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WNC Friends Of The NRA Event

April 12, 2026 by 0 Comments

On Friday night, the Complementary Spouse and I attended the WNC Friends of the NRA event held in Asheville. This event has been held annually for the past 28 years and is a testament to the hard work of Tyrone Phillips and his committee.

This was our second year attending the event. The attendance was down a bit due to the rescheduling of the dinner from its traditional February time frame. This was done to make sure the monies raised did not go to the NRA Foundation but rather to the NRA Freedom Action Foundation. Still, there were well over 100 attendees.

Beside a very good steak dinner, the event featured games, raffles, and an auction. We played the table raffle and a couple of other games. We didn’t win anything this year but that was OK as we knew the money was going for many good causes. Last year, our table did win the table raffle and we each went home with Ruger RXM pistols.

The auction bidding was very spirited. One interesting feature was the ability to “bump” your winning bid by $100 for a chance to win a S&W 1854 .45-70 lever gun. Additionally, if you won the bid on a “key item”, you were in the running to win a safe with 3 additional firearms. What I found really sweet about the whole live auction was that the auctioneer allowed a nice young lady with Down’s Syndrome to announce “sold” every time. Without sounding maudlin, it was just heart warming to see.

Joe Puleo is the NRA Field Representative who helped run the event. Currently, he covers all of North Carolina and South Carolina. He and I had a nice conversation on how the Friends dinners are going. It seems like they are back on track to raise a good deal of the money that should be coming from the NRA Foundation but isn’t.

If you get a chance to attend one of these events in your area, please do. It helps support the 501c3 activities of the NRA at the national level such as training, education, women and youth events, hunter safety, and much more. Just as importantly, half the monies raised remain in the state. Attending this Western North Carolina event were youth from shooting and hunter safety groups in Henderson and Polk Counties which are supported by grant money raised at this event and other like events.

We, of course, will be attending again next year.

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NRA Annual Meeting, New Patches, Etc.

April 10, 2026 by 2 Comments

The NRA Annual Meeting is just around the corner. It opens next Friday, April 17th, in Houston at the George R. Brown Convention Center. I know it is coming because I’ve been getting multiple press releases from various companies in the firearms industry saying they will be exhibiting there. I think there will be over 500 exhibitors this year.

This Annual Meeting marks the return to Texas after being in Atlanta last year. A lot has changed since that meeting in Dallas. The reform wing of the NRA is solidly in charge of the organization. we have a balanced budget, and many of the Old Guard have deserted the NRA for the NRA Foundation. As Jeff Knox points out in an Ammoland article published yesterday, 72% of the Board including the recently elected newcomers are new since 2019. He goes on to add that the vast majority have been elected since 2022.

A couple of other changes from the past will include no vote for the 76th Director and no big Friday political event with state and national politicians. The reason is that there won’t be a 76th Director election is that there were only two candidates not seated and Isaac Demerest withdrew his name from consideration. Thus, Lynn Gipson will be elected by default. I’m not sure why there won’t be the political event but I’m sure cost was a factor. Frankly, I don’t miss it.

Even without the Friday political event there are a number of events planned ranging from the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Annual National Firearms Law Seminar to the National Friends of the NRA Dinner to the NRA Women’s New Energy Brunch. There will be over 50 seminars held that on topics ranging from hunting whitetails to self-defense and everything in between. Most importantly, there will be the Meeting of Members on Saturday morning at 10am. I do know there will be some resolutions introduced and the officers will be reporting on some proposed bylaw changes. This is a chance to have your voice heard.

The Complementary Spouse and I will be flying in on Wednesday evening. I have committee meetings on both Thursday and Friday. The Board meeting will be on Monday starting at 9am. If you are still in Houston on Monday, I’d encourage you to attend.

This will mark my first anniversary on the Board of Directors. To commemorate this, I had a new blog patch made specifically for this Annual Meeting. They were made for me by A-B Emblem which is a local company which has made the custom NASA patches for every flight from Apollo 11 through Artemis II.

I will have a limited number to give away. If you see me in Houston, stop me and ask for one. I’ll be glad to give you a patch. Regardless, if you are in Houston and you see me, I’d love to chat on ways to make your NRA even more effective.

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Don’t Hang Out With The Wrong Crowd

April 9, 2026 by 2 Comments

Growing up, kids are warned by their moms and their teachers about hanging out with the wrong crowd. They are also told to choose your friends wisely.

The crowd you hang out with will often say more about you than what you say yourself. So it is with politicians. They may say they support the Second Amendment but do they really. They will often say, “I’m a hunter, I support the Second Amendment.” As the old saying goes, the 2A isn’t abut duck hunting.

