TRAINING

refuse.nra.org | nrainstructors.org

The NRA’s Refuse To Be A Victim® program provides information on crime prevention and personal safety. To learn more about the program, visit refuse.nra.org. The most up-to-date seminar and instructor training schedule is available on the Internet by visiting nrainstructors.org, or online training is available at nraonlinetraining.org. Questions? Email to refuse@nrahq.org or by calling (800) 861-1166.

STATE ASSOCIATIONS

stateassociations.nra.org

Joining NRA-affiliated state associations supports NRA’s mission in your state. See clubs.nra.org for more information.

MEMBER SERVICE (800) 672-3888

NRASTORE.COM (888) 607-6007

5-STAR MEMBER BENEFITS

NRA Wine Club (800) 331-9754

ManageYOURiD (888) 759-7866

Medical Concierge Network (800) 352-6094

Global Rescue (800) 381-9754

NRA Travel Center NRA.HotelPlanner.com

INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

Grassroots/Legislative Hotline (800) 392-8683

OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT/ GIFT PLANNING (877) NRA-GIVE

THE NRA FOUNDATION (800) 423-6894

NRA INSTRUCTOR/ COACH FIREARM TRAINING (703) 267-1500

EDDIE EAGLE GUNSAFE PROGRAM (800) 231-0752

REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM (800) 861-1166

RECREATIONAL SHOOTING

672-6883

The “NRA Regional Report,” a service for NRA members, is an up-to-date listing of NRA conducted and/or sponsored events scheduled in your region for the current month. Call to verify event dates and locations before traveling.

INSIDE NRA | PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Shooting Sports USA, NRA’s Competitive Shooting Journal

Over the past four decades, Shooting Sports USA, the NRA’s competitive shooting journal, has been on the ring line, bringing news, match results and more to our readers. Since its beginning in 1988 as a print magazine to replace NRA’s Tournament News, Shooting Sports USA has evolved with the times, reinventing itself into multiple formats before settling into the freeto-subscribe online magazine and companion website available today.

The modern-day digital edition of Shooting Sports USA is published every month. Supporting the NRA’s mission of fostering the shooting sports at every level, Shooting Sports USA covers all shooting disciplines, features both big-name and local club shooters, highlights what gear the winners are using, provides strategies for excellence on the firing line and promotes the competitive shooting sports by maintaining an online directory of thousands of upcoming matches nationwide. Each issue also features product reviews, as well as reports from NRA-sanctioned matches and local club shoots.

Right from the start, Shooting Sports USA has been on the scene bringing you coverage from major competitive shooting events such as the National Matches, the NRA Silhouette Nationals and the NRA National Police Championships, the Olympic Games, ISSF World Cups, the NCAA Rifle Championships, major clay target shoots and countless other competitions.

The Shooting Sports USA website at SSUSA.org is updated daily with the latest news and events from the competitive

shooting world. There, you’ll also find reviews of rifles, pistols, shotguns and other competitive shooting gear, videos covering advanced shooting techniques and, perhaps most importantly, our Reporter’s Worksheet, a PDF form you can download and use to submit local match reports for publication in our Score Sheets department.

In addition to the great features posted daily at SSUSA.org, the monthly digital edition of Shooting Sports USA is a prime source of free competitive shooting content that every NRA member should take advantage of. For example, you can find exclusive sections not always featured on the website, such as Shooters’ News, Score Sheets and Page from History. Plus, our Coming Events online directory provides a list of NRA-sanctioned competitions held around the country. Listings in Coming Events are divided into discipline categories and include location and contact information for each match.

History is another focus for Shooting Sports USA , with articles going deep into the annals of the shooting sports, some even stretching back to the beginning of the National Rifle Association in 1871. There’s also plenty of classic coverage from the “Golden Age” of competitive shooting in the U.S. during the mid-20th century at the NRA Precision Pistol, Smallbore Rifle and High Power Rifle Championships.

The weekly Insider newsletter is a great way to stay on top of the latest news, reviews, videos, how-to guides and more from Shooting Sports USA . Subscribe for free at ssusa.org/subscribe

Photos by John Parker

Joining NRA-af liated state associations supports NRA’s mission in your state.

The NRA offers special recognition by awarding Gold Medal status to NRA affiliated organizations that promote and support the purposes, objectives, policies, and programs of the NRA. Members of these clubs have united to reach an elite level and set their club apart from others in the area. Each year numerous organizations apply to achieve the Gold Medal status; but only those clubs meeting the criteria listed below are awarded this honor.

• Be a 100% NRA Club - Becoming a 100% NRA club helps make the NRA stronger by increasing its membership numbers and providing a larger representation of the shooting public.

• Have a club newsletter – A newsletter helps the club communicate to its members. Club members are kept in the loop of club activities and community issues.

• Belong to the NRA State Association of your state – Joining an NRA State Association shows support on the state level. Their mission is to promote and support the purpose and objectives of the NRA while providing programs and support to clubs on the local level.

• Have administered or currently incorporate an NRA Youth Program within the club’s agenda. Incorporating a youth program helps introduce firearms safety to younger shooters. Encouraging them to shoot at an

2024 NRA GOLD MEDAL CLUBS

early age will help keep the shooting sports going for future generations.

• Actively participate in NRA’s Membership Recruiting Program - participating in the NRA recruiting program helps bring new members in at a reduced price, generates income for your club, and helps to grow NRA numbers.

Clubs that meet the criteria will be provided a plaque along with an inscribed bar listing the year. Current Gold Medal clubs are encouraged to renew their status every year and will be given an inscribed bar with the renewal year. Clubs that are applying for a NRA Range Grant will be given preference if they achieve and maintain Gold Medal status.

Visit our website at https://awards.nra. org/awards/gold-medal-clubs/for more information.

2024 NRA Gold Medal Club Award Winners

Alaska Interior Marksmanship Committee

Anne Arundel Fish & Game

Conservation Association

Apple Valley Gun Club

Arlington Rifle and Pistol Club

Arnold Rifle and Pistol Club, Inc.

Asheville Rifle & Pistol Club

Beloit Rifle Club

Cairo Sportsman's Club

Castleton Fish & Game Protective Association

Central Florida Rifle & Pistol Club

Cumberland Riflemen, Inc

Delaware State Pistol Club

Downers Grove Sportsmen's Club

East Hook Sportsmen Association Inc.

East Monongahela Sportsmen's Club

Escondido Fish and Game Association

Estacada Rod and Gun Club

Forks Rifle Club, Inc.

Franklin Revolver & Rifle Association

Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club

Great Lot Sportsman's Club Corp.

High Plains Marksmanship Academy

Hollywood Rifle and Pistol Club, Inc.

Kent Rod & Gun Club, Inc.

Kiski Township Sportsmen Association

Lafayette Gun Club of VA

Lima Sabres Shooting Assn., Inc.

Massasoit Gun Club, Inc.

Monumental Rifle and Pistol Club

Nescopeck Hunting and Rifle Club

New Milford Rifle and Pistol Club

Northwestern Gun Club

Panola County Gun Club Inc

Rivercreek Gun Club

Rochester Rod and Gun Club

Sandusky County Sportsmen's Club

Sebastopol Rifle & Pistol Club

Silver State Junior Shooting Club

Silver State Shooting Sport Association

Stone Bank Sportsmen's Club

Stonycreek Shooting Center Inc.

Streetsboro Sportsman Association

The Mill Creek Rifle Club, Inc.

Upper Savannah Shooters Association

Van Wert County Outdoorsmen Association Inc.

White Oak Rod and Gun Club

Wilkes-Barre Rifle & Pistol Club

THANK YOU!

South Dakota NRA Club and Muzzleloading Living History Club Begins it's 45th Year!

