The prone position demonstrated by two talented Service Rifle shooters. At top is SFC Brandon Green, multi-time High Power National Champion. Below is Tony Chow, a gifted match shooter. NOTE: Current Service Rifle rules allow the use of optics up to 4.5X.
Jay Christopherson, 2024 and 2020 Southwest Nationals F-Open Champion, is one of the nation’s best F-Class shooters. When shooting F-Class, Jay uses a SEB Mini front rest and a large rear sandbag to support his big 22-lb F-Open rifle. Though he loves F-Class, Jay has also been interested in Service Rifle competition where no external supports are allowed. You hold the rifle with your arms and a sling. Some Service Rifle competitions involve three position (Standing, kneeling/sitting, and prone), while others are prone only. Even in the prone position, the sling is a vital accessory.
Jay dramatically improved his Service Rifle “hard-holding” technique by enlisting the help of Emil Praslick III, former U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) rifle coach. Emil’s guidance and advice resulted in an immediate increase in Jay’s scores on target, as recorded by his ShotMarker electronic target system. Jay noted: “These targets show the difference between hacking it on your own, and spending an hour with someone who knows what they are doing and can tell you that you are doing it wrong.” These targets show Jay’s “before and after” Service Rifle results shooting slung up prone at 600 yards:
Service Rifle, Prone with Sling at 600 Yards
Here is Jay’s target BEFORE training with Emil Praslick — a 194-3X with lots of vertical.
And here is Jay’s improved target AFTER putting Praslick’s advice to work — impressive 199-8X with significantly less vertical.
You can see on this second target much improved vertical. All 20 shots were in a vertical range much smaller than the vertical height of the 10-Ring. Had shot 16 not gone wide left, this would have been a 200. Shot 16 was OUT of the 10-Ring to the left, but note that vertically it has almost perfect elevation.
Jay stated: “I was pretty amazed at not only the difference on the target, but how much difference the changes Emil suggested made to how my hold felt. The entire feel was different and a ton less stress in my neck and arms compared to what I was feeling before. I was actually feeling pretty good about that 194 yesterday, because I hadn’t slung up in two years and that was my highest score (by one point) after doing some load fixing. But having someone explain what you are doing wrong and why makes a world of difference.
Women are becoming an increasing percentage of firearms owners. Gun ownership is no longer male-dominated. One study suggests that, in recent years, nearly half of all new gun sales have been to women. In addition, it is estimated that women now represent 42% of American gun owners, and that number increases with every passing year.
Gun journalist Dan Wos of The Loaded Mic podcast channel has made interesting observations about the increase in gun ownership by ladies. Citing a series of studies, Wos observed that women in the USA are now buying nearly half of all new firearms. Many of these ladies are first-time gun owners who are motivated by a desire for self-protection.
On Ammoland.com, Dan Wos has an article “Don’t Believe the Spin: Women are Empowering the 2nd Amendment”. Here are highlights:
Let’s look at the actual numbers. In 2021 a Harvard University study found that nearly half of all gun purchases between 2019 and 2021 were by women. 42% of gun owners in America are women (a 14% rise over the previous five years.) The total number of women who became gun owners during that two-year period is almost 3.5 million.
In an article by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, it was said that “women accounted for about half of all gun purchases between 2019 and 2021, and that new gun owners are more likely to be female.” This [indicates] the trends in firearm purchases moving forward.
Not surprisingly, the largest spike in gun sales occurred during and shortly after the violent left-wing riots in several cities across America in 2020. According to a survey conducted by Professor Matt Miller at Northeastern University, between January 2020 and April 2021, gun purchases rose from 13.8 million to 16.6 million. Almost 50% being women and approximately 5.4 million brought [firearms] into homes that had not previously had them.
About Dan Wos and The Loaded Mic
The Loaded Mic is a one-hour, weekly web show hosted by Second Amendment Advocate, author and commentator Dan Wos. Dan became a popular and respected voice in the gun rights community after the release of his book Good Gun Bad Guy, now a three-book series. You can access full episodes in video format on The Loaded Mic’s Rumble Video Channel.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
1. Creedmoor Sports — Sightron Scope Sale
⏺ Save hundreds on excellent Sightron competition scopes
Sightron offers excellent optics with great performance for the price. We like Sightron Optics for their quality competition scopes at affordable prices. Right now, through 2/29/2024, Creedmoor Sports is running a big Sightron Scopes SALE including the popular SIII LR and the advanced EV SD series. NOTE: If any of these sell out, you can get most of these models on sale direct from Sightron this month. Act soon — this Creedmoor Sports Sale ends 2/29/2024 at the end of February.
