Replies to post #309030 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

[PegnVA]

YEARS ago they were a good organization that taught gun safety and hunter safety classes. They stressed treating every gun as if it was loaded, never to point a gun at anyone etc etc. - Many members probably still believe that. But today's NRA is a lobbyist group whose primary function is to lobby for legislation favorable to gun/amo mfgrs, and use their "rating" system to influence NRA members which pols to vote for to keep the NRA hustle going.

[sortagreen]

They're a marketing arm of a very profitable industry. Companies like Beretta and Rugar pay them far more than their dues paying members

Since 2005, the gun industry and its corporate allies have given between $20 million and $52.6 million to it through the NRA Ring of Freedom sponsor program. Donors include firearm companies like Midway USA, Springfield Armory Inc, Pierce Bullet Seal Target Systems, and Beretta USA Corporation. Other supporters from the gun industry include Cabala's, Sturm Rugar & Co, and Smith & Wesson.

The NRA also made $20.9 million — about 10 percent of its revenue — from selling advertising to industry companies marketing products in its many publications in 2010, according to the IRS Form 990.

Additionally, some companies donate portions of sales directly to the NRA. Crimson Trace, which makes laser sights, donates 10 percent of each sale to the NRA. Taurus buys an NRA membership for everyone who buys one of their guns. Sturm Rugar gives $1 to the NRA for each gun sold, which amounts to millions. The NRA's revenues are intrinsically linked to the success of the gun business.

The NRA Foundation also collects hundreds of thousands of dollars from the industry, which it then gives to local-level organizations for training and equipment purchases.
---- https://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1

The article's somewhat lengthier. Worth reading though.