The Dacotah Territory Muzzle Loaders (DTML) was established in 1979 by four individuals who loved camping, fishing, canoeing, and blackpowder rifles. Those Founders were David Blondo, Don Bachman, Gary Heuer and John Thelen. The DTML has been seen throughout the Great Plains in centennials, festivals, rendezvous, and various other activities for more than 40 years.

Rendezvous (defined as a pre-1840, fur-trade era gathering) can be a wonderful, peaceful, and educational vacation for all family members. The DTML is a non-profit social organization. While there are individual members, the club has always encouraged family membership. The club meets monthly at its permanent range/camp. It hosts two rendezvous and an ‘open camp' fun weekend as well.

DTML members have participated in the Ft. Sisseton Historical Festival since its creation over 40 years ago. The club has been represented at regional and national rendezvous for over five decades. The club’s first rendezvous, “Sweetwater” celebrated its 40th year in 2021 at Sweetwater Lake, northeast of Conde, SD. The shooting/camping event is held the weekend after Labor Day.

The club's spring rendezvous - "Drifting Goose"

- will celebrate 17 years on May 24-27, 2024, south of Aberdeen, SD. Come, become part of history!

Find out more at https://www.facebook. com/groups/456735558389902/ or www. dacotahterritorymuzzleloaders.com

About the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund

The goal of the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund is to provide legal and financial assistance to select individuals and organizations defending their right to keep and bear arms. Since inception, the NRA CRDF has awarded millions of dollars for legal research, education, and support of cases defending these rights. Cases of special interest to the NRA CRDF are those that advance Second Amendment advocacy and help shooting ranges defend their range. Cases that present unsettled or new issues of law are also of interest.

Litigation Funding Requests

Applications for financial support must be submitted by an attorney. Requests should include, at a minimum, the following information:

1. Legal or constitutional issue to be resolved and how it would have a widespread favorable impact;

2. Summary of the facts;

3. Background of the litigants or other parties;

4. Summary of past and projected administrative and legal proceedings;

5. Projected costs of litigation for the different stages of the case and an explanation of the basis for such projected costs, including hourly attorney fees and projected number of hours;

6. Other sources of funding and amounts received and requested;

7. Probability of obtaining a favorable result and basis for conclusion.

Additional information is required where a shooting range is requesting support.

Research and Writing Funding Requests

Individuals or organizations may also apply for grants to fund research projects, such as law review articles, books, websites, or similar scholarship and research. While this application process is the same as that for litigation funding, a different list of information is required to be provided to the Board of Trustees for consideration. This list can be found on the NRA CRDF website.

Conditions of Funding

If funding is granted, the grant will be limited to the case applied for only and only for the purposes which were specified in the application. Specifically, a grant does not extend to other cases or matters, even if they involve the same parties and/ or arise out of the same facts and circumstance. For additional conditions of funding, including obligations, disputes, invoices, and payments, visit www.nradefensefund.org

To apply

Applications for funding must be submitted to nracrdf@nrahq. org via an electronic application at least (30) days prior to the meeting (late spring, fall, or winter) in which the request is to be considered.

Additional information

Please visit www.nradefensefund.org for more information about the fund and the application process.

A Bowling Pin Mania A Big Hit at NMRPC

Submitted by Jr NMRPC Member, Charlotte Quick

Strike! The most recent monthly Bowling Pin Mania match at New Milford Rifle and Pistol Club in New Milford, PA went off without a hitch, with competitors flooding in for the largest match yet. The range was set up for double elimination rounds, with two people facing off in a speed match to see who would be the first to knock the pins into the pistol pit.

Firearms ranged from .22 pistols, to .22 rifles, and even a few 1911 9mm entering the mix for centerfire. Bill Quick from Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, made out like a bandit with the 1911 prize, while John Ord, President of NMRPC took the prize for the .22 pistol. This was not surprising as he is the main steel coach of the local SASP team. In the rifle division, Austeyn Warner took home the first place prize for fastest .22 Rifle.

The club would like to thank Shannon Mess for staffing the kitchen, Tiffany Kirchem for helping with registration, and Allison Quick, Theresa White and Justine Ord for creating and setting up the Santa’s Christmas Craft Workshop that was also held at the event.

If you missed it, don’t worry! The competition is now a monthly event and occurs every third Saturday of the month. There is also an option to come to the monthly Third Sunday shoot, which includes Metal Madness (MMSSA) and trap, weather permitting. Both events are open to members and non-members of the club. And if you are want to join, come to the meetings every second Thursday of the month, to see what the meetings and community are like! I promise, you will not regret it, and you may find a new passion!

Check out the New Milford Rifle & Pistol Club online at https://www.nmrpc.org/.

Att e n t i o n G u n C l u b s ,

NRA COMMUNITY SHIELD

The National Rifle Association recognizes the need to protect America’s places of worship, just like the nations’ schools. Like schools, our houses of worship are being targeted by evil people, whose goal is to kill and spread fear. When people gather in groups for the purpose of religious worship, they can quickly become easy victims, as we have seen in increasing numbers.

Most leaders in houses of worship do not know where to turn, in an attempt to make their gatherings safer from unauthorized persons or potential violence.

Small, simple changes can make a big difference in protecting your attendees, if you know what to look for.

The NRA has taken its’ National School Shield assessor training program and built a sister program named Community Shield.

Community Shield offers training to help houses of worship conduct vulnerability assessments to better protect their attendees from violence. We believe that if the target location has had a vulnerability assessment you can slow or prevent an attack on your attendees, as well as, having a plan to deal with an act of violence, should something occur.

Our Community Shield presentation is not meant to make you a security expert, it was developed for the average, non-law enforcement person, although law enforcement is welcome to attend.

Some of the topics we will cover:

What is a vulnerability?

How to mitigate a vulnerability.

A procedure or plan if an intrusion occurs.

Should attendees be armed, if so, who?

And more.

For more information contact us at communityshield@nrahq.org

LE.NRA.org

“Shooters Shoot”

How a group of Central Indiana shooters got together to host a weekly, sanctioned, NRA Precision Pistol League.

In business, people sometimes use the invocation “shooters shoot” to motivate others to seize opportunities and make great things happen. A group of Bullseye shooters in central Indiana did exactly that. They were shooters, acquainted through participation in outdoor 2700 Bullseye matches at a local club during the months conducive to outdoor shooting in Indiana. They wanted to find a way to shoot year round to avoid the halting cadence of their shooting progression dictated by the weather; and thus the seed that would become the INDY1800 league was planted.

There were barriers to overcome; but remember these shooters shoot, and these eventually yielded to their machinations. Today INDY1800 is not only well attended, and thriving, but the constancy of the weekly league is yielding personal best scores from participants ranging from neophytes to multi-decade Bullseye veterans. This article details how they did it, and how you can do it too.

Venue:

One barrier was finding a suitable venue. An opportunity presented itself when two of the Shooters became known to and perhaps even friendly with the staff of a local public indoor shooting range.

Working with RangeUSA:

Our first task was getting a place to host us. Given the weather, time, and geographical locations of our shooters, we chose the west side of the city at an Indoor gun range, RangeUSA. We reached out to the manager of the range, and asked for the lowest attended night they had. Mondays were chosen by the range. They allow us to use one of the two lane rooms, with 10 shooting lanes. In exchange, we all purchase monthly memberships, ammo (.22lr) and other accessories from them.

There were many discussions about hosting it half of the year outside and half indoors, but we decided against it for a few reasons. First, it allows consistency for those planning around work. Second, it keeps us from having to stop and setup the inoutdoor range. Finally, it removed the light & weather barrier.

