Nra life membership

[mummer1973]

just wanted to post my thoughts and then see what you guys come up with as for a response. So in order to be a member of the local gun club here in delaware you have to be a current member of the nra. I am fine with that.
I dont mind belonging to the nra i think it is a good cause. I could do without the constant looking for a donation it gets old real fast. So my membership runs out 09/15 so in the mail came a renewal. You all know the drill. I have elected to do the life membership because i already paid membership dues for 5 years roughly $175.00

so they are offering an e-z payment plan for $500.00. To be a life member and i get a free hat. Yes i love hats. My question was for the life members do the donations requests get worse once a life member? I took this plan because its holiday season with thanksgiving dinner to buy and christmas gifts $500.00 right now is money i dont want to part with. To be honest i think they should of waited till after the holidays to do this offer.

On another note i donated 26.00 last month and they sent me a nra duffle bag not a bad looking bag. But when i saw the made in china tag. I wasnt to happy with that.
If they want americans to buy into there cause and they offer a gift then damn it the product should be made in america.

Thanks for reading the post and have a great holiday you all.

[butch2570]

Is you're mother or father a lifetime member? If so they can get you the lifetime membership at a reduced rate. It's a good cause, but it's in line with everything else in today's world, it all revolves around the dollar, but I'm steadfast on the 2nd amendment, so I hope it continues to grow, they will still want donations, make them if you wish, don't if you can't.

[Riverpigusmc]

When I went the payment plan route, it was 750 dollars, so 500 seems like a good deal

[winchester85]

i have been a life member for many years. upped it to patron life a while back, almost did benefactor recently but had some other issues come up.
you will keep getting requests for money, at least i do. i get calls too, and though i do not care for solicitations from anyone, i don't let it bother me. i give a few hundred dollars every year, some to the NRA itself, some to the NRA ILA. i give money on my terms when i see fit, i do not let anyone badger me into it. i am not sure, but maybe you can ask to be put on a no solicitations list?

as for the chinese made stuff, i usually choose not to get the free "gift". if the NRA is not buying a bunch of stuff to give out, they have more money for the real cause. but, i know some people like to get "gifts" and that encourages them to sign up. most times i just check the box that says no thanks for the gift.

[HATCH]

I think they ran a special a couple years ago for $300 for life membership. That's when I got mibe

[cbrick]

You'll still get requests for money, I've been a life member for so long I don't know if it's more or less for annual members. It is a needed cause and they do need money to fight it but like was already mentioned I send them money when I can afford to and toss the rest of the mail. What bugs me about the requests is how they seem to be talking down to you and attempting to make you feel like it's all your fault because you haven't sent them enough. About the volume of requests they mail each year know this, it is effective or they would not be spending the money on printing and mailing. If they took in less from those efforts than they spent on it there would be no mailings. You need to remember that none of the dues money goes to legislative action, only the NRA-ILA money can be used for that.

I'm a Benefactor Member and like many I did it when there was a sale, each time they dropped the cost I went up another step over several years. There's a surprising number of gun owners that don't like the NRA and won't join but they need to come to terms with the fact without the NRA that right now today they would not own a single legal firearm. The NRA is a large bureaucracy and as such it's not possible to make everybody happy, I didn't join so that they would do everything my way, I joined for the benefit of the cause.

The NRA does have outstanding recruiters tools in obummer and the democrats. 5 million members is nothing to sneeze at, pity it's not 50 million. Numbers mean a lot in the congress.

Rick

[rockrat]

I hardly ever get requests for money and like it that way. Maybe they gave up a long time ago as I have been a LM for 40 years.

[Echo]

I've been a Life Member for over 40 years. I was talking w/Ms. Frohman, who was ExecDir at the time (she's a local lawyer), and she said the problem was all the legacy members, folks who got their life memberships years ago, and no more dues coming in from them. I didn't comment that I was the worst kind, since I paid mine out ($200 at the time) over a 2 year period with Award Points, otherwise known as Silver Certificates. I don't know if gun clubs get those at a discount, but I was winning a bunch of matches at the time, and $25 worth of points every 3 months wasn't too bad for a new Captain with a wife & 3 kids. Also paid for a gun cabinet I'm still using.
But, Yes, they still hit me for donations. I'm a Benefactor member, and occasionally give them some more. Rather that than the national Republicans, that are nearly as bad as the Dems. And I have a bequest in my will for 5 grand to them, the NRA that is...