2. KYGUNCO — Charles Daly 335 Pump Action Shotgun, $327.63
⏺ Great deal on nice camo hunting shotgun with optic
Do you plan to go turkey hunting this spring but need a new gun? Here’s a handsome, pump-action shotgun with optic at a great price. Right now, at KYGUNCO, the Charles Daly 335 Field 12ga pump shotgun is on sale for just $327.63. This features a 26″ barrel, full Mossy Oak Camo finish, and it comes complete with a 4 MOA Red Dot optic. A real bargain, this is a good choice for spring turkey hunting.
3. Bullet Central — $30 off Bix’N Andy Triggers
⏺ Superb Bix’N Andy Triggers with $30 Off Code
Bix’N Andy triggers work great for PRS, F-Class, silhouette, and Palma competition rigs, and they also work well for hunting rifles. Right now Bullet Central has Bix’N Andy Triggers on sale. Use Code FCJ30 to Save $30 on any purchase of $300 or more including Bix’N Andy triggers. With a wide selection, you’ll find a Bix’N Andy trigger that fits your needs.
4. Graf’s — Ginex Primers in stock including Large Rifle
⏺ Large rifle primers IN STOCK plus other primers at good prices
We’ve seen plenty of small rifle primers but large rifle primers have been very hard to find recently. Graf’s has what you need. Right now Graf’s has GINEX LARGE RIFLE Primers and Small Rifle primers in stock, as well as Large Pistol and Small Pistol primers in stock. All these Unis GINEX primers are available now and ready to ship. User reports on Unis GINEX primers have been very positive.
5. Natchez — Leupold Optics Sale
⏺ Large Leupold sale — riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, LRFs and more
If you need a new scope check out the Leupold Optics Sale over at Natchez. Save up to $600 on scopes for hunting rifles, service rifles, varmint rigs, and long-range target rifles. In addition to riflescopes, Leupold spotting scopes, Laser Rangefinders, and Red Dot optics are on sale with big discounts.
6. Amazon — LEE Breech Hand Press Kit, $71.33
⏺ Compact hand press can do a number of key tasks — Great Sale
The LEE Breech Lock Hand Press Kit combines the popular LEE Hand-Held Press with a LEE Breech Lock System that allows reloaders to quickly change dies without having to readjust dies. This hand-held reloading press weighs only 1.5 lbs and works well for depriming tasks or bullet seating at the range. This kit, now just $71.33 on sale, includes Hand Press, Ram Prime Unit, Powder Funnel, and Resizing Lube.
7. Sportsman’s WH — Kel-Tec SUB2000 9mm, $499.99
⏺ Get $100 back from Kel-Tec with Purchase of handy SUB2000 rifle
The Kel-Tec SUB2000 rifle is a semi-auto rifle chambered in 9mm Luger (9x19mm). It can be quickly and easily reduced in size to 16.25 inches for easy transport/storage by simply rotating the barrel up and back. Price after $100 Manufacturer’s Rebate is now just $399.99. Make the $499.99 purchase before 3/1/2024 and Kel-Tec will send out a $100 check. For mounting accessories, the SUB 2000 has two Picatinny fore-end rails plus five M-LOK mounting slots on the fore-end sides.
8. Amazon — Plano 50″ Rifle Case, $47.02
⏺ Good basic case big enough for long-barrel rifles
Protect your firearms from damage with this hard-shell gun case. The Plano Protector Series rifle case is designed to accommodate a single scoped rifle or two non-scoped rifles or shotguns up to 50″ long. This case has heavy duty latches for secure transport. Padlock tabs offer additional security to guard your gear. This Plano gun case is TSA/Airline approved.