Sanctioning with the NRA:

The process of becoming a sanctioned NRA league is quick and easy. To start, contact Tournopns@nrahq.org and request a “NRA Sanctioned League Handbook”. It is a great resource containing guidance and even examples to help you design your league. Each league may have different needs and requirements, the following outlines the five steps that made sense for our league. First, we needed to set up a League Council. This is simply identifying a group of people interested in organizing and running the league. Second, we needed to develop a set of League Bylaws to clearly define league operations if questions should arise. The “NRA Sanctioned League Handbook” provides great examples to help you craft your own league bylaws. Third, we needed to define a League Schedule. The league schedule defines when you will shoot and when you will submit your scores to the NRA. We chose to run our league matches weekly and submit the scores to the NRA quarterly. Fourth, we needed to develop a Match program. Again, the “NRA Sanctioned League Handbook” provides great examples for you to start with when developing the program for your league. This match program will be submitted with your application. Finally, you submit your League Application to the NRA online at https://tournaments.nra. org. You simply fill out the online application and upload your match program. The whole process was not difficult and took very little time to complete.

How we handle Scoring:

Arrival time originally held us back. We would wait for the shooters who were attending, and then start slow fire. This turned out to be a hindrance on us, so we changed our method to shooting repeating NMC’s. People can join whenever, and jump into the next NMC. We typically shoot 4-5 NMC’s on any given Monday. Some people shoot them all, others join half way through, either way, people are able to shoot.

To simplify bookkeeping, our league secretary setup, a google sheet document for each shooter in the league. This tracks the shooter’s scores for each match and automatically aggregates the total score, x-count, and shot count into a master google sheet document for submission at the end of each league term. In our case, we submit scores to the NRA quarterly.

Technology to support (TTS/Boxes/Speakers):

We wanted to make the league as effective as we could to practice, and that includes Timed & Rapid strings of our National Match Course. As they say, “Perfect Practice makes Perfect” so we wanted to use a turning target system that would allow us all to shoot on the range, but work independently so we could retrieve our targets. Our league set out to design something to accomplish this task. The engineers got together and developed a system that uses the Bullseye Match (http://bullseyematch.app) mobile application to talk to a remote target system. We worked with the developer, Tom Talpey, to include a “match mode” in the application.

One of our TTS remote systems receive commands and relays the commands to the other 9 target systems. Each are independent, each can be retrieved and sent down range with nothing tethering them to each other. All communications are wireless. You can see a video: https:// youtu.be/uLQkZVlCHOQ

For a backboard, we use a plastic polymer that is strong enough to stop a .45 acp wadcutter load. The components are on the back of the board, with a simple on/off switch on front. They “lock” into the trolly using the trolly clamps and the posts that are inside the clamps. They are extremely secure.

To get the equipment to the range, we have two rolling tool boxes we purchased from Harbor Freight. It is labeled “BAUER Modular Rolling Toolbox”. The TTS backboards are cut out to fit perfectly into the box, vertically. We can store 5 TTS fit in each box. The box also holds a

bluetooth speaker, targets, staplers, pens, and extra target holding binder clips. We send one box home with two different people, so at any time illness or a case where someone can’t make it we still have a set of 5 TTS to work with.

Making it Fun:

The team decided to share the design, so it’s all open source. You can get the details at : https:// github.com/100-5x/ Bullseye-Target-System

Everyone knows that Bullseye (Precision Pistol) shooting is among the most wholesome, enjoyable, and rewarding activities requiring no embellishment or augmentation to attract participants. Nevertheless any activity can be enhanced by fellowship with like minded peers. What started as impromptu fast food dinners after a night’s shooting has become a prominent feature and major attraction of the INDY1800 league. After every evening of shooting, the INDY1800 shooters gather at one of a regular rotation of restaurants for dinner. The food or location is incidental, the main draw is the colorful conversation usually centered around guns, shooting, gunsmithing, reloading, etc. but it can digress into diverse subject areas such as but not limited to motorcycles, high school band, horses, farms, cats, where babies come from, dentistry, keeping vintage Ford Rangers barely road worthy etc. For some, the post league dinners are as if not more enjoyable than the shooting.

Many thanks to the shooters of the INDY1800 who all pitched in to get this going and running week over week!!! Our league website is http://indy1800.org

Proactive Gun Safety

Submitted By Amber Parros, Oklahoma Rifle Association

The intent of the Second Amendment is protection and protection that pertains to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This we all understand and cherish. It is the protection of life that is classified as a form of safety, and is one of the most practical applications of the Second Amendment in our modern age. The need for personal safety has led to an increase of gun ownership especially when crime rises and we see this message and theme with the Second Amendment quite often; protect yourselves and your loved ones with a firearm.

Another Way to Think about Safety

Many times, when we think of the safety that comes from self-protection via firearms, it is in a reactive sense. Bad guy shows up, bad guy threatens life, and then a trained individual with a firearm can equalize the situation. However, there is another aspect of safety that needs just as much, if not more press: the proactive side. This is the foundation of responsible gun ownership that mitigates accidents, misuse, and malfunctions; this foundation is education, storage, and maintenance.

Knowledge & Education

Educated firearm owners take the time to understand the correct use of a firearm as well as how to safely handle one at home and on the range. This also covers the legal ramifications of firearm ownership such as knowing when to use lethal force, the protection of castle doctrine in self-defense scenarios at home and the workplace, and particular legislation for each state regarding open, concealed carry and the transporting of firearms.

Locks & Storage

Part of responsible gun ownership is knowing the importance of controlling access to your firearms, who accesses them, and how they are used and proper storage and locking devices are paramount to controlling access. Children need supervision to learn proper handling and safety, and until they are responsible, locks and safes are that barrier that protects against their natural curiosity. But control of access also protects gun owners from felons, tragic use from those with mental illness, or anyone else untrained, irresponsible, or unfit to handle a gun.

Care & Maintenance

Another mitigation method is the proper care and maintenance of firearms. Regular cleanings and repairs are needed to keep the gun in working order so that malfunctions are prevented. Every gun owner needs to appreciate the physics that happens in firing a bullet and well acquainted with the destruction possible from the velocity and penetration of a bullet.

Why Emphasize Proactive Gun Safety?

Even though we spelled out what many responsible gun owners already know, we wanted to define what would be considered proactive safety. In our discussion of firearms, preventing misuse and accidents involving firearms is something with which most people agree. This is why it is important to not only talk about reactive safety benefits but also the proactive side of safety.

Being Proactive is the Foundation of the Firearm Community

It has been the work of the NRA and various entities throughout the firearm community to build programs, products, and resources for all aspects of proactive gun safety. But having programs in place is not enough. This foundation of proactive safety is one of our most powerful messages that all can agree on. More than ever, it is the critical work of the firearm community to speak frequently of it, make sure their friends and family who own firearms are educated and trained, that we are always encouraging the use of safes and locks to control access, and also keeping guns cleaned and in proper working order. It is when all this work is done, we can show the world that the modern-day gun owner considers the entire spectrum of proactive and reactive safety and provides a picture of responsibility that defeats the incorrect stereotypes of irresponsibility, chaos, and destruction that are propagated from a position of ignorance, fear, and control.

For more from Oklahoma Rifle Association, visit https://oklahomarifle.org/

DOES YOUR CHILD KNOW WHAT TO DO IF HE OR SHE FINDS A GUN?

The Eddie Eagle GunSafe ® Program was developed in 1988 as a firearm accident prevention program seeking to help parents, law enforcement, community groups, and educators navigate a topic paramount to our children’s safety.

For over 30 years, the program has taught children what to do if they find a gun:

STOP! Don’t Touch. Run Away. Tell A Grown Up.

In fact, over 31 million children have received Eddie’s important message since the program began.

In 2015, the program evolved with a fresh new look and some new friends for Eddie—his Wing Team. Together they remind children of Eddie’s important message. The program is designed for Pre-K through 4th graders and provides the tools to help parents and educators bring up an important safety issue with children in a fun and interactive way. Through a special kid-friendly web page, the Eddie Eagle Tree House , children are able to explore lessons, read storybooks, print coloring pages, watch Eddie’s video, and more!

