What are the benefits of being an NRA member?

[CHRONICcartman]

I have been thinking lately on becoming a member of the NRA. I want to hear from actual people associated with them or who have been members in the past to give me some insight. Is it worth it? Why or why not?

Thanks!


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[Dawico]

If you like being able to possess guns then it is well worth it. There are other groups that are nice but NRA is the king of protecting our gun rights.

 

[BG1960]

You get lots and lots of phone calls. NRA credit cards, NRA wine, NRA insurance, NRA toilet paper, NRA NRA. Son's of bitches just cannot leave you alone even after you politely opt out of their non-stop infomercial shit.

 

[V-Tach]

I receive no BS calls, very little mail.........

All the NRA members I know are good stand up kind of folks..........

Membership is what you make of it..........

jmho...

 

[45tex]

When the NRA fought to maintain their multi-generational support of Harry Reid, was when I parted company with them. They claim they are a single issue group and Reid was good for things like public ranges. The harm Reid has done to America and his solid support for Socialist issues far outweighed any good he may have done for gun owners in only his home State.

 

[busykngt]

What would be your motivation to join such a national organization (what are you looking for)?
--
For the average member, I'd have to say there's very little in the way of tangible things to expect from the NRA. They apparently do have a most effective Second Amendment congressional lobbying organization (source: every Democratic candidate running for a national office...'nuf said). And I'd have to say that's the main reason I became a life member (and bought one for my grandson). If your idea is to try to support and sustain the 2nd Amendment, then the NRA is a good choice but certainly not your only choice. I also support Gun Owners of America (GOA), which is a pretty effective (& vocal) 2A organization. And there are others at both the national level as well as the state level. Of course, the NRA also offer firearms training and instructor certifications (etc.) if that's an area of interest to you. But to ask, "what am I buying or paying for?" As I said, you're either paying for 'not much' OR you're paying to help protect a God-given, inalienable right that an unruly government would take away from you.

ETA: For those of you who elect to not support the NRA for whatever reason (your choice, of course), what 2A organization do you support? At least recommend to the OP who you view as worthy of your support ($$).

 

[Dawico]

When the NRA fought to maintain their multi-generational support of Harry Reid, was when I parted company with them. They claim they are a single issue group and Reid was good for things like public ranges. The harm Reid has done to America and his solid support for Socialist issues far outweighed any good he may have done for gun owners in only his home State.

So you quit supporting a gun rights organization because they supported a pro gun politician?

They are a one issue organization. That is what they do.

To each their own I guess.

 

[sdismukes]

What would be your motivation to join such a national organization (what are you looking for)?
--
For the average member, I'd have to say there's very little in the way of tangible things to expect from the NRA. They apparently do have a most effective Second Amendment congressional lobbying organization (source: every Democratic candidate running for a national office...'nuf said). And I'd have to say that's the main reason I became a life member (and bought one for my grandson). If your idea is to try to support and sustain the 2nd Amendment, then the NRA is a good choice but certainly not your only choice. I also support Gun Owners of America (GOA), which is a pretty effective (& vocal) 2A organization. And there are others at both the national level as well as the state level. Of course, the NRA also offer firearms training and instructor certifications (etc.) if that's an area of interest to you. But to ask, "what am I buying or paying for?" As I said, you're either paying for 'not much' OR you're paying to help protect a God-given, inalienable right that an unruly government would take away from you.

ETA: For those of you who elect to not support the NRA for whatever reason (your choice, of course), what 2A organization do you support? At least recommend to the OP who you view as worthy of your support ($$).

I'm a life member, bought into the offer about 2 years ago. The American Rifleman magazine is good - some good articles and I read the legislative/political updates regularly. I get very little from them in terms of buy this or give money for that, but there is some. Generally an email. Now and again they have a good offer on some gear if you donate $X to the cause.

They are unabashedly a 2A group and a 2A group only. So if they supported Reid, it was because they saw 2A support in him at the time. if he was also politically liberal, they didn't care - 2A is all they care about. To that end I say BRAVO! They are a huge force to reckon with at the polls - every candidate knows this and yet Hellary has chosen to take them on. I do not wish her luck, in fact I hope it's the latest and greatest mistake she ever made.

