List of presidents of the National Rifle Association

The position of president of the National Rifle Association of America is a symbolic figurehead role, which dates back to the organization's foundation in New York on November 17, 1871. Founded by George Wood Wingate and William Conant Church, two Union veterans dismayed by the lack of shooting skills among recruits, the rifle association voted to have Union general Ambrose Burnside as its first president. Church succeeded Burnside as the second president of the organization, and Wingate became the tenth in 1886. Traditionally, the first vice president is elevated to president when the position becomes open while the second vice president is similarly promoted, but this practice has not always been followed.
Throughout its history, presidents have served purposes and effects including providing the NRA greater legitimacy; holders of the office have also intentionally provoked outrage and condemnation. Since the 1990s, some NRA presidents have made controversial statements such as when James W. Porter II referred to Barack Obama, whose administration he perceived as hostile to gun rights, as a "fake president" and when Charlton Heston proclaimed to gun control advocates that they could only have his firearm after taking it "from my cold, dead hands."
While once elected at the annual convention, as of 2020, NRA presidents are chosen by the board of directors. They generally serve out two one-year terms. However, the NRA board of directors amended the organization's bylaws to make an exception for actor Charlton Heston to allow him to serve out a unique five-year term and for Charles Cotton to allow him to serve for three terms. Under said bylaws, the position of president is unpaid. During Oliver North's time in office he sought to make the position a paid one, but this initiative failed when he was ousted as president after a power struggle with executive vice president Wayne LaPierre. Some presidents have been employed by the NRA after leaving office. Marion Hammer was the association's first female president and went on to be executive director of the group's Florida affiliate. The executive vice president acts as the group's chief operating officer. Wayne LaPierre held this post between 1991 and 2024, despite several internal challenges to his role.
There have been 67 NRA presidents, serving 69 distinct tenures as both Smith W. Brookhart and Carolyn D. Meadows have served two nonconsecutive times in the office. Others who have held the position include former United States president Ulysses S. Grant, lobbyist Harlon Carter, American Football League commissioner Joe Foss, and conservative activist David Keene.

Presidents of the National Rifle Association

No.	Name	Tenure	Background
1		1871–1872
2		1872–1875
3		1875–1877
4		1877–1880
5		1880
6		1880–1881
7		1882–1883
8		1883–1884
9		1885
10		1886–1900
11		1900–1907
12		1907–1916
13		1916–1921
14		1921–1925
15		1925
16		1925–1926
17		1926–1927
18		1928
19		1929
20		1930–1931
21		1932
22		1934
23		1936
24		1937–1938
25		1939
26		1941
27		1942–1943
28		1944–1946
29		1946–1947
30		1948–1949
31		1949–1950
32		1951–1952
33		1953–1954
34		1955
35		1957
36		1959–1961
37		1961–1963
38		1963–1964
39		1965–1967
40		1967–1968
41		1969–1970
42		1971
43		1973–1974
44		1975
45		1977–1978
46		1979
47		1981–1983
48		1983–1985
49		1985
50		1985–1988
51		1988–1990
52		1990–1992
53		1992–1993
54		1994–1995
55		1995–1998
56		1998–2003
57		2003–2005
58		2005–2007
59		2007–2009
60		2009–2011
61		2011–2013
62		2013–2015
63		2015–2017
64		2017–2018
65		2018
66		2018–2019
67		2019–2021
67		2021–2024
68		2024–2025
69		since 2025