The Colorado State Shooting Association’s Dedication to Enhancing Competitive Marksmanship

The Colorado State Shooting Association is honored to join the National Rifle Association in protecting our Second Amendment Rights. From legislative support to presenting at gun shows to trying to promote safe handling of firearms, CSSA is dedicated to seeing people out enjoying their Second Amendment Rights and the shooting sports.

One way we at CSSA are trying to generate even more interest in the shooting sports is to show support to our local matches and match directors. As much fun as plinking with friends and family is, we want to help our residents take shooting to the next level: competitive shooting.

Be it with a rifle, pistol, shotgun, muzzleloader or even an air gun, firearms competition is a fun, challenging and rewarding endeavor. The wide range of firearms and equipment recommended for competition is such that almost everyone has at least one firearm that would be sufficient for testing your skills against other marksmen. The equipment that you don’t have can easily be obtained by simply asking another competitor to lend you something. You’ll seldom be denied, and will always be welcomed into the fold. New shooters help keep our programs and organizations interesting and fun while helping them grow.

Sooner or later, most casual marksmen want to know how they’d do against more experienced shooters. Participation in competitions is part of a marksman’s natural progression in shooting sports.

As rewarding as it is for new shooters to get out, it’s even more rewarding for experienced shooters to welcome new competitors. Many veteran competitors are eager to pass their knowledge and techniques along to newcomers. When new shooters succeed, those unofficial “coaches” experience a sense of pride that is difficult to describe.

Many of the reasons newcomers are hesitant to participate in matches are actually just common misconceptions. We would like to put these myths to rest as we look at the most common excuses.

First, competitions are not expensive. I’ve shot NRA Action Pistol at local, Denver-Metro area clubs. NRA approved matches are usually $25.00 or less and our State and Regional Championships are $50.00 or less. When you look at what it costs to go to a local shooting range for practice, you’ll quickly see that competition is not so cost prohibitive. I recently shot the NRA Precision Pistol Colorado State Championships for $25.00. This was an indoor match which was great given the fact that the competition was in February. We shot .22’s. 90 shots! There is no way I would believe that cost is a sufficient barrier.

I host the Colorado State NRA Action Pistol Championships in the high plains of Colorado about 50 miles East of Denver. Not a real far drive. It can be challenging for new shooters, and even experienced competitors, to get two or three days off for a competition. For the Colorado State NRA Action Pistol Championships, we split our days in half with a morning and an afternoon squad. Our squad sizes are kept reasonable so we can keep the shoot moving. Next, we offer our events over 2-3 days. If you can’t make it on a Saturday, then we offer a Thursday or Friday as well. Our goal is to provide our competitors with the opportunity to shoot a State Championship in half a day. We just eliminated another “reason” not to compete.

“I don’t know the rules or how to shoot the match!” This is understandable but we offer classes and organized practice sessions to help new, and even some more experienced competitors, to improve. Many of our more experienced competitors frequently invite “newbies” out for practice sessions where they

explain the rules and offer pointers. Remember the fun you had, and how much you learned, when your dad, or whomever taught you to shoot, would take you out to the range when you were young? It’s kind of like that. We offer everything from informal outings to full-blown professional training. When you attend classes or practice sessions, don’t be surprised if you end up walking away with a new belt, holster or some other gear that someone doesn’t use anymore.

The real reason that a lot of people forego competition is that they are afraid of looking inexperienced. They don’t think that they have the skill levels necessary to participate in, let alone win, a match. Nothing could be further from the truth! As an example, remember your junior high school dances? You were so afraid of making a fool of yourself that you stayed huddled together with your friends. Then your first dance, complete with sweaty hands and awkward steps. You were the “cool kid” who danced while everyone stood against the wall. Kind of neat, huh?

I have been competing since 1968 and when people break down and tell me the truth, many say, “I don’t want to embarrass myself because everyone is watching.” As common of an argument as that is, it’s misguided. But everyone feels that way. That’s the cool part. Most new competitors are so afraid of embarrassing themselves that they aren’t watching anyone else. When you shoot poorly, don’t worry. There will be plenty of others to join you in the “should’ve, could’ve, would’ve” group. You’ll know you’ve made it when you think, “just wait until next time!” Believe me, over the course of decades, I’ve shot some horrible scores. I don’t remember them because I’ve put them behind me. But I am no stranger to poor performance in a match. All I can tell you is, “just wait until next time!”

For all of you athletes out there (believe me, competitive shooting is an athletic event), what do you do to prepare for an event? Running, weightlifting and tennis are all good sports that are fairly easy to practice. But shooting? Ah, that’s a little different. There’s ammo, and range fees, driving and time. But I’ll tell you what, if you come out to a match, I will give you the techniques and direct you to the resources that will allow you to get some meaningful practice in. I’ll show you how, for less than $10.00, you can have the facilities to get practice in whenever you want. How’s that as a value for your CSSA and NRA dues?

Seems like we are eliminating a lot of excuses. Let’s eliminate the word “can’t” from our competitive vocabulary. With “can’t” gone, that just leaves “won’t.” So let’s work on getting rid of “won’t” too.

“I never win!” And you never will if you stay on the couch watching TV. Do you know what a couch really is? It’s a coffin without walls. As for me, I’d rather go out and get beat than stay at home and wonder.

And what about winning? Winning is a concept that is molded by your character and personality. Let me ask you this, what would you rather do, go out and shoot a horrible score and win the match or go out and shoot your best score and come in last?

Really, who are you competing against in the first place? Sure, a plaque, trophy or medallion is nice, and a reward of a few bucks can make the drive home and the trip to McDonald’s a little more fun. But really, who are YOU competing against? Be it a big match or practice, I don’t really compete against anyone or anything except that little 4” black dot, the X-ring. Success is what you make of it and how you measure it.

The NRA offers the Marksmanship Qualification Program. This is a fun and challenging way to break into competitive shooting sports. There are instructions on rules, courses of fire, and fun ways to grow and start out. I still shoot many of these courses of fire as they are great building blocks and warm-ups for competition.

We in the shooting sports competitions need you! We as Second Amendment Advocates need you. We as citizens who believe in the right to keep and bear arms need you. And now, the NRA and CSSA are trying to give you a little more in the way of support. Two years ago, I was given the honor to serve as CSSA’s Director of Shooting Sports. My job is to further the shooting sports by offering support and guidance to competitors and match directors. But I can’t do it without you. If you want to become a match director at your local club and host either informal or NRA approved disciplines, then please reach out to me so I can help you, and ultimately help our sport grow. Come on out and get the most out of your NRA and CSSA dues.

My name is Alex Ragulsky. If you have any questions or want some help getting started in competitive shooting, I can be contacted at alex.ragulsky@aol.com. The fun you’ll have and the joy you’ll experience as you embark upon the journey of competitive shooting will be worthwhile. But remember, most people avoid success because it comes dressed in overalls and looks like hard work. It is, but together we can do it. CSSA and the NRA are here for you. Make sure that you use us and get your money’s worth. We expect nothing less from our members.

NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

Make

plans for the 2024 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Dallas, TX from May 16 - 19! Featuring 14 acres of guns & gear, the industry’s top brands, presentations from leading 2A supporters, banquets, auctions, 50+ FREE seminars, demos, and tons of family-friendly activities. This is the NRA’s flagship event of the

Don’t Miss Out on these exciting events

FRIENDS OF NRA BANQUET & AUCTION

THURSDAY, MAY 16 - 5:00PM - 10:00PM

Enjoy an evening of food, firearms and fundraising as we raise money to support the NRA Foundation.

FRIDAY, MAY 17 - 6:00PM - 10:00PM

Ladies and gentlemen, save the date to be part of this unforgettable gathering of like-minded Patriots as we hear from impactful speakers, participate in live and silent auctions, and raise funds essential to the NRA’s fight to protect freedoms.

Keynote speaker: Pete Hegseth, CoHost of FOX & Friends Weekend on the FOX News Channel.

