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National Rifle Association of America

Founded	November 17, 1871; 153 years ago (1871-11-17)
Founder	William Conant Church George Wood Wingate
Founded at	New York City
Type	501(c)(4)
Focus	Gun politics Gun rights
Location	Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S. 38°51′47″N 77°20′8″W / 38.86306°N 77.33556°W / 38.86306; -77.33556
Area served	United States
Services	Lobbying Membership organization Magazine publisher Education/certification
Method	Lobbying Publications Outreach programs
Members	Approximately 5.5 million (self-reported)
Key people	Charles L. Cotton (President) Andrew Arulanandam (Interim CEO and Executive Vice President)
Subsidiaries	NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund NRA Foundation NRA Special Contribution Fund NRA Freedom Action Foundation NRA Institute for Legislative Action NRA Political Victory Fund
Revenue (2018)	$412,233,508
Expenses (2018)	$423,034,158

Seal of the National Rifle Association

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a group in the United States that supports gun rights. It was started in 1871 to help people become better at shooting rifles. Today, the NRA is a well-known group that works to protect gun rights. It also teaches about firearm safety and how to use guns well. The organization publishes several magazines and holds shooting competitions. The NRA says it had almost 5 million members in December 2018.

The NRA is one of the most powerful groups in U.S. politics. Its lobbying part, called the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), works with lawmakers. It also manages a group that helps political campaigns, called the Political Victory Fund (PVF). The NRA has influenced laws, been part of lawsuits, and supported or opposed politicians. For example, the NRA-ILA helped pass the Firearm Owners Protection Act. This law made some rules from the Gun Control Act of 1968 less strict. They also supported the Dickey Amendment, which stops the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from using government money to promote gun control.

Since the late 1970s, the NRA has faced more criticism. This happened after changes in the NRA's goals, following a meeting in 1977 known as the Revolt at Cincinnati. These changes moved the group away from focusing mainly on "hunting, conservation, and marksmanship." Instead, it began to focus more on defending the right to bear arms. The NRA has been strongly criticized after major shootings. After these events, they often suggested having armed security guards in schools.

History of the NRA

How the NRA Started

William Conant Church, one of the NRA's founders

The idea for a national rifle association came up in 1861 during the American Civil War. Americans in England suggested creating a group like the one in Britain. They wrote to President Abraham Lincoln and suggested building a shooting range. They also offered prizes for shooting contests.

The National Rifle Association of America officially started in New York State on November 17, 1871. It was founded by William Conant Church, who edited a newspaper called Army and Navy Journal, and Captain George Wood Wingate. On November 25, 1871, the group chose its first leaders. Union Army Civil War General Ambrose Burnside became the first president. He had worked as a Rhode Island gunsmith. Church took over as president when Burnside left in 1872.

Records from the Civil War showed that Union soldiers often missed their targets. General Burnside complained that many soldiers who knew how to drill did not know how to aim their guns. This was because older guns were not very accurate.

Ambrose Burnside, a Union Army general and the first president of the NRA

To help soldiers shoot better, Wingate studied marksmanship training programs in other countries. The New York Legislature then paid for a modern shooting range called Creedmoor on Long Island. It opened on June 21, 1873. A train station was built nearby, making it easy to get there from New York City.

In 1873, the Irish Rifle Team challenged American riflemen to a long-range shooting match. An American team was formed, and gun companies like Remington Arms made new breech-loading weapons for them. These guns were loaded from the back, not the front. The American team won the 1874 match using these new guns. This event helped show that breech-loading firearms were good for military training. It also made the NRA well-known across the country.

In 1875, the NRA held an international rifle match as part of the 1876 celebrations for the nation's founding. Teams from Australia, Ireland, Scotland, and Canada joined. The United States won the 1876 match. This competition became known as the Palma Match, held every four years as the World Long Range Rifle Championships.

NRA and Rifle Clubs

Ulysses S. Grant was President of the NRA from 1883 to 1884.

The NRA helped start rifle clubs in other states. Many state National Guard groups asked the NRA for advice to improve their shooting skills. Wingate's shooting manual became part of the United States Army's training program. Former President Ulysses S. Grant and General Philip H. Sheridan both served as presidents of the NRA.

