Does the NRA Really Have 4 Million Members?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Whenever the National Rifle Association is accused of extremism, it trots out the claim that it represents a large chunk of America's gun owners. Last week, it said it has 4.2 million members and counting. Though the group doesn't publish its membership rolls and didn't respond to questions about its size, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that it is making itself out to be bigger than it truly is.

Estimates of the size of the its membership have varied widely over the past 20 years. At different times in 2008, for example, it pegged its membership at 3 million and 4.3 milliona difference of more than 40 percent. A 2012 document for prospective sponsors of the NRA's annual meeting (PDF), found by Bloomberg News, said the group had 4 million members, of which 2 million were the "most active and interested."

___________________

journalist Osha Gray Davidson speculated on some of the group's strategies for fluffing itself up:

Two years ago, David Gross, then an NRA board member, confided to me that a substantial number of the group's 1 million Life Members are, well, dead. "There just isn't that much incentive to go find out when someone passes away," Gross explained. "Not when the cost of maintaining (a dead member) is minimal and when they add to your membership list."

Who else is included in that figure of 3.6 million? I may bealthough I haven't been a member for years. Not long ago, I received an NRA form letter stating that in recognition of my previous commitment to the Second Amendment, the gun group had granted me an honorary membership. The mailing even included an NRA membership card embossed with my name.

It's all part of the NRA's campaign of smoke and mirrors to make itself appear more formidable in Washington, where appearance often trumps reality. The NRA leadership must offer a silent prayer of thanks to the gods of journalistic sloth and credulity every time a reporter repeats that figure of 3.6 million members and the words "record high."

_____________________

A source writes in with another strong indication that the NRA's true size is closer to 3 million. The NRA gives members a free subscription to one of four magazines: American Rifleman, American Hunter, America's 1st Freedom, or NRA InSights. The first three magazines are audited by the Alliance for Audited Media, which as of July gave them a combined paid circulation (including newsstand sales) of 3.1 million. NRA InSights is an online-only magazine for kids, with a circulation of 25,000. Though some NRA members may opt out of a free magazine, it's likely that others pay to subscribe to more than one of them. Add in the fact that non-NRA members can pick up the magazines on the newsstand, and the 3.1 million figure is almost certainly an upper-bound for the NRA's true size.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/01/nra-membership-numbers

[Harsh_77 716]

Trust me they had tons of new members join and old ones renew membership after the fiasco from Obama, Biden and Bloomberg and all the anti gun rants.

At my local Cabelas where they had their table and they were super busy.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Scared people tend to flock together to make themselves feel safer.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Is size important?

[JohnR! 5,495]

Whenever the National Rifle Association is accused of extremism, it trots out the claim that it represents a large chunk of America's gun owners. Last week, it said it has 4.2 million members and counting. Though the group doesn't publish its membership rolls and didn't respond to questions about its size, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that it is making itself out to be bigger than it truly is.

I think they are using creative accounting. Chances are they don't publish any figures or lists because their membership ranks aren't as full as they would wish one to believe.

I call BS on them.

Is size important?

For most who carry a gun it is. Why else would they need to overcompensate?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I think they are using creative accounting. Chances are they don't publish any figures or lists because their membership ranks aren't as full as they would wish one to believe.

I call BS on them.

For most who carry a gun it is. Why else would they need to overcompensate?

Even at 4.2 million, that only puts the membership at a little over one percent of the population. We are the 99%!

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Whenever the National Rifle Association is accused of extremism, it trots out the claim that it represents a large chunk of America's gun owners. Last week, it said it has 4.2 million members and counting. Though the group doesn't publish its membership rolls and didn't respond to questions about its size, there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that it is making itself out to be bigger than it truly is.

Estimates of the size of the its membership have varied widely over the past 20 years. At different times in 2008, for example, it pegged its membership at 3 million and 4.3 milliona difference of more than 40 percent. A 2012 document for prospective sponsors of the NRA's annual meeting (PDF), found by Bloomberg News, said the group had 4 million members, of which 2 million were the "most active and interested."

___________________

journalist Osha Gray Davidson speculated on some of the group's strategies for fluffing itself up:

Two years ago, David Gross, then an NRA board member, confided to me that a substantial number of the group's 1 million Life Members are, well, dead. "There just isn't that much incentive to go find out when someone passes away," Gross explained. "Not when the cost of maintaining (a dead member) is minimal and when they add to your membership list."

Who else is included in that figure of 3.6 million? I may bealthough I haven't been a member for years. Not long ago, I received an NRA form letter stating that in recognition of my previous commitment to the Second Amendment, the gun group had granted me an honorary membership. The mailing even included an NRA membership card embossed with my name.

It's all part of the NRA's campaign of smoke and mirrors to make itself appear more formidable in Washington, where appearance often trumps reality. The NRA leadership must offer a silent prayer of thanks to the gods of journalistic sloth and credulity every time a reporter repeats that figure of 3.6 million members and the words "record high."

_____________________

A source writes in with another strong indication that the NRA's true size is closer to 3 million. The NRA gives members a free subscription to one of four magazines: American Rifleman, American Hunter, America's 1st Freedom, or NRA InSights. The first three magazines are audited by the Alliance for Audited Media, which as of July gave them a combined paid circulation (including newsstand sales) of 3.1 million. NRA InSights is an online-only magazine for kids, with a circulation of 25,000. Though some NRA members may opt out of a free magazine, it's likely that others pay to subscribe to more than one of them. Add in the fact that non-NRA members can pick up the magazines on the newsstand, and the 3.1 million figure is almost certainly an upper-bound for the NRA's true size.

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/01/nra-membership-numbers

One or 50 million.. They get it done

[lostinblue 1,989]

Scared people tend to flock together to make themselves feel safer.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

lostinblue likes his pretty pictures. I can appreciate that. Kenyan.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

When and where did you serve?

[Peikko 1,575]

Even at 4.2 million, that only puts the membership at a little over one percent of the population. We are the 99%!

Exactly, they really are insignificant. Of course they have a mad amount of lobbying power, the arms business is massive!

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Even at 4.2 million, that only puts the membership at a little over one percent of the population. We are the 99%!

I drive a car and do not belong to AAA.

I must be against cars.

Really ?

[JohnR! 5,495]

If you're going to quote movies, should you not aim for something a little more fun?

Edited August 22, 2013 by Gegel

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I drive a car and do not belong to AAA.

I must be against cars.

Really ?

Silly you! One tow more than pays for the membership, and we save wildly at public attractions and amusement parks with their free to members travel service.

[JohnR! 5,495]

I drive a car and do not belong to AAA.

I must be against cars.

Really ?

Г-

It is not about opposing, so much as supporting, or lack thereof...