NRAblog cruises the websites of the National Rifle Association and brings you the information you need -- and, in this case, the chance to save some dough on special NRAstore™ merchandise.

Hop over to NRAstore.com for your chance to purchase several NRA items at a steep discount. NRAblog's Danielle Sturgis is a fan of this NRA Life Member Lap Blanket, pictured below. It's on sale for $15 -- that's 50% off its normal retail of $29.95.

"It's just the right thickness, and it brings a bit of NRA cheer to any room," Sturgis said. "I own one, and at this price, I'm purchasing a few as Christmas gifts for the NRA Life Members in my life."

This blanket is made in the United States, made entirely of cotton, and measures 40" by 50". "If you're buying one to give to someone, go ahead and order one for yourself, because when you see how sharp this blanket looks, you'll want one," Sturgis added.

Other NRAblog picks:

• NRA Pub Clock on sale for $30 (originally $69.95)
• American Rifleman long sleeve T-shirt on sale for $8 (originally $16.95)
• NRA Trunk Organizer on sale for $15 (originally $28.95)

Thanks to NRAStore™ Merchandise Buyer Brian Evans for the following report:

Travel with peace of mind knowing that you’ll never be locked out again and your valuables will always be there when needed. The durable, all-metal NRA HitchSafe™ converts your vehicle’s receiver into a vault that can store spare keys, cash and up to 2 credit cards. This safe is great for outdoor activities where keys can be cumbersome or prone to loss. Patented hitch pins secure the HitchSafe™ inside the receiver via two sliding bars that can only be accessed through a locked drawer with over 10,000 possible combinations.

The HitchSafe™ easily installs/uninstalls in seconds with no tools required! An attractive, fitted NRA dust cover conceals and protects the combination dials. An embedded metal clip inside the cover adds extra strength and security. We’ve even included an extra blank, black dust cover (a $10 value) for free! Fits standard 2” receivers (2005-current Toyota Tacoma's and the 07-current Tundra hitch receivers require optional longer pins contact manufacturer for the pins).

The NRA HitchSafe™ is available at the NRAstore™ for $69.95. For more information, visit www.nrastore.com or call 1-888-607-6007. Be sure to request you free copy of the NRAstore™ catalog!

Thanks to NRAStore™ Merchandise Buyer Brian Evans for the following report:

The “Mexican Loop” holster was the most ubiquitous style of the American Frontier. Constructed from a single piece of hide, this efficient and reliable design had its heyday from 1880-1920. Our NRA exclusive design utilizes a single loop, and it’s blocked to fit most popular single action revolvers. Tanned and dyed to a rich hue, it features the NRA block letters on the holster body, and a detailed, embossed NRA shield on its loop. A single tooled outline offsets our logo and establishes a look of subdued decoration and enhanced functionality.

Pair it with our NRA Western Tooled Cartridge Belt for the authentic look and performance your cowboy action shooting requires. Handcrafted in Texas using leather from a single piece of top grain cowhide, each NRA cartridge belt is made using a popular 19th century pattern. Cut wide (2¾”) to comfortably support the weight of your holstered revolvers, it features hand-tooled decorative edging and a debossed oval NRA cartouche. A total of 20 cartridge loops are provided and they’re sized to accommodate .45 caliber cartridges. A heavy-duty, nickel-plated steel buckle completes the look. Holster and Belt available individually or order the set and save! Made in USA.

The NRA Western Tooled Cartridge Belt and Holster Set is available exclusively at the NRAstore™. For more information, visit www.nrastore.com or call 1-888-607-6007. Be sure to request a copy of the latest NRAstore™ catalog!

Thanks to NRAStore™ Merchandise Buyer Brian Evans for the following report:

This truly one-of-a-kind knife combines time-honored Native American traditions with modern materials and techniques. Legendary Navajo silversmith David Yellowhorse has teamed with Lone Wolf Knives to design and build this special NRA collectible knife. The NRA Limited Edition David Yellowhorse Knife is built on a Lone Wolf "Prankster" chassis, featuring the patented Paul Axial lock system (also featured on the Sudden Strength Folding Pocket Dagger), a 3-1/8" 154-CM blade (59-61 Rc.) and 100% stainless steel construction.

Using his famous Channel Inlay process, Yellowhorse uses turquoise, blue lapis, red jasper, jet stone and nickel silver to create an elegant and time-honored look. These materials are hand fit and polished to a high luster, creating a dramatic contrast with the burnished of the Paul Prankster blade and frame. Yellowhorse inlays the jet stone with the silver NRA letters on both sides of the handle. More...

