Illinios State Rifle Association Thursday Bulletin For May 4, 2017

NRA Annual Meeting Brownell's Booth
NRA Annual Meeting Show Floor
Illinois State Rifle Association
Illinois State Rifle Association

USA -(Ammoland.com)- During the Revolutionary War, Thomas Paine wrote: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” Thomas Paine must have been thinking of Springfield, as well as the fledgling United States.

These coming weeks are going to be among the toughest, if not the toughest, we have ever faced. There are those who are squandering megajoules of valuable energy assessing blame, finger pointing, and hurling recriminations without knowing the whole story; all actions which only compound the problem and do nothing to solve it. Now is the time to stick together.

The Illinois State Rifle Association is going to press forward with every resource we have to protect and defend gun owners’ rights and the Second Amendment in Illinois. Those rights include the rights of individuals, firearm dealers, manufactures, and all of the numerous other elements that make up the matrix of the law-abiding gun community.

I view this matrix in terms of the NATO doctrine, which is, “An attack on one is an attack on all.” I ask that you put behind you all of the venom and anger and stand together to fight the looming menace of SB1657. That is the only way to win.

I am pleased to announce the Illinois State Rifle Association has contracted with former State Representative, and now lobbyist, Ed Sullivan. Ed was a former leader in the Illinois House Republicans and was a driving force in passing the concealed carry bill in 2013.

Ed is well respected on both sides of the House and will be working with the ISRA during the last few weeks of session to turn back SB1657. This Dealer Licensing bill moves to the House next week.

As I have said, the ISRA will be fighting with every resource so we really need whatever help you can give us. We don’t have George Soros or a Michael Bloomberg. We survive on dues and donations. If you are a member, please make a donation today. If you are not a member, and get this email, please join today and make a donation also.

The NRA Annual Meeting and Convention was all I hoped for and more. I spent most of my time on the exhibit floor. There were good deals on some things for the gun enthusiast and lots to see and touch. There were all kinds of giveaways, from trinkets to guns to pickup trucks. I registered for a few of them, so now I will sit, day after day, my fingers hovering over my key board, in anxious anticipation of my email notification that I won. Well, maybe not. Next year, the shindig will be held in Dallas, Texas. Plan to go if you can.

This coming week will kick off shooting leagues around the state, including some at the ISRA Range. The Combat League starts Sunday. We finally have a full array of steel, as well as paper targets, IDPA qualifiers, and all kinds of stuff. Be there if you can.

Black Powder has already begun and the monthly league match will be Sunday morning on Range 2. The Black Powder League also uses steel target in certain places. Shooting steel targets with a “smoke pole” is a hoot.

Thanks for being a member.

To keep up with current legislation, click here.

Please remember: when you click on a particular bill, it will take you directly to the State of Illinois General Assembly website (ilga.gov). The ISRA has no control over the ilga.gov website.

Upcoming Events: For more information, visit their website.

  • Saturday, May 6, 2017
    Range Work Day
    ISRA Marksmanship League
  • Sunday, May 7, 2017
    American Legion Team Match #2
    Combat Pistol League/3 Gun/CCW Scenario
    ISRA IDPA Local Club Match
    ISRA Black Powder League
  • Tuesday, May 9, 2017
    ISRA Tuesday Night Irregular League
  • Wednesday May 10, 2017
    ISRA Benchrest League
    F Class League
  • Thursday, May 11, 2017
    ISRA Smallbore/Rimfire F Class League

    Saturday, May 13, 2017

    NRA Basic Pistol Instructor Course
    Woodard Brothers Highpower Rifle Tournament
  • Sunday, May 14, 2017
    NRA Pistol Instructor Course

Check out ISRA’s website. Tell us what you think!

Follow the ISRA on Twitter and Facebook.

Give the gift of an ISRA membership. Not an ISRA Member? Join Today!

1 Comment
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Johnnie Degenfelder

The very root of your writing while sounding agreeable in the beginning, did not really work properly with me after some time. Somewhere within the sentences you managed to make me a believer but only for a very short while. I still have a problem with your leaps in assumptions and one might do nicely to help fill in those gaps. If you can accomplish that, I will undoubtedly end up being fascinated.