The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has issued a Scam Alert to those trying to purchase high demand shooting products online. There are bogus websites and offers out there for ammunition, propellants and other items.  I have received two calls from people who have been scammed so I know that this is happening.  If this happens to you, call the FBI or the ATF and report it.

By this time next week, the 2022 SHOT SHOW will be well under way.  There will be 800,000 square feet of exhibits.  I will be reporting on any new and interesting products that I see out there.  I will be asking questions like “Where are all the trap, skeet and sporting clays loads?” or “Where were all the hunting loads last season?”  I will let you know what I find out.

Crime is changing in the United States in a couple of ways.  First, crooks are becoming more random and second, they are becoming bolder.  Recent changes in the laws and attitudes of prosecutors are the root causes of these changes, in my opinion.  Kim Foxx, States Attorney for Cook County and recently, Alvin Bragg, New York District Attorney, are a couple of prime examples.  Bragg is making national headlines by announcing he will not charge people for some crimes and greatly reduce charges for others.  If you think bad guys and want-to-be bad guys don’t know what is going on, you are mistaken.  These people have more time to watch television news than you do.

There are certain people who are going to be criminals.  There has always been people like that.  I know there is momentum out there that has the philosophy that if you treat bad people nicely, they will be nice to you.  It isn’t so with some people.  I am not saying that first time offenders shouldn’t have a second chance for some crimes.  There is another group out there that I believe is willing to entertain the idea of committing crimes but until now, the idea of consequences have prevented them from going further.  Soft on crime polices are causing these people to crawl out of the woodwork.  When they commit one crime and get away with it, they will commit another crime.  As they grow their criminal career, the levels of boldness and violence climb each time.

The question is how are you going to prepare yourself, your loved ones and others to deal with all this? We all know people who are in constant denial with a nothing-will-happen-to-me mindset because it makes them feel safe but they are, in fact, less safe.  They become easy targets.  I have found that those you have a relationship with are best trained by other people.  These include spouses, sons, daughters, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law.  That includes me by the way. 

One of the best ways to think about self-defense is with Col. Jeff Cooper’s color codes which came from the U.S. Marines in WWII.  Col. Cooper modified it for civilian use.  The USCCA book “Concealed Carry and Home Defense Fundamentals” does a great job of explaining the color code in terms everyone can understand.  I suggest you get a copy.

Smiley’s Gun Shop in Bloomington, Illinois, was burglarized on December 12, 2021.  Police reported 25 firearms were stolen during the burglary.  Mr. Dajuan Edwards-Melton of Peoria has been charged with the crime.  This is a federal offense.  Mr. Edwards-Melton was arrested on December 13, 2021.  This case is in Federal Court so there will be no plea bargain this time.

Release of Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau 1/10/2022: 
Valid CCL Impacts FOID Expiration Date and “Combined Card”
430 ILCS 65/13.4 (new) (1) When a person who possesses a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card applies for and is approved for a concealed carry license, the valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card is renewed for 10 years from the time of approval instead of 10 years from the date of the original card. So, if you apply, and are approved for a CCL, your FOID will automatically be renewed (at no additional cost) for 10 years from the date of the CCL approval. (2) If a person is eligible for both a Firearm Owner's Identification Card and a concealed carry license, the Illinois State Police shall by rule create one card that may be used as both a Firearm Owner's Identification Card and a concealed carry license. A combined Firearm Owner's Identification Card and concealed carry license shall be considered a valid card for the purposes of this Act. If a person who possesses a combined Firearm Owner's Identification Card and a concealed carry license becomes subject to suspension or revocation under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, but is otherwise eligible for a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card, the Illinois State Police shall ensure the person's Firearm Owner's Identification Card status is not interrupted. The Illinois State Police shall adopt rules to implement this Section. Beginning January 1, 2022, with a few exceptions, the Illinois State Police will issue a new style of card that will look very similar to the current FOID card but will have no issuance date and no expiration date. If the holder has a Concealed Carry License, the upper-right-hand corner will contain the words, “Indicator: CCL.” The lack of an expiration date is due to the many new opportunities to renew the FOID without a direct interaction between the cardholder and the Firearms Services Bureau. The “AL#” at the top of the card is an internal, individual document tracking number.