SATURDAY, MAY 18 - 10:00AM - 12:00PM

Take part in the business of your Association and hear directly from NRA Officers about the state of our Second Amendment rights and freedoms.

FRIDAY, MAY 17 - 2:00PM - 4:00PM

Join our nation’s top Second Amendment supporters as the NRA leads the fight against anti-gun politicians in a critical election year. Visit our website www.nraam.org/ events for a list of 2024 speakers.

- Women’s New Energy Breakfast

- NRA Country

- NRA Youth Day

- 50+ FREE Seminars & Demos

- And Much, Much more!

Rep. Jim Jordan

Gov. Kristi Noem

Pres. Donald Trump

Gov. Greg Abbott

Sen. Ted Cruz

Charles L. Cotton

The ACM Formula for a Successful Event

A Passion to Share a Sport I Love + Bring Together a Great Team + Amazing Supportive Sponsors = A Successful Event.

This is my go-to formula I have created for the successful events I run around the country. There is one key ingredient in this formula that truly pulls it all together but more on that later.

I started many years ago with the drive to share the shooting sport I love, clay target shooting. This drive has me always on a quest to learn and share more with people. This cannot be done without bringing together a great team of instructors and ground crew. The instructor’s assistance and willingness to share their knowledge is an invaluable asset. A fabulous ground crew is needed to have every mechanical trap set and filled just right for a smooth operating event. Amazing event sponsors provide the support and tools to pull the events together for success.

Here is how I used my formula on a recent very successful sporting clays event. During the 35th National Sporting Clays Association Championship held at the National Shooting Complex (NSC) in San Antonio, Texas, I run an annual Ladies Beginner’s Clinic that I created years ago. What started as a small event has grown into an annual sold-out event with ladies attending from all over the country and internationally. The DIVA Women Outdoors Worldwide shooting team and the NSC ground crew were the great team formula component. Sponsors: NSCA, NRA Women on Target, Baschieri & Pellagri Ammunition, DIVA WOW, Shooter Girl Ammunition Jewelry, Cole Fine Guns & Gunsmithing, SGS Shooting Glasses Specialist, Bluelene and Lucas Oil provided the invaluable products and support.

The driving force and key ingredient behind it all, my passion. Managing all aspects of my formula is hard work. But at the end of an event when I see all the smiling faces of the participants and hear “Wow, I can do this!”, I know the hard work was worth it. Every person that learns and wants to continue with the shooting sports will be on a wonderful journey of learning, making new friends, having fun with family, enjoying a sport for life, and most importantly be supportive of our Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Submitted by Anne Mauro

Head Coach, University of Maryland Clay Target Team

USA Shooting, National Rifle Association

National Coach Development Staff

Advanced Shotgun Coach Level 3

DIVA WOW National Shotgun Director

NSCA Certified Instructor

BOOM! .....

2024 TRENDS in Hearing Protection for Shooters: The Research They Should Do!

Every time the trigger is pulled on a loaded shotgun outdoors the average intensity of impulse noise is between 150 to 161 Decibels! This research was accurately conducted by Rasmussen et al (2009) and cited by Meinke et al 2017. Rasmussen and colleagues found these levels from shotguns at the left ear of a right-handed shooter. As far back as the 1970s, Krammer, Ph.D. from Ball State University was hired by the U.S. government to see if it was possible to acoustically fingerprint a weapon. While Krammer was unable to find firearm acoustic imprints he noted that the impact sounds from these weapons were approximately 14 dB beyond the threshold of pain and more than sufficient to cause a sudden hearing loss or acoustic trauma. (https:// earinc.com/gunfire-noise-level-reference-chart/)

And with the introduction of muzzle brakes and porting, the risks of hearing loss from rifles and shotguns increased dramatically. Adding to the complications of such noise exposures, 30%-40% of those who participate in shooting sports complain of tinnitus or ringing and buzzing in the ears. Treatments for tinnitus vary and can be managed by consulting several medical and audiological networks such as the American Tinnitus Association. (http://ata.org). Further, shooting from inside an enclosure such as a goose or duck blind will add to the sound intensity. There is no way to “sugar coat” this problem: hunting and other shooting sports without adequate hearing protection will permanently damage hearing.

According to the literature, untreated hearing loss is rampant with 1 in 5 people not doing much about it until becomes a serious hinderance to daily activities. In fact the audiology literature states that those with hearing loss wait 5-7 years after they know they have a hearing loss to seek treatment.

Even now, with all the publications regarding the dangers of excess noise exposure, Loughran (2020) found that the number of shooters using ear plugs to protect their hearing ranged from 3%-14.6% and very few indicated they always or often use ear protection. For many years the results of reduced hearing was thought only to be hearing difficulties, but since enlightenment by the studies of Lin et al (2013), we also know that untreated hearing loss contributes to diminished thinking abilities and contribute to the progression of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. And the list of other comorbidities goes on and on. As a consumer obtaining the correct information about hearing loss, tinnitus and hearing protection is an equalizer that helps with decisions regarding the choices available. So exactly what are many of the options used in the shooting and hunting sports?

Options Available to Hunters and Shooters

For most shooters custom fit earplugs offer positive benefits. These products are typically made from high grade room temperature cure silicones that can be manufactured “on the spot.” In this case, the ear impression becomes the finished product and, typically, requires buffing and slight modification in addition to a silicone coating on the outside surface to obtain a good a seal with the finished product. When correctly constructed the average noise reduction rating (NRR) is 30-32 dB. The second custom earplug option is fabricated from heat curable silicones. These require ear impressions to be sent to a laboratory for processing and, in many cases, can be modified with filters or music transducers. Laboratories using today’s current technology can digitally record the ear impressions enabling most end users to simply call the provider and/or manufacturer and place a new order without requiring new ear impressions. Additionally, if the client has a good set of custom plugs these may be used as an ear impression and digitally recorded. This process has been especially helpful during the COVID pandemic, permitting shooters to order replacement custom earplugs without obtaining new impressions.

A growing trend for, hunters, range masters, shooting instructors and shooters has been the use of electronic devices, either in the form of custom molds or earmuffs. For most, but not all shooters, the custom version has been well accepted because they do not interfere with glasses or positioning of a rifle or shotgun. The majority of these 21st century protection devices are digitally programmed for better sound clarity and often include a memory button that can change the frequency response for filtering out background sounds, such as the wind. Many also include a removable lanyard which hunters often request to minimize the risk of loss. Traditionally, the majority of these products have been manufactured so that the portion inserted into the ear canal (the SHELL) is made from a Lucite or hard material. When made properly the NRR (noise reduction rating) for most products will be 22dB to 26 dB. The newest choice, offering better sound suppression are electronic modules that can be fit to the ear canal with either a high-performance foam tip or inserted into a custom silicone providing an estimated NRR of 31dB - 32 dB. Electronic circuitry within the device is designed to compress loud sounds before they reach dangerous levels. These devices are NOT marketed as hearing aids but are classified as assistive listening devices, since hearing aids are considered a medical device.

Additionally, there are ear protection devices (wired or bluetooth) often used by trap shooters or motorcyclists that can be used for listening to music or communication.

Hearing Aids that are Hearing Protectors

Many shooters using electronic ear protection often ask about having a multi-functional device that can be for use as an ear protector or a hearing aid. This is now possible with a new program created for E.A. R. Inc (https://earinc.com) by a major high profile hearing aid manufacturer. These devices come with two interchangeable harnesses that go into the ear, one with a solid tip for hearing protection and a second tip that is open for use as a hearing aid. These dual-purpose devices may be taken to any of hundreds of designated audiology clinics and reprogrammed to a new or different hearing profile and/or upgraded to a higher performance hearing technology. The design of these dual-purpose, rechargeable instruments is the latest in sophisticated rechargeable hearing aid technology standard with up to 4 memories and the

ability to connect without wires to a cell phone or TV. Truly, the ultimate in hearing benefit and hearing protection technology and utility.

