by James C. Fulmer | NMLRA Past President
The Great American Outdoor Show will be hosted by the National Rifle Association, Feb. 1-9 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center in Harrisburg, PA. There has been a “Sportsman and Outdoor Show” at the Farm Show Complex for over 65 years and it has been recognized as the largest consumer sports and outdoor show in the country.
This huge nine-day event celebrates hunting, fishing, camping, and the shooting sports which millions of families enjoy in this country and around the world. The show’s 650,000 square feet of exhibit space will feature nearly 1,100 exhibitors, including firearms manufacturers, shooting accessory manufacturers, outfitters, boats, hunting and fishing retailers, and many outdoor sporting associations, including the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA).
The NMLRA has been a longtime supporter of this show and will once again have a booth at the event so we can share information about our organization and about muzzle loading. We will be in Booth #404 in the Sport’s Shooting Hall. We will be giving away free copies of Muzzle Blasts magazine at our booth.
While you are there you can renew your membership or buy a new one.
You will also be able to visit with NMLRA field representatives, past presidents, and volunteers about muzzle loading. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have about muzzle loading and the NMLRA.
The NMLRA is proud to once again support this event and the muzzle loading shooters who attend.
“The Great American Outdoor Show” will be a terrific event, so if you are in the area, plan on visiting us.
The NMLRA also runs many great events throughout the year all over the country. The NMLRA Western National Shoot is one of those events.
It is March 4-10 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility, 25 miles north of Phoenix, AZ, just off of I-17. This event was started years ago to encourage muzzle loading shooters to gather, share their knowledge and participate in a great shoot. There are both modern and primitive camping facilities on site. There will also be a pre-1840 camp in the primitive living history area.
There is something for everybody at the Western National Shoot, even a beginner’s shoot, where people can shoot a muzzleloader for the very first time. There are competitive events for all types of muzzleloaders, including muzzle loading pistol, rifle, shotgun, as well as black powder cartridge matches. There are also knife and tomahawk throwing events, as well as primitive archery matches.
While you are there, don’t forget to visit Trader’s Row, where vendors from all over the country come and sell black powder supplies and accessories. On Trader’s Row you can find muzzle loading firearms and shooting supplies, and all manner of period correct clothing and camping supplies – it’s everything you might need for shooting your muzzleloader and looking good while doing it! March 15-16, the NMLRA will be at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center, in Kalamazoo, MI, for the 39th Kalamazoo Living History Show. The NMLRA will be cutting rifling in a barrel on the Ron Greene rifling machine. This wood mandrel rifling machine is a reproduction of an 18th century-style rifling machine and is used to demonstrate how rifling was done over 200 years ago.
The Kalamazoo Living History Show was started in 1976 and is the largest, nationally recognized, juried show in the Midwest. The show brings history alive. It is devoted to pre-1890 original or reproduction living history supplies and related crafts and features over 270 of the finest artisans and dealers of living history supplies and related goods.
The show attracts 10,000 historical re-enactors and visitors come from all over the United States and Canada for this Saturday-Sunday event.
Another event that the NMLRA will attend is the 143rd National Rifle Association Annual Meetings and Exhibits, held this year in the NMLRA’s home state, April 25-27, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Last year in Houston, TX, 86,228 NRA members were in attendance. The exhibits will have many outdoor retailers and outfitters selling to members. You can look forward to seeing the latest products from gun and accessory manufacturers and seeing numerous wonderful arms collections on display.
Since many NRA members shoot and hunt with muzzleloaders, and you will find the NMLRA at Booth #4031—right across from the NRA’s main booth, so we should be easy to find. We will have our rifling machine set up and be cutting rifling in a barrel. NMLRA President Becky Waterman will be there along with many current and past officers. The membership committee will be recruiting new NMLRA members and renewing memberships. In the past, the NMLRA has signed up over 100 new members at this event.
Show your support; stop by and visit with us. Both the NMLRA and the NRA need your support more than ever.
These are four great events at four terrific venues around the country.
You will see the NMLRA logo at many other events and locations this year, ranging from living history trade fairs, shooting events, rendezvous, and at historical sites. By supporting these events you are also supporting one of the things that we treasure most—our American shooting heritage. Any time you see our logo at an event, be sure to stop and visit.