National Rifle Association

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The National Rifle Association and the Primrose League.

The National Rifle Association was formed in 1859 with the aim: To promote and encourage marksmanship throughout The Queen's Dominions in the interests of defence and the permanence of the Volunteer and Auxiliary Forces, Naval and Military. It pre-dated it's American counterpart by some 12 years. Queen Victoria fired the opening shot at the NRA`s first meeting at Wimbledon on July 1, 1860. The NRA was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1890.

Despite the NRA`s best efforts during the previous 40 years, the war in South Africa demonstrated clearly that Great Britain was not yet a nation of marksmen. In May 1900 Prime Minister Lord Salisbury called for the formation of civilian rifle clubs to redress this shortcoming. In a speech to the Primrose League, he stated his goal was no less than that "a rifle should be kept in every cottage in the land."

The renewed appeal helped to bring about a large increase in the number of rifle clubs. By 1906 there were 302 miniature and 307 full-range clubs affiliated with the NRA. The government removed the excise tax on firearms purchased for all but sporting use, and the Conan Doyle Cup was presented by Dr. Langman of the Langman Hospital to be shot for with the miniature rifle at Bisley. The rifle club movement peaked during the years 1914-18 with more than 1,900 affiliated clubs, most of them miniature clubs.

To visit the National Rifle Association's Web Site, click on their banner above or to read the full article, from which some of the above extract has been taken, click on the NRA-ILA banner.

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