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First thing first...I know some will look at this question and take offense BUT I do not mean it that way.I want to have an educated 2017 discussion on the NRA membership pros and cons.
(This was asked back in 2009 but I think an updated discussion would be good to have.)

So I have looked at either a yearly ($30) or lifetime ($600) membership to the NRA. As it sits it looks like my "benefits" are as follows:
  • NRA patch (DONT WANT IT OR NEED IT)
  • Monthly Magazine (DONT WANT IT OR NEED IT)
  • Membership Card and Decals (DONT WANT IT OR NEED IT)Do I?
  • $7,500 gun insurance (I have home owners insurance)
The only other thing I can think of is lobbyist....Now I personally from experience know that a letter to my congress person or senator (in large numbers) is MUCH more effective than any lobbyist group. Just most times people don't make the effort to send these letters.

All this being said am I missing any vital pieces of information? I truly want to know if there are truly any valid benefits either personally or COMUNIALY to having a membership. I know 30 years ago the way things were was completely different than they are now (even 10 years ago) so I am asking.
 
After they throw us on the Left Coast under the bus, and oppose repealing the illegally-passed Hughes Amendment, and actively collaborated with the enemy on NFA '34, GCA '68 and the '89 Bush Import Ban...

Why WOULD you support them with such a long record of standing against REAL gun owners, when CCRKBA, SAF, GOA and the former JPFO walk their talk?
 
I've got complaints about all of the gun rights org's I've dealt with/contributed to. That goes for SAF and OFF too. But I'll say this, I would never consider not being a member of the NRA. Why? Because they, more than any other group in this country, have more sway over congress, on the national level, than all the others combined. No, I don't agree with everything they do or have done, but damn folks, they do fight for our rights, and you simply can't deny that.

Consider the attempt by Obama, through the ATF, to ban sales on 'green tip' AR ammo - one of the most common, and most cost effective, rounds for plinking. It was the NRA that got their butts in front of congress men and women and rallied the troops to fight that ridiculous ban - and it worked.

And how about the fact that every single anti-gun organization and politician out there absolutely hates the NRA. From Hillary Clinton to Michael Bloomberg to Kate Brown and Floyd Prozanski - they see the NRA as THE organization to beat when it comes to furthering gun control. How many times do you see politicians quake in their boots over the actions of OFF, SAF, GOA, etc? No, it's the NRA that they fear, because, on a national level, the NRA has some big time influence - no one can deny that.

So, are they perfect? Nope. Have they done some things I don't like? Yep. Are they worth the price of a single lifetime membership? Every damn penny.

I know there are some big NRA haters, and I get that. But damn folks, we need to be UNITED against the anti-gun onslaught coming out of Washington D.C. Show me any other group in America that has the influence and power of the NRA - there are none. I think every serious gun owner should be a member - as well as a member of OFF, SAF, GOA, etc. We need them all. That's one of the things that pizzes me off about Republicans - they'll refuse to support anyone or anything that isn't EXACTLY how they want it to be. In the meantime, our anti-gun enemies will rally the troops and support their cause even if it's not exactly what they want. If we want any hope to fight them, we need to support the groups that are doing the work, even if they're not perfect. 5M NRA members right now, only 5M! There should be 100M! Can you imagine the power they'd have with that many members? Maybe then they could get some sh!t done on the state level too in places like OR and WA.
 
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Then why doesn't the National 'Reasonable Regulation'*spit* Association grow a pair, Ruck Up and join the fight here?

I would love to do the "unity" thing, but it's very difficult when the so-called 800# gorilla throws you under the bus. If the NRA were all that and a bag o' chips, they'd fight harder to keep Commiefornia's dangerous, unwanted alien ideas from spreading, simple as that.
 
Then why doesn't the National 'Reasonable Regulation'*spit* Association grow a pair, Ruck Up and join the fight here?

