New NRA Museum Grand Opening Today At The Bass Pro Mother Ship

[Joe_Pike]

I've never had the pleasure of walking through an NRA museum before, so, today was a treat. I'll get to visit it as much as I would like as I live close to it. I spent about 45 minutes doing a walk through and it seems to be one of those places that you should visit in sections if you want to read the history of each gun displayed.

There were military weapons, Hollywood movie weapons, outlaw and lawman weapons, etc. The one that sticks out in my mind was the Winchester Radio Rifle. It was a .308 bolt gun that had a radio in the wood stock. It was designed right after the transistor radio started getting popular and is the only one in existence. It made me chuckle a bit.

They also had the rifle George Farr used to shoot 70 consecutive bulls-eyes at 1000 yards using iron sights.

I then bought some 9mm and .22lr and left. All-in-all, not a bad afternoon.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Is this a new museum that is apart (but part of) the NRA in Fairfax, VA?

 

[BarryLee]

I suspect this is what Joe was referring to it looks pretty cool.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FullCMSContentView?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&path=nra-museum-7594&fileName=nra-index

 

[Rifleman1776]

I did not know that was being built. I live driving distance from Springfield, MO and get there frequently. Is the museum in the main store or the adjacent building that was built as a museum several years ago that failed?
What do they charge to get in the museum?

 

[Joe_Pike]

4V50Gary, that is correct. Remington has a big presence at this one with a lot of prototypes, there's a Texas Ranger display and they even have Teddy Roosevelt's nightstand gun.

 

[Joe_Pike]

Rifleman, it is in the main store above the hunting area. There is no fee to walk through it. The NRA has a podium at the entrance to entice folks to join the NRA, so, they benefit that way, and Bass Pro benefits just from increased traffic through the store.

 

[okiewita40]

I may suggest a trip to Spingfield next month to the wife. It would make a nice Ann. present from her to me. Besides it is only about an hour and a half from where I live in OK.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Thanks Joe. A visit there will be on my "must" list next trip to Springfield. Visits there, to Grizzly tool and Harbor Frieght tool are also always on my "must" visit list. Can get expensive.