[StratsMan]

I too had 2-3 calls per year right after I bought my Life Membership... (~20 yrs ago, and $750 at the time) I don't think I've had more than 5 calls in the last 10 years, however...

[shooterg]

I've been through all the NRA memberships from annual when I was 21 to current Benefactor. Occasionally still get something trying to get me to join NRA. Mucho donation requests, sometimes I give, sometimes not. It all burns ! The $500 current deal through a Lifer you know or through Midway is a good deal, especially if you're a "youngster" under 50 !

[trapper9260]

I been a life since 1983 paid in full.And get ask for extra cash if I can ok if not let it go by.Do what you can and go from there jst because someone ask for cash dose not mean you need to give it out.

[onceabull]

I've been a life member for a bit over 40 years,,but I'm feeling like I'm on the "chump list",----,granted national election years are the worst, but I'm averaging 12-15 mail solicitations annually,,plus the phone calls... May have to upgrade just to see what happens.... Onceabull

[doorgunner]

I bought my life membership while in the navy in 1964. 50 yrs ago. I upgraded to endowment a few years ago. I get mailings every once in awhile. You can ignore them or read them. If you consider what all the NRA does to help us keep our guns. A thing in the mail every once in awhile is worth it.

[mold maker]

I would choose a life membership, but at 72, I doubt it would benefit me. I'll just use the renewal at the gun shows and save the admittance cost.

[country gent]

Another thing to remeber is alot of matches, State associations, and clubs require NRA membership as part of requirements for membership or to compete in the matches. I got my Life membership years ago for these reasons and to support a good group. I occasionally do donate.

[CastingFool]

I became a life member about a year or so ago. They still ask for donations, but maybe less than when I was an annual member. I donated occasionally, but I think that once you donate, you open the door for more requests.

[Powder Burn]

I was getting calls all the time and finally contacted them about stopping the "notifications". Seemed I had to change my preferences on line to "do not contact". Happy camper now. I was on a 3 year membership renewal for years and when they dropped it to $300 for LM I signed up immediately.

[C. Latch]

Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA?
A: Simply email us at membership@nrahq.org or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list. This will significantly reduce the amount of mail you receive without affecting important mailings, magazine service, or your membership renewal.

http://www.nramemberservices.org/members/faq/faq.aspx

FWIW, as noted by others already, your membership dues go for membership, not for legislative activity. Keep in mind that the NRA survives on donation, while fighting an enemy that has all the funds it could ever need to advance its agenda.

[Reg]

Something to think about. Went endowment life years ago when they had some kind of promotion going and no, it didn't slow down the solicitations. One can get upset about getting hounded from time to time but you have to keep in mind the NRA puts out tons of money each year and memberships alone will not even begin to cover the cost.
As much as anyone might feel from time to time you cannot go out on the street and try to hunt down that Congressman or Senator and give him a whooping when he does something stupid and they all do it from time to time. Try it and you will wind up in the slammer. Nope, but you can answer those solicitations, send what you can when you can and believe me the NRA knows how to be a full blown pain in their rear and they know how to do it without winding up in club fed.
We did good this election year, 91 percent of those the NRA backed got into office and it didn't come cheap. It took money and lots of it and the most of that money came from those solicitations we all hate to get.

What is your freedom worth ?

[Nicholas]

Right on Reg!

[shooter93]

I became a Benefactor many many years ago, right after I joined I started the process. This was when there were no deals it cost a great deal of money back then. Never regretted it and I get very few solicitations. No where near what regular member get it seems.

[white eagle]

They keep after you
I became a life member and the phone calls get quite annoying
I gave what I could when I could spend it wisely
the bigger one gets the more waste there seems to be just look at our government

[mummer1973]

wow i am glad i put this question on this page. a lot of great advice i have received here.
thanks to you all. i dont mind the mailings just the phone calls but like some have said i will deal with that if a problem arises. i thought $500.00 was a great deal.
P.S. plus now i am a life member now i dont have to show proof to my gun club that i am a member in good standing with the NRA every year.