9. KYGUNCO — Blazer Pistol Ammunition Sale
⏺ Discounted USA-made 9mm, .38 SPL, .40 SW, 10mm, and .45 ACP ammo
CCI Blazer Pistol Ammunition is quality, made-in-USA pistol ammo that we have used with great success. NOTE: The 9mm ammo has brass cases while the .38 SPL, 10mm, 40 S&W, and .45 ACP Blazer ammo has NON-reloadable aluminum cases to keep price to a minimum. We have found, in most pistols, this ammo functions very well and is just as accurate as CCI brass-cased pistol ammo. With 50ct boxes on SALE now in 9mm, .38 SPL, 10mm, 40 S&W, and .45 ACP, you can save money and practice more often. The 9mm is a steal at $12.49/50 while the 230gr .45 ACP is a very good deal at $19.45/50.
10. Amazon — Splatterburst Targets 50pk, $39.99
⏺ Targets have fifteen 3″ bulls per sheet — bullet impacts show bright yellow
Splatterburst Targets make spotting bullet impacts easy, with hi-viz, bright yellow shot marks. With fifteen 3″ bullseyes, this Splatterburt target sheet is great for rimfire or centerfire practice. And you can see bullet impacts out to 400 yards. And right now you can get FIFTY (50) of these 15-bull target sheets for just $39.99 on Amazon — that’s just 80 cents per target sheet. The BRIGHT yellow bullet holes are visible in all light conditions, great for people with weak vision.
Berger Twist-Rate Stability Calculator
On the Berger Bullets website you’ll find a handy Twist-Rate Stability Calculator that predicts your gyroscopic stability factor (SG) based on mulitiple variables: velocity, bullet length, bullet weight, barrel twist rate, ambient temperature, and altitude. This cool tool tells you if your chosen bullet will really stabilize in your barrel.
How to Use Berger’s Twist Rate Calculator
Using the Twist Rate Calculator is simple. Just enter the bullet DIAMETER (e.g. .264), bullet WEIGHT (in grains), and bullet overall LENGTH (in inches). On its website, Berger conveniently provides this info for all its bullet types. For other brands, we suggest you weigh three examples of your chosen bullet, and also measure the length on three samples. Then use the average weight and length of the three. To calculate bullet stability, simply enter your bullet data (along with observed Muzzle Velocity, outside Temperature, and Altitude) and click “Calculate SG”. Try different twist rate numbers (and recalculate) until you get an SG value of 1.4 (or higher).
Gyroscopic Stability (SG) and Twist Rate
Berger’s Twist Rate Calculator provides a predicted stability value called “SG” (for “Gyroscopic Stability”). This indicates the Gyroscopic Stability applied to the bullet by spin. This number is derived from the basic equation: SG = (rigidity of the spinning mass)/(overturning aerodynamic torque).
If you have an SG under 1.0, your bullet is predicted not to stabilize. If you have between 1.0 and 1.1 SG, your bullet may or may not stabilize. If you have an SG greater than 1.1, your bullet should stabilize under optimal conditions, but stabilization might not be adequate when temperature, altitude, or other variables are less-than-optimal. That’s why Berger normally recommends at least 1.5 SG to get out of the “Marginal Stability” zone.
In his book Applied Ballistics For Long-Range Shooting, 3rd Ed., Bryan Litz (Berger Ballistician) recommends at least a 1.4 SG rating when selecting a barrel twist for a particular bullet. This gives you a safety margin for shooting under various conditions, such as higher or lower altitudes or temperatures.
Story idea from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
A multi-time F-TR National Champion, James “Jimmy” Crofts is one of America’s top F-Class competitors. And now this F-TR ace has a stunning new rifle in his arsenal. AccurateShooter Forum member CigarCop, head honcho of KW Precision LLC, built a stunning F-TR rig for Crofts a few seasons back. This handsome, top-tier rifle features top-tier components: Borden action, twin Brux barrels, Cerus RifleWorks F-TR Stock, and Jewell trigger, all resting on a wide-base Phoenix Bipod.
James Crofts photo by Kent Reeve.
Have a good look at these photos below. Yes, envy is the appropriate reaction. With the smooth operation of the Borden action and the predictable accuracy of Brux barrels, we know James’s rig shoots as good as it looks.
CigarCop actually chambered two barrels for James, with different fluting patterns — conventional linear flutes for one tube, and lines of staggered ovals for the other. Finished length for both barrels is 30″. Yes it looks cool, but the fluting was done mainly to save weight with the 30″-long lengths. CigarCop tells us the complete rifle, without scope and rings, weighs just under 15 pounds. Max allowed weight for an F-TR rifle, with scope, is 18.18 pounds (8.25 kg).
