Almost 500 shooters reached the highest level of NRA marksmanship program (Distinguished Expert) in 2012

Fairfax, Virginia - The Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program saw a 23% increase in Distinguished Experts this past year.

The program, designed to be an informal, year-round recreational shooting activity, provides family fun and enjoyment no matter what you shoot. Qualification shooting encourages the development and improvement of your marksmanship skill through incremental challenges and even provides prizes along the way.

"I think we're seeing more participants because of the shooting sports' increased popularity," said Program Coordinator Claudia Olsen, recent recipient of the Crosman Champions of Youth Marksmanship Award. "There's so much exposure now with gun-themed TV shows that it's no wonder folks are trying it out for themselves."

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Black powder league sees jump in scores with Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program

Old Bridge, New Jersey - Lance Brunner has run the Black Powder League at the Old Bridge Rifle and Pistol Club in Old Bridge, New Jersey for over 20 years. The group began with a handful of shooters attending its monthly meets and grew to around a dozen in a few years time. In 2008, in an effort to improve their skills, the league took up the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

More on how the Marksmanship Qualification Program helped these black powder shooters ...

Distinguished Experts in rifle, pistol and shotgun from California, West Virginia and Kentucky

NRA Youth Programs Coordinator Samantha Olsen sent us the following on this year's Isaacs Challenge Program winners — an acknowledgement of those who excel in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

The Isaacs Challenge is made possible by the generous donation of the Isaacs family to the NRA Foundation. The Isaacs Challenge Program is designed to encourage individuals to expand their shooting experience and clubs to expand their shooting programs by providing an incentive to shoot several different shooting events in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

There are individual and NRA club awards with the Isaacs Challenge Program. In the individual award category there is an award rifle for the individual who achieves the most Distinguished Expert (DE) ratings in a calendar year and also the Isaacs Challenge Certificate for each individual who achieves three or more Distinguished Expert ratings in a calendar year.

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Qualify to be a NRA Sharpshooter from the comfort of your home range

Are you a new shooter who's been following our coverage of the different NRA championships this summer and think it looks like a lot of fun? Have you only been out to the range a few times and are a little nervous about going out there with seasoned shooters? You might be interested in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

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We've been covering a number of competitive shooting matches as the weather has been getting warmer and there are many more to come before summer ends.

Competitive shooting is a great way to test your aim against others, but what if it's tough to find a match in your area? What if you've just picked up shooting and aren't quite ready to step to the line with other shooters? What if you don't have the time to travel, or put a good chuck of time towards a match?

Instead of just going to the shooting range and putting a few rounds downrange, you can participate in an individual activity that encourages the development and improvement of your marksmanship skills and even provides prizes along the way - the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

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Each year, tens of thousands of people participate in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program to improve their shooting skills and learn new disciplines. At one club in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program is making a difference and helping people reach their shooting goals.

Eric Dent and Elvin Wrede and I are members of the Cheyenne Rifle and Pistol Club. We are NRA Instructors too. For a number of years, we have been members of the Cheyenne Rifle and Pistol Club and participated both as instructors and line coaches in the Club's NRA Basic Pistol classes. During that time, many students have mentioned how there isn't a place to shoot in Cheyenne unless you are a member of a private gun club. This is true. Our club is private along with the only other gun club in the area. The membership application period for Cheyenne Rifle is unusually long due to the fact we limit the number of members based on the Club's original charter.

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Interested in bringing some new programs to your shooting range or club? Then join NRA Clubs and Associations for an upcoming NRA Club Leadership & Development webinar to learn how to start a youth program and how NRA can help you get started. The webinar will also provide an overview of the NRA Competitive Shooting Division's wide range of activities in shooting disciplines, for shooters of all skill levels.

The free one-hour webinar will be held this Thurdsay, March 22 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. You can register online or check out a listing of other upcoming NRA Club Leadership & Development webinars. Topics are offered to suit any club and offer great advice on how to make your club more successful.

Have a question or a suggestion for webinar topic? Contact NRA Clubs & Associations at 1-800-NRA-CLUB or at clubs@nrahq.org.

We love hearing about success stories from the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, and Paul J. Bartoszewicz of Smyrna, Georgia has a great story to share. After seeing a Winchester shirt adorned with qualification patches and rockers on the back of the program booklet, Paul decided that he wanted one just like it.

Selecting the Handgun qualification as his first discipline, Paul began his qualification process as the Wild West Traders Range in Marietta, Georgia this January. Shooting a Ruger Mark III .22 caliber pistol with CCI Mini-Mag 22 LR HP ammunition, Paul worked his way through the courses of fire and obtained his Distinguished Expert Rating on December 6th.

"Thank You...My Pistol Qualification is NEXT IN 2012!!!", said Paul in an email to Qualification Program Coordinator Sheri Judd.

Congratulations on earning your Distinguished Expert rating, Paul! We look forward to seeing you add to that shirt in 2012!

Do you have a Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification story to share? Send us an email at goblog@nrahq.org. Visit the program website to learn how you can get started on your own qualification journey. With over 15 firearm disciplines to choose from, you can become an expert in just about anything!

For many people, the shootings sports is a lifelong passion that begins in their youth and carries them into adulthood. For Justin Magruder, his love of shooting began at camp when he was introduced to the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program. Decades later, Magruder has returned to the self-paced marksmanship program to earn his Expert rating and continue on into other shooting disciplines. But he's also looking to help his daughters (pictured with Magruder) develop the same interest in the shooting sports. Here's a look at what Magruder told NRAblog:

NRAblog: How did you get started in the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program?

Magruder: When I was a kid in the early 1970’s, I attended Camp Winona in Bridgeton Maine. I really enjoyed both archery and riflery, as well as several outdoor survival and athletic activities.

What ratings have you earned and in what disciplines? Are you looking to add more disciplines?

Over the course of three years at Winona I earned my Marksman, Pro Marksman badges and a Sharpshooter medal with 3 bars in .22 long rifles. I was also qualified as a Maine Woodsman, which is a survival and conservation program run by the Maine Youth Camping Foundation.

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