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Gallery
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Ringing Steel
Team NRA captain John Bailey hammers the steel plates with a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22.
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Team NRA
Team NRA got together just before the rifle matches. From left, Darren LaSorte, Randy Clark, Kyle Crew and team captain John Bailey.
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Shooting a Sharps
Another side match was shooting a genuine Sharps 1874 rifle, chambered in .45-70. This rifle, made by Christian Sharps in 1877, fired more than 400 full-house, blackpowder loads during the two-day event without a hitch.
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Airborne Archery
Using flu-flu arrows, contestants had five tries to hit an aerial target.
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More Than Guns
One of the 17 side matches was this tomahawk throwing contest sponsored by Benchmade Knives.
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Not Easy
Many contestants found the sporting clays leg of the match quite challenging.
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Starting it Off
Former NRA editor Tes Salb fired the first shots at the Shooting Industry Masters tournament with a rimfire semi-auto.
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It’s Western
Contestants were required to shoot a compressed version of a cowboy action match featuring two revolvers, a lever-action rifle and a double-barreled shotgun.
The benefit of a lightweight rifle is lost the moment you top it with a clunky, overweight optic, particularly a lengthy one. To that end, we are starting to see an emphasis on riflescopes that are less cumbersome when mounted, such as Steiner’s Predator 4S.
Already a fan of Ruger’s long-discontinued double-action Security-Six, Police Service-Six and Speed-Six revolvers, I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to acquire one of the latter in 9 mm Luger when an unfired, 42-year-old example turned up at a gun show.
Old Glory Bank, which provides banking services to NRA-affiliated clubs and associations, served as the presenting sponsor for the National Youth Shooting Sports Conference in October.
When it comes to the five senses, hearing is one of the most susceptible to damage from the shooting sports. Now, the latest electronic technology gives compromised ears a new lease on life—and protects them from further harm.
In 2025, Hunters for the Hungry programs across the United States will have extra support from the National Rifle Association, thanks to NRA Foundation donors.