Friends of NRA items you could take home from this year's dinners

Fairfax, Virginia - We're only a couple dozen banquets into the 1,100 Friends of NRA dinners that will be held across the country this year. Each one will have an ensemble of great items you can win at auctions, in raffles and playing games. The merchandise changes each year, so you're bound to have some new collectible catch your eye every time.

Not all banquets have the same merchandise either. There's a standard package that is present at every dinner, but the NRA Field Reps have a wide selection of additional items to stock their event. We've already covered a bunch of 2013's items here, here and here, but why not a few more?

More Friends of NRA 2013 merchandise ...

Shotguns and pistols from Eisenhower, Cleveland and Roosevelt

Fairfax, Virginia - It wasn't always Presidents Day.

In fact, up until the 1980s, only two of the four presidential birthdays that fell in February were celebrated with any great regularity (more on that below). Unfortunately, we don't have any of their firearms on display at the National Firearms Museum ... but we do have a few others.

More on guns of the President on Presidents Day ...

Friends of NRA's 2013 Gun of the Year is an instant classic

Fairfax, Virginia - Friends of NRA's 2013 Gun of the Year is a beautiful rifle from Weatherby's masterful Vanguard collection - the Eurosport Sub-MOA 270Win. This exclusive, 24” cold hammer forged barrel is beautifully complimented with a select Turkish Walnut stock that is hand rubbed in oil for a custom finish unlike any other in the Vanguard family.

Suitable for hunting or acquiring a target downrange, the Weatherby Vanguard Series 2 Eurosport Sub-MOA 270Win is a perfect fit for any firearm owner. Comprised with a match quality 2-stage adjustable trigger, the Eurosport is guaranteed to shoot a 3-shot group of .99" or less at 100-yards. In other words, you're going to hit your target.

More on Friends of NRA's 2013 Gun of the Year...

American Rifleman provides ins and outs of Colonial Era pistol

U.S. Model 1816 Flintlock Pistol
The 1816 Flintlock pistol is considered reasonable for a historic firearm.

During the Revolutionary War, the Americans fielded a cacophony of British, French, German, Dutch and home-grown products, which created an inventory of different styles and calibers of varying degrees of serviceability. ... more on the 1816 Flintlock Pistol ...

Austro-Hungarian Roth-Steyr pistol recovered at Battle of the Bulge

Fairfax, Virginia - According to officials at the National Firearms Museum, roughly 99.99% of the guns in their collection are the product of donations. Some are the latest in firearm technology, some are novelty items and some are relics of days gone by. An example of the latter, is the Roth-Steyr M1907 8mm pistol donated by an Ohio family.

"It's a fantastic example of where great stuff comes in from members who want to pass along history," said Senior Curator Doug Wicklund.

More on the World War I era Roth-Steyr M1907 pistol ...

Chiappa Arms shotgun; three barrels and seven and a half pounds of 12-gauge

Seems B. Gil Horman gets all the plum American Rifleman assignments. After last month's invitation to a midnight 3-gun event, Horman heads to Chiappa Arms for a look at their three-barrel 12 gauge.

Chiappa Arms Triple Threat
This three-barrel, 12-gauge shotgun shows it has both flash and class on the shooting range.

Chiappa Firearms is an importer that provides American shooters with a variety of guns from around the world. Many of the items in its catalogue are standard fair that you would expect to see in your local gun shop. But over the last few years this company has insisted on having at least a few interesting options in its lineup guaranteed to turn people’s heads. This year, Chiappa has teamed up with Akkar Silah Sanayi Ltd. of Turkey to launch a series of break-action, tri-barrel shotguns. That's right, three barrels instead of just one or two.

More on the Chiappa Arms Triple Threat Shotgun ...

Two rare pistols from one of America's greatest firearms manufacturers on display at NRA National Firearms Museum

Additions to the original article were added on 1/19/13

Fairfax, Virginia - Every time we walk into the offices of the National Firearms Museum there's something worth photographing. Today was no different as we caught Senior Curator Doug Wicklund cleaning two unique Ruger pistols.

Ruger, officially Sturm, Ruger & Company, was founded in 1949 by friends William B. Ruger and Alexander McCormick Sturm. Ruger provided gunsmithing, Sturm provided the much-needed $50,000 investment to start the company and together they began building one of America's most well known firearms manufacturers.

More on the National Firearms Museum's unique Rugers...

Fairfax, Virginia - Wondering why we didn't run a preview of last night's Curator's Corner? That's because they threw us a curve ball. For instead of going with a curator from the National Firearms Museum, the NRANews crew welcomed Gunauctions.com CEO Manny DelaCruz and NRA Firearms for Freedom Program Manager Cliff Burgess to their studios. And what they brought along was something to see.

A never before fired customized Uselton 1911 Long Slide .38 Super.

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Top Rated NRA Guns and Gold returns for Season 2 on Sportsman

We have a special announcement for fans of the Outdoor Channel and last year's hit show NRA's Guns and Gold!

They're back for Season 2 with even more from Jim, Phil and the guns to enjoy.

Fairfax, Virginia - The National Rifle Association is proud to announce the second season of NRA’s Guns and Gold presented by Brownells. The show’s season premiere is January 7, 2013 and will air every Monday night at 9pm ET/PT on Sportsman Channel.

More on NRA Guns and Gold ...