I do not believe from the NRA's perspective it is free. It is not the NRA that is 'giving it away'. The manufacture--Taurus--is the one providing the membership. I am sure that they have worked out a reduced rate with the NRA or agreed to some other one-time payment, grant, donation, ad campaign, etc.karl wrote:I got a year free with my CHL class last September. The only problem: NRA membership is directed at raising funds for campaigning Pro-Gun ideals. With a free membership you're not really supporting the cause. I will say though, getting a CHL (and in turn the free membership) really brought me into the whole gun world, if I hadn't received the free membership I wouldn't have decided to join for real, which is probably the point in the long run.
Additionally, NRA membership includes a subscription to a selected magazine. I am sure there are advertisements in these. The cost of the ads are directly related to number of magazine subscriptions. One new subscription would not make a difference, however, an extra 1,000 would.
Plus like you said, "..if I hadn't received the free membership I wouldn't have decided to join for real, which is probably the point in the long run."