August — the month when you can practically smell the fall bonfires burning and cool nights headed your way, but are still embroiled (sometimes literally!) in the last throes of summer.
Turning away from your fun summer activities and towards the school year or work are enough to put you in a bit of a depressed state, but there’s at least one thing for you to look forward to: National Shooting Sports Month!
This second annual event was kicked off by President Donald Trump at the White House with a fair bit of fanfare, showing that someone in politics is still very interested in maintaining our Second Amendment rights.
Here are several ways that you can celebrate National Shooting Sports Month responsibly:
An American Tradition
The American public has been exercising their right to bear arms for generations, in communities of all sizes with individuals of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. These sports are part of American history, and require a broad mix of discipline and training in order to become truly proficient. The White House recognized sportsmen and hunters and their role throughout the years, as well as the positive impact that culling has on habitat conservation and balance in nature.
#LetsGoShooting
Throughout the month of August, there are hundreds of events available throughout the country where you can get together with like-minded individuals and celebrate your enjoyment of shooting sports. One of the key initiatives that the Shooting Sports Month team is promoting is the ProjectChildSafe.org, encouraging all people to safely protect their firearms. You can even enter the Trigger Time sweepstakes when you head out shooting at your local range — the ideal afternoon for shooters of all ages! The grand prize packages are quite impressive and contain a long-range shooting package with scopes, hat, cleaning kit, ammunition, grill packages and other products such as a cooler with wheels and tumblers.
Hitting the Range
There are few things more satisfying than spending a lovely afternoon at the shooting range. With the updated National Shooting Sports app, you’ll have a full list of shooting ranges right in the palm of your hand. While some ranges require you to have your own weapons and ammunition, you can also find full-service ranges where you are able to rent or borrow everything that you need for an enjoyable afternoon.
Always check with the range ahead of time to ensure that they have space and also to determine if there are special requirements such as licenses or limitations on having children under the age of 18 join you at the range. If you are fortunate enough to be near a premier shooting range, you may be surprised to find how much younger generations appreciate the opportunity to learn more about firearms and safety.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, National Shooting Sports month in August is yet another reason to remind those you love about firearm safety. Check that your gun safe is fully secure, and educate children about the joys and responsibilities of owning a firearm.
~ Firearm Daily