When James Crofts is not shooting his .308 Win F-TR rig,
he often trains with a .22 LR Rimfire rifle. Read on…
Rimfire Training for F-Class Competitors
2014 and 2012 U.S. National F-TR Champion James Crofts is one of America’s top F-Class shooters. A member of 2013 World Championship-winning F-TR Team USA squad, James knows a thing or two about long-range shooting. But you may be surprised to learn how James sharpens his shooting skills at relatively short distances. You see, James often practices with a .22 LR rimfire rifle at distances from 50 to 200 yards. James tells us: “Shooting my F-Class rimfire trainer saves me money and improves my shot process and wind-reading abilities.”
Remington rimfire 40X barreled action in PR&T LowBoy stock with PT&G bolt.
Rimfire Training Teaches Wind-Reading Skillsby James Crofts
Training with the rimfire is extremely useful and can be done from 25 yards out to 200 yards. I am lucky and can shoot 50 yards right off my back deck. That is far enough that any miscue on rifle handling will show up on the target. I use a two dry-fire to one actual shot routine for my practices. This gives me much more positive reinforcement without any negative reinforcement.
Wind reading is extremely important with a .22 LR rifle. I use a set of smallbore flags to aid my wind calls. The smallbore flags are a must and force you to look at the flags and mirage on each and every shot.
This Rimfire rifle features a CMP-sourced Rem 40X barreled action, PR&T Low Boy stock, Jewell trigger, and Phoenix bipod. The gun was built by Ray Bowman of Precision Rifle & Tool. James Crofts told us: “The project turned out awesome — the rifle was a hammer from the beginning even with the stock barrel.”
Rimfire Training Is Cost-Effective
Rimfire ammunition is much less costly than centerfire ammo. Though .22 LR prices have risen, you can still get a 500-round brick of decent ELEY .22 LR target ammo for around $70.00. That works out to fourteen cents a round. That’s a fraction of the cost of handloading .308 Win match ammo, with the price of bullets, brass, and primers these days. The top match-grade, .308-cal centerfire bullets can cost around $70 per hundred. Then you have to figure in brass, primers, and powder. Finally you have to consider your precious centerfire barrel life lost to practice.
In the ELR game, particularly the King of 2 Miles (KO2M), it’s “go big or go home”. The top shooters run large-capacity cartridges that push large-caliber, ultra-high BC bullets at very high velocities. Bullets launched by cartridges such as the .416 Barrett can sustain supersonic velocities at Extreme Long Ranges — and that’s what it takes to win. The .416 Barrett can launch a 550-grain solid bullet at 3000+ FPS.
Photo from ELR Competitor Corbin Shell.
2018 and 2019 Kings of 2 Miles Loaded on RCBS Presses
So how do you load jumbo cartridges such as the .416 Barrett? It takes a big, heavy, super-strong reloading press. We’ve learned that two recent King of 2 Miles champions, Paul Phillips (2019) and Robert Brantley (2018) both loaded their KO2M ammo on RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG presses. Phillips loaded .416 Barrett ammo, while Brantley loaded a similar .416 MCS cartridge.
In 2018, Robert Brantley topped the field using his custom .416 MCS cartridge. Then in 2019, Paul Phillips won the K02M competition shooting a .416 Barrett, with Brantley a close second. Both Phillips and Brantley use the RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG single stage press kit and RCBS .416 Barrett dies to hand-load for extreme long-range. “My ammo has been much more consistent after switching to the RCBS press and dies,” remarked Phillips, who runs the Global Precision Group. Brantley said he uses RCBS products for most of his reloading needs — from the dies and AmmoMaster, to the ChargeMaster and Brass Boss. His custom .416 MCS loads launch a 550-grain bullet more than 3,100 fps.
Loading with RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG Press
This video shows reloading with the RCBS AmmoMaster .50 BMG press. While this video shows .50 BMG cases being loaded, the principles are the same for loading the .416 Barrett cartridge or other big rounds. Big cases need big presses!
Want to see a bullet hit a target in ultra-slow motion? Watch this video to witness some amazing things — such as a bullet jacket peeling back like a banana-skin (at time-mark 7:30). A while back, Werner Mehl of Kurzzeit.com produced a 10-minute video for the SHOT Show. This video has has been watched over 10.6 million times, making it one of the most popular shooting-related videos in history. Employing cameras recording at up to 1,000,000 (one million) frames per second, Mehl’s bullet flight video has been called “astounding” and “mesmerizing”. If you haven’t seen it yet, sit back and enjoy!
