Nobody else comes even remotely close...
For over 130years the NRA has been the prime organization for shooters and sportsmen. Virtually ALL hunter safety programs were developed supported by the NRA. The NRA is regarded as the authority when it comes to Hunter safety and general gun issues. Many states do not recognise safety training is it is not certified by the NRA.
The NRA is a big organization, with millions of members. They offer many, many benefits, including insurance that you will find hard to get from regular incurance companies. NRA mambership is a requirement for many clubs and ranges, and if you ever want anything from the DCM.
A few decades back the NRA had to do something that they had never done intheir 100year history. They had to become a political organization. Nobody else was there to look out for our interests. They formed a "seperate" branch, the ILA (Institute for Legislative Action) in order to be legal lobbyists. The NRA is the 800lb gorilla of pro gun groups. Politicians recognise them to be a factor to be reconed with. Other pro gun groups are out there, but none of them is as important to the politicians (or the fight to keep our rights) as the NRA.
Many folks on the Internet bash the NRA (and I never ever heard anything like it from progun people, until I got on the Internet), because they are upset that the NRA has not won every battle. They are upset with constant requests for money (and they do ask often, because there is always some new legal threat to defend against), and they often feel that the NRA is always screaming that the sky is falling, and needs help. Well, needs must. The NRA funds many court challenges against gun grabbers, and while we do not always win, we always have to pay. Nobody else has (or is likely to have) the resources to do this. Unlike some anti gun groups, the NRA is not bankroled by a billionaire with dreams of social engineering. The NRA gets it's money from its members, who come from all segments of society and all income brackets.
The NRA is run by people, fallible humans like the rest of us, who are trying to do the most good for the greatest number. Sometimes their decisions are very tough, as no matter which way things go, someone will be upset. Not everything has always worked out to everyone's benefit, but I think we are better off with them than without them, by a long shot.
The NRA works for us, and while not perfect, it is the best we have, and over the years, they have protected us from as much as they could. The NRA operates at both the national and grassroots level, and is made up of ordinary people like you and me. The only requirement for membership is join and pay the dues (and for what you can get, it is cheap). There is no bacground check, no credit check, no political "litmus test", anybody can join, just send in some money. Even some cynical politicians have joined, just so they can claim to be NRA mambers. The first Bush joined before getting elected, becoming a Life Member (it costs a few hundred dollars, pocket change to someone like him), and later made a big show of "resigning his Life Membership" when he thought it was to his political advantage.
The NRA is open to everyone, you don't even have to own a gun! In fact, I know one person who is a life member, and owns no guns at all. He just thinks that the issues they defend are important enough to support them.
Join. It is worth it. If you don't think so, don't join, all the anti gun groups, and all the Democrats that lost their seats in Congress in 94, and everyone like them will be glad if you don't. They would much rather have to deal with a weak NRA, with few members. It makes pushing their political agenda easier.
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