I would enroll in the NRA just to add another member to their count! For every NRA member the candidates know there are hundreds of like minded folks who are not NRA members out there.

Another group that helps is the Second Amendment Foundation. They actually have a better track record, especially in lower courts and/or lesser cases, supporting and WINNING 2A cases. NRA (ILA division) will step in like an 800 lb gorilla for select cases or in the end game of those cases that get to Circuit Courts or the Supreme court. They do tend to be the big dog when they show up regardless of who got the case to that point or how they did it. Sometimes their attitude can turn a case the wrong way. The GOA is a good group and there are several others at the State levels.

 

[karlac]

Member of NRA, among others, and give to NRA-ILA often.
No one organization is perfect, but what's the alternative?
For me, NOT monetarily supporting any organization that steps up to the plate on 2A issues, both nationally and locally, and especially one that is as loathed by the organized anti-gun movement as the NRA, means not being involved in a solution.

YMMV ...

 

[Jeffrey]

I support and donate to GOA. NRA has put too many knives in the backs of gun owners for me to ever trust them again.

 

[CHRONICcartman]

I support and donate to GOA. NRA has put too many knives in the backs of gun owners for me to ever trust them again.

Could you explain what exactly they did? I'm curious.


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[Jeffrey]

They supported the Assault Weapons ban, and just here recently, they were supporting universal background checks until they got caught at it.

There's more, too. Their behavior during the Macdonald case was pretty low-brow, and in 2009 they worked to kill a bill in Illinois, because they weren't listed as a sponsor.

 

[vmax]

Life Member here

I just don't understand some person asking about benefits of joining a group that helps support your 2nd Amendment.
The benefit is that you and me get someone on our side speaking up for us. The money you spend is YOUR FREE SPEECH.
You are paying for lawyers and lobbyist to look out for your interest.

I get nearly no junk mail from them being a life member and only an occasional phone call. The magazine I take is the political one not the hunting one, but I am thinking of switching because since I am up very well informed on the political items, rarely anything in the magazine is news to me by the time it gets printed.

some people are pissed off at the NRA for various reasons but when I see assholes like Hillary Clinton on stage bashing the NRA and saying she can't stand them, that makes me feel good that they are a pain in her communist ass.

The NRA is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. They carry a big damn stick and when the Sandy Hook Hoax happened, a false flag op, aimed at getting a gun ban or at the very least a bunch of new Federal gun laws, the NRA stood our ground.
Did Ohomo get a law through the Senate? No, he couldn't and it has pissed him off for years. He knows he can't get any gun laws out of Congress in part because the NRA has their boots on the neck of the wishy washy little jerks in Congress who would sell your rights out in a second if they thought they could do it and get away with it.

In the past, I have also supported the GOA. Larry Pratt is a stand up guy and he takes a good fight to the communist also.
This is a good discussion to be having because it reminds me to get back in the GOA also.
Because just being in one 2A group, isn't enough and not being in even one, is damned unacceptable for a gun owner.

my 2 cents, you ask for it, you got it.

Vmax

 

[oldag]

The benefit is supporting an organization focused solely on protecting our 2nd amendment rights. And they have been fairly effective.

 

[Texasjack]

It pisses off the liberals.

 

[Glockster69]

It pisses off the liberals.

Good enough for me, but I do have other reasons too.

Endowment member here. Beyond the obvious, the NRA offers many benefits from the mundane to those that can truly help you and yours, unfortunately most often after a crisis. It is what you make of it.

 

[Jakashh]

Apart from crap quality gifts and offers I never get around to using, they harass me by calling me every day and running a 2 minute long pitch before I can even say anything.

The other day they called and offered me a 2 year membership renewal for $50. I told him I was in between jobs and couldn't afford to pay $50, and would renew online when I could.

He countered by offering me a $500 life membership.

**** off dude.

 

[oldag]

I am surprised to hear about phone calls. I have never received a single call from the NRA. Not even one.

 

[Jakashh]

I am surprised to hear about phone calls. I have never received a single call from the NRA. Not even one.

If you're a life member, you probably won't get as many renewal calls as an annual member like me lol. If you're not a life member, how long did you go with an expired membership?

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Looking back I don't even agree with every decision I've ever made. They're close enough for me to support.