Watch This Video! It’s Really Something Special…
LINK: Kurzzeit.com Video System and PVM-21 Chronograph
Click the link above to learn more about Werner Mehl and his super-sophisticated camera systems that can record at 1,000,000 frames per second. On the same linked page you can learn about the advanced PVM-21 chronograph (now sold as the BMC-19) designed by Werner. Operating “all-infrared, all the time”, the PVM-21/BMC-19 is the best optical chronograph we have tested for very low light conditions, or very tricky light conditions.
PRS and NRL tactical matches are now among the most popular competitive rifle disciplines in the USA. And rimfire tactical disciplines are actually growing faster than centerfire PRS/NRL because .22 LR ammo is way cheaper than centerfire ammo, and there are many more ranges where rimfire matches can be held. NRL22 and PRS Rimfire offers the same kind of fun without the high cost of centerfire ammo and the time-consuming burden of hand-loading. You can compete successfully in .22 LR rimfire precision disciplines with affordable rifles, which also offer a whole lot less recoil than centerfire rigs. To learn more, we recommend you read All About Precision Rimfire Competition, by Shooting Sports USA Editor John Parker.
Interview with NRL22 Founder Travis Ishida
This Vortex Nation video features an 80-minute interview with Travis Ishida, one of the original founders of the NRL22 and NRL22-X disciplines. Travis told us that the NRL now runs 7-8 times as many rimfire matches as centerfire matches.
The NRL22 2023 World Championship — Biggest Match of Its Kind
The NRL22 Championship took place in North Carolina in July 2023 and was the biggest match of its kind to date, with over 230 competitors from all over the world. Watch this video to see the latest and greatest equipment, and to see top competitors in action. NOTE: This match also included an AIR RIFLE division. You can see one of these precision air rifles below:
Getting Starting in PRS/NRL Rimfire Competition — The Rifle
Interested in getting started in PRS/NRL Rimfire competition? This MDT video explains the components you’ll need for a top-level .22 LR PRS rig. While you can spend many thousands on a top-tier rig, you can also do very well with a used rifle costing under $800 before optics. Rimfire barrels tend to last a very long time, so an older rig can still be quite competitive with over 4000 rounds through the barrel.
Cleaning Rimfire Barrels — How Often Should This Be Done?
Some say never clean a rimfire, others scrub their bore after every shooting session. So, who’s right? Like so much in life, the answer falls somewhere in between. Michael Shae, author of Rimfire Revolution, explains when to break out the jags/solvent and how to efficiently clean your barrel to restore peak performance. We have found that, with some .22 LR barrels, you may want to clean every 200-300 rounds, with others every 1000. Much depends on the ammo you use and the rate of fire. When cleaning, be careful with the muzzle crown. Damage to the crown can definitely harm accuracy.
How to Get Started in Rimfire Tactical Competition
This video offers plenty of smart tips for folks getting started in NRL22 and PRS rimfire competition. The host explains the rifle, optics, and other essential gear. The video also explains how to mentally prepare yourself for your first match and before each stage. We do recommend you do some target work before the first match to understand the challenge of .22 LR ballistics. This relatively slow, low-BC cartridge has very significant drop at longer ranges (100 yards and beyond).
PRS Rimfire 2023 Finale — Over 200 Competitors
Want to see how a top-tier rimfire tactical match actually runs? Then check our this video from the 2023 PRS Rimfire Series Finale hosted last October by MKM Precision in Kennerdell, Pennsylvania. This PRS Rimfire Finale Match drew over 200 competitors. PRS Rimfire offers similiar shooting challenges to PRS centerfire, but at shorter ranges at a much lower cost per round.
BONUS Rimfire Practice Targets
SPECIAL BONUS–Rimfire Tactical Precision Targets
These FREE targets by DesertFrog are offered in Adobe Acrobat format for easy printing. CLICK HERE to download all six targets as a .ZIP archive.
