I'm not knocking the free bit, but I would rather pay because the dues are what makes it possible for the NRA to lobby in Washington and file lawsuits against idiots like the Mayor of New York.
I do wish that, after paying my dues, the NRA would stop constantly sending me letters saying that my memebership is expiring, etc.
I get so much crap, I don't remember form year to year when it really does expire, and I igonre all the letters because they don't stop. I would be more responsive if I got one or two letters a year, beause then I would know that it is time to renew, and I would send in my money. It's like, "Stop bothering me, and put more effort into bother polititians".