I thought I would pass some helpful info along about the NRA. Since this topic has been a little slow.

One of the biggest reasons I never joined the NRA was all the CRAP you get from them. Junk mail, phone calls and e-mails (if they have your address) It makes you wonder how much really goes toward why you joined in the first place.
Well, I was a a gun show about a year and a half ago and a rep from the NRA asked me if I wanted to join and I would get a free pass into the show, among other free stuff. I told him I would but just hated all the above mentioned junk. He said he can make a note on the membership form that I wanted "No Solicitations" and if for some reason this does not work that I can call membership number and request it that way. Sceptically, I figured what the heck. $20, free entry to the show, a magazine of my choice, and a hat. I'll give it a year.
About 3 weeks later I get a call from the NRA! I thought "Here we go!" and I answered figuring I would give them a dressing down. Turns out the person calling was for NRA memberships. When I told them I just joined they said "Thank you very much" and that was the end of it.
A year and a half and one renewal later I must say, I AM IMPRESSED! I have not gotten one phone call, one piece of junk mail or any other type of unwanted junk. The only thing I get is a very good magazine every month(I will be canceling my other gun mag) my membership card and stickers, and a notice when my membership is about to expire. (which is to be expected)
If you are part of the NRA and hate all the junk like I do, give them a call and have them put you on the "no solicitations" list. If you are thinking about joining, but the junk is stopping you like it did me, this is one way to avoid the junk.

Good luck and happy shooting! Beer 4U2

 

Several years ago and not a member I was getting the annoying phone calls and mountains of junk mail. I finally talked with one of the telemarketers (instead of hanging up). I mentioned that I would not join because of all the junk mail and phone calls. The person on the phone said they would change my account (Account? I was not a member.) The junk mail and phone calls stopped. So I have to say they are good at stopping the B.S. even for non members. I was impressed.

 

I joined the NRA about 1.5 yrs ago. After joining, I received nothing but junk in the mail and email as well. It got worse with the phone calls when my membership expired. The salesperson would go on for like 3-4 mins talking about upholding our Amendment rights to bear arms, then they were asking for money. BAH. It was a waste of money to join in the first place. Never again.

 

I'm an Endowment member and only get an occasional piece of mail and the normal emails taunting gear and stuff, but it is totally controllable through your membership page. NOW, with that said, I get incessant phone calls from a number (when googled) shows the NRA, but it isn't the National Rifle Association. It is some other group using the same moniker letters. I've filed complaints with the FCC, for what good that will do.

 

Great old thread Chandler, I hope I can revive it without it getting locked...

I had the same problem after I joined and it bugged me to no end, the money they waste on junk. Even if they dont farm out their printing costs, just the design graphics, paper,ink and mailing cost must cost a small fortune.....

I sent them a letter stating that even if the totebag they wanted to send me only cost a dollar, multiply that expense by one million contributors ? One $mil could go a ways in the battle on the hill ...

I told them that whenever I send my small contribution in to invest every penny of it in the fight to keep our gun owning rights, because if I wanted trinkets, I can get them at garage sales for 50 cents....

Now I get a form to opt out of the trinkets when they ask for financial support. As much as I sometimes disagree with their marketing stategies, I shudder to think where we would be, without them fighting for our cause the passed decades.

 

Greg, not too long ago, I got a really nice Buck knife with display stand, unsolicited, from a 3rd party, not the NRA. The knife was emblazoned with NRA logo and all. I emailed them and even called them (third party), but they would never give me a disposition of the item. I kept all those records, and according to Federal Law, I kept the knife set, as it came through the mail. The NRA has no record of authorizing anyone to send me the knife set. I, too , hate to think of the cost of that knife as a "carrot" to get me to up my membership to Patron Member. If they did that to 500,000 members, that's a lot of money that could be used to fight Obama. Sorry, didn't mean to say that. I meant to say fight for gun owners' rights.
Overall, the NRA does handle your requests fully regarding solicitations, etc.

 

When I was trying to get the NRA to stop sending me the trinkets I actually spoke to a rep and I asked him about the "gifts" for contributors and pointed out the waste of contributors money....

He agreed with my point and replied that it was well taken, but he said that most that people contribute money to the NRA, feel they should get something for their money back as a gift. ....

I thought using every penny contributed to the NRA to stand up for gun owners, should suffice. I guess am goofier than I thought.

 

It's a far sight better than most charities which will remain unnamed for political reasons. They take a sizable chunk from the proceeds for "administrative" costs. At least we know our money, with the exception of the trinket cost is ALL going for such cost, which is OK, since that is all they do.

 

Well....depends on what you mean by "standing up for owners" if you consider that all they do.

They have multiple education and training programs, range services, competition matches, all sorts of stuff.

 

No, what I meant was an all encompassing support venue, unlike charities that have displaced expenses. The NRA uses the money to do just as you say, and that's all they do. They have no outside agendas (spell check wouldn't allow me to use "agendae" like my well heeled educated acquaintences.