Open Letter to Competitors

[jnyfeler]

John Sigler,

You're making an effort, and that's admirable, but... sheesh, where do I start?

Wayne and is band of thieves (the enabling board members and executives) spent decades defrauding the NRA membership of their hard earned dues and donations. Then he ran out the back door two steps ahead of the authorities getting away with millions stolen from the NRA. And you characterize him as merely "...no friend to competitive shooting and no friend to the competitive shooter..." Sugar coating it isn't going to win back our support.

I wouldn’t consider supporting the NRA again until the following questions were answered to my satisfaction. I think I speak for many.

Is the NRA even going to survive its court cases financially? I keep reading how they’re spending money at an unnecessary level on legal fees.

Is the NRA going to be dissolved by the courts?

If it’s not dissolved, will the courts restructure it with new by-laws that include best practices/controls that prevent Wayne’s colossal fleecing from recurring?

Has the NRA re-written its by-laws in the interim with best practices/controls to show good faith to the membership and the courts? If not, why not?

Have Wayne and his enablers and accomplices on the board and the executive staff been identified, fired and filed for prosecution? If not, why not?

We need verifiable documentation that any of the above actions were taken and the institutional performance improvements that they’ve resulted in.

You *are* making an effort John, and I respect that. But the NRA has a lot to prove to me before I’ll consider them a legitimate organization again.

Jeff Nyfeler
NRA Patron Member

 

[Acyr]

New York lawsuit conclusion.

 

[mgdietrich]

It amazes me that a former board member of the NRA would have the gall to say that no one on the board knew anything was going on, when the rank and file across the country could see it. WLP was entrenched like a tick, with the same intent. He was paid a ridiculous salary, with a ludicrous expense account, and acted like the NRA was his kingdom. He still managed to be given a severance in the millions. The NRA is dead. The current issues are the rotting of the corpse.

Not only on the Board, but he was NRA president too.

 

[mgdietrich]

Perhaps I missed something, but I believe the NRA left Camp Perry in an attempt to pull support from the CMP. This along with the actions of WLP, only served to weaken that organization while the CMP has maintained and even expanded a strong following. While the CMP has had some problems and occasionally their rules seem to change with the direction of the wind, they do attempt to accommodate the wide variety of shooters.
So the CMP should bow towards Mecca and relinquish their successes to the NRA?

NRA left CP because of cost, it is an expensive range to run for Nationals. I do not believe it had anything to do with “trying to weaken the CMP”, NRA didn’t have a stick that big.

 

[danny]

There are many other organizations that have proven to be more effective than the NRA. Unfortunately I think that ship has sailed

Unfortunately, those groups don't have the NRA's numbers, so as I see it, we need them all. We need to try to repair the damage done to the NRA by the French Kid, and we need to get the numbers of the others up. If we get rid of the NRA, that won't bode well in the media and maybe in the elections, and this is exactly what the left would want Why should we do it for them?

Danny

 

[danny]

Well written and very true. Bullseye pistol and service rifle shooting are not what they were just a few years ago. A shame really.

I have generally left Highpower Rifle for what it has now become.

Danny

 

[danny]

I have been an avid Rifleman for years, but have never participated in a NRA event. I get the feeling that the NRA doesn’t even understand Short Range Benchrest.

I don't understand it either.

Danny

 

[danny]

I thought the meaning was clear. The desire is to return the National Matches back to Camp Perry but not have the NRA involved. I'm not getting the double speak.

Because what the NRA has had, or still has (The National Matches), is the NRA's. Moving the National Matches back to Camp Perry, BUT the NRA is NOT involved. Well, that pretty makes it no longer the NRA's event, and just hands it over to the surplus weapons and playing shooting games guys (CMP).

If any of you guys want to move your firearms to my house and not be involved with them, I'm all for that, but I guarantee once you do that they are mine and you aren't seeing them again. I don't take bolt guns with funked up bolt handles and "swirly" cuts on the bolt body, though.

Danny

 

[jelenko]

that pretty makes it no longer the NRA's event,

EXACTLY.
High power competitors are fed up with the way NRA has run their matches.

Why do you care?

 

[Herzo]

EXACTLY.
High power competitors are fed up with the way NRA has run their matches.

Why do you care?

Among the reasons that the CMP has grown is the disdain shown by the NRA competitors.

 

[danny]

EXACTLY.
High power competitors are fed up with the way NRA has run their matches.

Why do you care?

I care because I have disdain for the Surplus Rifle and ammunition guys. My hopes are that the NRA cleans up their match handling. That's the only solution for me.