This is one of the reasons that I make sure that I’m on the mailing lists for the gun prohibitionist organizations. They will really tell you who is on our side and who wants to suppress your God-given rights.

I got this from the Cult of Personality known as Giffords a couple of days ago.

There are three Democrats running for the U.S. Senate in the most competitive seats that GIFFORDS has already endorsed, and the outcome of these three races will help decide which party holds the Senate majority.

We’re officially endorsing Democrats Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Roy Cooper in North Carolina, and Sherrod Brown in Ohio.

Being a North Carolinian, I had no doubts about where ol’ Roy stood. Nor could I say I was really surprised where Ossoff and Brown stood. However, it was good to get confirmation on it.

So if you live in Georgia, North Carolina, or Ohio, choose wisely when you go to the polls this coming November. You may also want to toss a few bucks towards their opponents. All these races will be expensive.

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WNC Friends Event

April 3, 2026 by 0 Comments

If you are in Western North Carolina next Friday, April 10th, I’d encourage to join us at the WNC Friends of the NRA Dinner. It will be held at the Crown Plaza Resort in Asheville in their Expo Center starting at 6pm. The Complementary Spouse and I attended last year and had a wonderful time. The food was good and the company was even better. We even won a raffle prize!

The event was originally scheduled for early February and the organizers postponed it until April 10th so that they could be sure the proceeds did not go to the NRA Foundation but rather the NRA Freedom Action Foundation. As a reminder, half of the profits remain in North Carolina for local and state activities related to training, youth education, and firearms safety.

If like last year, there will be a steak dinner, a cash bar, games, raffles, and auctions galore. Tyrone Phillips who has headed the event for many years puts on a good time!

Ticket prices start at $70 for an individual.

For more information and to buy your tickets, use this link.

You can find the Friends of the NRA event in your area through this link. As a reminder, the monies no longer go to the Old Guard dominated NRA Foundation but rather to the Freedom Action Foundation and the new NRA Patriots Fund. Half the monies raised remain within the state and the other half goes to support the 501c3 activities of the NRA such as competition, training, education, and firearms safety.

UPDATE: Tickets need to be purchased in advance. I learned today that there will be no tickets sold at the door.

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2026 NRA Board Election Results (Update)

April 2, 2026 by 3 Comments

The results from the 2026 NRA board election are in and the draft results have been released. The final results will be announced at the Meeting of the Members at the Annual Meeting in Houston.

As Secretary John Frazer notes in his statement accompanying the results, both the final results as well as the need to elect the 76th Director could change if someone declines a seat.

From John Frazer:

Dear Board and Executive Council members:

The draft tabulation of the NRA mail ballot election results has been received. Notices have been sent by e-mail to each candidate.  The overall results are below, in rank order of votes received.  The final vote tallies will be released in Houston.

Finally, as you know, there is a chance that no 76th Director election will be necessary.  If any candidate declines a seat, or chooses not to run for 76th Director, or if any other vacancy occurs before the Annual Meeting, the partial-term directors will up accordingly.  If that happens, we’ll send a revised list.

Please join us in congratulating these newly elected or reelected directors.

ELECTED FOR THREE-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2029

  1. Leroy Sisco
  2. Megan Hilbish
  3. Amanda Suffecool
  4. Ted Carter
  5. Linda Walker
  6. James D’Cruz
  7. Kenneth Bowra
  8. David Raney
  9. James W. Porter II
  10. Jacqueline Janes
  11. Jay Wallace
  12. William Bailey
  13. Eric Mettauer
  14. Bruce Widener
  15. Rob Beckman
  16. Mark Vaughan
  17. Robert Mansell
  18. Charles Brown
  19. Charles Hiltunen III
  20. Mark Robinson
  21. Jerry Kraus
  22. Amy Heath-Lovato
  23. Randy Luth
  24. Eb Wilkinson
  25. Richard Fairburn

ELECTED FOR TWO-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2028

  1. Regis Synan
  2. Todd Figard
  3. Deborah Lyman
  4. Kyle Hupfer
  5. Robert K. Brown
  6. Steve Schreiner

ELECTED FOR ONE-YEAR TERMS ENDING IN 2027

  1. Jim Wallace
  2. Alex Carroll
  3. Huey Laugesen
  4. Todd Vandermyde

NOT ELECTED — ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR 76TH DIRECTOR

  1. Isaac Demarest (Withdrew)
  2. Lynn Gipson

WITHDREW

  1. Ernest Myer

I have bolded those candidates whom I endorsed. Eleven won full three-year terms, one got a two-year term, and the other two got one-year terms.

I have also put the names of the candidates that I nominated for the Board in italics. Three – James D’Cruz, Jaci Janes, and Rob Beckman – were nominated by the Nominating Committee and all three won three year terms. The four, Todd Vandermyde, was on the ballot by petition. I am disappointed that he only won a one year term as he has brought a lot of street experience and wisdom from the trenches to the Legislative Policy Committee.

