The National Rifle Association has undergone several changes. Under the NRA 2.0 leadership, the Association has been righting itself and they’ve announced that major changes are coming effective immediately.
NRA President Bill Bachenberg has been a long-time member of the Board of Directors. Bachenberg assumed the office of president in April 2025 and immediately got to work with both the board and executive leadership of the Association. As part of a major move to reinvent and revitalize the NRA, Bachenberg and the Association have announced that a reorganization is underway and that’s rolling out now.
“The board is now running the organization where, years ago with Wayne, it was the other way around,” Bachenberg said during a recent interview. “Wayne ran the Association, and the board was cannon fodder.”
Bachenberg and the rest of the NRA 2.0 leadership — including Executive Vice President Doug Hamlin and his staff — have been working towards a more transparent NRA.
Prior to ascending to the president’s seat, Bachenberg as the First Vice President participated in events like NRA town halls alongside Hamlin and other leaders. Bachenberg — and Hamlin — have made himself available to members through his attendance of Friends of the NRA dinners too. Earlier this year, Bachenberg invited members to reach out to him via email and launched a president’s website (NRAPresident.com) to better connect with Association supporters. Hamlin, Bachenberg, and Public Affairs & Editorial Director Mark A. Keefe, IV recently held a first-ever virtual town hall meeting as well.
The new shakeup at the NRA revolves around efficiency, transparency, and being effective.
“What we’re looking to do is we’re looking to streamline — remove the silos that are within the organization,” Bachenberg said. “We have too many divisions that are standalone silos that don’t work with efficiency and good communications. So we’re breaking down these silos to become more of a horizontal organization.”
Some of the changes that Bachenberg and the Association said they’re implementing include:
- Better communications with members
- The creation and launch of a members’ app by end of first quarter 2026
- NRA Publications is morphing into NRA Media
- Consolidation of four magazines down to two, with digital content filling the gaps
- Official journals will be mailed on a quarterly basis rather than monthly
- Members’ benefits programs to be launched offering real and substantial discounts
- A focus on having quality programs rather than quantity
- Cut down on mailings and send higher quality mailers to members
- Additional funding being opened up to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action
- A focus on state and local-level litigation battles
- Increased communications announcing BOD meetings to members so they can participate
- The hiring of a full time chief operations officer to further facilitate Association management
- Renewed focus on: clubs and associations, education and training, and competition
- And more …
Bachenberg said he and the Association have been leaning on the vast talent pool available through the board and committees. Captains of industry who have owned and transformed several businesses, oil industry members, engineers and multi-patent holders, and more intelligent talent have been contributing to the reformation of the organization.
“The Association isn’t used to an active board,” Bachenberg said. “It’s not an activist board, it’s an active board.”
The reorganization won’t come without bumps and bruises for some Association employees. “There will be some furloughs involved with this, which will be announced on Friday,” Bachenberg said. “So (the move) will have some pain, unfortunately.”
Executive Vice President Doug Hamlin described the changes as necessary to “ensure the long-term strength of the Second Amendment and health of our critical organization.” Hamlin celebrated many of the Association’s recent victories such as aiding in providing a pro-Second Amendment presidency and solid U.S. Supreme Court.
“These successes have not gone unnoticed by our adversaries, who are doubling down on election spending, lawfare, and new programs to push their radical gun-grabbing agenda,” Halmlin said. “To ensure we are prepared for the fights ahead, we must create a leaner NRA that focuses on stretching every member dollar to best protect your right to keep and bear arms.”
Bachenberg said in a statement that they’re refocusing on the core missions of “protecting our God-given Second Amendment rights, gun safety and training, supporting our Clubs & Associations and shooting competitions.” He said they seek to do this by “flattening the organizational structure, redeploying staff, and exploiting technology to better manage the day-to-day activities of the Association.” Bachenberg further said that there will be less duplication, stronger member services, and better communications.
NRA 2.0 continues to blaze trails for the betterment of the Association. Under Bachenberg and Hamlin’s leadership, the NRA has opened its doors to the members and their concerns. They’re dedicated to creating a stronger, more solvent organization.
[Editor’s Note: NRA Executive Vice President Doug Hamlin joined me on Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co today to talk about the restructuring as well. You can watch the conversation in the video window below. – Cam]
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