[TXGunNut]

I've been a life member for about 30 years, hope to get another thirty years out of it. May do the Endowment thing someday if I have the cash lying around next time they promote it. As has been noted here before many of the solicitations are done by an outside company for a percentage of the proceeds. I never respond to them and they don't send me much anymore. I do, however, send a check directly to the NRA-ILA whenever the mood strikes me. Like it or not it costs lots of money to do what they do and nobody does it better.

[dragon813gt]

I'm in the process of becoming a life member. The quarterly billings make it easy. And $500 is a deal in my eyes. I may sign up the wife if she agrees to it. I always choose to not receive any gifts. I don't want a cheap hat or bag. Plus if I don't take it that's more money in their coffers. I just ignore the mailings. They get a good bit from me from random donations and the NRA roundup for purchases. Every store that sells firearms products should have the roundup as an option. A few cents times a couple thousand purchases leads to a good bit of money. And all of us can spare a few cents here and there.

[MaryB]

Doing the same dragon, the quarterly payment plan I can handle on SSDI for life membership. I finally got it in their heads that their unsubscribe from emails wasn't working and they removed me. The requests get old when they send 3 a week via email and about 12 a year via mail.

[blindeye]

I became a life member about 30 years ago. They sent me a notice that I could apply the balance of the money I'd spent on a 5 year renewal towards the cost and were running a slight discount promotional at the time. It was still a considerable amount for me; I sold a gun to raise the money...one of only three I owned then. Never regretted it. About 10 years ago I spoke to our local NRA rep. about all the solicitations. More was being spent in mailings than they would be able to get out of me in donations; it was a losing game. He said he'd take care of it. And he did; the mailings stopped almost completely. I never gave them my email and so don't get email-solicited.

[bobthenailer]

I currently belong to three gun clubs, two require a NRA membership !

I became a life member in the 1970's and over time i have upgraded from Endowment to currently Patron level , every membership or upgrade was done on a discounted rate and two were done with a payment plan, I dont think i will upgrade again ! but I might get a life membership for my 9 year old grandson when the reduced rate comes around again hopefully with a payment plan.the problem is it always seems to come around the Christmas time.

For Christmas this year Im getting him a Rem 870 20ga youth model and already picked up a Rem 7 youth rifle in 7/08 with a 2x7 leupold for his 10 birthday in May 2015 .

When and if i do contribute $ its only to the NRA ! even though i get requests from a few other pro gun groups.

[jaysouth]

For many years, I gave jug of good bourbon or scotch to those deserving of it. (Business relationships are always better with a little 'lubrication'.) About 20 years ago, I started giving out NRA annual memberships to business associates and family members who might have gotten a jug in previous years. If anyone was offended, that was the end of the relationship, personal, family or business. More than a few have gotten the fever and renewed their annual membership.

Early in 2016, I cannot imagine a better campaign ploy than every NRA member giving one gift membership to a friend or family member. There would then be TEN MILLION NRA members for the 2016 elections! That's strong and sends a strong message. For a couple of bucks more than a jug of Jack or Johnny, you might help swing a close election.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've been a Life Member for many years now and they NEVER stop asking for more money. That doesn't mean you have to give them more money, but you do have to put up with the requests for cash.

[Alexn20]

I don't see many solicitations at all. I have been a life member since I can remember. You will see the regular things in the American Rifleman & American Hunter but that is all I get from the NRA. Maybe they just leave me alone since Ive been a member almost as long as I have been alive.

[square butte]

Same here - No solicitations by mail or phone for years. I told them about 5 years ago that I did not want anymore - and they just stopped

[2wheelDuke]

I think I got in on my life membership for $250 when the political nonsense was hitting a fever pitch just after Sandy Hook. I was added by an existing life memberEarly this year, they sent me a solicitation in the mail offering me to upgrade to endowment member. The "free gift" was a 5.11 tactical briefcase that's valued around $125.

I was on the fence about buying just such a bag for work already, so I went ahead and did it. I got a call the next day with a telemarketer from the NRA trying to sell me the same deal. She was disappointed when I told her that I just upgraded online.

I haven't seen an NRA election recently, but it looks like I get to vote for the next one.

