I received my confirmation email May 4. It's now May 29 and no physical mail yet, but I did just receive my "Freedom Times" email newsletter.
If the NRA spent as much of our money actually lobbying as they do trying to get more out of us, we wouldn't have any problems with 2nd amendment rights. I've seen all their little tricks by now with my dad having been a member. They make you think you have to give them more money to get this or that, but they word it carefully so as not to exactly say that you don't get your regular membership benefits without sending them more cash. Then when you send them more donations, they learn to play those tricks on you as much as possible and dangle your regular membership benefits in front of you like a piece of steak, never quite letting you have it. Don't send them any more money until you get what was promised, and if you have to call them every few weeks and let them know they're not fulfilling their promises to you. They'll act like stuff got lost in the mail and they'll "resend it" to you, much like the black and gold hat everyone's had problems with.
I plan on sending them $25 to add a year to my membership because I don't like mooching off of a good cause, but that money will just get wasted sending me more advertisements and such, and I'm not giving them a dime until I get what was already promised to me so they know not to toy around with me.
Edit: Speaking Of!!! I got my membership packet in the mail today, the very same day I came here to see what was up with not getting it yet. I signed up for the free membership apparently after the magazine was discluded from the sign up page, though I don't know if I have yet to get it in the mail. I didn't have the option of selecting which magazine, so I doubt I will.
Included in my packet: Member card, decals, and a "Confidential Member Survey". The survey can be sent in by mail or filled out over the net. Upon completion of the survey, you're supposed to be sent a discount coupon in the actual mail worth 30% off your next purchase at nrastore.com. No price limits for the discount are mentioned on the survey. As I expected when I began reading it, they imply that you must sign up for a paid membership and/or donate to receive your 30% off coupon, but they don't exactly say it, as with many of the mailings I've seen that they've sent to my dad. The paid membership prices, and they don't say that this is added to your free year, though I have seen them say that in my membership confirmation email, are: 1 year $25(normally $35), 3 years $70(norm $85), and 5 years(norm $125). I plan to add a year here in a week or so, so as not to be a moocher and actually contribute to the cause, but I'm going to do so in through the link in my email so that I know the paid membership is getting added on to my free year.
Edit2: I completed the survey online and it does say that joining for a paid membership adds that membership to your free year. I'm going to do so through a money order though, as I don't like giving my credit card number whenever I don't absolutely need to.