Thursday Bulletin – September 26th, 2024 
 

LITIGATION UPDATES
 

Last Thursday, September 19, 2024, the bench trial in the ISRA lawsuit against the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) Harrel v Raoul wrapped up in the U.S. District Court for Southern Illinois in East Saint Louis.  PICA is nothing more than a blatant ban on semiautomatic firearms commonly used by law abiding citizens.  I believe our expert witnesses and attorney, David Sigale, did a great job.

Now the waiting game begins.  The defendants and the plaintiffs have another 30 days to file additional documents.  The judge has thousands of pages to review and his task is not an enviable one.  The judge then has to make a ruling. Whatever side the decision favors, the other side will appeal the case.  The next stop will be the Seventh Circuit.

You Just Never Know.....

In Hawaii, a neighborhood dispute erupted into a mass-murder scene that was finally stopped by one of the intended victims .  The attacker, Hiram Silva, continually provoked his neighbors with wild, noisy parties, which also included screaming burnouts by vehicles.  Silva's neighbors complained, after which he retaliated by killing four of them and wounding two others.  Silva then loaded four 55 gallon drums of fuel into the bucket of a large end loader and proceeded to try to drive the end loader into yet another neighbor’s house.  But that quick-thinking neighbor retrieved his hand gun and killed Silva, ending the attacker's mass-murder spree.

According to the Crime Prevention Research Center this was the 157th time an armed defender stopped an active shooter.   

Be Prepared - Stock Up

John Farnam, world famous firearms trainer, firearms expert and long-time friend of the ISRA, has sounded a warning to firearm owners and shooting enthusiasts.  The message is simple, stock up on ammunition, powder, primers, bullets, shot and percussion caps while these supplies are abundant and relatively cheap.  That is going to change, and soon, in my opinion.

The reasons for this are several.  China is the major supplier of antimony and nitrocellulose, both essential in the manufacture of everything from .22s to artillery shells.  China wants to control the West and cutting off these supplies, as well as other rare earth elements, are a sure way to do it.  The war in the Ukraine is also eating up these supplies.  I know we are told that there is no evidence of China supplying Russia. Yeah, sure...I believe that one.  I am also told by a lot of shooters that they have plenty of everything on hand.  Of course. You always do...until you don’t.

Election 2024
 

The 2024 General Election is looming large. In my opinion, the fate of the United States is teetering in the balance. Here is some information you need. 

Early voting is a big deal these days and can often influence the outcome of the election. I urge you to vote early or by mail. If you want to vote by mail, you should make your request now by contacting your County Clerk or local election authority. The last day for your request is Thursday, October 31st. Do it now!!

The first day of early voting is Thursday, September 26.

The last day to register by mail is Tuesday, October 8.

The last day to register online is Sunday, October 20.

The last day to vote early is Monday, November 4. 

Of course, we have the Presidential Election. The down ballot candidates (below the President) are really important also. 

In Illinois, all 17 congressman seats are up for election. In the Illinois General Assembly, all 118 State Representatives seats are up for election. In the Illinois Senate, 20 seats are up for election. Every two years approximately one third of seats are up for election. There are two Illinois Supreme Court seats up for election. You can see how important it is to vote in this election.

If you would like to donate to us, please visit:  https://isra.org/support-us/. 
Thank you for your support!

Education & Training
 

We have CCL Renewal classes at the ISRA Range on 10/13 1-4pm and 11/13 1-4pm.  Also, CCL Classes 4 nights from 5p-9p in total 16 hours. Oct 7-10 and 2 day CCL Class on 11/16-11/17 8:30am-5pm.

ISRA Academy will travel!  Mandi is happy to schedule classes for groups or individuals at their local range or facility. Travel classes include: CCL renewal, CCL, NRA Basic Pistol, NRA Basic Rifle, NRA Range Safety Officer, and Stop the Bleed; additional classes continue to be added so please contact academy@isra.org for any training or class questions.

Enter the Sighting-In Day Raffle Today!

Entries must be postmarked by October 5, 2024.

You can download the Entry Form HERE or call the ISRA office at 815-635-3198.

Learn more about the Sighting-In Day at the ISRA Range HERE!

GET IN THE FIGHT, STAY IN THE FIGHT, JOIN THE ISRA

To Join the ISRA, Go To: https://isra.org/join-us/ 

ISRA members: The Spring and Summer 2024 Shooter is now on our website at: https://isra.org/illinois-shooter-newspaper/

Hawken 200^th Anniversary Raffle

In celebration of Hawken Rifle’s 200^th anniversary, we are holding a unique one-of-a-kind raffle. First prize is a 50 cal. Hawken Percussion Target Rifle, plus complete 6-piece kit. 2^nd prize is an 1858 Remington 44 cal. Pistol, 3^rd prize is a Lyman 54 cal. Pistol. Winning ticket drawn on October 20, 2024. <View the raffle flier>,  and <download the raffle ticket order form here.> 

The Illinois State Rifle Association

is the home of marksmanship in Illinois

Tidbits

September 26, 1820 - Daniel Boone dies at Fort defiance Missouri. Boone had been a pioneer in the western expansion of the United States, opening up what was known as the Cumberland gap, which led the settlement of Kentucky, Tennessee at the mid-South region of the United States. A side note, Daniel Boone never wore a coon-skin cap. Frontiersmen wore beaver caps.