It took a couple months, but the briefcase did show up finally. I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't 5.11 brand like the ad said. I must've missed some fine print, or maybe it's from the same Chinese supplier or something.

Now they're hitting me up for a discounted upgrade to Benefactor member. At this rate, if I keep giving them money, I'll be the president of the NRA in a couple years.

It is nice to not have to remember to renew to stay in good standing at the private range/club. Especially since that's a big issue in the club right now.

[Love Life]

My life membership was $750.00. I feel it was worth the money. However, being forced to show my papers to use some ranges or shoot some matches really sticks in my craw.

[dragon813gt]

My life membership was $750.00. I feel it was worth the money. However, being forced to show my papers to use some ranges or shoot some matches really sticks in my craw.

May I ask why? I know the reason they require NRA membership is for insurance purposes. The NRA provides insurance to the ranges and it only covers members. All they asked for is my NRA member number. And of course there is a recruiter there so you can join on the spot if need be. Some of the money goes to that range which is a good thing. W/ how litigious society is I can't blame them for asking for proof. Just look at how many gun owners aren't NRA members.

[Love Life]

It annoys me very much. They want to spread the joy of firearms ownership and knowledge, and then strong arm people into the organization in cases where there is no other range except for the one where membership is required or strong arm them in order to allow them to compete.

I get it. Insurance and dues and all that noise.

[cbrick]

May I ask why? I know the reason they require NRA membership is for insurance purposes. The NRA provides insurance to the ranges and it only covers members. All they asked for is my NRA member number. And of course there is a recruiter there so you can join on the spot if need be. Some of the money goes to that range which is a good thing. W/ how litigious society is I can't blame them for asking for proof. Just look at how many gun owners aren't NRA members.

That is incorrect. The NRA does not provide the insurance. It is an insurance company that insures ranges and or clubs through the NRA.

My club has had it's insurance through the NRA since it's inception. NRA membership is not a requirement to either use the range or join the club or shoot at club sponsored NRA sanctioned events. Any such rules are a club decision, not the insurance or the NRA and the insurance covers the shooting facility and everyone shooting there, NRA member or not.

The club does renew memberships or sign up new members but the club doesn't get a dime of it, any and all dues collected goes to the NRA.

The only NRA sanctioned matches where the NRA mandates NRA membership are the Championship matches that the NRA sponsors and puts on. As an example our club hosted the NRA Long Range Handgun National Championships on several different years and NRA membership is required to compete in these matches. Same with State Championships but a clubs regular matches are exempt. In CA for CRPA/NRA State matches NRA and CRPA membership is required.

Rick

[dragon813gt]

I get the competition part. But if you compare it professional sports they have to join the players unions. Even on an amateur level you often have to be a member of an origination to compete. I had to be a member of the PDGA to compete in some Disc Golf tournaments. I don't see it as strong arming nearly as much as professional sports unions.

Insurance reasons is a completely different argument. You can blame this one on society. The NRA is really the only reasonable cost option in most cases. I've been in boards at multiple ranges. The smaller ones can't afford anything besides what the NRA offers. The larger ones can but at a much greater cost. We now have issues w/ ranges needing to be NRA certified to keep the townships happy. It's all a bogus game but when me must play. I've never been out west w/ all the open public land. But luckily there is a very high density of private ranges in my area. Almost all of them are still open due to the NRA.

[dragon813gt]

The club does renew memberships or sign up new members but the club doesn't get a dime of it, any and all dues collected goes to the NRA.


Maybe at your clubs. But every month at the meeting the money collected from NRA memberships is part of the treasury report. The main club I belong to gets $10 for every member that signs up/renews through the club.

[2wheelDuke]

Supposedly, grants have something to do with the NRA requirement at my club. I guess the NRA only offers the grants to 100% NRA organizations. I don't have any information to back this up, it's just what I've been told at the club.

[cbrick]

Supposedly, grants have something to do with the NRA requirement at my club. I guess the NRA only offers the grants to 100% NRA organizations. I don't have any information to back this up, it's just what I've been told at the club.

I think your right. Our club looked into NRA grants years ago but did all the up grades on our own. Not something I have any problem with, if the NRA is going to use membership money for range development/improvement I have no problem with them expecting NRA members using the facility.