I would love to do the "unity" thing, but it's very difficult when the so-called 800# gorilla throws you under the bus. If the NRA were all that and a bag o' chips, they'd fight harder to keep Commiefornia's dangerous, unwanted alien ideas from spreading, simple as that.

I don't think of the NRA as a state by state org - I see groups like OFF and SAF for that purpose. And between those two, I see SAF as far more actively working for gun rights than OFF - though I do support both. My main focus for the NRA is to stop things at a national level - they are the only ones firmly planted in Washington D.C., with the size and influence to do something. Again, I get it, they have compromised at times when they shouldn't have, but I'm not willing to toss them aside for that alone - they still do a lot of good for us, and that is the reason I support them.
 
The $1500 I gave the NRA for my lifetime membership pays for an organization with a proven track record of fighting hard for my rights. They had some miss steps in the past but I believe LaPierre has turned the organization around from its Fudd days and is working hard to fight back the wolves. The wolves dont stop attacking. A letter to my congressman does essentially squat. The other gun organizations have no clout and are not feared by anti gun politicians. The NRA isnt perfect but its the most effective pro gun org out there.
 
Then why doesn't the National 'Reasonable Regulation'*spit* Association grow a pair, Ruck Up and join the fight here?

I would love to do the "unity" thing, but it's very difficult when the so-called 800# gorilla throws you under the bus. If the NRA were all that and a bag o' chips, they'd fight harder to keep Commiefornia's dangerous, unwanted alien ideas from spreading, simple as that.

Why leave your rights up to any organization or other people to protect? The world I grew up in, men stood tall and made a conscious effort to do their part to keep the GOV in check locally, that's OUR JOB. But sadly most gun owners nowadays just want to complain instead of doing anything constructive.
There is no perfect pro 2A organizations out there but damnit we need to do something positive and stop all the bickering, hating and dividing of our cause!!! Don't be part of the problem, be the solution.:mad:
 
It's really difficult to know for certain what our situation would be like without organizations like OFF or the NRA. The same with LEO's and military; we cannot possibly know what it would be like now or how bad it would be without them, because that being in the past; cannot be changed.

It can be looked at in this way; there are lots of big movers and heavy breathers walking around in DC 24/7/365; trying to get their agenda in front of their legislator (right; including the NRA, the left; including Labor and Planned Parenthood, the VFW, the American Legion, etc). Crappy, that the attention goes to the highest bidder, but that is the swamp they live in.

We cannot know what it would be like without organizations like the NRA; having been in place for decades.

Me a Culpa; I'm a Life Member because they gave me the veteran's discount.

Edit: look how many seats the Left has lost nation wide; sure, the NRA could do more for Oregon, but look at the staggering losses of the Left in recent years.... some of that is because of the NRA.
 
$7,500 gun insurance (I have home owners insurance)
Not all home insurance will cover the loss of firearms (though a lot do). But the insurance from the NRA would be more in addition to the homeowners insurance.

I don't trust any of the gun rights groups,none of them have helped restore anything lost since '34 so why trust ANY OF THEM?
IICR the Gun Owners of America tried to challenge the federal machine gun ban.
 
I understand where you're coming from. I procrastinated a long time when it came to joining the NRA because I have mixed feelings about it. They fight gun confiscation attempts at the national level: that's good. But they have largely abandoned their other, former, core mission of supporting the shooting sports in order to concentrate on lobbying: that's bad. Also, they spend a lot of time and effort advertising and selling stuff. Plus, is it just me or does Wayne La Pierre come across as kind of a creepy guy?

Anyways, no group of human beings is ever going to be perfect.
I'm a Life Member now, so I can vote to make changes.
 
I have to admit that I let my NRA membership lapse. :( With that said I am going to join again and hopefully become a life member especially after etrain yelled at me.:D

Think if every firearm owner joined or became a life member, the money they would have to fight for us on a national level would be huge. That would be a great place to start.
 

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