Winter has slipped away, Day Light Savings Time is here, and the first of April is hours away.  The outdoor shooting season has finally arrived.  The days are growing longer and warmer and acute cabin fever has set in.  Let’s get outdoors and do some shooting.

This Spring finds firearms and ammunition more plentiful.  Ammunition has doubled in price from pre-pandemic but at least you can purchase it.  The procedure for purchasing firearms and ammunition has changed.  As of January 1, 2022, newly issued FOID cards and ICCLs will no longer have an expiration date shown on the card.  Now, when you purchase firearms and ammunition, the seller will have to go online to the Illinois State Police website (ispfsb.com) to make sure your FOID card is valid.

First, buying ammunition: This procedure applies when you are buying ammunition in person or online.  The process does not take long but you need to have internet access to do it.  Purchasing ammunition online is where the problem comes in, so you, as a purchaser, have to supply the “how to do it” information to the seller.  I would keep these instructions handy. 

Upon receipt of your order, the seller needs to go to the Illinois State Police website ispfsb.com.  On the left side of the web page, there is a tab that states Firearm/Ammunition transfers.  They need to click on that button.  Once there, a screen will come up asking for your FOID card number and date of birth.
The seller will need to fill that info in.  The screen does not ask for your name at any time.  Once your FOID card number and date of birth is filled in, you will receive an approval number.  Once you receive that number, your purchase is approved.  There is no need to keep the number.  Your ammunition may be shipped or if you are at a sales counter, simply handed to you.  You are done if this is an ammunition purchase.

If you are selling a firearm to another person in a private transfer situation, you must continue.  You cannot buy or sell firearms online.  All out of state transactions must go through a Federal Firearms Dealer. You will get an approval number, but now you must keep a record of that approval number along with the person’s name, address, FOID card number, firearm make, model and serial number for 10 years.  The wisest thing you should do is print and keep the Illinois State Police Record of Firearm Transfer form.  The Illinois three-day waiting period applies to firearm transfers. 

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
As of January 1, 2022, your FOID card will be automatically renewed for 10 years when you buy a firearm from a Federally Licensed Firearm dealer.  There is no charge to you.

As of January 1, 2022, FOID cards and ICCL will be combined.  If you have an ICCL, it will have a notation in the upper right-hand corner of your FOID card.  This will be happening over the next few months.  There is no charge to you.

As of January 1, 2022, if you have an ICCL and your FOID card expires before your ICCL renewal, your FOID card will be automatically extended to your ICCL renewal date.  At that point, your FOID card and ICCL will have the same date.  There is no charge to you for the extra time.  It is a cost savings for the Illinois State Police.

I hope this helps everyone out there. 

The anti-gun movement has a new boogie man, the so-called “Ghost Guns.”  Ghost Guns are home built firearms with no serial number.  It is not illegal to build your own firearms under federal law, aka the Hawken and Kentucky muzzle loading rifles.  Serial numbers were not required on firearms until the Gun Control Act of 1968, and then applied to commercial manufactured firearms.  The anti-gun groups would have you believe that there are underground factories building these firearms.  That is not true.  Americans have been building their own firearms for centuries.

The development of the 3-D printer is a bugaboo of the anti-gun crowd.  They would have you believe that all you need to do is buy a computer and a 3-D printer and you can carve out a firearm in a few minutes.  3-D printers use polymer or plastic.  These pieces cannot be used for a firearm.  The firing parts must be made of strong metal and therefore are totally detectable.  Polymer could never stand the pressures of a modern cartridge.  For example, a 9mm cartridge produces 35,000 pounds of pressure per square inch and a 5.56mm rifle cartridge produces 70,000 pounds of pressure per square inch.  To think a person could make an operable firearm out of polymer is folly.  If you do buy a partially finished kit and finish making the firearm yourself, it has no serial number.  It is not required if you are not a manufacturer.  However, you cannot sell, transfer, or give away that firearm.  Under federal law, you cannot take the gun to an FFL to have a serial number put on the gun.  

It looks like Ketanji Brown Jackson is going to be confirmed as the newest Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.  As far as the Second Amendment, Judge Jackson has never ruled on a gun case.  While she says she supports the Second Amendment, we all know what that means.  What Jackson or any other potential Justice says during a confirmation hearing is as worthless as a three-year-old two-party check on the Last National Bank of Nairobi when it comes to how they rule on a case.  I think we are going to get an anti-gun Justice if Jackson is confirmed.

IGOLD will be held on April 6 this year.  It is only days away.  The General Assembly will adjourn on April 8.  Many of the bills we are watching have been extended until April 8.  They could be extended further which would surprise no one who has been around the Illinois General Assembly for any length of time.
This will be our last chance to put the faces of law-abiding gun owners in Springfield before the General Assembly adjourns and before the Illinois Primary Election on June 28.  I hope to see you April 6.

If you are in the Elburn or Joliet area and are looking for a ride to IGOLD, the St Charles Sportsman’s Club has seats available on their bus.  The bus will leave on Wednesday, April 6, at 7am from the SCSC location in Elburn and stop in Joliet to pick up riders at approximately 8am.  They will go directly to the Bank of Springfield Convention Center.  The cost is $40.  If you are interested, please email your phone number to Treasurer@scsportsmans.org. 