With NRAblog's Membership Monday series, we illustrate benefits and perks of NRA membership and offer suggestions to make your membership work for you. NRAblog recently chatted with John Bailey, Manager of NRA Shows & Events, about www.nramemberservices.org, a convenient website for NRA members.

“It’s an easy way for members to manage their accounts online,” Bailey explained. “It gives them the flexibility to go online at any time and do things like update a mailing or an email address, upgrade their membership or purchase a gift membership, and review the extensive list of member benefits and discounts available.”

Bailey emphasized the importance of the website’s magazine features, since all NRA magazines are now online in digital form. “I’d especially encourage people to take advantage of the digital versions of the magazines,” he said. “The new digital format makes it very convenient to subscribe to all three of NRA’s award-winning magazines. And for folks who travel a lot or simply prefer the digital format, it’s a great way to read your American Hunter, American Rifleman or First Freedom immediately.”

Through this system, NRA members can also sign up for the new Freedom Times bi-monthly e-letter that gives you the top Second Amendment news stories from around the nation. Logging into the website is convenient and simple, since all you need is your NRA membership number to create a user profile.

From there, you can use the site as a one-stop shop for virtually all of your membership needs. As Bailey said, “More and more members are utilizing the site, and we’re trying to get the word out that it’s a great tool that’s very easy to navigate.”

If you haven’t already taken advantage of this great membership resource, go to www.nramemberservices.org today. You'll want to bookmark this one!

 

Of all the exciting new gear rolled out by the folks at NRAstore™, this shooter's cap might be our favorite:

NRA Certified Firearms Instructor shooter's cap

Designed specifically with NRA instructors in mind, our Shooter’s Cap is composed of soft, comfortable brushed cotton twill. It’s unstructured with a lower than average profile, and we’ve removed the top button to prevent discomfort when worn with hearing protection. The NRA Certified Firearms Instructor logo is beautifully embroidered on the front with “Instructor” embroidered across the back in blue. A Velcro® closure ensures that one size fits most. Available in Red or Tan. 

The caps are available at the NRAstore™ for $14.95. For more information, visit www.nrastore.com or call 1-888-607-6007. Be sure to request a copy of the NRAstore™ catalog!

Thanks to NRAStore™ Merchandise Buyer Brian Evans for the following report:

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Throughout American history, the liberty of our citizens has been hard-won by our brave Armed Forces. In the hands of patriots, firearms have defended our rights and facilitated the pursuit of happiness for generations. Our exclusive NRA prints celebrate just a few of the many rifles and handguns that have proven vital to our country’s ongoing quest for Freedom. From the American Revolution to the present War in Iraq, you can actually see firearms technology as it has evolved.

Curators at the National Firearms Museum identified a representative rifle and handgun from each of nine major U.S. conflicts. Each firearm is presented in silhouette, accompanied by a description of its caliber and the conflicts where it had its greatest impact. The appearance of aged parchment is offset on each print by a rich, chocolate brown mat. A die-cast NRA medallion is inserted into the mat, and each print is framed under glass with dark, walnut toned wood. Outside dimensions: 14"W x 20"H. Made in USA.

Buy the Set and Save! A $119.90 Value for only $99.95! Set includes 1 Battle Rifles (HO 24687) and 1 Carried into Conflict (HO 24688) Framed Print.

The "Evolution of American Freedom" prints are available at the NRAstore™ for $99.95. For more information, visit www.nrastore.com or call 1-888-607-6007. Be sure to request a copy of the NRAstore™ catalog.

Congratulations to Target World Inc. of Chalfont, Pennsylvania, who the NRA recently announced as the 2009 NRA Dealer Recruiter of the Year.

Since 1992, Target World has been a consistent performer in the NRA Recruiting Program. Owner Danny Carr gives all of the credit to his employees. “These are the people on the front lines with the customers. You have to talk to everyone,” Carr explains. “They’ve already shown an interest in our field by coming to the store. If they come to the range, we know they enjoy firearms and should be an NRA member.”

By keeping his employees up-to-date with all of the latest information as well as rewarding them with a commission for every membership sold, Carr makes sure that Target World employees are prepared with all of the tools necessary to sell memberships.

Past winners of the NRA Dealer Recruiter of the Year award include G.A.T. Guns of Dundee, Illinois, and Chuck’s Gun Shop of Riverdale, Illinois.

The NRA Recruiting Program provides marketing, sales, and support materials for firearm dealers to promote NRA in their stores. NRA membership is an easy and appropriate add-on sale to any firearm or accessory purchase. In addition to building a stronger NRA, the commission option is a great way to reward employees.

