NRA Annual Meeting

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

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Hotel tiers

A range of accommodation options near the venue and across key areas.

Local transport

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Frequently asked

Glossary

1

NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

The National Rifle Association's yearly member convention: a trade and consumer exhibit floor plus the association's business meeting, seminars, and advocacy sessions. The 2027 edition is scheduled for 23-25 April at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

2

FFL

Federal Firearms License. A U.S. licence issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that allows a person or business to manufacture, import or deal in firearms. Most firearm transactions between exhibitors and retail buyers at the show run through an FFL holder.

3

NRA-ILA

NRA Institute for Legislative Action, the association's lobbying and political arm. It uses the Annual Meetings to brief members on pending federal and state firearms legislation and to run member activation drives.

4

NICS

National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The FBI-run check a licensed dealer performs before transferring a firearm to a buyer; delays and denials are part of normal retail flow at U.S. gun shops.

5

NFA / Class 3

The National Firearms Act of 1934 regulates suppressors, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and machine guns through registration and a transfer tax. Dealers licensed to handle these items are commonly called Class 3 or SOT dealers, and they are the exhibitors showing suppressor and short-barrel products.

6

Suppressor

A muzzle device regulated under the NFA that reduces the sound signature of a firearm. Also called a silencer; ownership requires the federal registration and tax process, so exhibitor sales usually start a transfer rather than complete one on the show floor.

7

MSR

Modern sporting rifle, the industry term for AR-15-style semi-automatic rifles and carbines built on a modular, accessory-heavy platform. It is the product family with the widest exhibitor presence at the show.

8

SBR

Short-barreled rifle. A rifle with a barrel under 16 inches, or an overall length under 26 inches, which places it under NFA regulation and requires registration before it can be transferred.

9

Form 4473

ATF Form 4473, the Firearms Transaction Record. A licensed dealer completes this form for each firearm transfer, and the buyer certifies eligibility on it before the background check.

10

Concealed carry permit

A state-issued licence, also called a CWP or CPL in different states, allowing a permit holder to carry a concealed handgun. Recognition of out-of-state permits varies, so check Georgia rules before travelling armed.

11

USPSA

United States Practical Shooting Association, the U.S. body for practical pistol, rifle and shotgun competition. Its stage designs and divisions are the reference point many competitive shooters use when comparing gear on the floor.

12

IDPA

International Defensive Pistol Association, a defensive-oriented handgun sport that scores shooters on concealed-carry-style gear and realistic scenarios. Its members are heavy buyers of belts, holsters and compact pistols.

13

CMP

Civilian Marksmanship Program, a federally chartered U.S. corporation that promotes firearms safety training and marksmanship competition and sells surplus rifles to buyers who meet its eligibility rules.

14

Gun Control Act of 1968

The U.S. federal law that created the licensing framework for firearms dealers and manufacturers and defined categories of prohibited persons. It is the baseline that most compliance conversations on the show floor refer back to.