Danny

 

[Herzo]

I care because I have disdain for the Surplus Rifle and ammunition guys. My hopes are that the NRA cleans up their match handling. That's the only solution for me.

Danny

QED

 

[LVLAaron]

Like Jackie, I am only a member because it is a requirement at the private range I belong to.

The NRA certainly does some things well, and a lot of things poorly. It almost feels like a government organization. WHERE DOES ALL THE MONEY GO?

I don't know what the NRA has done to restore firearms rights.

I donate quite a bit throughout the year to GOA and FPC who do actual things to restore rights and fight the good fight. The NRA is never there when we need them. By a matter of policy they do not intervene when someone legally and fairly uses a firearm in self defense.

In my sour two cents, the only thing the NRA is good for is being the mainstream medias boogeyman while other organizations are actually out there quietly doing work for their members.

While I give thousands to FPC, I give 30 dollars a year under duress to the NRA.

https://www.firearmspolicy.org/wins

I want a positive, transparent, and open sanctioning body for competitive shooting. Those that know me personally understand that I kinda hate competitions. I like the sport, I hate the game. Some of that is from the politics involved.

I'll end this rant early. I just care about our god given rights and I grew up during a time when the NRA was supposed to be that organization.

 

[Dimner]

Among the reasons that the CMP has grown is the disdain shown by the NRA competitors.

I had to make a choice a dozen or so years ago when I first got into competitive high power.

The NRA or CMP. The choice couldn't have been easier to pick the CMP. Exactly for the reason Herzo states

 

[DR_2297]

Because what the NRA has had, or still has (The National Matches), is the NRA's. Moving the National Matches back to Camp Perry, BUT the NRA is NOT involved. Well, that pretty makes it no longer the NRA's event, and just hands it over to the surplus weapons and playing shooting games guys (CMP).

If any of you guys want to move your firearms to my house and not be involved with them, I'm all for that, but I guarantee once you do that they are mine and you aren't seeing them again. I don't take bolt guns with funked up bolt handles and "swirly" cuts on the bolt body, though.

Danny

The CMP more specifically the NBPRP has the legal duty to host the National Matches every year as codified in US Law. CMP has overtaken Camp Perry and has created their own programs and events to fill the gaps left when NRA left town for Indiana and other locations.

The NRA has the National Championships - if you want to call a set of matches attended about as well as a large club match a “National Championship”.

The ONLY thing the NRA has to offer are the historic trophies and that is what the High Power community really cares about.

The CMP puts 300+ competitors on the line for what they are now calling the National Championship @ Camp Perry the week before the Board Matches that still put 1000 shooters on the line for the P100 on a Monday…. Like 150 for long range week and growing and now with etargets 98% starting in ‘25 it will give a bump.

The CMP has a leg up. All of those relatively free rifles have created a war chest that is meant for a relatively singular purpose… to teach the citizens of this country, to shoot and promote shooting, especially among juniors.

The NRA was founded on such a premise 150 years ago but over time has transitioned to a lobbying organization and competitive shooting is now just a nagging hang nail on the organization’s strained budget.

 

[Emmett Dibble]

Thank for sharing, but... no. Like so many other things, razing and rebuilding are pretty much all that is viable. Even one of the clubs I belong to (I am a member at 5 rifle clubs) has voted to quit requiring NRA membership... The other one I belong to that does require it is about to loose me because they have turned into a club version of the NRA... oddly enough ran by another former president... The older I get the more my money only goes to people, organizations or businesses that I agree with or at least have some reassurance they are doing the right thing.

 

[jpjulian]

I would like to believe Mr. Sigler. I cannot. As NRA President he had the power to reign in the abuses of WLP. It is not reasonable for me to believe the President and BOD were unaware of the wrongdoings of WLP. I would like to believe that the new NRA President and EVP have turned a new leaf at NRA, righted the ship, steered a new course.... take your pick of cliche's...... I have yet to see any evidence of that and until I do see clear and obvious evidence, I cannot believe that it has occurred. Has WLP or Phillips repaid the millions they have been ordered to repay? No? Why not? I cannot and do not fault Mr. Sigler for trying to rally support for NRA. But I need to see true and convincing evidence that real change has occurred and will be ongoing before I can lend my support again.

 

[danny]

EXACTLY.
High power competitors are fed up with the way NRA has run their matches.

Why do you care?

I never had a problem with how the NRA ran the National Matches.

Danny

 

[Jeff Porter]

I never had a problem with how the NRA ran the National Matches.

Danny

When did you last shoot an NRA match ?

 

[danny]

When did you last shoot an NRA match ?

Depending on how you look at it, the last year of the National Matches at Camp Perry, or in about October.

Danny