National Rifle Association of America

National Rifle Association of America (NRA), U.S. organization promoting civilian use of firearms, founded 1871. The legally approved, private use of pistols and rifles for hunting, self-defense, safety, and wildlife conservation is the aim of the NRA, which also maintains all national records of shooting competitions. It is a major lobbying group opposed to gun-control legislation and has 1 1/2 million members.