In 1901, the U.S. Congress created a board to promote rifle practice. It included people from the NRA, National Guard, and military. They also approved annual rifle and pistol competitions for military and civilian shooters. In 1907, the NRA moved its main office to Washington, D.C., to help with its work to influence laws. Until 1927, the United States Department of War gave free ammunition and targets to civilian rifle clubs.

NRA's Focus Shifts (1934–1970s)

After the National Firearms Act (NFA) was passed in 1934, the NRA created a division to inform members about new laws. This was the first major federal gun control law in the U.S. Karl Frederick, who was NRA president in 1934, said he did not believe in people generally carrying weapons. He thought it should be limited and only allowed with licenses. Four years later, the NRA also supported the Federal Firearms Act of 1938.

The NRA supported the NFA and parts of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). These laws created a system for gun dealers to get licenses and set rules for certain types of firearms. However, the NRA did not support a national list of all firearms, which President Lyndon B. Johnson wanted.

NRA's Political Growth (1970s–2000s)

Before the 1970s, the NRA was not tied to any political party. It mainly focused on sports, hunting, and target shooting. But in the 1970s, it started to work more closely with the Republican Party. After 1977, the group grew its membership by focusing a lot on political issues. It also formed partnerships with conservative politicians, mostly Republicans.

The passage of the GCA encouraged more NRA members to become active in gun rights. In 1975, the NRA started to focus more on politics. It created its lobbying part, the Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). The next year, its political action committee (PAC), the Political Victory Fund, was formed for the 1976 elections. A key moment for the NRA was its 1977 annual meeting, known as "The Cincinnati Revolution." At this meeting, some members wanted new leaders because they felt the old leaders had not done enough to stop gun control laws. They believed no compromise should be made on gun rights.

The NRA-ILA worked to make the GCA weaker. They successfully pushed Congress to pass the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA) in 1986. This law reduced some of the powers of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

In 1994, the NRA did not succeed in stopping the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB). However, they successfully worked to make sure the ban ended in 2004. Charlton Heston, a movie star, was elected president in 1998. He became a very public voice for the NRA.

Lobbying and Political Work

Chris W. Cox, the NRA's former chief lobbyist and political strategist.

When the National Rifle Association of America officially started in 1871, its main goal was to "promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis." The NRA's website says it is "America's longest-standing civil rights organization."

In 1872, the NRA created a committee to lobby for laws that would help the organization. Their first effort was to ask the New York State government for money to buy land for a shooting range. Within three months, the law was passed and signed by the Governor.

In 1934, the NRA created its Legislative Affairs Division. This group spoke to Congress to support the first major federal gun control law in the U.S., the National Firearms Act.

The Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) is the NRA's lobbying part. It was created in 1975. Experts say the NRA changed its focus in the late 1970s to include more political work. Its PAC, the Political Victory Fund, started in 1976. By 1998, it was "one of the biggest spenders in congressional elections."

A 1999 Fortune magazine survey said that lawmakers saw the NRA as the most powerful lobbying group for three years in a row. Chris W. Cox was the NRA's main lobbyist and political planner from 2002 to 2019. In 2012, many members of Congress had received money from the NRA PAC. This shows how much support they had.

The NRA has also worked on gun laws in other countries. It has opposed Canada's gun registry and supported gun rights in Brazil.

In 2016, the NRA spent a record $412 million on political activities. It also has a PAC, which is separate from these numbers. The organization gave money to political campaigns for both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

The NRA is known for influencing American gun control policy. It affects how lawmakers vote through its money and its ability to get many members involved. The organization has not lost a major fight over gun control laws since the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. At the national level, the NRA helped stop government research into the health effects of firearms in the mid-1990s. It also helped pass a law in 2005 that largely protects gun makers and sellers from lawsuits. At the state and local level, the NRA has worked to reduce gun regulations. For example, it pushed states to stop local governments from making their own gun rules. It also worked to remove limits on guns in public places like bars and college campuses.

Elections and Political Support

Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president.

