NRA is at it again

[Rob Boudrie]

Just got an email about the NRA increasing the NRA instructor renewal fees "a little"

We are keeping the flat rate, but the time has come to raise it just a little ($5 for two years for members, and $10 for two years for non-members). This slight bump will help us continue to improve student and instructor materials.

As we enter 2020, trainer credentialing fees will change to $35 for a two-year term, and additional ratings can be added at $15 per rating for NRA members. Non-members will pay $60 for a two-year term, and additional ratings can be added at $30 per rating.

I guess in NRA speak a 16.7% increase is a "little" and a fee for each rating is "flat rate", and this after virtually destroying the training program with the "blended learning" concept requiring a nominal $60 fee per student - before they pay their instructor, though I do see a "instructor led" version of basic pistol on the current NRA website.

 

[Deleted member 67409]

What's the alternative to the NRA for most instructors?

 

[greencobra]

countering for the membership dues loss this past year?

 

[Rob Boudrie]

What's the alternative to the NRA for most instructors?

More specifically, what other credential(s) will the MSP accept for issuance or renewal of the certificate that counts here in MA (MA instructor's certificate)

 

[Deleted member 67409]

More specifically, what other credential(s) will the MSP accept for issuance or renewal of the certificate that counts here in MA (MA instructor's certificate)

No, let's look beyond Mass for this, because any solution to this issue isn't going to come from inside Mass. Unless the Mass instructors form their own club/guild/association or GOAL takes the role over.

 

[ScottS]

Just got an email about the NRA increasing the NRA instructor renewal fees "a little"

I guess in NRA speak a 16.7% increase is a "little" and a fee for each rating is "flat rate", and this after virtually destroying the training program with the "blended learning" concept requiring a nominal $60 fee per student - before they pay their instructor, though I do see a "instructor led" version of basic pistol on the current NRA website.

It still exists, and I've done many traditional instructor-led courses since they came out with the blended option (what a shitshow that was/is).

I'd gladly pay an addtional $5 if it really went to "improve student and instructor materials." For a major training/education organization, the instructor materials for BOPS are awful. The PowerPoint slides look like they were created by someone who had never seen the program before. (I have in my head a picture of some FUDD in a plaid flannel shirt squinting at a computer monitor and pecking with two fingers...)

 

[AntiHippie]

Have to pay for three pounds of junk mail per member per week somehow! Getting bombarded with “send us $100 or Obama will eat a baby and send the UN to confiscate your 10/22” garbage a few times a week is what convinced me to STOP giving them my money.

 

[Coda]

Have to pay for three pounds of junk mail per member per week somehow! Getting bombarded with “send us $100 or Obama will eat a baby and send the UN to confiscate your 10/22” garbage a few times a week is what convinced me to STOP giving them my money.

I have really mixed feelings about the NRA. On one hand I feel obligated to keep up my membership because I am a "Gun Guy". But on the other hand they annoy me at times for many of the reasons you mentioned.

 

[Dennis in MA]

When was the last increase and for how much??? How many years have you been shirking the inflationary pressures courtesy of the NRA? What was the price 10 years ago? 20? Was it $17? $10?

Sometimes we just find stuff to b-word about because we, as a species, like to b-word.

 

[jpm]

they have to pay for Wayne's $200,000 wardrobe and multi-million dollar mansions somehow! Quit yer bitchin'!!

 

[FiremanBob]

I feel like a hostage. I put a lot of work into my instructor credential and don't want to see it lapse due to non-payment. But it gets harder every day to support the corrupt "leadership" of the NRA. It's a shame that Pete Brownell and Oliver North backed out so quickly (not implying there was anything between them, but they both opposed WLP), but I can understand not wanting to deal with the excrement hurricane that will result from a serious effort to reform the organization.

 

[dhuze]

Have to pay for three pounds of junk mail per member per week somehow! Getting bombarded with “send us $100 or Obama will eat a baby and send the UN to confiscate your 10/22” garbage a few times a week is what convinced me to STOP giving them my money.

Ask them to stop sending the mail. They will. They would rather send it to the people who will send them more money.

I don't remember the numbers now, but the mailings bring in a substantial amount of money.

I have numerous credentials with the NRA and I get lots of crap mail. It doesn't bother me all that much to transfer it to the trash.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

When was the last increase and for how much??? How many years have you been shirking the inflationary pressures courtesy of the NRA? What was the price 10 years ago? 20? Was it $17? $10?

Sometimes we just find stuff to b-word about because we, as a species, like to b-word.

10 and 20 years ago the NRA had an incremental expense printing certificates for each customer. Now, they have a fixed expense running the database and website and, like all tech, their operations cost to support an instructor (including the billing) has probably gone down considerably.

 

[Wickedcoolname]

Have to pay for three pounds of junk mail per member per week somehow! Getting bombarded with “send us $100 or Obama will eat a baby and send the UN to confiscate your 10/22” garbage a few times a week is what convinced me to STOP giving them my money.

Just opt out of mailings. It takes two minutes and you'll never get mail from the NRA again, besides your magazine.

 

[AntiHippie]

Just opt out of mailings. It takes two minutes and you'll never get mail from the NRA again, besides your magazine.

Yeah, tried at least twice. Funny, though, the day I let my membership lapse all that junk mail stopped.

 

[Wickedcoolname]

Yeah, tried at least twice. Funny, though, the day I let my membership lapse all that junk mail stopped.

You tried at least twice and failed? Weird. Seems to work for everyone.

 

[Mountain]

17% seems high, though if the fees have been flat for many years it could be justified.

