NRA Practice Range game Apple (AAPL) iPhone, iPad app targets ages 4 and up, causes anger

Just one month after the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary, the National Rifle Association released a target shooting mobile app game for iPhone and iPad users—available for ages 4 and up.

The NRA: Practice Range game, released Monday, is free on iTunes, but players have to pay to get their hands on a weapon, Tech Crunch reports. ( http://tcrn.ch/13vFPuL )

For 99 cents, a child can choose from their firearm of choice. There are nine different kinds of guns, including AK-47s, berettas and snipers.

The game’s release comes after the NRA publicly bashed the affects of violent video games on society following the Newtown murders.

However, the game is considered age appropriate for kids because the targets aren’t human, and the game balances shooting practice with gun education.

It strikes the right balance of gaming and safety education, allowing you to enjoy the most authentic experience possible,” the game’s description states.

The players shoot at skeet disks and practice dummies.

In addition, the game is also packed with gun safety tips, various state gun laws and new gun legislation, according to a Huffington Post article ( http://huff.to/VHHZpd).

Some experts are calling the timing of the app's release questionable. Public Relations Strategist Rachel Kay told CNN that the NRA is taking a big risk, considering this could alienate several groups, including parents worried about gun safety measures.

However, she says the organization could also be playing to their supporters.

After buzz spread that the Obama administration might make serious changes to gun laws, December 2012 went on record as the highest number of people submitting background checks to purchase guns.