American companies send teaching aids to Ukraine: American companies are once again stepping forward to help the Ukrainians in their fight against the Russians.  Kimber Manufacturing has donated 200 9mm handguns and 10 .308 tactical rifles and 10 bolt action .308 rifles.  Leopold and Stevens donated 20 scopes for the rifles as well as mounting them on the rifles.  Mission First donated holsters for the handguns, 3,300 AR15 magazines and 1000 AR10 magazines and tactical rifle cases.  I’m sure these will be good teaching aides to help the Russians understand why they should stay home and mind their own business.

We will be hosting an Emergency Response for Trauma Injuries Class. This is a one-day class that will be held at the ISRA Range on April 9.  This is a certified class by the Illinois Department of Public Health and is NRA certified for 8 hours of continuing education For Range Safety Officers.  Sign up must be completed on the Spartan Tactical website:  teamsttg@aol.com 

Tidbits:
April 1, 1948 - Soviet troops began stopping United States and British trains carrying troops and supplies to German civilians living in Berlin.  Trains had to travel through Soviet controlled German territory to get to Berlin.  Why the division of Germany was ever done this way was stupid.  Joseph Stalin wanted it that way, but Franklin Roosevelt was sick, and Churchill was making deals with Stalin that the United States never knew about.  More in the upcoming issues of the Thursday Bulletin.

April 1, 1954 - The United States Air Force Academy is established.  President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the legislation authorizing the Academy.  The temporary location was at Lowery Air Force Base near Denver, Colorado.  In 1958, buildings were completed at Colorado Springs, Colorado, its permanent location.  The United States Air Force was separated from the Army Air Corps in 1947.

April 2, 1982 - Argentina invades the Falkland Islands.  The Falkland Islands are made up of South Georgia Island and the South Sandwich Islands which is a group of several islands.  The Falkland Islands have been and still are a British Dependency since 1841.  Argentina had a dictatorial military government in 1982.  Argentina had always wanted the Falkland Islands, but the inhabitants are from the original British settlers and are proud British.  The war lasted 10 weeks with Argentina losing.  The failure of the Argentine government caused unrest among the Argentine citizens, and they threw out the military government and established a democracy.  Are you getting that Mr. Putin?

April 3, 1948 - President Harry Truman signed the European Recovery Act, more commonly known as the Marshall Plan.  Drawn up and presented to Congress by General George Marshall, the plan was to revitalize Europe and prevent the spread of Communism, which it did.  George C. Marshall was one of the most important and influential leaders of the Twentieth Century.  George C. Marshall served as Army Chief of Staff during WWII which means he was in charge of the entire war for the United States.  After WWII, he became Secretary of Defense and later, Secretary of State.  He was the only person to ever hold all three positions.  I am positive your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren never heard his name mentioned in school even though he shaped the world as we know it today.  I guess it’s up to you.

March 31, 1889 - The Eiffel Tower opens in Paris, France.  Its purpose was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.  Gustave Eiffel was a master of metal construction.  He built many bridges in Europe.  He also designed the internal framework of the Statue of Liberty.  At the time it was built, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world.  In 1929, the Chrysler Building in New York City exceeded the Eiffel Tower; the next year, the Empire State Building exceeded them both.
Originally, the Eiffel Tower was 984 feet high.  The recent addition of antennas on top brings its present height to 1063 feet.

April 4, 1949 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pact is signed.  The purpose was to stop the Soviet Union and Communism from spreading into Western Europe.  It worked.  The Soviet Union countered with the Warsaw Pact.  The Warsaw Pact collapsed in 1991 when the Soviet Union fell.  Many of the Warsaw Pact members are now members of NATO.

April 5, 1792 - Georgia Washington uses his veto power for the first time.  He vetoed a bill which would have given Northern States more Congressmen than the Southern States.  Washington rightly thought the bill was unconstitutional and vetoed it.

April 6, 2022 - IGOLD.  Be there!

Thanks for being a member!

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

Saturday, April 2, 2022
Range Work Day
Introduction to 3Gun & Steel Challenge

Sunday, April 3, 2022
Bonfield Muzzle Loaders (Black Powder)

Tuesday, April 5 & 12, 2022
Tuesday Night Air Rifle League (5:00-8:00)
Tuesday Afternoon Air Gun Open Practice

Wednesday, April 6 & 13, 2022
Paper & Steel League

Saturday, April 9, 2022
Emergency Response for Trauma Injuries Course

Sunday, April 10, 2022
ISRA Bullseye Match
Marksmanship League
761^st Gun Club Defensive Pistol 1

Saturday, April 16, 2022
Tactical Carbine Class
Hard Dogs Team Day at the Range
Air Pistol League

Sunday, April 17, 2022
Defensive Pistol 2

Saturday, April 23, 2022
ISRA Academy NRA Basic Pistol Class
Project Appleseed

Sunday, April 24, 2022
Project Appleseed
MTW Consulting LLC NRA 1^st Step Pistol Seminar

Gun & Trade Shows

Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Gun & Knife Show – Chillicothe, IL
Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club
Dates: April 2 & 3, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 8:30-5:00
             Sunday: 8:30-3:00
Admission: $3.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairgrounds
Dates: April 9 & 10, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Kane County Sportsman’s Show – St Charles, IL
Kane County Fairgrounds
Date: April 10, 2022
Hours: Sunday: 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00

Chicagoland’s National Civil War & Collector Arms Show – Wheaton, IL
DuPage County Fairgrounds
Date: April 23, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-4:00
Admission: $10.00

McHenry County Gun Show – Woodstock, IL
McHenry County Fairgrounds
Date: April 23, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 7:30-1:00
Admission: $5.00

Will County Gun Show – Peotone, IL
Will County Fairgrounds
Dates: April 23 & 24, 2022
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00