Do not Hesitate to ask Questions such as:

As a result of advanced technology new and better items are now available for those who want to minimize the risk of hearing loss and/or its complications such as tinnitus. Following are suggestions for obtaining high level hearing healthcare.

1. Who is the manufacturer of this product and what is the warranty?

2. What is the process to get service or follow up? Do I call a specific office or reach someone on a cell phone who has no office?

3. If service or repair is required, how long does it take and what is the average cost?

4. Providers should be able to describe how each product works in addition to the Noise Reduction Rating.

5. In the event the client is not happy with the results what is the privilege to return?

6. Where were you trained and how long have you been in business? Look for someone who has experience and proper training. E.A.R.I nc. provides 3 levels of training to its providers to ensure quality support and performance.

(See https://earinc.com/e-a-r-education-and-training-programs-for-2021/)

7. Proper ear inspections and in some cases hearing testing should be conducted before any fitting with a hearing protection device. You have the right to ask what they are looking for during an ear examination.

8. What about fitting children who are growing and beginning to learn the sport? It is critical. to have the child or parents stay on top of any changes with growth requiring. refitting. In some cases, custom hearing protection devices may simply be recoated with a seal coater to create a better fit.

9. For clients who prefer earmuffs or generic foam, or silicone plugs these come with several options and should never be downgraded should this be the choice that best. meets their needs.

10. And finally what is the bottom-line expense to my purchase in addition to the length of the warranty. In some cases, extended warranties are available at the time of purchase.

Epilogue:

Clinical data verifies that the risk for a noise induced hearing loss is extremely high in shooting sports so it is important to look for someone who will take time to answer questions and provide options that provide the absolute best in hearing protection. If there are questions about your hearing, see a hearing health care professional for an accurate assessment. There are numerous sources for receiving an accurate hearing test in a sound treated environment and, in some cases for free.

About the Authors

References

Garry Gordon, MS. is the CEO/Owner and Audiologist/Instructor at EAR Inc in Boulder, Colorado. While president of E.A.R., Inc. Garry has served well over 4000 major medical, audiological and industrial accounts and trained a network of 500+ recreational and industrial providers who market hearing protection. He is well recognized by all manufacturing companies and provider networks of hearing healthcare products in the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Gordon has also contributed to several major publications and presentations regarding hearing loss. These include ClayShootingUSA, TrapShooting USA, Upland Almanac, Safari Club International, National Safety and Health, ENT/Audiology Japan, and International Symposium of Sports Medicine held in Moscow, Russia. https://earinc.com

Robert M. Traynor, Ed.D., MBA, FNAP practiced audiology and interoperative monitoring in Greeley, Colorado, treating patients of all ages for 46 years. He is a frequent lecturer domestically and has lectured internationally in over 40 countries. For 17 years he was Senior International Audiology Consultant to a major hearing aid manufacturer. He is an Adjunct Professor of Audiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Salus University.

Currently, he maintains an audiology consulting, forensic audiology, convention speaker, CAOHC Instructor and Professional Supervisor business in Fort Collins, Colorado at Robert Traynor Audiology, LLC., https://. roberttraynor.com.

Rasmussen P, Flamme G, Stewart M, Meinke D, Lankford J. Measuring recreational firearm noise. Sound & Vibration. 2009;43(08):14–18.

National Institutes of Health (2016). Hunting and Other Shooting Sports Can Damage Your Hearing. It’s a Noisy Planet, protect their Hearing, Retrieved April 26, 2021 from: https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/have-you-heard/ hunting-and-shooting-sports-can-hurt-your-ears

Nondahl, D., Cruickshanks, K., Wiley, T., Klien, R., Klien, B. & Tweed, T.(2000). Recreational firearm use and hearing loss. Archives of Family Medicine, Vol 9(4), pp. 352-357.

Loughran, M., Lyons, S., Plack, C. & Armitage, C. (2020). Which interventions increase hearing protection behaviors during noisy recreational activities? A systematic review. BMC Public Health, Vol 20, p. 1376.

Lin. F., Yaffe, K., Xia, J., Xue, Q., Harris, T., Purchase-Helzer, E., Satterfield, S., Ayonayon, H., Ferrucci, L., & Simonsick, E. (2013, JAMA Internal Medicine, 173(4), pp293-299.

Garry Gordon, CEO Audiologist/Instructor

E.A.R., Inc.

5763 Arapahoe Avenue - Ste M Boulder, CO. 80303

Toll-Free: 800-525-2690

Phone: 303-447-2619

Fax: 303-447-2637

Email : garry@earinc.com

Website: www.earinc.com

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in Bump Stock Case

On February 28, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Garland v. Cargill, concerning ATF’s 2018 rule classifying bump stocks as machineguns. The case involves firearms parts but does not hinge on the Court’s interpretation of the Second Amendment. Rather, the case concerns the proper interpretation of federal statute and the amount of deference, if any, the administrative state should be given in interpreting federal statutes to their own ends.

Federal law precisely defines machinegun. 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b) provides,

The term “machinegun” means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.

Firearms or parts that meet this definition may only be transferred pursuant to a background check of the transferee, procurement of a $200 tax stamp, and the firearm must be registered in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Further, federal law prohibits civilian possession of machineguns manufactured after May 19, 1986.

A “bump stock” is an aftermarket device that replaces the standard stock on a commonly–owned semi-automatic rifle, such as the AR-15 or an AK-pattern rifle. The key feature of this item is that it allows for the firearm to slide backwards and forwards within the stock. When the rifle is fired, the recoil pushes the firearm further into the stock. When used as its manufacturer intended, the operator pushes forward on the rifle’s forend when firing, allowing the rifle to repeatedly slide backwards and then forwards into the operator’s trigger finger. As this maneuver constitutes separate “single function[s] of the trigger” for each shot fired, the items should not be considered machineguns under the federal definition. This same effect (bump-firing) can be achieved in numerous ways, perhaps most famously with a belt loop.

In 2010, ATF evaluated the leading bump stock manufacturer’s product and determined that the device was not a machinegun. ATF wrote,

"The stock has no automatically functioning mechanical parts or springs and performs no automatic mechanical function when installed… Accordingly, we find that the “bump-stock” is a firearm part and is not regulated as a firearm under Gun Control Act or the National Firearms Act."

Following the October 1, 2017 shooting in Las Vegas, where the shooter was discovered to have used rifles equipped with bump stocks, ATF re-evaluated its interpretation of the definition of machinegun. In December 2018, ATF issued a final rule reversing its previous interpretation of machinegun to include bump stocks. ATF did this by expanding upon the statutory language, including regulatory language stating,

The term “machine gun” includes a bump-stock-type device, i.e., a device that allows a semiautomatic firearm to shoot more than one shot with a single pull of the trigger by harnessing the recoil energy of the semi-automatic firearm to which it is affixed so that the trigger resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of the trigger by the shooter.

As the rule categorized bump stocks as post-1986 machineguns, owners were unable to register the items in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record and the items became contraband. Those in possession of bump stocks were required to destroy their property or turn the items into ATF. Civilians owned hundreds of thousands of bump stocks prior to ATF’s confiscatory rule. Those found in illegal possession of a machinegun face up to 10 years imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine.

In January 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, sitting en banc, invalidated ATF’s rule classifying bump stocks as machineguns. The court accused ATF of attempting to sidestep Congress with their ban, noting that multiple bills had been introduced to prohibit the devices in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting. Further, the court explained,

"A plain reading of the statutory language, paired with close consideration of the mechanics of a semi-automatic firearm, reveals that a bump stock is excluded from the technical definition of “machinegun” set forth in the Gun Control Act and National Firearms Act.

