The reason the NRA has been so effective is because they understand the old truism "give them an inch and they'll take a mile." When anybody brings up otherwise reasonable limits (no heavy weaponry, no automatic assault weapons for civilians) the NRA immediately responds with by shouting "fuck you" through a bullhorn on the Capitol steps. They commit to spending serious money opposing even these "reasonable" limits, and they don't mind being despised by half the country for doing so. By refusing to cede on even the seemingly obvious issues, they make it politically impossible for opponents to slowly take away the rights they actually care about.
The problem is that very few organizations are willing to take this hard line the NRA has adopted for 75 years now. Look at the smoking industry as an example: first you couldn't smoke on planes. (Alright, that seems reasonable, we don't want fires on airplanes.) Then it was hospitals. (Ok, also reasonable, there's sick people there.) Then it was workplaces. (Well, you should have a right to work without someone blowing smoke in your face.) Then it was restaurants. (Ehh..) Then it was bars. (Wait...) Then it was the outside areas of restaurants and bars. (Huh?) Then it was beaches and other outdoor gathering areas. (Well, hold on....) Now entire cities have banned outdoor smoking. Literally the only place you can smoke is in your home (assuming you don't employ anybody). This is exactly how rights are systematically chipped away.
Even the organizations that are willing to take stands and be despised often get sidetracked. Look at the ACLU. In the last 20 years, they’ve more often represented high-profile criminals in low-value cases (constitutionally speaking) than taken on serious civil liberty issues like the PATRIOT act, drone strikes, state-ordered killings of US Citizens, etc., etc.. This problem only gets worse when “their guy” is in office.
People often deride “insane” organizations like the NRA, but unfortunately, most of the time “insane” is what’s necessary to combat the usurpation of rights that appears “prudent” at any given moment in time.
The reason the NRA has been so effective is because they understand the old truism "give them an inch and they'll take a mile."
It's funny how much perspective changes things. Many gun owners have left the NRA over the past few years, in favor of Gun Owners of America or other organizations, exactly because the NRA is seen as overly willing to compromise on gun rights. I personally am a card carrying member of the GOA, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership and the Second Amendment Foundation, but not the NRA for this very reason.
That said, they probably are more "hard line" than lobbying orgs for other groups, and I won't argue against the essence of your point.
