Nation's Oldest Gun Club Turns 150

[shanneba]

The oldest continuously operating rifle club in the United States, the Newport Rifle Club (NRC) near Middletown, R.I., is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026. It’s not the NRC’s longevity that’s headline-worthy; it’s also the fact membership is way up and shows no signs of slowing.
Outreach and community involvement is a critical ingredient in NRC’s success.

“Once a month we get kids in who have not experienced firearms,” said Bob King, who’s been club treasurer so long, he refers to his position as permanent. “They shoot .22 rifles, and each gets an individual coach.”

The sessions are conducted on Fridays and open to youths between the ages of 8 and 18. There is no charge.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Nation's Oldest Gun Club Turns 150

The oldest continuously operating rifle club in the United States, the Newport Rifle Club (NRC) near Middletown, R.I., is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026.

www.americanrifleman.org

 

[Old_Me]

I live here in RI, and frankly didn't even know about this club..

it's "over the big bridge", which i try to never cross over

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Nation's Oldest Gun Club Turns 150

The oldest continuously operating rifle club in the United States, the Newport Rifle Club (NRC) near Middletown, R.I., is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026.

www.americanrifleman.org

 

[Belt Fed]

didn't even know about this club..

You were probably a teenager back then and more important things on the mind, like girls.

 

[Old_Me]

You were probably a teenager back then and more important things on the mind, like girls.

thinking about girls..???

the most important thing on mind mind back then, was being swooped away by the pterodactyls..

my particular gun club started back in 1903.

so i guess mine isn't that old.

 

[Belt Fed]

pterodactyls.

You use spell check on that, that's a mighty crazy name for a blue jay.

 

[Old_Me]

You use spell check on that, that's a mighty crazy name for a blue jay.

damn straight i did.......i don't need @Annihilator coreking my spilloelling

 

[southtex]

I live here in RI, and frankly didn't even know about this club..

it's "over the big bridge", which i try to never cross over

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Nation's Oldest Gun Club Turns 150

The oldest continuously operating rifle club in the United States, the Newport Rifle Club (NRC) near Middletown, R.I., is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2026.

www.americanrifleman.org

The Port Bay Club in S Texas has been going for 114 years

 

[Lo-Profile]

Nice, belonged to a club in PA that was founded in 1913.
Kept my membership current for a bunch of years after leaving PA thanks to a friend. My last one was about 5 years ago. Was $20.00

I'm a life member of the one here in Northern Nevada, was $400 at the time

 

[Old_Me]

The Port Bay Club in S Texas has been going for 114 years

Nice, belonged to a club in PA that was founded in 1913.
Kept my membership current for a bunch of years after leaving PA thanks to a friend. My last one was about 5 years ago. Was $20.00

I'm a life member of the one here in Northern Nevada, was $400 at the time

to be honest, i never knew how many have been around for at least the century point.

i am sure now, many more exist.

 

[Biggfoot44]

In my corner of the world , pretty much all the landed Gun Clubs were founded in the 1939 - 1947 window .

Just guessing, but with high degree of certainty; Before that , few people felt need for formal club instead of shooting in the back 40 . But After the post WWII Boom it wasn't as feasible to start one , between propery values going up , and booming development.

[ There were some other Clubs started in that era , with * Leased * ground . Most of them lost the leases in the 1970's, when the land became more valuable for development or commercial real estate . The last hold out was late 1990's , which subsequently became part of minor league baseball stadium. ( Ironically the week before l was about to join ) ]