Everything’s bigger in Texas, and the fourth most-populous city hosting the 155th NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Houston April 17-19, 2026 did not disappoint. The NRA show is open to all NRA members and their immediate families (including spouses and children under 18 years old). If you are not yet a member, join today for many membership benefits, including your ticket to get into future NRA conventions.
Attendees were wise to don their comfy shoes before exploring the over 14 acres of guns, accessories, and the latest products on the market today from top manufacturers spanning from across the globe. Not only were they able to enjoy the exhibit hall vendors and booths, but they were able to meet industry leaders such as Glock Chairwoman Kathrin Glock; and Anthony Imperato, founder and CEO of Henry Repeating Arms, to name a few. Larry Potterfield, founder and CEO of MidwayUSA (longtime primary sponsor of the NRA Annual Meetings) was also spotted walking the aisles of convention. If you don’t know the Potterfields, check out their story from 2024 when they were awarded the first Golden Bullseye from NRA Official Journal America’s 1st Freedom.
Attendees were wise to don their comfy shoes before exploring the over 14 acres of guns, accessories, and the latest products on the market today from top manufacturers spanning from across the globe. Not only were they able to enjoy the exhibit hall vendors and booths, but they were able to meet industry leaders such as Glock Chairwoman Kathrin Glock; and Anthony Imperato, founder and CEO of Henry Repeating Arms, to name a few. Larry Potterfield, founder and CEO of MidwayUSA (longtime primary sponsor of the NRA Annual Meetings) was also spotted walking the aisles of convention. If you don’t know the Potterfields, check out their story from 2024 when they were awarded the first Golden Bullseye from NRA Official Journal America’s 1st Freedom.
The NRA convention is a family-friendly weekend with activities geared toward our next generation of gun enthusiasts and supporters of our firearm freedoms. Attendees were seen enjoying performances on the NRA Country Sound Stage throughout the weekend. This free event was open to the public featuring up-and-coming artists from popular streaming services, performing for everyone’s entertainment. Many of the nation’s Second Amendment podcasters and YouTubers were broadcasting live shows directly from “Media Row” on the main convention floor. Attendees could watch their favorite “Voices of the Second Amendment” in action or could meet them after a show recording concluded. Families could visit the Eddie Eagle Zone to meet the mascot himself, earn prizes, and learn about the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program. The NRA Youth Day, coordinated by the NRA Youth Programs team, was an action-packed day. Youth under age 18 participated in activities like a scavenger hunt, which took them throughout the exhibit hall to earn prizes and giveaways. Other activities included NERF gun ranges with guns, bows and crossbows, and NRA’s Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) exhibit to test your skills with wildlife identification and conservation question-and-answer sessions.
Other members participated in a variety of free seminars and workshops led by experts in the industry and familiar faces throughout the Second Amendment community. These seminars comprised a diversity of topics like: National Firearms Law Seminar; Adaptive Gunsmithing; How to Interact with Law Enforcement; Concealed Carry; Everyday Self-Defense; How to Be an Active NRA Member; Intro to Long Range Shooting and Hunting; NRA America’s Rifle Challenge; Reloading 101; and Tracking and Stalking Whitetails.
There were countless firearm manufacturers, ammunition companies, accessories and products related to hunting, competition and recreational shooting, items specific for law enforcement, and items geared toward military and veterans. There were several companies displaying their jewelry, including African Elephant Hair bracelets by Safari Jewelry; Bullet Splat jewelry (solid silver recreated from spent rounds); and Pretty Hunter, which sold unique bullet jewelry.
If you were looking to book a hunt or a fishing trip, several angling and safari outfitters were showcasing their opportunities. From dove hunting in Argentina, hunting and fishing excursions in New Zealand, or finding a spot nearby in the Lone Star state, open dates were readily available to book the trip of a lifetime.
One of the greatest reasons to attend an NRA show is because this is the largest gathering of NRA members and Second Amendment supporters you will have the chance to connect with. And in Texas, there were a lot of connections all under one Texas-sized convention roof. If you are an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, or hope to become one someday, it is imperative you prioritize time during an NRA convention to visit, meet and network with fellow NRA Certified Firearms Instructors. You have a lot in common!
The NRA Education and Training (E&T) Division encouraged all NRA trainers to attend their annual 2-day Trainer’s Symposium. E&T Division staff shared the latest news, information and program updates relevant to certified instructors during the Trainers Update. In addition, they brought in several top leaders from across the training industry who offered seminars and hands-on opportunities to try out the latest products, gear and accessories to incorporate into NRA Firearms Instructor classes. By inviting partners across the industry to the Trainer’s Symposium to meet certified Instructors and give interactive presentations, mostly with hands-on opportunities to try out and demo training devices, this helped instructors improve their teaching techniques, delivery methods, and offered ways to provide a more meaningful experience for all their students as well.
This free 2-day Trainer’s Symposium had a fantastic line-up of speakers who shared products, content and advice relevant to NRA certified Firearms Instructors. Representatives from MantisX and Next Level Training/SIRT presented and demonstrated their latest product innovations. They showed how these products can be incorporated during classroom and range time to assist NRA Certified Instructors in their teaching techniques and aid in the learning process with their students. Several other company reps were on the agenda to speak from organizations such as A Girl & A Gun and Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM).
This is a once-a-year opportunity where NRA Certified Firearms Instructors can come together and swap stories, share successes and challenges, and network with other instructors from across the country. This is also a unique opportunity where people who are seeking firearms training opportunities can meet NRA Certified Firearms Instructors and take advantage of this great networking opportunity. Whether they live in rural areas, the suburbs, or in the center of a bustling city, all instructors have been trained with the same NRA curriculum, met the same classroom objectives and range qualifications and have the nationally recognized credentials to teach the same basic curriculum.
We have all experienced obstacles in our classrooms and on the ranges, as well as successes. Meeting each other face-to-face opens the lines of communication to ask questions, share class and range experiences, and explore new certification pathways that other trainers may have that you may desire, to level up to the next discipline-specific rating. Being involved and present in the training community allows for such growth.
Attending the annual convention is more than just a typical weekend of seminars and vendors. It is an investment to increase your knowledge, meet with industry partners, and do all we can to advocate and ensure everyone can enjoy the hunting and shooting sports for generations to come. All attendees had the opportunity to connect with their favorite industry partners, discover new firearms, accessories and training tools, and elevate the quality of their instruction while in the classroom and on the range. In an atmosphere where responsibility and safety are paramount, staying engaged and informed ensures that everyone makes a lasting and positive impact for our Second Amendment freedoms.
—Heidi Lyn Rao