…

[the regulation] purports to allow ATF—rather than Congress—to set forth the scope of criminal prohibitions. Indeed, the Government would outlaw bump stocks by administrative fiat even though the very same agency routinely interpreted the ban on machineguns as not applying to the type of bump stocks at issue here."

The Fifth Circuit also noted that even if there were any ambiguity as to whether the definition of machinegun includes bump stocks, the rule of lenity (deference to the defendant) should apply. “[T]he rule of lenity would still require us to interpret the statute against imposing criminal liability” the court explained.

The Fifth Circuit rejected any appeal to so-called-Chevron deference, under which a court will defer to a government agency’s interpretation of an ambiguous statute. In doing so, the court determined such deference inappropriate, as the statute is not ambiguous.

NRA-ILA put forth similar arguments in its January 29 amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court. First, NRA-ILA explained that the statutory definition of machinegun is unambiguous in not encompassing bump stocks, as the definition carefully defines a mechanical process of a firearm, not how a human may choose to interact with the firearm. The NRA brief then went on to explain how in cases involving the imposition of criminal penalties, the rule of lenity must apply and how any appeal to Chevron deference would frustrate this important principle.

Justice Neil Gorsuch expressed these same concerns about the interpretation of statutes involving criminal penalties during oral argument. The justice’s first question for the federal government’s attorney asked, in part,

"we're dealing with a statute that was enacted in the 1930s, and through many administrations, the government took the position that these bump stocks are not machineguns.

And then you -- you adopted an interpretive rule, not even a legislative rule, saying otherwise that would render between a quarter of a million and a half million people federal felons and not even through an APA process they could challenge subject to 10 years in federal prison, and the only way they can challenge it is if they're prosecuted, and they may well wind up dispossessed of guns, all guns in the future, as well as a lot of other civil rights, including the right to vote.

And I -- I guess I just want your reaction to -- to that. And I believe there are a number of members of Congress, including Senator Feinstein, who said that this administrative action forestalled legislation that would have dealt with this topic directly, rather than trying to use a nearly 100-year-old statute in a way that many administrations hadn't anticipated."

Appearing to express concern for those who legally purchased bump stocks prior to ATF’s administrative prohibition and how they might avoid running afoul of ATF’s interpretive whims, Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked the government’s counsel if the government would need to prove that a person in possession of a bump stock knew about the ATF’s new interpretation of federal law to be prosecuted. The government responded that such knowledge would not be required.

Appearing to take issue with the government’s position, Justice Gorsuch then asked if such a prosecution would be tolerable “Because people will sit down and read the Federal Register?” Justice Gorsuch then added, seemingly sarcastically, “That's what they do in their evening for fun. Gun owners across the country crack it open next to the fire and the dog.” The official transcript noted laughter in the courtroom.

Justice Samuel Alito pressed the government’s counsel about the most logical interpretation of the statutory language concerning the “single function of the trigger,” suggesting it concerned a mechanical rather than human process. The justice noted,

"When we speak of the function of an inanimate object, don't we normally look at what that inanimate abject -- object does? So why isn't the function of a trigger to release the hammer -- let's look at the -- the -- the M16, the AR-15, the function of -- why isn't the function of the trigger to release the hammer from the sear so that the hammer can swing forward and strike? Isn't that the most straightforward interpretation of this?"

In contrast, Justice Katanji Brown Jackson seemed less concerned about the particulars of the statutory definition of a machine gun and more willing to grant broad authority to ATF to prohibit items that might appear to operate in a manner superficially similar to a machinegun, even if their mechanical processes are entirely different. Querying the federal government’s attorney, Jackson stated,

"why do these various distinctions with respect to operations matter?

I mean, I -- I read this statute to be a classification statute, that Congress is directing everyone or us to identify certain kinds of weapons, and those certain kinds of weapons are being treated in a particular way. They're being prohibited.

And so I guess what I'm trying to understand is, if -- if it's true that, you know, the distinction that is being focused on here is the one between the movement of the trigger going back and forth or the trigger staying the same, I'm trying to understand why that matters for the purpose of this classification."

The outcome of Garland v. Cargill could have a broad impact on the administrative state’s ability to legislate that goes well beyond bump stocks. The Biden administration has often adopted creative and expansive interpretations of federal firearm statutes to push a gun control agenda that they have been unable to secure through the legitimate legislative process. These efforts include ATF’s 2022 “Frame or Receiver” rule, and ATF’s proposed “Engaged in the Business” rule – which seeks to restrict private firearm sales in a manner Congress has repeatedly rejected. In seeming acknowledgement of the dubious nature of their actions and likely to avoid the type of scrutiny visited upon the bump stock rule, ATF went out of its way to make clear that their proposed “engaged in the business” scheme “shall not apply to any criminal case.”

NRA Affiliated State Associations

AL STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N

2009 Rodgers Drive Huntsville, AL 35811 205-655-3730

Eambhm1@aol.com

AK OUTDOOR COUNCIL, INC.

310 K St Ste 200 Anchorage, AK 99501 907-740-1702

www.alaskaoutdoorcouncil.org

AZ STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N

P.O. Box 74424

Phoenix, AZ 85087 623-687-4251

www.asrpa.com

AR RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 2348

Conway, AR 72003 501-327-4702 arkansasrifle.com

CA RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N, INC.

271 E Imperial Hwy Ste 620 Fullerton, CA 92835 714-992-2772

www.crpa.org

CO STATE SHOOTING ASS'N 7661 McLaughlin Road Falcon, CO 80831 719-966-7512

www.cssa.org

CT STATE RIFLE &REVOLVERASS'N

300 Pepes Farm Road, Unit 5233 Milford, CT 06460 860-480-4600

https://csrra.org/

DE STATE SPORTSMEN’S ASS'N

P.O. Box 94 Lincoln, DE 19960 www.dssa.us

FL SPORT SHOOTING ASS'N, INC.

P.O.Box 56261 Jacksonville, FL 32241 904-880-1715

www.flssa.org

GA SPORT SHOOTING ASS’N 880 Marietta Highway - PO Box 351 Roswell, GA, 30075 478-955-7068

www.georgiasportshootingassociation.com

HI RIFLE ASSOCIATION PO Box 543 Kailua, HI 96734 808-224-2824

www.hawaiirifleassociation.org

ID STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N PO Box 140293 Boise, ID 83714-0293 208-900-1911

www.idahosrpa.org

IL STATE RIFLE ASS'N, INC.

P.O. Box 637 420 E. Locust St. Chatsworth, IL 60921 815-635-3198

www.isra.org

INSTATERIFLE &PISTOL ASS'N,INC.

P.O. Box 40025 Indianapolis, IN 46240 812-534-3258

www.isrpa.org

IA FIREARMS COALITION PO Box 310 Moville, IA 51039 515-423-0391

www.iowafc.org

KS STATE RIFLE ASS'N

P.O. Box 8760 Topeka, KS 66608 913-608-1910

www.kansasrifle.org

LEAGUE of KY SPORTSMEN, INC. 1116 Hume Rd Lexington, KY 40516 859-858-0135

www.kentuckysportsmen.com

LA SHOOTING ASS'N

350 Quill Ct. Slidell, LA 70461 985-781-4174

www.louisianashooting.com

ME PINETREESTATE R&PASS'N,INC 14 Pine Road Wiscasset, ME 04578 207-882-4713

www.mainerpa.org

MD STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS'N 341 Whitfield Rd Catonsville, MD 21228 410-838-1734

www.msrpa.org

(MA) GUN OWNERS’ ACTION LEAGUE PO Box 567, 361 W Main St Northborough, MA 01606 508-393-5333

www.goal.org

MI RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 71 Marshall, MI 49068-0071 586-727-1977

www.michrpa.com

MN RIFLE & REVOLVER ASS'N, INC. P.O. Box 143 Farmington, MN 55024 320-968-6898

www.mrra.org

MO SPORT SHOOTING ASS’N 6140 N. Wagon Trail Rd. Columbia, MO 65202-9658 573-449-2849

www.missourisportshooting.org

MAGNOLIA STATE SHOOTING SPORTS ALLIANCE PO BOX 15593 Hattiesburg, MS 39404-5593 601-260-1145

https://www.facebook.com/people/ Magnolia-State-Shooting-SportsAlliance/100092283475481/