September 26, 1918 - The Meuse-Argonne offensive begins. French general, Ferdinand Foch, orders American General John J. Pershing to take overall command of the offensive. This will be the largest American offensive of World War I.

September 28, 1941 - Ted Williams gets six hits at eight bats, raising his batting average to .406. He told the Boston Globe reporter that he never wanted anything more in his life. In his lifetime, Ted Williams hit 521 home runs. He would have hit more, but he served in the United States Marine Corps as a pilot in World War II and Korea.

September 29, 1918 - In an offensive driven by US troops and Australian troops, the Hindenburg line is breached. The Hindenburg line was also known as a Sigfried line. British artillery fired 945,052 shells along a 10,000 yard front within 24 hours. This led to the eventual collapse of Germany in World War I.

September 30, 1954 - The USS Nautilus, the worlds first atomic submarine, is commissioned at Groton Connecticut. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower broke a bottle of champagne across the bow, after which the sub slid down into the Thames River. Another milestone in the progression of the nuclear age had been christened.

October 2, 1967 - Thurgood Marshall becomes the first black justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Other Events & Gun Shows

While the gun show information shown in this email is believed to be accurate, sometimes changes occur. This is provided for informational purposes only. 

If your club or organization is holding a gun show, event or class, let us know the details, and we’d be happy to post it in our Weekly Range Schedule.

Sept 28 – 29   Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club House, Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe

Sept 28 – 29   Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds

Oct 5 – 6   Central Illinois Gun Collectors Gun Show, Sangamon Co. Fairgrounds, New Berlin, Sat 9am - 3pm; Sun 9 am - 2pm, Admission $5 adults

Oct 13   Kane County Gun Show - Kane County Fairgrounds

Oct 26 – 27   Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau Co. Fairgrounds, Princeton

Oct 26 – 27   Will County Gun Show, Will Co. Fairgrounds, Peotone

Nov 1 – 2   Mt. Vernon Knife Show, Rolland Lewis Comm. Bldg,, Mount Vernon

Nov 2 – 3   Bloomington Gun & Knife Show, Interstate Center, Bloomington

Nov 9   Youth Wing-shooting/Pheasant Hunt, Iroquois Co. State Wildlife Area, Beaverville. Call to register: 815-933-1383 or click here for more information  .

Nov 9 – 10   Quad Cities Gun Show, QCCA Expo Center, Rock Island

Nov 10   Kane County Gun Show - Kane County Fairgrounds

Nov 16 – 17   Crown Point Gun Show, Lake Co. Fairgrounds, Crown Point, IN

Nov 23 – 24   Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds

Nov 30 – Dec 1   Central Illinois Gun Collectors Gun Show, Sangamon Co. Fairgrounds, New Berlin, Sat 9am - 3pm; Sun 9 am - 2pm, Admission $5 adults

Nov 30 – Dec 1   Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau Co Fairgrounds, Princeton

Dec 7 – Dec 8  Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club House, Chillicothe

Dec 8   Kane County Gun Show - Kane County Fairgrounds

Dec 14 – Dec15  Kankakee Gun & Sportsman's Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds

Dec 14 – Dec15   Peoria Gun & Knife Show – Exposition Gardens, Peoria

ISRA Grassroots Monthly Meetings
Come and meet fellow activists and learn the latest on protecting our Second Amendment Rights!

East Central Illinois - 3rd Thurs – Clifton Sportsman’s Club, 3106 US-45 #52, Clifton, IL; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm

Northwest Suburban - 3rd Tues – Golden Corral, 1591 S. Randall Rd., Algonquin, IL; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm

South Suburban/Cook County - 2nd Thurs – Kenootz Pizza, 4659 147th St., Midlothian, IL; Doors open 6:30pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm

Will County - 3rd Wed – Silver Dollar Restaurant, 422 E. Mississippi Ave., Elwood, IL; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm
 

Stand Strong &
Thank you for being a member!

If you are not an ISRA member,  join today!

Donate: https://isra.org/support-us/

Visit www.isra.org

Upcoming Meetings: https://isra.org/isra-activities-and-events/

Upcoming Range Events: https://isra.org/the-range/#range-calendar

Stand by for the ISRA Range Post on Tuesday!