The May 2015 Mentor Initiative from NRA Publications, in conjunction with SIG Sauer and Magpul Industries, was an outstanding success. Approximately 21,000 NRA members pledged to mentor new shooters and signed up for the NRA Mentor Sweepstakes. Sweepstakes prizes totaling $12,000 in value and ranging from Bass Pro Shops and NRA Store gift cards to Life memberships were awarded, and 500 limited-edition NRA Mentor pins were delivered. NRA Publications circulated thousands of copies of the initiative’s “NRA Guide For New Shooters” at the NRA Annual Meetings in Nashville and to clubs and instructors around the country. This year’s initiative inspired several thousand new members to join NRA. NRA Publications Executive Director Doug Hamlin said, “I would like to thank SIG Sauer, Magpul and the 20,000-plus NRA members who stepped up to mentor a new shooter in 2015. The success of the NRA going forward depends on individual members introducing new prospective members to the recreational shooting sports.” NRA Publications will repeat this Mentor Initiative in 2016—stay tuned.
Along with John Hall, William Jenks was an early pioneer in the realm of the breechloading carbine. However, Jenks' breechloading guns didn't see the widespread acceptance or fame of the Model 1819 Hall Rifle and its later carbine variants.
In just a single day, a record-breaking $168,770 was generated to support youth shooting sports at the fourth annual Day of Clays hosted by the MidwayUSA Foundation in Minnesota.
For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.
CVA's mid-point Optima muzzleloader got a refresh in 2025, and this third-generation model offers a number of additional features while still remaining affordable.
Any survey of military firearms isn’t complete without also discussing the development of ammunition across this past quarter-millennium. From a conceptual standpoint, very little has changed.