NRA "sponsored" discounted life membership still a thing?

i dont know ether i with they did the good deals on guns they did years ago. i only read of the nra guns but was a good way to get people to join. hope u find your answer. with i had the money to do it.

I have never heard that you get a discount if you're sponsored. That said, the NRA has from time to time offered life memberships for $300. The last time that happened was within the last couple of years if I remember correctly. I got mine for $300 back in the 1980s.

I got my life membership some time in the 80's. I was in my mid 20s' at that time. I actually did a cost calculation. If the annual membership had stayed the same, I calculated that I would be money ahead by about age 50.

Of course, the annual membership didn't stay the same and I was money ahead by my 40s'. I remember they had an Extended Pay option, I used that.It did lead to a very negative encounter at the local gun club. Other than that, I am glad I did it.

I know that I received a discounted Life membership as a disabled vet. Recently they offered a discounted upgrade to Endowment which I took advantage of. This upgrade was for all Life members.

Sistema1927 said:

I know that I received a discounted Life membership as a disabled vet. Recently they offered a discounted upgrade to Endowment which I took advantage of. This upgrade was for all Life members.

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I'm up to Endowment. Every level was discounted. I'm now getting requests for Golden Eagle but I just can't afford that.

A family member just got a life membership as a disabled veteran for $375.

Just call them and ask what the best price they can do is.

I have to ask, is being a life member a status symbol, a want to contribute, or what?

If you’re in it to support the organization, it doesn’t make too much sense to lowball them...

I've been an annual member for well over 45 years, however, when the NRA gave a discount to annual membership, I'd jump in and purchase that, right now I'll be a member according to my latest card till 2039, BTW I'm over 70 so somebody will be getting my issue of the American Rifleman magazine. Hmmm, come to think of it I'm now a life member.

I think ar15.com offers them for $600 through their sure. Not sure if that's a deal or not. I just renew yearly

kayak-man said:

Wisco, that's a fair point question. If I'm brutally honest with myself, part of it is the status symbol part, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. My logic is, the power of the NRA isn't just from the cash, but also from being able to say "we have x thousand members that aren't going to be happy with you if you vote that way," and I figured adding one more to the list that could be used the next 70 years would be a bigger net benefit than one they could use until I find myself in unforeseen financial hardship and unable to justify the yearly membership.

Either way, ill cop to being a cheapskate, that's fair.

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I’m glad you didn’t take it wrong - I am always just curious when it comes to why people are joining organizations.

I’m a cheapskate, too. VFW and DAV life member at $300-400 apiece, but the American Legion at $1400 isn’t giving me enough in return. Purely status symbols for most, including myself.

But, you’re right - they do derive power from membership numbers. That’s a big part of belonging.

The best deal for NRA I’ve seen lately is either $600 or 750 extended pay.

They offer discounted Life Membership and discounted upgrades from time to time. Call and ask what they can do for you.
I started as a yearly, went extended pay life for $750, paid it off quickly.
After that the Endowment was offered at a deep discount.
Went up to Patron sometime in the last couple of years, also at very deep discount.
Waiting for a deal on Benefactor.
I look at it like this- last I knew yearly dues were $35. I paid $750 for Life and maybe $300 for Endowment, another $300 for Patron. That's 38 years of dues at the annual rate, if it's still $35. So they get the money now, and I get to say I'm a such and such level of member .
I support the NRA because they are the largest and most influential 2A org out there.
I'm also a Life member of The Second Amendment Foundation. They do a lot of work for us also.
State orgs are important also, very much so here in MA.
I belong to GOAL, and donate to COMM2A when I can.

I sponsored probably 100 people for Life memberships when the NRA discounted them for $300 back in 2013 or 14. I think the best you can do currently is $1000 but I'd expect a limited time special sometime before the Nov election.

kayak-man said:

Does the NRA still do the extremely discounted life memberships if you're "sponsored" by another member?

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Yes. I have a Life Membership for $500 coupon I received with my Life Membership. Let me see if I can dig it up.

PM'd