Tidbits:
January 13, 1929 - Wyatt Earp dies in Los Angles at the age of 80.  He spent the last years of his life as an advisor to western movie productions.  A young extra and stage hand by the name of John Wayne ate lunch together with Wyatt Earp almost every day.  John Wayne learned a great deal about the Old West which served him well throughout his career.

January 14, 1784 - Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris formally ending the Revolutionary War.

January 14, 2009 - Pilot Sully Sullenberger displays outstanding poise when he successfully lands his Air Bus 320 in the Hudson River after hitting a flock of geese that shutdown both of his engines.  All passengers and crew were rescued.  One passenger suffered two broken legs.

January 15, 1919 - The great molasses flood kills 21 people in Boston.  A 2.5-million-gallon tank of hot molasses bursts at the United States Industrial Alcohol Company in the heart of Boston.  Workers trapped in the basement had no chance to escape. 

January 16, 1919 - Prohibition is ratified by the states making the brewing, distilling and the consumption of beer, wine and liquor illegal.  The prohibition caused the greatest crime wave in the United States and established the “mob” which we still have today.  The United States government required alcohol to have ingredients added that made it poison to drink.  The United States government killed thousands of Americans.  The road to hell is paved with good intentions, prohibition is a prime example.

January 17, 1781- The Battle of Cowpens.  Major General Nathaniel Greene was Commander of the Southern Army and decided to split his forces in order to feed them.  Remember in those days an Army had to forage for food.  If an Army was too big, it was hard to do because there was not that much food in that area.  General Greene dispatched Brigadier General Daniel Morgan to attack British Fort Number 96.  Morgan had 740 militia and 300 riflemen assigned to him.  British General Cornwallis sent Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton with 1100 British regulars after Morgan and his army.

The movie “The Patriot” depicts the Battle of Cowpens fairly accurately.  Mel Gibson’s character is an amalgamation of several actual people in the Revolutionary War.  Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton did actually exist and was every bit as bad, if not worse, as he was portrayed in the movie.  The British had distain for American militia and even more distain for American riflemen.  Morgan instructed the militia to fire two shots and withdraw to a line in front of the American riflemen as shown in the movie.  The British thought the American militia was routed and attacked.  When they did, they ran into Morgan’s 300 riflemen.  The militia had time to reload and by that time, the British were in musket range.  The America militia let them have it.  While the British didn’t think much of the Americans, our militia and our riflemen, at the end of the day, had killed, wounded or captured 810 British and the Americans
had 12 killed and 60 wounded.  Unlike the movie, Tarleton escaped and made it back to Cornwallis’ command.  Cornwallis started to make plans to go to Yorktown.  A good decision on his part, I think.

January 18, 1803 - President Thomas Jefferson asks Congress for funding for the Lewis and Clark Expedition.  He asked for $2500 but in the end, it cost more like $50,000.  Government Is always the same regardless of the era.

January 19, 1840 - Captain Charles Wilkes claims the coast of eastern Antarctic for the United States.  It later became known as Wilkes Land.  The first American to land on Antarctica was John Davis in 1821.

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Upcoming Events: ISRA Calendar
For more information, visit www.isra.org

Saturday, January 15, 2022
Air Pistol League
Winter Wars XVIII

Sunday, January 16, 2022
ISRA Academy NRA Range Safety Officer Class

Tuesday, January 18 & 25, 2022
Tuesday Night Air Rifle League (5:00-8:00)
Tuesday Afternoon Air Gun League (1:00-5:00)

Saturday, January 22, 2022
ISRA Academy NRA Basic Pistol Class

Saturday, January 29, 2022
Armed Women of America

Gun & Trade Shows

Springfield Gun & Knife Show – Springfield, IL
Illinois State Fairgrounds
Dates: January 15 & 16, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00

McHenry County Gun Show – Woodstock, IL
McHenry County Fairgrounds
Date: January 16, 2022
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:00
Admission: $5.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: January 22 & 23, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show – Kankakee, IL
Kankakee County Fairgrounds
Dates: January 22 & 23, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

Westville Gun Show – Westville, IL
Direside Event Space
Dates: January 29 & 30, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
             Sunday: 8:00-3:00
Admission: Free

Belleville Gun Show – Belleville, IL
Belleville Fairgrounds
Dates: January 29 & 30, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00