Members of the U.S. Border Patrol participate in a shooting competition at the NRA's Whittington Center near Raton, N.M. Maintained by donor contributions and located in scenic northeastern New Mexico, the center is a monument to competitive, recreational and educational uses for firearms ranging from pistols to hunting rifles.
RATON, N.M. - It's billed as the largest and most comprehensive shooting facility in the United States.
RATON, N.M. - It's billed as the largest and most comprehensive shooting facility in the United States.
The NRA Whittington Center in northeastern New Mexico is devoted to the competitive, recreational and educational uses of firearms ranging from pistols to hunting rifles.
"There are lots of smaller ranges across the country, but nothing I'm aware of, other than getting onto a military facility, that has as large an operation as we do," executive director Wayne Armacost said.
And don't get hung up on the first three letters in its name.
Armacost said that while the National Rifle Association's acronym is part of the facility's name, the center doesn't venture into Second Amendment politics and you don't have to be an NRA member to visit.
"The NRA doesn't run this facility," he said. "Our mission is education and outdoor recreation. We are not politically motivated. The NRA doesn't underwrite us. They don't fund our operations in any way."
The 33,000-acre site - only 10 percent of which is developed - is named for the late NRA president George R. Whittington. It opened in 1973 after former New Mexico Gov. Bruce King traveled to NRA headquarters in Fairfax, Va., and successfully lobbied board members to choose his state for the facility.
By 1977, when the NRA was escalating its involvement in national politics, the organization established a special contribution fund to make the shooting center self-sufficient.
"We stay out of politics. It is part of our charter," Armacost said. "We could jeopardize our nonprofit status by making political statements."
There are 15 shooting ranges covering various distances, including a 1,000-yard range for high-powered rifles, silhouette ranges, ranges for shotguns and muzzleloaders, and a range for law enforcement officers.
"They accommodate everything from skeet to archery," said Jeff Encinias, manager at Elite Sporting Goods in Raton.
There's even a cafeteria and classrooms.
The center has had more than 1 million visitors, and not all were toting guns.
Top attractions are recreational shooting and guided hunts, but there's also camping, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Artists rent cabins to take photographs of wildlife or paint landscapes.
"Yes, we are a hunting and shooting facility, but there's so much more you can do," said Armacost, a Maryland native who moved West in 2005 after graduating from Cornell.
The center has been a boon during tough times for Raton, a blue-collar town of 7,000 residents that historically relied on coal mining. These days, shooting enthusiasts prop up the economy.
RATON, N.M. - It's billed as the largest and most comprehensive shooting facility in the United States.
The NRA Whittington Center in northeastern New Mexico is devoted to the competitive, recreational and educational uses of firearms ranging from pistols to hunting rifles.
"There are lots of smaller ranges across the country, but nothing I'm aware of, other than getting onto a military facility, that has as large an operation as we do," executive director Wayne Armacost said.
And don't get hung up on the first three letters in its name.
Armacost said that while the National Rifle Association's acronym is part of the facility's name, the center doesn't venture into Second Amendment politics and you don't have to be an NRA member to visit.
"The NRA doesn't run this facility," he said. "Our mission is education and outdoor recreation. We are not politically motivated. The NRA doesn't underwrite us. They don't fund our operations in any way."
The 33,000-acre site - only 10 percent of which is developed - is named for the late NRA president George R. Whittington. It opened in 1973 after former New Mexico Gov. Bruce King traveled to NRA headquarters in Fairfax, Va., and successfully lobbied board members to choose his state for the facility.
By 1977, when the NRA was escalating its involvement in national politics, the organization established a special contribution fund to make the shooting center self-sufficient.
"We stay out of politics. It is part of our charter," Armacost said. "We could jeopardize our nonprofit status by making political statements."
There are 15 shooting ranges covering various distances, including a 1,000-yard range for high-powered rifles, silhouette ranges, ranges for shotguns and muzzleloaders, and a range for law enforcement officers.
"They accommodate everything from skeet to archery," said Jeff Encinias, manager at Elite Sporting Goods in Raton.
There's even a cafeteria and classrooms.
The center has had more than 1 million visitors, and not all were toting guns.
Top attractions are recreational shooting and guided hunts, but there's also camping, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Artists rent cabins to take photographs of wildlife or paint landscapes.
"Yes, we are a hunting and shooting facility, but there's so much more you can do," said Armacost, a Maryland native who moved West in 2005 after graduating from Cornell.
The center has been a boon during tough times for Raton, a blue-collar town of 7,000 residents that historically relied on coal mining. These days, shooting enthusiasts prop up the economy.
Community officials estimate a $7 million annual impact from the shooting range.
"We get a lot of business because of the Whittington Center," Encinias said. "They have a lot of shoots and events, which helps us out quite a bit."
The center sits in the foothills of the majestic Valle Vidal range, equidistant from Denver, Albuquerque and Amarillo, Texas.
"If you're into hunting, it's heaven here," said Jennifer Wiseman, director of the Raton Chamber of Commerce.
Historic ruts of the Santa Fe Trail run past the center's administration building, which includes a gift shop, firearms museum and library. The site is right below Red River Peak, a landmark for pioneers on the trail.
Armacost said 122,000 guests visited last year, a sizable drop from 180,000 in 2007, which he attributed to last summer's higher gasoline prices.
This year, he's projecting 150,000 visitors based on entries for several national championship shooting competitions. Whatever the number, those folks pump cash into Raton's hotels, restaurants and gasoline stations.
"We don't underestimate the value, the impact, that the Whittington Center has on Raton, especially from May through October when their bigger shoots and competitions are held," Wiseman said.
Visitors, who have come from all 50 states and countries worldwide, can choose lodging in Raton but the facility offers full-service hookups for 175 recreational vehicles, as well as rooms, primitive campgrounds and remote backcountry cabins.
Armacost said he doesn't believe the center has seen any measurable boost in activities or interest based on an increase in firearms sales since President Barack Obama's election.
"Where we live in the country, people have always been interested and enthusiastic about firearms," Armacost said. "We are not being overrun by people wanting to come out and shoot their new guns."
Armacost said the center's youth adventure camp is growing in popularity, with 96 children firing 174,000 rounds last year. The site has hosted women's groups, teaching firearms safety and outdoor skills.
Boy Scouts are visit often, detouring from the nearby Philmont Scout Ranch.
"It's all about education," Armacost said.
The Whittington Center's mission is simple: Provide shooters with the nation's finest facility.
"Some people say Raton is in the middle of nowhere, but I prefer to say we're in the middle of everything," Armacost said. "For a good portion of our country, it's a day's drive and you can be here."
Post a comment