_IEMBERSHIP

_ EMBERSHIP growth in the years 1941-1960 is shown by chart. I During 1960,_almost 2 million new-

ber mailings and more than 750,renewal notices were mailed to A members. Six hundred thousand -in membership applications and - new-member advertisements were . ed in the issues of THE AMERT- RIFLEMAN. We also placed adverents in outdoor magazines and -cited memberships through sporting _ - dealers who sell the magazine -" by direct mail to outside lists.
[R OF MEMBERS usands) 100
Category Articles Shooting Hunting Gunsmithing and Ranges Ammunition and Reloading Antique Arms and Collections Rifles-Description and Per" formance Firearms Legislation NRA Official Matters Handguns-Description and Performance Gun Knowledge Junior Training Editorials Sighting and Observation Shotguns-Description and Performance Biographical and Personality Other Subjects Other Front Covers Ricochets Contents Page Membership and Building Fund Items Book Reviews Index Miscellaneous
TOTAL EDITORIAL AND OTHER

Total Pages 1960

CLUBS
HE number of organized groups affiliated with NRA has grown steadily over the years. In 1926 we had approximately 1300 clubs. Prior to World War II this figure had grown to about 4000, with a total today of almost 10,000 in these categories:

152 92 29
63 34

40
23

29 21
30 4

12
5 9 9 35 2 8 12

TOTAL CLUBS 9,603

64
9 2

15
709 619 1,328

n
. -

STATERIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATIONS 46

GUN COLLECTOR ASSOCIATIONS 54

OTHER ASSOCIATIONS 12

Paid Advertising
TOTAL PAGES

FIREARMS
THE EE

INFORMATION

SERVICE

SENIOR CLUBS

4,299

AMERICAN

RIFLEMAN

Official Journal of our Associa"on, THE AMERICANRIFLEMAN, _" the finest publication on fired shooting available anywhere orld. Its editorial influence has d continues to be a potent force - field of firearms. In the minds members it is the hub around - revolve all of their interests. It is tangible benefit most consistently _ railable to each member. of 4,606,900 "copies of the =::;=.ti:;::ewere printed in 1960 as comto 4,322,600 in 1959, and '::',::;:':!.c::~ in 1958. The contents by cat-" ow the types of information. 61

NE of the more important services rendered by our Association is in O the field of firearms information. Members of the NRA Technical Staff and Contributing Editors of THE RIFLEMAN answer questions about firearms and related subjects, initiate studies on reloading and similar projects, evaluate products and services, and prepare major articles for the magazine of a type which cannot be secured from free-lance sources. During 1960, 17,992 firearms information letters were answered and 196 products evaluated. Almost 23,000 pieces of material relating to range plans were distributed upon individual request.

And

Safety Education Marksmanship Training

Basic

1960, the NRAPoliceShooting Program was inaugurated. Under this program our plan of certified marksmanship instructors has been expanded to include police who are engaged in marksmanship instruction. Special police qualification insignia is available to law-enforcement agencies which conduct NRA Registered training courses. The NRA tournament program has been expanded to include the registration and approval of police matches over combat-type courses.

URING

earned during 1960. A total of 117,730 individuals, mostly Juniors, have completed the course. The extent of participation in Basic Training Courses is: .
Registered Courses Conducted Rifle Pistol
TOTAL

IFTY-FIVE

Marksmanship instructors and 23 clubs NRA Training Awards

Leagues NRA League Program provides recognized competition on the home range extending throughout the entire season; provides club members the opportunity to earn NRA classification and to win a maximum of awards with a minimum of expense. More and more clubs are taking advantage of this popular form of shooting.
HE

Students Graduated 14,284 1,656 15,940 Winter Leagues:

No. of LeaguesTeams

TotalAverage Participants

602 103 705

1960
725 206-1,264 112- 720 325-2,009 22- 119 39- 173 43- 139 1~ 429-2,440

1960
10,627-52 5,754-51 16,381-50 997-45 1,502-39 1,209-28 3,708-36 20,089-47

Light Rifle Smallbore Rifle Pistol

TOTAL

Slimmer

Leagues

OPERA TIONS IN 1960

CONTINUED

High Power Rifle Smallbore Rifle Pistol

TOTAL GRAND TOTAL

I~

This year, for the first time, the NRA 25 Foot Shooting Program was expanded to an all-around activity. Qualification firing for young people at this distance was authorized in 1950. It now provides for qualification and competitive match firing with both rifle and pistol, by adults and Juniors alike, with CO, gas, pneumatic, and spring-type rifled-barrel air ,guns. Certified Instructors A NNUAL renewal of all instructor ratings is required. The figures below show the number of NRA Certified Instructors recorded in each category:

Qualifications UALIFICATION courses are designed to stimulate the new shooter to practice so that he will improve his skill, and to recognize such improvement by means of special awards at certain stages. The number and type of awards issued in 1960 are:

Classification Classification records and issuing cards to competitors are typical of the services provided by NRA to its members. It is a significant element of the competitive shooting program which is not included in most sports. Classifications of record at the end of 1960 were:

AINT AINING

Classification

of Record

1960
7,275 4,646 2,373 18,082 18,188 24,027 74,591 45,776 120,367 16,471 12,923 6,615 42,355 61,893 24,923 17,080 42,003 120,367

Junior

Qualifications

1960
333,160 3,690 20,501 357,351 9,664 3,339 2,128 973 610 47 374,112

r
l' I.
;~

50 ft. 25 ft. 15 ft.

TOTAL

Active Masters Lifetime Masters Inactive Masters Experts Sharpshooters MarksmenTOTAL GRAND ISSUED TOTAL

Temporary Classification by Type

Total

12131/60
II; II,
I~

Senior Qualifications American Rifleman Light Rifle Qualifications .22 Shotgun Qualifications Police Qualifications Shotgun Qualifications
GRAND TOTAL

Hunter Safety Rifle Marksmanship Pistol Marksmanship

TOTAL

34,058 11,698 5,281 51,037 .

