The NRA Whittington Center is one of the largest and most comprehensive shooting facilities in the United States. Owned and operated by the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), the centre is located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Colfax County, New Mexico. Ten percent of the 33,300-acre (13,500 ha) site has been developed to include twenty-three shooting ranges, an administration building, a cafeteria, a museum, a library, classrooms, and full-service hookups for 175 recreational vehicles. The remainder of the site provides wildlife habitat at elevations above 6,300 feet (1,900 m) with primitive camp-grounds and remote back-country cabins for hunting, bird watching, wildlife viewing, photography, hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.[1]

History

Whittington Center includes a segment of the historic Santa Fe Trail near the trail landmark Red River Peak. Land including the ghost town of Van Houten, New Mexico, was owned by the National Rifle Association and named for former association president George R. Whittington. Development began in 1973 for competitive shooting events, firearms education, and outdoor recreation. Whittington Center operates as an independent nonprofit with a mission of education and outdoor recreation. NRA membership is not required to visit the center, and many visitors arrive from the nearby Philmont Scout Ranch. The nearby community of Raton, New Mexico estimates an annual revenue of seven million US dollars from Whittington Center visitors.[1]

In 1992, the centre hosted the ICFRA World Long Range Championships (a.k.a. the "Palma Match"). In 2013, the centre hosted the F-Class World Championships.[2][3][4]

Range facilities

Other facilities

The Frank Brownell Museum of the Southwest located on the property includes a research library and a large firearms exhibit. Temporary living facilities on the property include lodges, cabins, tent sites, and recreational vehicle pads and hookups. Two consecutive two-week Adventure Camps are offered in June and July for boys and girls aged 13 to 17 to learn gun safety, shooting fundamentals, and marksmanship.[6]

Sources

  1. 1 2 3 4 Associated Press. "The N.R.A. Whittington Center Shooting Range in New Mexico Caters to All in the Middle of Nowhere". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations (ICFRA) F-Class World Championships" (PDF). Bald Eagles Rifle Club. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Past Results". International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "F-Class World Championships: Team USA Wins F-TR Team Titles, Australia Wins F-Open Team Championship". AccurateShooter.com. Accurate Shooter. 28 August 2013. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "NRA Whittington Center". Raton, New Mexico. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  6. ↑ Grable, Todd (October 2021). "NRA Whittington Center: A "Bucket List" Destination for American Gun Owners". American Rifleman. National Rifle Association of America. 169 (9): 22.

36°46′25″N 104°29′9″W / 36.77361°N 104.48583°W / 36.77361; -104.48583

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