For more information on how your business can become an official NRA Recruiter, visit www.nra.org/recruiter or call (800) 672-0004 option 2.

Thanks to NRAStore™ Merchandise Buyer Brian Evans for the following report:

Gear up for Father’s Day and help your favorite shooter live the NRA lifestyle. With tons of products to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for any 2nd Amendment activist. The NRA Pro Range Bag is sure to be one of those items.

Built from water resistant heavy-duty nylon, this extra large bag was designed for the serious shooter with function in mind. Features five large exterior pockets, including one that organizes up to eight magazines and one with an elastic holder for your tactical flashlight. Inside the bag’s beefy frame sits a removable tote with adjustable hook and loop divider walls and a spent brass bag that can be clipped to your belt. Includes a unique 3-in-1 gun rug that fits inside one of the exterior pockets to protect your firearm during transportation. Zip it up and quickly remove for a stand-alone handgun case that will lay flat for a gun rug on the firing line. The exterior of the bag features an enlarged water bottle carrier designed to fit a 1 Liter bottle and an ingenious hook and loop target holder along the side to avoid having to fold your targets. The inside of the bag is lined and the bottom is padded for added durability and protection. A large shoulder strap is included for ease of carry. 24” L x 16” W x 10” H.

The NRA Pro Range Bag is available at the NRAstore™ for $89.95. For more information, visit www.nrastore.com or call 1-888-607-6007. Be sure to request a copy of the latest NRAstore™ catalog!

Adam Benson, a Life Member of the NRA, first shot competitively for his high school rifle team. Classified as an expert shot during his tenure with the U.S. Marines, he was active on the USPSA pistol and three-gun circuit from 1995 to 2002. Since then, this architectural engineer has been more focused on the challenges of bow hunting and fatherhood.

On Sunday, however, Benson returns to the competitive shooting arena to face off against 15 other shooters when the History Channel debuts its newest series, TOP SHOT. Tune in at 10 p.m. Sunday to watch.

“16 people compete; one will make history,” the History Channel says of the show.

Benson, who has been a loyal patron of the NRA’s Headquarters Range since it was constructed in Fairfax, VA, in 1995, said he immediately felt this show was the right opportunity for him.

“I’ve always had a thing for guns,” Benson says enthusiastically. “When I started competing in IPSC, I was good. But I never really felt I applied myself fully… Maybe I could have been something.”

“When I heard this thing come around, and they were looking for shooters with big personalities, I thought ‘this is my shot,’” he said.

“I’m playful and fun. [TOP SHOT] is my last chance to give it a shot, and I put everything toward it,” said Benson, who can’t release details of the show until the season concludes.

Benson says the NRA’s Headquarters Range was a life saver because the time he set aside to practice, March and April of 2010, were plagued with snowstorms. "Between my local range and the NRA Range, I averaged 1000 rounds a week. Outdoor ranges were impossible due to the blizzards," he said.

Range Manager Greg Wodack used to compete with Benson in regional IPSC matches. “He really is just an ordinary guy who happens to have an exceptional degree of talent on the range,” Wodack said.

Colby Donaldson, the host of the series, has this to say about the challenges of TOP SHOT: "You've gotta be able to pick up any weapon and be damn good with it." Will Benson's skills make the cut? We'll have to wait with the rest of the nation to find out.

NRA News is pleased to welcome Benson as a guest at 10:40 pm Friday, June 4, to discuss his participation in the series. 

Tune into the History Channel to watch as the season unfolds. Sixteen contestants from across the United States will live and shoot alongside one another until one is crowned the first-ever History Channel TOP SHOT.

NRAblog recently shared a few details about Ted Nugent’s “speaking presentation” at the Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. Here are a few more details and additional pictures from the event.

Ted Nugent’s seminar at the NRA Annual Meeting, titled We The People, was filled with everything the crowd could desire and more. Lines formed early and wrapped around hallways and stairs as everyone gathered for the Motor City Madman’s message for the members.

“The spirit of our blood brothers must be spread,” Ted cried from the stage. “It all starts with membership. If you’re not a member of the NRA then you are not a force to be reckoned with.” He called for more. If you’re a Member, become a Life Member. If you’re a Life Member, become a Endowment Life Member. And if you have a friend, a family member, or a neighbor who isn’t a member of the NRA, then it’s your job to sign them up.

The event came to a close as Ted grabbed his guitar and played a few tunes for the grateful crowd. They thanked him as they welcomed him – on their feet, with deafening applause.

Few events here at the 139th Annual Meetings & Exhibits have the ability to pull people out of their chairs like a session with Ted Nugent. Uncle Ted, the Motor City Madman, Sweaty Teddy, all those personalities and more were wrapped up in the package that is Theodore Anthony Nugent. For those lucky enough to find a space to sit and watch in awe, there was exuberance and euphoria for all.