The NRA Political Victory Fund (PVF) PAC was created in 1976. Its goal is to challenge politicians who support gun control and to help those who support gun rights. The NRA gives grades to candidates. An "A+" candidate has a great voting record on NRA issues and strongly defends the Second Amendment. An "F" candidate is seen as an "enemy of gun owners' rights."

The NRA first supported a presidential candidate in 1980, backing Ronald Reagan. They also endorse candidates even if they like both. For example, in the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate elections, the NRA supported Rick Santorum even though his opponent also had an "A" rating.

Republicans worked with the NRA to encourage voters in the 1994 elections. In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill. This law created background checks to stop criminals and minors from buying guns. Also, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 included a 10-year ban on selling assault weapons.

After the 1994 elections, the NRA spent a lot of money on Republican campaigns. This helped many NRA-supported candidates win. The NRA said that Republicans would protect Second Amendment rights and get rid of new gun control laws.

The NRA spent $40 million on U.S. elections in 2008. This included $10 million to oppose Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign.

In 2010, a Supreme Court decision called Citizens United v. FEC allowed more "dark money" (money from unknown sources) into U.S. elections. By 2018, the NRA was one of the top groups receiving this anonymous money.

The NRA spent over $360,000 in the Colorado recall election of 2013. This led to two state senators being removed from office. These senators had helped pass expanded background checks and limits on ammunition magazine capacity after the 2012 Aurora, Colorado, and Sandy Hook, Connecticut, shootings.

On May 20, 2016, the NRA supported Donald Trump in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. This was earlier than usual for the NRA. They said it was because Hillary Clinton strongly supported gun control. The NRA reported spending more than $30 million to support Donald Trump in that election.

NRA and Government Agencies

For many years, the NRA has tried to limit the power of the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives). They have done this by blocking people nominated to lead the ATF. They also lobby against changes that would help the ATF track gun crimes. For example, the NRA opposed ATF changes to track guns electronically. The ATF currently uses paper records.

In 2006, the NRA worked to add a rule to the Patriot Act. This rule said that the Senate must approve people nominated to lead the ATF. For seven years after that, the NRA worked against and "effectively blocked" every president's nominee. This made it hard for the ATF to have a permanent leader.

The NRA also opposed the appointments of Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan as Supreme Court justices.

NRA and Laws

National Rifle Association Position on Federal US Legislation
Bill/Law	Year	Supported	Opposed
National Firearms Act	1934	N
Federal Firearms Act	1938	N
Gun Control Act	1968	N	N
Federal Assault Weapons Ban	1994		N
Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act	2005	N
Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act	2006	N
Assault Weapons Ban	2013		N

The NRA first opposed the 1934 National Firearms Act. But they supported it after changes were made. These changes removed pistols and revolvers from the law. The law then mainly regulated "gangster weapons" like machine guns and short-barreled guns.

The NRA supported the 1938 Federal Firearms Act (FFA). This law created the Federal Firearms License (FFL) program. It required all gun makers and dealers to have a license if they shipped guns or ammo across state lines.

The NRA supported some parts of the Gun Control Act of 1968. This law regulated the gun industry and gun owners. It mainly focused on controlling gun sales between states. The NRA supported parts of the law that stopped selling guns to criminals and people with mental illness.

The NRA helped write and pass the Firearm Owners Protection Act.

In 2004, the NRA opposed renewing the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994. The ban ended on September 13, 2004.

In 2005, President George W. Bush signed the NRA-backed Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. This law partly protects gun makers and dealers from being sued if crimes are committed with their products.

Legal Challenges

In November 2005, the NRA and other gun groups sued San Francisco over a law that banned owning and selling firearms. The NRA said the city went too far and was trying to regulate something the state already controlled. The court agreed with the NRA. San Francisco lost an appeal in 2008. The city had to pay $380,000 to the NRA and others for legal costs.

In April 2006, police in New Orleans, Louisiana, started returning guns that had been taken after Hurricane Katrina. The NRA and other groups dropped a lawsuit against the city in exchange for the guns being returned.

