Rifle

A group of people sitting around a table.

The Lost Art of Gun Cleaning

By North American Outdoors / February 8, 2022 / Comments Off on The Lost Art of Gun Cleaning

Avoid misinformation and risky shortcuts! Here are our step-by-step instructions. The first step to maintaining a properly functioning firearm is proper cleaning of the gun. The word “proper†is the key here! As an NRA Firearms Training Counselor, I’ve heard some misinformation about the importance of and best methods to clean your gun. There is an…

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A close up of the sight of a gun

Sight Alignment and Sight Picture Means Hitting Your Target 

By North American Outdoors / February 2, 2022 / Comments Off on Sight Alignment and Sight Picture Means Hitting Your Target 

By correcting your sight alignment and sight picture, you can place your bullet where you intend! You head to the gun range for a day of shooting. You have your handgun. You have your targets. What else could you want? How about putting your shots where you want them to go on your target? This…

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A close up of the sight on a rifle

Iron Lady: Learn Iron Sights to Master Marksmanship

By North American Outdoors / January 28, 2022 / Comments Off on Iron Lady: Learn Iron Sights to Master Marksmanship

Riflescopes and electro-optics are great, but iron sights are fundamental. I remember growing up reading the adventures of Elmer Keith, Jack O’Conner and Earnest Hemingway. I remember reading about the exotic African hunts of W.D. Bell, Fredrick Selous and Robert Ruark hunting alongside Harry Selby. These storytellers were famous hunters with incredible rifle shooting skills,…

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A woman is holding a rifle and aiming it.

The 5 Fundamentals of Rifle and Pistol Shooting

By North American Outdoors / January 26, 2022 / Comments Off on The 5 Fundamentals of Rifle and Pistol Shooting

When you can recognize why your bullet did not hit where you intended, and then identify what you did wrong, you are on your way to becoming a proficient shooter. I conduct a lot of NRA Firearms Training courses. Many of my students are not avid shooters, and some are first-time rifle or pistol shooters. Several are…

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A black rifle scope with blue lens and a white dot.

Power Grab: Understanding Riflescope Basics

By North American Outdoors / January 11, 2022 / Comments Off on Power Grab: Understanding Riflescope Basics

You can’t shoot what you can’t see! Knowing the terminology is the first step in selecting the proper riflescope for your situation. Many of today’s shooters put as much thought in their sighting systems or optics as they do their firearm. When it comes to rifles, telegraphic scopes are the number one choice for hunters,…

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A person holding an open gun and another person holding a gun.

There’s ALWAYS Time to Review the NRA Gun Safety Rules

By North American Outdoors / October 28, 2021 / Comments Off on There’s ALWAYS Time to Review the NRA Gun Safety Rules

There’s a reason the word ALWAYS appears three times in NRA’s Rules of Gun Safety. by HEIDI LYN RAO posted on October 28, 2021 At regular intervals, every serious firearms instructor should pause to review his or her safety procedures. As NRA Instructors we stress in every class the “Always, Always, Always†rules. These NRA Rules of…

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A group of people standing around at the shooting range.

7 Range Commands You Need To Know

By North American Outdoors / October 5, 2021 / Comments Off on 7 Range Commands You Need To Know

In order to feel at home on the range, everyone should know safety commands like the back of their hand! by HEIDI LYN RAO posted on October 5, 2021 As the days become shorter and daytime temps get cooler, you start to see a noticeable increase in the number of shooters at the local gun range. Fall…

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A person holding a gun in their hand.

Is It a Magazine or a Clip?

By North American Outdoors / September 30, 2021 / Comments Off on Is It a Magazine or a Clip?

Firearms have their own language with unique words, phrases and meanings. As such, one of the first things that your students should learn is the difference between a magazine and a clip. by HEIDI LYN RAO posted on September 30, 2021 As an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, it is my job to use the correct gun terminology—and also…

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A woman holding a bullet in her hand.

Chamber: The Least Understood Part of a Firearm 

By North American Outdoors / September 14, 2021 / Comments Off on Chamber: The Least Understood Part of a Firearm 

The data stamp on a firearm’s barrel is the road map to the chamber by HEIDI LYN RAO posted on September 14, 2021 If there ever was an “ah-ha†moment when teaching an NRA Firearms Training course, it is when I explain a firearm’s chamber. Most students understand the concept of the chamber, but really do not understand what…

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A girl is holding a rifle and aiming it.

Sighting-In Your Hunting Rifle Simply & Swiftly

By North American Outdoors / September 7, 2021 / Comments Off on Sighting-In Your Hunting Rifle Simply & Swiftly

Properly sighting-in is a critical step to ensure a successful hunt … the good news is that it’s easy to do. by HEIDI LYN RAO posted on September 7, 2021 Going to the range and sighting-in your rifle is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your hunt is successful. It does…

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