Rick

[Love Life]

What can I say, I hate to be forced.

Honestly, I think the NRA should fire their whole recruiting section and start over. They have very limited exposure considering just how large of an organization they are. They are still clouded in mystery thanks to the MSM saying they are the worse thing to ever happen to the world.

I understand the role the NRA plays in the grand scheme of things, but I find their small membership compared to the number of gun owners in America to be the fault of their poor recruiting and information practices.

[cbrick]

Maybe at your clubs. But every month at the meeting the money collected from NRA memberships is part of the treasury report. The main club I belong to gets $10 for every member that signs up/renews through the club.

Your probably right. I "think" that is a fairly new policy from the NRA to help get new members. It's been several years since I ran the club and that wasn't the case then.

Rick

[cephas53]

Have been a life member over 30 years. Did the payment deal to get it. At that time things were tight but I wanted to do it for all the right reasons. Felt some accomplishment when paid off. Gave over the years what I could. Still do but with a bit more discretion. Am I alone in my thinking that all the deals they give out lately seem to tarnish the membership levels?

[Bad Water Bill]

Several years ago I volunteered as an NRA rep at an outdoor show.

No matter how hard I tried I could not sell a lifetime membership for $1,000.

There was a guy from headquarters that was undercutting me by calling them back and selling life memberships no matter how low he had to go.

Yes all the way down to $300 to get a sale.

I walked away and have not volunteered since.

[1Shirt]

I bought a life membership on a pay by quarter basis for $125.00 in 1964, and considered it a lot of money then for an AF 3 striper. Awhile back I got a patron membership when it was on special. I consider my memberships in the NRA to be an investment in the American Way of Life. I truly believe that without the NRA, we would have become another nation of sheepeople like most of Europe. Just my opinion.
1Shirt!

[dragon813gt]

I understand the role the NRA plays in the grand scheme of things, but I find their small membership compared to the number of gun owners in America to be the fault of their poor recruiting and information practices.

I find firearm ownes to be more at fault. They expect a large organization to have exactly the same views as them self. I don't agree w/ everything the NRA does and never will. There are so many lies and half truths spread by firearm owners. It doesn't make signing up new members easy when they have a preconceived notion because of those lies.

Just look at all the NRA threads and how many firearm owners hate them. I get angry when I hear people say they won't sign up because they get to much junk mail from them. It's a simple click on the computer and that all stops.

Do you want most of the firearm issues to go away? Then every firearm owner needs to join the NRA. 150 million people can't be played off as fringe gun nuts. Firearm owners are our own worse enemies. I'm not saying all the problems would to away if everyone was a member. But when it's half the country versus Bloomberg the billionaire the media wouldn't be able to spin anything in his favor.

[btroj]

Best 750 bucks I spent.

My club requires NRA membership to join, not sure why every club doesn't do that. We have received some grants from the NRA to help with range improvements.

I finally got the calls to stop, the mailers I just throw away.

May need to get my daughter a life membership too.

[shooterg]

Lockton(the NRA endorsed outfit that supplies Range insurance) may have a different policy now, but when our club first became insured with 'em, at least 50% of members needed to be NRA members also. Since we weren't gonna go "eeny-meeny.." we made it 100%. Sure, you might find another company to write a policy, but all the rest will drop you in a heartbeat.
We've gone so far as to set up the keycards for the automatic gate to quit working when the NRA membership expires. That gets 'em renewing early ! Over a third are Lifers. Anybody joining knows this up front .
As far as any NRA competitions , the public is allowed to enter , NRA member or not.

So, Christmas is near. If every NRA member gives an annual membership to a friend, it'd have twice the numbers. A good gift for that hunting friend that just never got around to it.

[shooter2]

A life membership gets you a membership and a magazine for your life. Nothing else is promised.

The battle to protect the 2nd goes on and on. Without the NRA and other fine organizations the battle would have been lost long ago. The ruling by the Supremes helped our case, but the anti-gun crowd keep pushing and will likely continue. Yeah, it takes money.

I am a Patron member and at age 78 could just stop there, but will likely go to Benefactor before I die. It works for me. Do whatever works for you.

I might add that if I ever win all the guns I will likely give them back to be re-auctioned.