Quick! Quick! What's the answer?

What was the main reason for the formation of the NRA in 1871?

a) The NRA was a militia designed to guard against British invasion.
b) Ulysses Grant wanted to promote hunting in the United States.
c) After the Civil War, Grant combatted political dissent to the Second
Amendment by forming the NRA with disbanded Union troops.
d) General George Wingate and Col. William Church were alarmed by
the Union troops’ poor marksmanship during the Civil War and
created the NRA to promote shooting skills among civilians and soldiers.

The answer to this question can be found here. It is question 14.

Wow! http://www.americanhunter.org! That's a publication of the National Rifle Association! Straight from the Horse's mouth. I was amazed to see that confession.

If you are too lazy to look it up, the answer is (D) The organization was founded in 1871 by Col. William C. Church and Gen. George Wingate in response to the generally poor marksmanship demonstrated by United States troops during and after the Civil War.

In 1863 Church became editor of the newly founded United States Army and Navy Journal and Gazette Of the Regular and Volunteer Services. In its pages, he championed the need for military marksmanship, as evidenced by the limited shooting skills of Union troops during the war. Church found a kindred soul in Wingate, by this time a captain in the New York State National Guard.

Now, wouldn't Union soldiers be great shots if guns were commonplace items?

Nope, they couldn't hit the broadside of a barn.

This in itself this puts the lie to claims about an American gun culture prior to the Civil War.