MT RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 48 Ramsay, MT 59748 406-579-8694 (weekends only)

www.mtrpa.org

NE MARKSMANSHIP ASS’N PO Box 390311 Omaha, NE 68139 402-880-4868

www.nemarksmanship.com

NV FIREARMS COALITION 5575 Simmons St, Ste I-176 North Las Vegas, NV 89031 702-373-5935

www.nvfac.org

GUN OWNERS OF NH, INC. P.O. Box 847 Concord, NH 03302-0487 603-225-4664

ASS'N OF NJ R&P CLUBS, INC. 5 Sicomac Rd Ste 292 North Haledon, NJ 07508 973-764-4100

www.anjrpc.org

NM SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N, INC. P.O. Box 93433 Albuquerque, NM 87199 505-990-1802

www.nmssa.org

NY STATE R&P ASS’N, INC. 713 Columbia Pike East Greenbush, NY 12061 518-272-2654

www.nysrpa.org

NC RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N P.O. Box 4116 Pinehurst, NC 28374 910-639-4742

www.ncrpa.org

NRA Affiliated State Associations

ND SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N P.O. Box 228 Bismarck, ND 58502 701-255-4601

www.ndssa.org

OH RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N PO Box 1201 Morehead, KY 40351-5201 330-714-3597

www.orpa.net

OK LAHOMA RIRLE ASSOCIATION 1530 N. Harrison Box 333 Shawnee, OK 74804 405-374-9262

https://oklahomarifle.org/

OR STATE SHOOTING ASS’N P.O. Box 231191 Portland, OR 97281-1161 503-635-5874

https://keystone2a.org/

KEYSTONE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION

20021 North Front Street Building 3, Suite 233 Harrisburg, PA 17102 919-215-4161

www.ossa.org

GUNRIGHTS & SAFETY ASS'N OF PR PO Box 191919

San Juan, PR 00919-1919 787-691-1919

www.grsapr.org

RI 2nd AMENDMENT COALITION 928 Atwood Ave Johnston, RI 02919 401-944-1600

www.ri2nd.org

GUN OWNERS OF SC P.O. Box 211 Little Mountain, SC 29075 803-345-5761

www.gosc.org

SD SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N 304 West Prospect Ave Pierre, SD 57501 605-660-1059

www.sdshootingsports.org

TN SHOOTING SPORTS ASS'N, INC. 4442 Gray's Point Rd Joelton, TN 37080 615-491-2633

www.tennesseeshootingsportsassociation.org

TX STATE RIFLE ASS'N P.O. Box 2140 Bastrop, TX 78640 512-615-4200

www.tsra.com

UT STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASS’N

2718 E. 9725 South Sandy, UT 84092-3405 801-942-6529

usrpa.org

VT FED'NOF SPRTMN’S CLUBS,INC. PO Box 225 Lyndonville, VT 05851 206-427-8257

www.vtfsc.com

VA SHOOTING SPORTS ASS’N

P.O. Box 1258 Orange, VA 22960 540-672-5848

www.myvssa.org

WA STATE R&P ASS'N, INC.

P.O. Box 64971 University Place, WA 98464 725-400-4867

www.wsrpa.net

WV STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOC. PO Box 553 Charles Town, WV 25414 443-623-3150

www.wvasrpa.org

WISCONSIN FORCE PO Box 130 Seymour, WI 54165 607-799-3539

www.wisconsinfirearmowners.org

WY STATE SHOOTING ASS'N, INC. Box 942 Worland, WY 82401 307-347-8852

www.wyossa.com

NRA Field Representative Directory

Director of Field Staff

EASTERN REGION

Eastern Regional Director

Area 2 (NY, CT, MA, ME, NH, VT, RI)

Area 4 (DE, NJ, Eastern PA)

Area 5 (Western PA)

Area 7 (WV, Western VA, Western MD, KY)

Area 14 (IN)

Area 45 (DC, Eastern MD, Eastern VA)

Area 49 (OH)

Area 51 (MI)

CENTRAL REGION

Central Regional Director

Area 17 (WI)

Area 18 (IL)

Area 19 (MO)

Area 20 (OK, KS)

Area 21 (MN, ND)

Area 23 (IA, NE)

Area 29 (WY, SD)

Area 30 (CO, UT)

SOUTHERN REGION

Southern Regional Director

Area 9 (SC, Eastern NC)

Area 10 (GA, AL, MS)

Area 26 (Southern & Western TX)

Area 16 (AR, LA)

Area 42 (NCW)

Area 43 (TN)

Area 44 (Eastern & Northern TX)

Area 48 (FL)

Bryan Hoover bhoover@nrahq.org

David Wells dwells@nrahq.org

Shawn Sage ssage@nrahq.org

Greg Nyce gnyce@nrahq.org

Cory Schaeffer cschaeffer@nrahq.org

Michael Swackhamer mswackhamer@nrahq.org

Josh Toennessen jtoennessen@nrahq.org

Brandon Spence bspence@nrahq.org

Marc Peugeot mpeugeot@nrahq.org

Allan Herman aherman@nrahq.org

Donald Higgs dhiggs@nrahq.org

Tylor Flynn tflynn@nrahq.org

Jason Wolfe jwolfe@nrahq.org

Tim Besancenez tbesancenez@nrahq.org

Chad Grissom cgrissom@nrahq.org

Eric Linder elinder@nrahq.org

Tim Bacon tbacon@nrahq.org

Byron "Dusty" Klein bklein@nrahq.org

Brad Dreier bdreier@nrahq.org

Mike Webb mwebb@nrahq.org

Steve Slavik sslavik@nrahq.org

Richard Mulford rmulford@nrahq.org

Tyler Ward tward@nrahq.org

Alex Campbell acampbell@nrahq.org

Phil Martin pmartin@nrahq.org

Tom Knight tknight@nrahq.org

Liz Foley efoley@nrahq.org

Bret Eldridge peldridge@nrahq.org

NRA Field Representative Directory

WESTERN REGION

Western Regional Director

Area 28 (MT)

Area 31 (AZ, NM)

Area 33 (ID)

Area 34 (OR, HI, WA)

Area 35 (Northern CA, Central CA)

Area 46 (Eastern CA, NV)

Area 50 (CAM and CAS)

Area 53 (Alaska)

Important upcoming deadlines and events:

Brad Kruger bkruger@nrahq.org

Joseph Crismore jcrismore@nrahq.org

Ron Capalongan rcapalongan@nrahq.org

Steve Vreeland svreeland@nrahq.org

Robert Berg rberg@nrahq.org

Daniel Wilhelm dwilhelm@nrahq.org

Jody Lammel jlammel@nrahq.org

Jason Russo jrusso@nrahq.org

Randall Clavell rclavell@nrahq.org

2024 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits - May 16-19. 2024 - Dallas, Texas - https://www.nraam.org/

NRA Clubs & Associations Workshop - NRA Annual Meeting - May 17, 2024https://www.nraam.org/events/2024-events/friday-may-17/nra-clubs-associations-workshop/

NRA Range Development and Operations Conference - July 31 - August 1 - Denver, CO

https://rangeservices.nra.org/development-training/range-development-operations-conference/

NRA Range Grants Deadline - August 1, 2024 - https://rangeservices.nra.org/funding-grants/

NRA Club Awards Deadline - August 1, 2024 - https://awards.nra.org/awards/club-awards/

11250 Waples Mill Road

Fairfax, VA 22030

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