Sometimes there is no rhyme nor reason to where candidates end up on this list. Sometimes it is name recognition, sometimes it is the candidate’s private network of friends and associates, and sometimes it seems to be just plain chance.

Nonetheless, congratulations to all on this list. I look forward to working with you for the betterment of the NRA in the year or years to come.

UPDATE: From John Frazer:

Isaac Demarest has withdrawn from the 76th Director race.  That leaves Lynn Gipson as the only remaining runner-up who would be eligible for the 76th Director ballot, and he can therefore be deemed elected without the need to conduct balloting.

The revised results are below; please join us in congratulating Mr. Gipson on his election to the NRA Board.

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2026 DSC Board Elections

March 27, 2026 by 1 Comment

The Dallas Safari Club recently concluded their elections. They elected three board members (by electronic ballot!) and elected a new president at their March annual meeting.

Dallas Safari Club (DSC) is pleased to announce the election of Rick Warren as the new DSC Board President, along with the election of Chris Ruhman, Colby Hale, and Daniel McGehee to the DSC Board of Directors. These results were confirmed during the Annual General Meeting held on March 19, 2026, following a vote by DSC membership.

“We’re excited to welcome Rick into his new role as President and to have three outstanding individuals joining our Board of Directors,” said Russell Stacy, CEO of DSC. “Each of these leaders brings valuable experience and a deep commitment to our mission. With their guidance, DSC is well-positioned to expand its impact in conservation, education, and advocacy in the years ahead. We also want to extend our sincere thanks to outgoing DSC Board President Ray Mulholland for his exceptional leadership over the past two years—his dedication has helped position DSC for continued success.”

“I am honored to serve as President of DSC and grateful for the trust placed in me by our members,” said Rick Warren. “DSC has a strong legacy of conserving wildlife and preserving our hunting heritage, and I look forward to working alongside our Board and staff to build on this legacy. Together, we will continue advancing meaningful conservation efforts, while strengthening the voice of our community.”

The three newly elected Directors will join six current Directors, contributing to DSC’s 17-member voting Board. Each Director will serve a three-year term.

The Newly Elected DSC Board Officers are as follows:

  • President: Rick Warren
  • President-Elect: Knighton Sample
  • Immediate Past President: Ray Mulholland
  • Treasurer: Richard Biggers
  • Secretary: Steve Miller

We’re also pleased to announce that the proposed DSC bylaw updates—enhancing governance clarity, compliance, and board structure—have been officially approved by membership.

DSC extends its sincere appreciation to all members who participated in this year’s election process and for their continued support of the organization’s mission.

Rick Warren, the new DSC President, is also the founder of the Warren Wildlife Gallery in Austin, Texas. The museum has over 2,300 mounted specimens set in a natural environment. It is one of the coolest small museums out there. It is like being on safari in an Austin residential neighborhood. The best thing about it is that it is free. All they ask is that you make reservations to visit. That keeps out the PETAphiles and other ne’er do wells.

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Melissa Backwoods At Blade Texas 2026

March 27, 2026 by

I have been a fan of Melissa Miller aka “Melissa Backwoods” and her knife videos for some time. I did get a chance to meet her in the press room at the SHOT Show. Not only is she quite attractive but she truly knows her knives.

The video below points out a number of new knife introductions from Blade Texas 2026 as well as a number of the winners of the competition. In the new knife category, a few jumped out at me. First there was the WE NexoMorph prototype. It is a regular folder that transforms into a push dagger. The next was the Escape Button. It is a regular jacket button that contains an ultra small folding knife within it. The thing will probably get through TSA. The final one was the “pocket banana” which looks like a full size banana but contains a karambit.

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NRA App Is Live

March 19, 2026 by 5 Comments

The marketing and IT staff at the NRA have been working for months on a smart phone app for NRA members. As of yesterday, it is now live! It was something we on the Membership Committee had been urging since last September. We wanted it sooner but the reorganization and other issues delayed it.

From Doug Hamlin:

To All:

I am thrilled to share some incredible news—our new NRA App is launching TODAY! This is a milestone moment for our organization, one that reflects months of creativity, determination, and truly exceptional teamwork. I want to personally thank Mike Pedersen, Managing Director NRA Media, for his hard work and leadership in bringing the NRA App to life. 

What started as a bold idea has become a fully realized product that will transform how we serve our membership and advance our mission. This launch isn’t just a technical achievement—it’s a statement about who we are: innovative, courageous, and relentlessly committed to progress.

