In addition to the National Firearms Museum's dazzling display of guns, NRA's booth at Safari Club International's Convention in Vegas holds a message of thanks. Two actually. One to MidwayUSA and another to Blaser.

MidwayUSA (suppliers of Just About Everything℠ for Shooting, Reloading, Gunsmithing and Hunting) supports a number of NRA programs and events. Everything from the Bianchi Cup to the Youth Hunter Education Challenge to the Friends of NRA tv show.

Hunting rifle heavyweight Blaser donated 100 R93 rifles to the Friends of NRA program last year. That donation alone helped raise a considerable amount of funds for the Friends and all their good work.

And what better place to say thanks than SCI.

Colorado blogger brings her family into hunting & the outdoors

Mia Anstine runs Wolf Creek Outfitters with her husband Hank. A constant source of hunting fun and information on the social media circuit, I had hoped to interview Mia during the 2012 SHOT Show. That never happened. Not to be deterred, I decided to employ the social media engine and perform that interview via Twitter.

Here's the transcript from yesterday's Twitterview:

Tell me about your first gun
I was 7 when I shot my first .22 pistol. But I got to shoot an Ouzzie when at 8! That's when I learned to love & respect firearms. My first gun that was "all my own" was/is a Winchester .270. I was 26 and decided I was going to put food on the table. Family & friends pitched in to buy it for my birthday!

Why the drive to put food on the table?
I got tired of pitching in for a side of beef and getting all the hamburger. I went hunting with dad and friends as a kid and always enjoyed it. But I wasn't allowed to hunt ... just the guys were. I helped field dress animals and pack them out. He's amazed by me now.

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Receive preferred grant status as an NRA Gold Medal Club

Did you know that White Oak Rod & Gun Club in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania is an NRA Gold Medal Club? So is the Alaska Interior Marksmanship Committee, Florida's Hollywood rifle & Pistol Club and more. You can be an NRA Gold Medal Club too — but you only have about a week to get it done.

If you meet all the requirements, then print up an application, fill it out and put it in today's mail. Here's how you qualify:

• Be a 100% NRA Club
• Have a Club Newsletter (online/email newsletters are acceptable)
• Belong to your NRA State Association
• Operate (of have operated) an NRA Youth Program at the club
• Participate in NRA's Membership Recruiting Program

For more on how to be an NRA Gold Medal Club, go to the Clubs & Associations webpage at www.nrahq.org/clubs/goldmedal.asp or call (800) NRA-CLUB. The deadline February 15 so get moving.

Smiling faces and a few favorite sights from the NRA Great American Hunting & Outdoor Show

Our three days last weekend at the NRA Great American Hunting & Outdoor Show in Frederick, Maryland were filled with smiling faces. There was plenty to see, plenty to eat and plenty of four legged friends — especially those who begged to be carried.

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NRA brings historical 1911 pistols & engraved long guns to Nevada

Kayne Robinson, Executive Director of NRA General Operations, reviews the National Firearms Museum display of 1911 pistols with Senior Curator Phil Schreier at the SCI Convention.

With no Curator's Corner running tonight, we're taking the opportunity to let you know exactly what the National Firearms Museum has on display at the Safari Club International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Under the watchful eye of Senior Curator Phil Schreier, you'll be able to catch a look at:

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Did you see that Benelli USA has agreed to become a Sharpshooter Sponsor for the Friends of NRA TV show? Now in its second season on the Outdoor Channel, Friends of NRA follows retired Major Leaguer Matt Duff and pro shooter Jessie Harrison as they travel across America and experience the impact the Friends program. And Benelli USA is there to help make it all possible.

"Since Benelli USA’s creation in 1997, we have profoundly appreciated the work and accomplishments of NRA,” said Jason Evans, Vice President of Sales at Benelli USA. “The protection of individual freedoms is a very important part of our corporate and personal duties; the best avenue to ensure these rights remain strong and unwavering is support of the Friends of NRA. They are an organization which will protect all Americans and their rights, now and into the future."

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NRA Bianchi Cup achieves 15% growth in 2011

The National Action Pistol Championship, known to most as the MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup, is the most prestigious and richest shooting tournament in the world. But this year, the Bianchi Cup has one more accolade to add: the NRA President’s Trophy.

The President’s Trophy is a coveted award given each year to the NRA National Championship with the highest percentage of growth. The 2011 NRA Bianchi Cup earned this distinction after experiencing an incredible 15% increase in competitors.

At last month's NRA Board of Directors Meeting, the President’s Trophy was presented to Dwight Van Horn, the Chairman of the NRA Action Pistol Committee. A second award was also presented to the NRA Bianchi Cup match staff for their hard work and dedication.

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NRAblog to interview Colorado outfitter via twitter

The lady on my right shoulder there is Mia Anstine, owner and operator (along with her husband Hank) of Wolf Creek Outfitters in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. We've been talking to Mia for a little more than a year — first through twitter until ultimately meeting at the 2011 SHOT Show. In fact, I unwittingly shot a video of her firing an ArmaLite .338 during last year's Media Day.

Unfortunately we've never really had the opportunity to sit down and talk. To find out what makes this woman such a devotee of the great outdoors. So instead of waiting for another chance meeting at some incredibly huge trade show, I decided to schedule an appointment. Later today, at 2pm eastern time, I'll be interviewing the elusive Mrs. Mia via twitter.

That leaves you with two options ... either follow along at our respective twitter handles (@Mia_Anstine for her and @NRAblog for me) or wait for the recap which I'll be posting tomorrow.

Our first real twitterview ... here on NRAblog.

After running into Shooting Illustrated's Ed Friedman earlier today, I decided it was about time to highlight another piece from his side of the building. So here's the latest from Ed's colleague Steve Adelmann:

Shooting With Night Vision
Night-vision devices are more affordable than ever, but do you know how to properly use them when the chips are down?

Good night-vision (NV) equipment is more readily available than ever before. While Generation 3 tubes are where premium performance truly begins, reputable Gen. 2 NV gear is still suitable for basic shooting needs. NV optics with Gen. 1 tubes are inexpensive, but they lack the resolution needed to clearly identify targets without an additional light source. I’ve covered image intensified (I²) equipment in past issues of Shooting Illustrated, so here I’ll specifically address the basics of how to incorporate commercial night-vision devices (NVD) into your shooting game.

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