High Power Rifle Smallbore Rifle Outdoor Prone Outdoor Position Indoor
TOTAL

Safety WENTY-NINE states and one Canadian province now operate firearm safety training programs. There is no question that widespread training with the NRA Hunter Safety Course and attendant publicity have had an influence on the decline in firearms accidents. Fifteen states and one Canadian province have legislation, in one form or another, on hunter safety training. Fourteen additional states have official programs by administrative action. The number of students completing the course now exceeds 200,000 each year-237,314 in 1958, 248,001 in 1959, and 234,543 in 1960 -with a total of 1,056,275 graduates at the end of 1960.

Hunter

Tournaments and Shooters URING 1960 more tournaments were conducted and the number of shooters firing was greater than ever before. There was an increase over 1959 of 136 tournaments and 7244 competitors. Participation in 1960 was as follows:

Pistol Outdoor Indoor

TOTAL GRAND , TOTAL

Number

of Tournaments.

1960
236 752' 919 1,907 20,702 36,033 48,152 104,887 88 48 53

High Power Rifle Smallbore Rifle Pistol

TOTAL

Number

of Entries

High Power Rifle Smallbore Rifle Pistol

TOTAL

Average

Attendance

High Power Rifle Smallbore Rifle Pistol

International Competition URING 1960 the United States was represented in the Olympic Games at Rome, Italy, by a team of rifle, pistol, and clay pigeon shooters. Under the general supervision of the Olympic Rifle and Pistol Shooting Committees, the National Rifle Association handled all arrangements. Capt. William W. McMillan, Jr., USMC, won the gold medal for first place in the 25-meter Silhouette Pistol Match after a magnificent shoot-off with a representative from Finland and one from Russia. Sgt. James E. Hill, USMC, won the silver medal for second place in the 50-meter Smallbore Prone Match.

24

THE

A.'\.iERIC~-

BUILD

Current membership-418,OOO Membership at start of campaign-325,OOO

NRA!

500,000 I.

.Marksmanship Qualifications
Ratings are Pro-Marksman, Marksman, Marksman First Class, Sharpshooter, 9 Sharpshooter Bars, Expert, and Distinguished Rifle or Distinguished Pistol. Awards include certificates (clubs may request these free certificates in advance and issue them as earned), lapel pins, medals, and brassards. Clubs may purchase the pins, medals, and brassards in advance in order that they may -be presented at the time of qualification. Firing for qualification awards is done in accordance with NRA competitive rules except where specific exceptions are made. All of the above qualifications are at a distance of 50 ft. or less. For outdoor rifle shooters THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN Qualification Course offers awards and recognition at the popular 50-yd. range. Ten different ratings are provided for scores fired in prone, sitting, kneeling, and standing positions. Cal. .22 target rifles with metallic sights are used. For members who do not own a target rifle, but would like to qualify with a sporting-type cal. .22 rifle, NRA offers the Light Rifle Qualification Course. This course consists of 3 ratings. Special targets are used and attractive medals and brassards awarded. The new NRA Shotgun Qualifications are designed to please the scattergun enthusiasts among NRA members and clubs. These qualification courses include not only those where the usual trap and skeet layouts are used, but also courses where a friend throws clay pigeons from a hand- or footoperated trap. The latter can be enjoyed as a club, family, or group shooting sport, but it is necessary to have at least 300 yds. of open, safe shooting area beyond the firer. Four different ratings are provided and awards consist of medals, pins, brassards, and certificates. In addition there is the cal. .22 shotgun qualification course fired with a cal. .22 shotgun in an area 100x75 yds. For full details on any of these programs, write to the National Rifle Association, 1600 Rhode Island Ave., N. W., Washington 6, D. C., and ask for qualification information. Use these proven, popular shooting activities to bring new people into the shooting game and help Build NRA. Build NRA Contest The Lyman Gun Sight Corp. is conducting a "Help BUILD NRA" Contest through the Lyman Reloader's Handbook, Lyman distributors, and dealers. Prizes 'are awarded according to a special system that provides point credits for new NRA annual, 2-year, 3-year, and Life Members. The Contest is open to everyone except employees, representatives, agencies, and their immediate families, of The Lyman Gun Sight Corp. Prizes include: Winner - A 2-week hunting trip to any area in the U. S.; 2nd & 3rd-Round trip for 2 to one of the following in 1962: (a) Any National competition in U. S., including entry fees. (b) NRA Annual Meetings in Washington, D. C. (c) Guests of Lyman Gun Sight Corp. for a week, including visits to arms companies and points of interest in New England; 4th through 10th-Certificates for retail purchase of $100 worth of Lyman products. Full details and 'application blanks are available by writing to Lyman Gun Sight Corp., Middlefield,Conn. Contest closes midnight Sept. 30, 1961.

The Distinguished Rifleman medal awarded for highest achievement in the NRA Rifle Qualification program

VER the years, millions of young people have measured their shootO ing progress and received recognition through NRA Rifle Qualifications. Because the I5-stage qualification courses have been so successful and popular, NRA has lifted all age restrictions. The rifle qualifications have been opened to all NRA members and members of affiliated clubs. New Pistol Qualifications have been added. The courses are designed to give encouragement to new shooters and to present a real challenge to the skills of shooters who progress to the higher ratings. The cal. .22 courses c-an be fired on any safe 50-ft. range, the most prevalent type range. The 25- and, 15-ft. qualifications are especially adaptable to shooting in horne basements and other areas where space is limited.
JUNE

1961

49