American Rifleman subscription

[Allen]

Last May I subscribed to American Rifleman for 1-year after purchasing my second semi-auto gun (Kahr CM9), and because I'm getting concerned where our 2nd Amendment is headed. Within a month, and before I had even received my first magazine, I received a renewal notice and have now received another renewal notice this month (8 months ahead of expiration). I've currently received two billings for a DVD I've never received and an offer to order Christmas Cards.

I know AARP and Good Sam RV Club are bad about being no more than a merchandising organization but I really didn't expect this from a very reputable organization like the American Rifleman.

Is this common practice and are the rest of you AR members receiving the same things?

[Scoundrel]

I get AR magazine as part of my NRA membership. At first, I got seriously flooded with requests for money and renewals and such from the NRA, including a DVD they sent me and told me that if I wanted to keep it, and get the rest of the series, I needed to send money - and if I didn't want to send money, I needed to mail the DVD back. That's actually bullshit (legally as well as otherwise), so I trashed the DVD and ignored the half-dozen mailers they sent over the next few months reminding me to send money.

I don't know how much of the fundraising stuff came as a result of the NRA membership vs. the AR magazine, as I kind of lump it all together. AR magazine is obviously a tool for the NRA to get more money, and not much more.

After nearly two years of steadfastly ignoring every money request sent, the NRA has significantly reduced the amount of crap mail they send me. I suspect, however, that IF (I must emphasize this because I am quite irritated at the gimme gimme attitude) I renew (send them more money), the floodgates will open another notch or two again.

I'd like to see some transparency regarding how much membership money actually goes toward activism and litigation, vs how much of it goes toward payroll for the NRA execs - and what their financial profiles look like.

I'm nobody's cash cow (at least, not when I have a choice in the matter).

[7shot]

I get my American Rifleman magazine electronically through my NRA membership but I don't recall getting all the crap mail y'all are talking about. I do remember getting quite a bit of mail wanting me to sign up for the free life insurance.

[muggsy]

Being a Life Member of the NRA I don't get renewal notices, but I do on occasion receive requests to up grade my membership to the endowment level. I also get requests for contributions. I contribute once a year in January. If every one of the 50 million gun owners was a member of the NRA, the NRA wouldn't have to constantly ask for donations from the 4 million gun owners who are members of the NRA. If fifty million gun owners were members of the NRA no liberal democrat would dare to promote anti-gun legislation.

[KelevGadohl]

Just call them and they will straighten it out. I like the magazine. Some good articles and keeps me in touch as far as what is going of with gun rights.

[CJB]

Being a Life Member of the NRA I don't get renewal notices, but I do on occasion receive requests to up grade my membership to the endowment level.

Ditto on no renewal.

Those upgrades were great. The first one, I paid full price for, but it was a lot cheaper back then. I think life was only $300, and the Endowment membership level was $1000, with the $300 being applied to it already.

I was happy there, felt I had given what was probably more in line with my costs of them sending me the magazine monthly for the rest of my days. But, they eventually sent me a lower cost upgrade to Patron level, and I was quick to accept their offer. I think it was half price further upgrade, which was another $750 (instead of $1500).

I'll probably never sit at the Patron's only table at the national meetings, but its still something I value because it shows my support for the NRA. And while I don't teach much these days, I keep my instructor's credentials current as well.

NRA membership should be compulsory for any and every firearms owner.

[Scoundrel]

NRA membership should be compulsory for any and every firearms owner.

Millions of statements like this one have whittled away the concept of "freedom" that this country was founded upon. Where, in the definition of freedom, does it allow for choices to be removed and things to be compulsory?

[Allen]

Being a Life Member of the NRA I don't get renewal notices, but I do on occasion receive requests to up grade my membership to the endowment level. I also get requests for contributions. I contribute once a year in January. If every one of the 50 million gun owners was a member of the NRA, the NRA wouldn't have to constantly ask for donations from the 4 million gun owners who are members of the NRA. If fifty million gun owners were members of the NRA no liberal democrat would dare to promote anti-gun legislation.

Hopefully 50 million gun owners will know who to give walking papers to this November.

[muggsy]

Hopefully 50 million gun owners will know who to give walking papers to this November.

Unfortunately not all of them will. We have some members of this forum who are liberal democrats. A lot of blue collar union members own guns and vote democrat. It's our cross to bear.