The NRA also filed a legal brief with the Supreme Court in the 2008 gun rights case of District of Columbia v. Heller. The Supreme Court ruled that Washington D.C.'s gun laws were against the Constitution. For the first time, the court said that an individual's right to own a gun was not just tied to serving in a militia. Some experts believe the NRA helped change how people understood the Second Amendment.

In 2009, the NRA sued San Francisco again. This time, they challenged the city's ban on guns in public housing. The San Francisco Housing Authority settled with the NRA. This allowed residents to have legal firearms in their apartments.

In 2010, the NRA sued the city of Chicago, Illinois (McDonald v. Chicago). The Supreme Court ruled that the right to own guns applies to states, too, through the Fourteenth Amendment.

In March 2013, the NRA joined a lawsuit against New York's gun control law (the NY SAFE Act). They argued that Governor Andrew Cuomo had acted unfairly in passing the law. The law included limits on magazine capacity and expanded the state's assault weapons ban.

In November 2013, voters in Sunnyvale, California, passed a law banning certain ammunition magazines. The NRA and local residents sued the city. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, upholding Sunnyvale's law. San Francisco later passed similar laws.

In 2014, the NRA worked for a law in Pennsylvania. This law allowed the NRA and other groups to sue cities that passed local gun rules that went against state law. It also allowed courts to make cities pay their legal fees. As soon as the law passed, the NRA sued three cities: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Lancaster.

The NRA has also worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). They both opposed the NSA collecting phone call records in the United States.

In September 2019, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution. It called the NRA a "domestic terrorist organization." It also said the city should try to limit businesses that work with both the city and the NRA. The NRA sued San Francisco, saying the city was violating its free speech rights. Later, San Francisco leaders said the city's rules for businesses had not changed because of the resolution. In November 2019, the NRA dropped its lawsuit against San Francisco.

In November 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case called National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo. This case is about whether a New York state official violated the First Amendment by telling financial companies not to work with the NRA.

Programs and Activities

NRA headquarters in Fairfax County, Virginia, which houses the museum.

The National Rifle Association owns the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax County, Virginia. This museum shows how firearms have changed throughout American history. In 2013, the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum opened in Springfield, Missouri. It displays almost 1,000 firearms, including important historical guns. The NRA also publishes several magazines, like American Rifleman.

The NRA offers many programs about firearm safety for children and adults. One program for school-age children is called "Eddie Eagle." The organization also trains and certifies firearm instructors.

In 1994, the US Olympic Committee suggested that USA Shooting replace the NRA as the main group for Olympic shooting sports. The NRA left before the decision was announced.

The NRA supports marksmanship training. It also hosts the National Rifle and Pistol Matches at Camp Perry. These events are called the "world series of competitive shooting." The National Rifle Association works with groups like the Boy Scouts of America and 4-H. It helps support youth shooting programs.

The NRA holds annual meetings. The 2018 meeting was in Dallas, Texas. More than 800 exhibitors and 80,000 people attended. This made it the largest NRA meeting ever. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the event.

How the NRA is Organized

Leadership

Key People and Spokespersons

Since 1991, Wayne LaPierre has been the NRA's executive vice president. He acts as the chief executive officer. His pay is about $1 million per year.

Chris W. Cox was the executive director of the NRA's lobbying part, the Institute for Legislative Action. He received more than $1.3 million in 2015. Kyle Weaver is the executive director of general operations.

Spokesperson Dana Loesch speaking at a political event in 2011.

In 2017, political commentator Dana Loesch became the NRA's national spokesperson. She hosts a show on NRATV and appears in other NRA videos.

Actor Chuck Norris is the honorary chairman for the NRA's voter registration campaign. Colion Noir hosts a video program on the NRA's online video channel.

In May 2018, the NRA announced that Oliver North would become president. North served one term, which included legal battles and disagreements with LaPierre. He was replaced by Carolyn D. Meadows in April 2019.

Board of Directors

The NRA is led by a board of 76 elected directors. Most serve three-year terms. The directors choose a president and other leaders from among the members. They also choose the executive directors for the NRA's different parts. In 2015, most board members were white and male. More came from Texas than any other state. Only 7 percent of eligible members vote.

