I was talking with someone yesterday and learned that Hawaii Rifle Association (HRA) is not the same organization as the NRA (National Rifle Association).  I was like "huh? I thought they were the same organization?"

I hope I am not opening a proverbial can of worms but as a new shooter here, I wanted to ask... does someone know why there is no NRA chapter here or why HRA is a different organization?

At a LIFE class, I think I heard that HRA was older than the NRA. Not too sure...

But I believe HRA is affiliated with the NRA

Thanks hnl.flyboy. I went on the NRA website and did a search for NRA clubs in Hawaii and nothing showed up.  Not really sure. :shrug:

I contacted the NRA regarding the HRA and their official word is that the HRA is not an arm of the NRA.

The HRA is the NRA State Afilliate. Then you have clubs like HDF, who are just affiliated with the HRA, but not the "state" affiliate.   The entities themselves are all legally different. There are also at least four or five different "NRA" bodies that you are thinking about NRA, NRAFoundation, NRA ILA, etc.

I heard from the interwebs.   Becoming a NRA member doesn't do anything for gun rights in terms of stopping anti laws from being enacted.  It's more for spreading shooting sport, hunting, youth shooting and whatnot.   None of the membership money goes to legislation.

If you wanted it to go toward fighting the anti gun agenda give it to the NRA -ILA.

Is it true?  If so,  if you only had enough money to pay for either a membership or donate the money to the ILA, wouldn't it be better to do the latter?

Is it true?  If so,  if you only had enough money to pay for either a membership or donate the money to the ILA, wouldn't it be better to do the former?

Yes, I agree. The former. They got magazines. 

Yes, I agree. The former. They got magazines. 

Oops, meant latter.   

Thanks for pointing out the difference between the NRA and NRA-ILA, 2asupport.  Yes, the 2 separate organizations make sense.. one is the 501c3 non-profit while the other is the political action committee (PAC).  I'm not an expert but I believe the guidelines governing what one or the other group can do are different.   I see that the HRA probably has 2 separate organizations for the same purpose also... HRA for the 501c3 nonprofit, and looks like the PAC is called HCR (Hawaii Citizen's Rights).

Since HRA/HCR are separate organizations from the NRA/NRA-ILA, wouldn't that mean that the national NRA/NRA-ILA will have little interest in getting active in Hawaii since Hawaii isn't really supporting them (no membership)?  I'm just curious why Hawaii has an HRA/HCR and not an NRA/NRA-ILA organization.  What's the rationale of the separate organization vs a Hawaii chapter of the NRA equivalent?

Also, regarding the question about whether to support an organization promoting the shooting sports vs supporting a PAC, wouldn't supporting both be a good thing?

You should join the NRA, as a life member imo.  Pay once the 300 bucks and be done with it!  Same thing for the other groups, it helps.  When we can say "1.7 million NRA members will send you e-mails" etc.  it has teeth.

We are the gun lobby.

You should join the NRA, as a life member imo.  Pay once the 300 bucks and be done with it!  Same thing for the other groups, it helps.  When we can say "1.7 million NRA members will send you e-mails" etc.  it has teeth.

We are the gun lobby.

+1. There's a few life members here. Most would be willing to sponsor you to be a life member. $300 vs the normal $1000 is a deal!

Someone please PM me if you'd be willing to sponsor me as a life NRA member. I was looking at the $1000 amount and had to pause and table my application.

Someone please PM me if you'd be willing to sponsor me as a life NRA member. I was looking at the $1000 amount and had to pause and table my application.

I'm your Huckleberry

Awesome!!!  Very much appreciated, KK. Will PM you my contact info.

Ok, most of the questions have been answered, but here is a synopsis.

The HRA is older than the NRA, but is still the State Affiliate for the NRA ( http://www.nrahq.org/clubs/state.asp ) (I would love to know who you talked to at the NRA KK, as obviously somebody got it wrong....you got a name I can bring up when I discuss this with the NRA?)

As a not for profit entity, you are limited in what political activity you can engage in without jeopardizing your tax-exempt status. That holds true on the national level (the NRA / NRA-ILA) and the State level (HRA/HCR).

The NRA and the NRA-ILA do support the HRA /HCR. DO they do everything "we" would like? No....but they always help with things like e-mail blasts and other notifications to NRA members about gun issues here in Hawaii.

As for supporting one "organization" versus the others, I would humbly suggest that you should support as many as you can. The NRA is the 800lb gorillia in the corner and always will be. The NRA-ILA is what allows the NRA to exert pressure at the legislative and political arenas on the National, and to a lesser extent, the State level. HRA is the 400lb gorillia in Hawaii politics, while the HCR allows HRA to exert more political pressure. The sad fact is that all politics require money, and donations to the HCR  are always needed and appreciated.

Someone please PM me if you'd be willing to sponsor me as a life NRA member. I was looking at the $1000 amount and had to pause and table my application.

X2

Awesome!!!  Very much appreciated, KK. Will PM you my contact info.

Don't drop the soap...............that KK is a sneaky one.............

I'll be glad to sponsor others for life memberships also. PM me.

I heard from the interwebs.   Becoming a NRA member doesn't do anything for gun rights in terms of stopping anti laws from being enacted.  It's more for spreading shooting sport, hunting, youth shooting and whatnot.   None of the membership money goes to legislation.

If you wanted it to go toward fighting the anti gun agenda give it to the NRA -ILA.

Supporting both is the best way.  The NRA indirectly helps with gun rights, in that they increase the active gun owning population, who in turn support gun rights.   Firearms is a dying sport compared to what it was in the past, and the NRA is trying to keep it alive for future generations.  Less gun owners means less votes and softer voice for gun rights.