NRA POLICY
Executive summary
The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a long-established U.S. gun-rights organization that today operates both advocacy and publications arms and actively litigates and lobbies on Second Amendment issues; the NRA-ILA describes itself as the NRA’s lobbying arm founded in 1975 and claims to preserve firearm rights [1]. In 2025 the NRA and its affiliates are actively filing lawsuits and amicus briefs (including challenges to the National Firearms Act and New York concealed-carry rules) and pushing state-level efforts such as refunding carry-permit fees in New Jersey towns and promoting permitless carry campaigns [2] [1] [3].
1. Origins and stated mission — From marksmanship club to political engine
The NRA began in 1871 to promote rifle marksmanship and firearm safety, but the organization has evolved into a powerful lobbying and political actor that continues to publish magazines and sponsor shooting events while asserting a mission to defend the Second Amendment; the lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action (NRA‑ILA), was established in 1975 to lead legislative, political and legal efforts for gun owners [4] [1].
2. What the NRA actually does today — Lobbying, litigation and local campaigns
In recent years the NRA’s public activity has focused on litigation and legislative pressure: the group routinely files lawsuits and amicus briefs (for example, suits challenging the National Firearms Act and filings urging the Supreme Court to hear challenges to firearm-possession or concealed-carry restrictions), and the NRA‑ILA actively promotes state campaigns such as permitless carry legislation and local initiatives to reduce carry-permit fees [2] [3] [1].
3. Tactics and messaging — Legal work, grassroots alerts, and publishing
The NRA’s strategy combines courtroom challenges, policy advocacy and grassroots mobilization. NRA‑ILA sends action alerts to members and supporters about state legislative sessions and bills, touts court victories or filings, and uses its publications (American Rifleman, Shooting Sports USA and Friends of NRA fundraising) to promote its policy agenda and fundraising efforts [5] [6] [7].
4. Policy priorities and recent wins claimed by the organization
The NRA and allied groups celebrated federal and state policy moves in 2025, including litigation tied to changes in National Firearms Act regulation and reported administrative actions such as ATF proposal comments; NRA commentary frames 2025 as “favorable” for Second Amendment protections and highlights state-level victories like New Jersey towns nullifying carry-permit fees [3] [8] [1].
5. Criticism, controversies and external scrutiny
Public sources note persistent criticism of the NRA’s policy positions and tactics; historical reporting and summaries note that critics argue the organization opposes most gun-sale restrictions and that it has faced controversies including legal and reputational challenges—coverage of earlier disputes and legal entanglements is part of the public record [4]. Available sources do not provide a single comprehensive list of every controversy; readers should consult multiple reporting streams for a fuller picture (not found in current reporting).
6. Organizational posture and membership claims
The NRA markets itself as the defender of gun owners’ rights and publishes membership materials and magazines; it has asserted membership figures in past years while continuing to rely on events, donor programs like Friends of NRA, and publication revenues to sustain its work [4] [7] [6].
7. How to interpret the NRA’s 2025 activity — Politics, law, and messaging intersect
In 2025 the NRA’s actions reflect a three-pronged approach: test legal limits in the courts (NFA and other suits), press legislatures at state and local levels (permitless carry, fee refunds), and shape public opinion through targeted publications and fundraising messaging that portray 2025 as a favorable environment for Second Amendment advocacy [2] [3] [8] [1].
8. Competing perspectives and what to watch next
Supporters portray NRA efforts as constitutional defense and voter mobilization; critics present the organization as a barrier to gun-safety measures and point to legal and public-relations problems in its history [4]. Watch ongoing litigation (NFA and ammunition/background-check challenges), state legislative sessions cited by NRA‑ILA, and local initiatives such as those in New Jersey for near-term indicators of the organization’s influence [3] [1] [5].
Limitations: this analysis relies only on the provided sources and does not attempt to confirm membership numbers independently; where source material does not address a specific allegation or detail, that gap is flagged above (not found in current reporting).