NRA Membership in New York Doubles Following New Gun Control Regs

From 22,000 to 41,000 group claims

As gun rights and gun control groups continue to argue over the effects of the New York SAFE Act, one consequence is clear: membership in the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association has soared since the law was enacted a year ago.

Tom King, president of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, said the NRA headquarters in Washington recently informed him his state affiliate has now surpassed Texas and California to become the largest state NRA chapter in the nation.

The NRA affiliate saw its membership rise from 22,000 statewide to 41,000 since the SAFE Act was approved in January 2013, King said.

While he said his group has had regular membership growth over the years, "it has grown exponentially faster than it ever has before and it can only be attributed to the SAFE Act,'' he said.