In NSSF v. Bonta, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Schopler has granted a Preliminary Injunction prohibiting the enforcement of California’s AB 1594 law that exposes firearm industry members to lawsuits in California for activities outside the state of California. The ruling by Federal Judge Schopler enjoined the enforcement of California AB 1594, the so-called “Firearm Industry Responsibility Act”. In 2023 the NSSF sued to challenge the law and moved for an injunction. In granting the injunction, Judge Schopler found that AB 1594 is likely unconstitutional because it violates the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
“We are thankful the court enjoined the state from suing members of the firearm industry under this unconstitutional law that attempts to use the real threat of liability on commerce beyond California’s borders and impose its policy choices on its sister states”, stated NSSF Senior VP and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. CLICK HERE for more details of NSSF v. Bonta legal case.
NSSF Opposes Unconstitutional California Firearm Industry Liability Law
NSSF argued that California’s firearm industry liability law is preempted by the Federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) which was passed with bipartisan support in Congress and subsequently signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2005. The PLCAA was specifically enacted to stamp out frivolous lawsuits sought by activist politicians, gun control lawyers and greedy trial lawyers seeking to bankrupt the lawful firearm industry by blaming them and their lawfully-sold and non-defective products for the violence and harm caused by criminals who misuse firearms to commit their crimes.
“It’s no surprise California’s rabidly antigun General Assembly would pass and Governor Gavin Newsom would sign into law a blatantly unconstitutional attack on the lawful firearm industry instead of looking in the mirror to see how their own policies are leading to historic levels of criminal violence and endangering law-abiding and innocent Californians every day,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “NSSF will not stand by and allow the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans … to be trampled upon while criminals committing acts of violence are handled with kid gloves by soft-on-crime prosecutors. California’s industry liability law is in blatant defiance of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bruen and is preempted by the PLCAA.”
Among other provisions, California AB 1594 bans the manufacture, sale and marketing of firearms the state deems “abnormally dangerous”. It allows civil lawsuits against a firearm industry member to be filed by the Attorney General, any municipality and any person who claims to have suffered harm from the misuse of a legal, lawfully sold firearm by a remote third party. The law unconstitutionally invades the sovereignty of sister States by directly regulating lawful commerce occurring entirely outside the state of California in violation of the Commerce Clause and the United States’ system of federalism. The law also violates the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) enacted by Congress in 2005 to stop just these sorts of frivolous lawsuits against members of the industry.
The NSSF argues that AB 1594 also directely linfringes on the Second Amendment and chills First Amendment rights by restricting protected free-speech advertising of Constitutionally-protected products that are lawfully made and sold — even when that advertising takes place outside of California’s borders.
A Manhattan, New York jury found the NRA and its former leader Wayne LaPierre liable in a civil legal action. In 2020, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed suit against the NRA, LaPierre and other leaders of the organization. The case concluded this week with a jury verdict. After deliberating for a full week, a New York jury Friday found both the NRA and its former CEO/Executive Vice President, Wayne LaPierre, liable for spending NRA donor funds improperly. Mr. LaPierre has been ordered to pay back more than $4.351 million to the NRA. It is not clear yet whether Mr. LaPierre, the NRA, or other parties will seek to overturn the trial result on appeal.
Prior to the commencement of the civil trial in New York, Wayne LaPierre resigned as CEO and Executive Vice President of the NRA. In early January 2024, NRA President Charles Cotton accepted LaPierre’s resignation during a board meeting. LaPierre, 74, cited health reasons as motivation behind the departure.
Origins and Outcome of New York Civil Lawsuit vs. Wayne LaPierre and Others
On August 6, 2020, following 18 months of investigation, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit against the NRA and LaPierre, as well as treasurer Wilson Phillips, former chief of staff and current executive director of general operations Joshua Powell and general counsel and secretary John Frazer, alleging fraud, financial misconduct, and misuse of charitable funds, and calling for the dissolution of the association due to chronic fraudulent management. The NRA attempted to have the case moved to Texas and the dissolution lawsuit dismissed, but Federal Judge Harlin Hale of the Northern District of Texas ruled that the effort was made in bad faith[.] In March 2022, New York Supreme Court Justice Joel Cohen denied the claim to dissolve the NRA, while allowing the lawsuit against LaPierre and the organization to move forward.
On February 23, 2024 his civil trial concluded with the jury ordering LaPierre to repay the NRA $4,351,231. It also ordered the NRA’s retired finance chief, Wilson Phillips, to repay $2 million, found that the NRA omitted or misrepresented information in its tax filings, and violated New York law by failing to adopt a whistleblower policy.
