America was thrust into World War II after Pearl Harbor, but we weren’t going into the fight with just bolt-action rifles. As part of the testing and evaluation of American and foreign arms, selected rifles were provided to the National Rifle Association and became part of an impressive technical collection still maintained today. Many of these “NRA test”-marked guns were carefully examined and used for a number of articles and training publications. Postwar, Maj. Gen. Julian Hatcher of the Ordnance Department became the technical editor for American Rifleman magazine and was just one of the many NRA staff associated with this important collection.
NRA’s National Firearms Museum has several new short-term displays in its galleries for visitors to enjoy, including “America’s Rifle,” which features this historic M1 Garand. These exhibits allow guests to see the amazing history behind the evolution of arms in our great nation.
The NRA National Firearms Museum at NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Va.; the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Mo.; and the Frank Brownell Museum of the Southwest at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M.; each have fine selections of historic arms on display. Admission to each is free, and donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, visit nramuseums.com, phone (703) 267-1600 or email [email protected].