Membership

The NRA says its membership reached a record high of 5.5 million members in 2018. Membership fees also increased a lot from 2017 to 2018.

A 2017 study found that 19% of gun owners in the U.S. say they are NRA members. The NRA says some non-members might claim to be members to show support.

Well-Known Members

Nine U.S. presidents have been NRA members. These include Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush (who left in 1995), and Donald Trump. Three U.S. vice presidents, two chief justices of the Supreme Court, and many members of Congress have also been members.

Other past or current members include journalist Hunter S. Thompson, actor Rick Schroder, and singer James Hetfield.

Connected Organizations

The National Rifle Association is made up of several groups that work together and share leaders. These include the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), which handles the NRA's political work. There is also the NRA Civil Defense Fund, which provides free legal help for cases about Second Amendment rights. This fund was started in 1978.

In 1994, the Fund spent over $500,000 on legal fees for gun-related cases. It paid legal bills for Brian Aitken, a New Jersey resident who was jailed for carrying guns without a permit. In 2010, Governor Chris Christie pardoned Aitken and ordered his release.

NRA Foundation

The NRA Foundation is a non-profit organization. It raises and gives money to outdoor groups and other programs. These include ROTC programs, 4-H, and Boy Scouts. In 2010, the NRA Foundation gave $21.2 million for gun-related training and education. Most of this money went to the NRA itself. The rest went to community programs for hunters, shooters, and youth groups. The foundation has no staff and pays no salaries.

Friends of NRA is a program that raises money for the NRA Foundation. Since 1992, Friends of NRA has held many events and raised over $600 million for the Foundation.

Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF)

As the NRA became more focused on politics, the Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) was created in 1976. This PAC supports politicians who are friendly to the NRA. Chris W. Cox, the NRA's chief lobbyist, is also the NRA-PVF chairman. The NRA-PVF rates political candidates based on their views on gun rights.

In the 2008 elections, the PVF spent millions on direct campaign donations and local efforts. In 2012, NRA-PVF had an income of $14.4 million. By 2014, its income grew to $21.9 million.

Finances

Name	Year	Income in Millions	Expenses in Millions
National Rifle Association (NRA)	2011	218.9	231.0
NRA Institute for Legislative Action	n/a	n/a	n/a
NRA Civil Defense Fund	2012	1.6	1.0
NRA Civil Defense Fund	2013	1.3	0.9
NRA Foundation	2012	43.0	29.1
NRA Foundation	2013	41.3	31.4
NRA Freedom Action Foundation	2012	2.1	2.3
NRA Freedom Action Foundation	2013	0.5	0.1
NRA Political Victory Fund	2012	14.4	16.1
NRA Political Victory Fund	2014	21.9	20.7
NRA Special Contribution Fund	2012	3.3	3.1
NRA Special Contribution Fund	2013	4.3	3.6

In 2010, the NRA reported $227.8 million in income and $243.5 million in expenses. About $115 million came from fundraising, sales, and advertising. Most of the rest came from membership fees. Less than half of the NRA's income comes from membership dues. The majority comes from donations, grants, and advertising.

Companies that donate to the NRA include outdoor supply and sporting goods companies, and gun makers. From 2005 to 2011, the NRA received at least $14.8 million from over 50 gun-related companies. In 2008, Beretta gave over $2 million to the NRA. In 2012, Smith & Wesson gave over $1 million. Sturm, Ruger & Company raised $1.25 million by donating $1 to the NRA-ILA for each gun they sold from 2011 to 2012.

Legal Challenges to Finances

In 2018, the NRA claimed in a court document that it lost tens of millions of dollars. This was due to actions by Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York's financial regulator. The state's Department of Financial Services (DFS) told insurance companies and banks to check their business with the NRA. They suggested that working with the NRA might be a "reputational risk." The NRA's lawsuit said Cuomo's actions violated its free speech rights. The ACLU also supported the NRA's case.

In August 2020, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the NRA and four people involved with the organization. She accused the NRA of illegal conduct. The lawsuit claimed the NRA misused funds and did not follow laws. It said money was used for personal expenses for senior leaders, costing the organization $64 million over three years. A judge ruled in June 2022 that the lawsuit could continue.