“He was spectacular,” said Wai from New York. “Maybe a little more raw than some were expecting, but hey – that’s Ted. Might not like all the words, but the message is always on target.”

“Fix them,” he said. Have a friend who doesn’t like guns? Spend an afternoon with them at the range. Your wife doesn’t like hunting? Take her to the woods until she lands her first deer. To paraphrase The Whackmaster, there’s no one out there who can’t be saved, you just have to fix them.

Bringing people to their feet time and again, Uncle Ted wrapped up the event with a handful of tunes and a plea for those who protect and serve. Be they firemen, policeman, or soliders, you should treat them. Treat them to an NRA membership. Treat them to a meal. Treat them to anything and everything because these are the people who protect our lives and freedoms so we should do everything within our power to protect them.

What else can you expect from The Nuge.

Read more about Uncle Ted's seminar at the Annual Meeting.

In addition to the excitement of being involved with the largest gathering of Second Amendment supporters in the nation, NRA members attending the NRA's 139th Annual Meetings this week will experience a very important perk.

Any member of the National Rifle Association is able to attend the 3-day show. But did you know Life Members are able to take advantage of special, reduced rates if they're ready to upgrade their membership?

Endowment, Patron and Benefactor members are eligible to vote in NRA elections. They receive special recognition at NRA events and a certificate suitable for framing, a lapel pin, a decal, a patch, and a new membership card.

When we land in Charlotte, NRAblog will report the full details of this exceptional opportunity. We can report that in addition to a reduced cost, members choosing to upgrade at the Annual Meeting will receive one spin of the wheel pictured at right.  

Interested in upgrading your Life Membership but unable to attend Annual Meeting? Contact the NRA's Membership Division at 1-800-672-3888 and select option #3 to become an Endowment, Patron or Benefactor Member.

Bradley Smokers is sponsoring three free two-hour long-workshops over the three days of the May 2010 convention:

• Friday, May 14th, 2:00 to 4:00
• Saturday, May 15th, 10:30 to 12:30
• Sunday, May 16th, 11:00 to 1:00

Each session will likely seat between 150 and 200.

The workshops cover advanced (home) processing, preparation, and smoke cooking of game and domestic meat, sausage and jerky. Learn helpful tips, techniques, and processes from Brad Lockwood, a proven expert in both domesticated and wild game processing and is an excellent instructor. Brad is past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Meat Processors and has won several national awards for meat processing.

This course will teach techniques you can use for all smokers and is not exclusive to the sponsoring Bradley Brand. If you want to learn more about Bradley smokers, visit their website. 

Their booth is #1639. If you’re attending the Annual Meeting, feel free to swing by and visit with the knowledgeable folks about all types of food smoking, including cold smoking for preservation.

Originally from Butler, Georgia, Wes Stinson is fitting in just fine here in Northern Virginia.

Stinson recently graduated from Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, with a degree in Political Science.

“While in college, I signed up to become an NRA recruiter. I worked gun shows and sport shows in the central Georgia area,” Stinson explained. Unsurprising, then, that NRAblog met him at the front door of the recent Nation’s Gun Show, where he was at it again. “Join or renew your NRA membership, and we’ll get you into the show free today,” he cheerfully announced from under an NRA ballcap.

Stinson’s familiarity with firearms is serving him well as he settles into his position in the NRA’s Membership Division. He’s a marketing representative, a title he shares with three other full-time staffers. Each of the four reps serve a different geographic area, and for Stinson, who is assigned the Southeastern area of the U.S., it’s a comfortable fit.

“I do have a slight bias to the Southeast, but even so it’s accurate to say that there’s an army of outstanding NRA recruiters there,” Stinson told NRAblog. “They all work together to help strengthen the organization at hundreds of gun shows a year. They are good people to work with and they have a passion for the organization and what it stands for.”

Hunting and shooting come naturally to Stinson. “There’s a surplus of deer in Georgia, and I was always willing to help thin the herds,” he said, noting he also enjoys hunting doves. “My dad’s a gun collector, so, by default, I am too.”

When Stinson isn’t on the road, you can find him at his desk, corresponding with the NRA Recruiters he assists. If you’re an NRA Recruiter in the Southeastern United States, Wes Stinson is your man for all materials and information related to your recruitment needs!

“I enjoy helping (my NRA Recruiters) maximize their recruiting potential and they enjoy keeping the organization stocked with great members,” Stinson said of his job. “The bottom line is that I enjoy helping them help the NRA.”