Regardless, I'm 'out' until they flush WLP and his cohorts then replace him with leadership that prioritizes service to members, not itself.

 

[Wickedcoolname]

No, I have had same experience.....once I stopped renewing....poof.....end to all bullshit in mail

NRA spends as much in mailings as they get for each standard member each year......its a collossal waste of dues and source of agrevation for a lot of people

Too bad they dont focus on 2A/RKBA

I can't understand why some people can unsubscribe from NRA mailings with a simple mouse click or a phone call and other people can't. Just seems weird to me. I think some people are just anti NRA and they use the junk mail thing as a rational to not be a member. To each his own, but I just don't understand gun owners who don't support the strongest gun rights group in the country simply because they can't figure out how to opt out of mailings.
Obviously the NRA isn't perfect. Far from it, especially in light of recent events. But it goes without saying that they are easily the most powerful protectors of the second ammendment and without them our gun laws would look like Europe and Australia's. And if that isn't reason enough to belong, just knowing the anti-gun politicians and every leftwing lunatic in the country would dance in the streets if the NRA collapsed should be enough to make any gun owner a life member.
If you don't like the NRA and you don't think they are an important tool in defense of the second ammendment, then don't join. But if you belive in the NRA's mission and purpose but you won't join because of junk mail then I respectfully question your thought process.

 

[Clumber32]

Right on Wickedcoolname, you hit the nail on the head. And disliking Wayne Lapierre is no good reason to quit the NRA either. He's not the whole NRA, he's just one person.

 

[Knob Creek]

Have my instructor ratings still. But gun shops running 3 hour classroom LTC classes for $50 have priced me out of the market.

 

[AntiHippie]

I can't understand why some people can unsubscribe from NRA mailings with a simple mouse click or a phone call and other people can't. Just seems weird to me. I think some people are just anti NRA and they use the junk mail thing as a rational to not be a member. To each his own, but I just don't understand gun owners who don't support the strongest gun rights group in the country simply because they can't figure out how to opt out of mailings.
Obviously the NRA isn't perfect. Far from it, especially in light of recent events. But it goes without saying that they are easily the most powerful protectors of the second ammendment and without them our gun laws would look like Europe and Australia's. And if that isn't reason enough to belong, just knowing the anti-gun politicians and every leftwing lunatic in the country would dance in the streets if the NRA collapsed should be enough to make any gun owner a life member.
If you don't like the NRA and you don't think they are an important tool in defense of the second ammendment, then don't join. But if you belive in the NRA's mission and purpose but you won't join because of junk mail then I respectful question your thought process.

Fair enough. To me it wasn’t just junk mail - it was the larger issue of what are you doing with my money? They don’t bother with states like Massachusetts. At the time I lost my patience, they were more eager to give ground than gain it. It seemed to me that every dime they got from me was simply reinvested in screaming for another dime. It wasn’t the annoyance of throwing out junk mail - that’s not a big lift. I get that they’re the most visible proponent for the 2A on a national level - totally agree with that. But if my money was going to an organization purporting to protect our rights - I felt others were more productive, so there it went.

 

[AntiHippie]

But if you belive in the NRA's mission and purpose but you won't join because of junk mail then I respectfully question your thought process.

Also want to add that it’s cool we can still do that around here. Not easy nowadays to just disagree and have a decent and reasoned discussion. (And I know I’m sometimes an offender in that regard...)

 

[weekendracer]

Just got an email about the NRA increasing the NRA instructor renewal fees "a little"



I guess in NRA speak a 16.7% increase is a "little" and a fee for each rating is "flat rate", and this after virtually destroying the training program with the "blended learning" concept requiring a nominal $60 fee per student - before they pay their instructor, though I do see a "instructor led" version of basic pistol on the current NRA website.

I'm no fan of the NRA, but I can only imagine the headache of making a 50 state program for CCW/Beginner Pistol classes.

Mass alone probably feeds a dozen lawyers at the NRA yearly.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Wayne must need a new suit.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

Also want to add that it’s cool we can still do that around here. Not easy nowadays to just disagree and have a decent and reasoned discussion. (And I know I’m sometimes an offender in that regard...)

Just don't talk about climate change.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I'm no fan of the NRA, but I can only imagine the headache of making a 50 state program for CCW/Beginner Pistol classes.

Not really. The get past the hard stuff by simply requiring that a qualified attorney or police officer explain applicable laws.

 

[Radtekk]

Wayne must need a new suit.

Yeah, with wide horizontal black and white stripes. Or pink like AZ. Or green like here in TN. Or just a plain old blaze orange jump suit with "convict" stenciled on the back.

 

[milktree]

Not really. The get past the hard stuff by simply requiring that a qualified attorney or police officer explain applicable laws.

This requirement would eliminate nearly all basic firearms safety training in Mass.

Or is that your point?

 

[Mesatchornug]

This requirement would eliminate nearly all basic firearms safety training in Mass.

Or is that your point?

I think he's referring to classes with a legal portion in them, like PPITH. That MA allows/demands instructors to cover the law when it's not part of certain accepted programming like HFS or BOPS is outside the NRA's concern.

 

[milktree]

I think he's referring to classes with a legal portion in them, like PPITH. That MA allows/demands instructors to cover the law when it's not part of certain accepted programming like HFS or BOPS is outside the NRA's concern.

Well, since all safety courses that fulfill the legal requirements for a "Basic Firearm Safety Certificiate" (required for an LTC or FID) require some teaching of Mass. and federal gun law, why wouldn't this cover pretty much all training?