I was wanting to become a supporter of a 2A group....then the NRA happened.

VCDL is my 1st choice
GOA is not well known and no clout
SAF seems to agree with some control.

Who do you all think?

VCDL in VA, but they have no clout federally.  The NRA is the only game in town up in Washington.

The NRA and VCDL.  I may not agree with everything the NRA does, but they are the most powerful voice we have.  Stop by their HQ and volunteer some of your time.  You'll find that they need our help as much as we need theirs.

VCDL... otherwise I have no clue.

Ayup.

I went with VCDL. But they only handle Virginia's matter, not the federal level. I believe they do make donations of sort though.

I only donate to the NRA when I make a purchase on midwayusa. Other than that, I really dislike them. They totally pwn'd us Virginians after they allowed McAwful to get elected. It was so brutally close and the NRA barely spent a dollar. Luckily we hold the other offices.

This

What they said. I belong to both. NRA for national efforts to take 'em, VCDL for state efforts to do so. Necessary Evil, but kinda worth it.

MLK Day is VA Lobby Day each year, and VCDL every year prints the list of laws and argues good or bad to legislators. It's been interesting every time we go, especially last year when everyone was pissed (and armed! It's allowed in the legislative building with a CHP) about the Dems trying to use watchlisting to prevent ownership. Hate to say I kinda enjoyed them being nervous for once!

Thanks all. So after several weeks of reading, researching and thinking (yes, I am a little ocd about what I buy), I am now a full fledged member of VCDL. While they may not take national level stuff, national can be changed by local. I was looking for the best bang for the buck. I was even able to chip in an extra $10 ! 

I really am grateful for the help, so I want to make sure I am signed up for all of the things they have in order to be up to date. What do they have in regards to info they send out? I am signed up for their alerts...anything else?

Really, I appreciate the help!

And where is this located? I sense a day trip in my future !

Forgot to add, I have to admit, I am a little miffed at the NRA. I read some of the things that members have said about BIG gun bills and the NRA failed to step up. It may not be the most victory laden, but I don't believe in giving an inch to someone who will take a mile.

Any way, rant over.         

Excellent brother!

Make sure you have Jan 15th on your calendar for Lobby Day in Richmond!

Lobby Day

Got it marked down! As of right now I am open....but that can change quickly in my career. Thank you.

I know there will be those on both sides. I have to weigh my thoughts and direction on what I see and read. For that reason, I will not advocate burning their house down but to be watchful I guess.

So I see you've got the answer: Richmond. We'll be driving from the Charlottesville area, as we're getting out of NoVA.

Hope you can make it...after all the delegate losses last Tuesday we'll need all the help we can get!

The NRA is the most effective Gun Rights Group on the National level.  I get that they ask for money constantly and frankly don’t respond to issues in a manner I would like but if every gun owner was a member we would have 50 million members and would be a force to be reckoned with.

If you live in VA, own a gun and care about the 2nd Amendment and aren’t a member of the VCDL. Then Your Wrong.  The are the best state organization I I have ever been a member of.  450,000 CHP holders and only 7000 members.

SAF does real well on the litigation side and Allen Gotlieb is a brilliant lawyer. You should support them if you can.

All that said. If you can only support one. Or should be the VCDL they are amazing and do fantastic work with very limited funds.

VCDL does yeoman's work here in Virginia. They are on top of everything related to guns in the commonwealth. Go to Lobby Day after you pay your membership. Part of the reason they are so effective is people in the politician's district look them in the eye and tell them they want the 2nd supported. It's probably the most effective gun rights group in the country (including the NRA). They just focus on state level issues. Unlike the NRA, VCDL doesn't look for "compromise" on basic rights. They are on offense, not defense, something the NRA should learn from them.

I give money to the SAF. If it weren't for the Second Amendment Foundation, there wouldn't have been the 2 critical Supreme Court rulings affirming the 2nd Amendment as a basic individual right that forces strict scrutiny for any proposed law in the future. They fight in the courts when the NRA fails in the Congress.

I don't know that much about Gun Owner's of America. They seem to be a harder-core version of the NRA. Some of their e-mails make it seem like their tin-foil may be wrapped a little too tight but maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

While I am a Life member of NRA (endowment or patron can't remember), I'm holding off moving up to the next life membership level to see how things play out over the next few months. I may give money to the NRA-ILA or NRA-PVF instead.

We have to active ourselves, get out and vote!

NRA life member and VCDL member here.

I'd be more inclined to support the NRA if they would stop giving out all the "freebie" crap... duffel bags, multi tools, calendars, baseball hats, etc with the NRA logo but then turn around and ask for money 29 days after you join.  It is rather frustrating to support an organization that constantly asks for money but wastes it on silly things.  I'm not saying that they would be a giant leap better off financially without that crap but I wouldn't feel like I am giving money that is wasted on other things that Second amendment support.  Hope that came out correctly.

Call and get put on the Do not promote list. I don't get anything from the NRA, now the NRA-ILA is a different story, need to see if they have a DNPL, as Chis Cocks has been bugging the shit out of me for money.

The NRA is a tax exempt organization.
They cannot use dues for lobbying.

The NRA-ILA (Institute for Legislative Action) is NOT a non-profit.
They are the lobby side in Washingtoon.

Donations are NOT tax deductible like the NRA.

The NRA cannot directly give them money.

It can provide some indirect support only.

They do not focus on national issues very often/ very rarely.

That said the VCDL is the group that got the Department of the Interior to allow open carry in Federal Parks nationwide.

But yes they focus mainly on State issues and if in VA you need to be a member. If you carry in a Fed park you need to thank the VCDL and become a member.

Here is an old link so please verify if this is still Fed law.

https://ohioccw.org/200812054151/national-parks-to-allow-ccw.html