The NRA App is available for download from the App Store and Google Play.  Go and download the APP right now! It can display your digital NRA ID Card in your apple wallet, access the latest news from ILA, you can read your digital magazine/Official Journal, find local NRA events based on your geolocation or zip code, and access Member Benefits. 

To our staff: thank you for your energy, collaboration, and resilience. To our board: thank you for your guidance, trust, and support every step of the way. This success belongs to all of us.

But make no mistake—we’re just getting started. This launch opens the door to new possibilities, new users, and new impact. I couldn’t be more excited for what comes next.

Let’s celebrate this moment—and then let’s keep building.

Full Speed Ahead,
Doug Hamlin 

I have downloaded it for my iPhone and it was easy to set up. Not only can you read the magazines and get discounts, now you won’t be having to search for your membership card when you need your member number for whatever reason!

Here are the links for both Apple IOS and Android:

IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nra/id6759682557

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.nra&pcampaignid=web_share

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Suppressors Being Removed From ITAR

March 16, 2026 by 3 Comments

Brandon Maddox, CEO of Silencer Central, is reporting that suppressors will be removed from the State Department’s United States Munitions List. This would mean that they are no longer subject to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations).

While many hunters took their suppressors with them when hunting overseas, they risked having them confiscated upon return to the United States depending on their port of entry. I’ve heard that customs officials in places like Atlanta would look the other way while in others they would not. As a result, the best advice for hunters wanting to use a suppressor in say South Africa was to buy one there and leave it with your outfitter. Indeed, that is exactly what I am doing this year.

Silencer Central has a page dedicated to what this means here.

The only question I have is when it will become effective. His announcement didn’t give time frame for when this will happen. Nonetheless, this is good news.

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Gun Violence Or Political Assassination?

March 15, 2026 by

Given the ongoing conflict with Iran, I found this email from Giffords PAC featuring NBA basketball coach Steve Kerr noteworthy.

I have written about Mr. Kerr’s characterization of his father’s assassination as “gun violence” (sic) a couple of times.

Here is a quick refresher.

Prof. Malcolm Kerr, a noted political scientist and Middle Eastern specialist, was the president of the American University of Beirut from 1982 until he was assassinated in 1984. The assassination was by Shia Lebanese assassins from the Islamic Jihad Organization which we later called Hezbollah and which received significant support from Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Prof. Kerr assumed the presidency of AUB during the midst of the Lebanese Civil War which went from 1975 until 1990. His death in January 1984 came less than a year after the bombing of the US Embassy in Beirut and the bombing of the US Marine Barracks. To say the situation in Lebanon was tenuous for anyone as well as violent would be an understatement. As a prominent American, Prof. Kerr was undoubtedly a target.

Bringing this back to Iran, the Kerr family sued Iran in Kerr v. Islamic Republic of Iran in which they won significant compensatory damages.

From the judgment:

ORDERED, that judgment be entered in favor of the plaintiffs against defendants the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Ministry of Information and Security, jointly and severally, for compensatory damages as follows: Ann Z. Kerr, as executrix of the Estate of Malcolm H. Kerr: $8,025,296.00 Ann Z. Kerr: $10,000,000.00 Susan (Kerr) Van de Ven: $3,000,000.00 John M. Kerr: $3,000,000.00 Stephen D. Kerr: $3,000,000.00 Andrew S. Kerr: $3,000,000.00 Dorothy (Kerr) Jessup: $1,500,000.00 Susan Miller Muhammad, as executrix of the Estate of Marion Kerr Miller: $1,500,000.00 It is FURTHER ORDERED, that the Clerks of Court forthwith enter judgments in accordance with the foregoing; and it is

FURTHER ORDERED, that plaintiffs may arrange for this Decision and Order to be translated into Farsi and, at plaintiffs request, the Clerk’s Office shall cause a copy of the translated Decision and Order to be transmitted to the U.S. Department of State for service upon defendants through diplomatic channels.

Steve Kerr later said he didn’t need revenge nor closure but only went along with the lawsuit as it was important to his family. That indeed may be the case but it was a public acknowledgement that his father’s murder was an act of political violence. In my opinion, political violence, with or without firearms, is a wholly different animal than “gun violence” (sic).

Circling back to the post by Kerr and Giffords PAC, disarming responsible Americans in the face of attacks by Islamic terrorists on a Jewish pre-school in Michigan and an Army ROTC class at Old Dominion University is not only bad policy but dangerous. It was only due to armed private security at the pre-school that no child was hurt. As to ODU, how many more laws could have averted that attack. The killer was a prohibited person, was illegally in possession of a firearm that had been previously stolen, and was in a gun-free zone.

Steve Kerr is free to rail against “gun violence” (sic) all he wants. However, to say he lost his father to “gun violence” is disingenuous at the best and dishonest in light of the facts.