Notes From The Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC)
I have just returned from the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) which is the most informative two days a gun rights activist can attend anywhere. This was the 50th anniversary of the GRPC. Hats off to Alan Gottlieb for getting this great
event going. I believe that Alan and the GRPC have done more to secure and fight for the Second Amendment than any other event in the world. The reason I say this is because this event brings together researchers, media people, authors, educators, local activists, state organizations, national organizations and leaders at every level, all under one roof learning from each other. The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
(CCRKBA) are the organizations that sponsor the GRPC. Just for clarity, the Second Amendment Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that supports lawsuits and research nationwide. The Citizens Committee is a 501(c)4 organization that speaks to legislation and political issues.
To learn more about The Second Amendment Foundation, click
HERE.
To learn more about the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, click HERE.
I believe these are two of the best organizations a firearm owner can join. Full disclosure, I am a member of the CCRKBA Board of Directors.
I want to give a shout out to all the great ISRA members I met
at this year's GRPC. Thank you for attending. There were enough of us there to have our own caucus. I was pleased that Illinois State Representative Amy Elik attended. Representative Elik is a fierce supporter of the Second Amendment. I don't know where next years GRPC will be held but I will let every one know.
As a member of the CCRKBA Board of Directors, one of the reports I get is a "State of the Industry" report. Since the
election of President Donald Trump, sales of firearms have dropped by 50%. Ammunition sales have also dropped by 40%. While this is not good news for the firearms industry, this offers a great opportunity for firearm enthusiasts to purchase that firearm you have always wanted and save a few dollars at the same time. The same is true for ammunition. Now is the time to purchase extra ammo for practice, to use in a class or just to have. Your purchase will also help
your local firearm dealer, the manufacturer and yourself. Of course, times like these produce a "saw tooth" market which means some prices might be lower and some not. You do have to shop around.
Not an ISRA member?Join the ISRA and support 2A rights in Illinois - CLICK
HERE.
ISRA Annual Sighting-In Day – Oct. 18
The ISRA Range will be holding our Annual Sighting-in-Day on Saturday, October 18, from 10am until 3pm. If you are going hunting or have a firearm that you want help with, bring it out.
We will be sighting in rifles, handguns, shotguns and muzzle loaders. You will need to bring your
firearm and your own ammunition. We will provide targets, shooting rests and assistance. I'm looking forward to seeing you there.
Sighting-In-Day
Raffle
Come on out and have your pistol, rifle, shotgun, or muzzleloader sighted for $10 per gun. Bring at least 25 rounds of ammo with you. We provide the targets, instructors and lunch!
In addition, we are pleased to announce our “Sighting-In-Day” raffle for a Savage Axis II 350 Legend w/scope and other great prizes. Tickets are only $10 a piece and entering is easy – enter online, by phone or by
mail! Entries by mail must be postmarked by October 13, 2025. The drawing is at 1pm on October 21, 2025.
Entries must be postmarked by October 13, 2025.
One need not be present to win and winner will be notified. Dues & donations to the ISRA are NOT tax deductible. Winner of firearm must comply with all federal, state, and local laws. You have 90 days from the drawing to
claim firearm. Good luck to all!
This is to inform you that a dues increase is coming very soon. This will apply to all levels of membership.
Recently, I mailed you a special offer to upgrade your membership to a life membership. Those who were already Life, Endowment, Patron, and
Benefactor also got special offers to upgrade their memberships to the next levels. These offers will expire on October 7, 2025.
I would take advantage of these offers right away. If you reply by mail, the letter must be post-marked on October 7th. You also may call the office at 815-635-3198 and complete your upgrade by phone. We are open from 8:00am until 4:30pm but please call no
later than 4:15pm.
The reasons for this increase are many. We have not had dues increase for several years, but the expenses keep going up. The last two years have seen the worst increases in costs that I have ever seen. Taxes, insurance, postage, paper, and all types of supplies and services have gone through the roof. We have cut expenses every way possible and now we are at the point where there is no place left to cut. We must make dues
increase. Thank you for your understanding and continued support of the ISRA.
The October full moon is known as the “Harvest Moon”, and this year it will also be a “Super Moon”. With the crops being harvested at a high rate of speed this year, we can expect deer to be running around a few days prior and following the full moon.
The Harvest Moon will be at its brightest at 10:48pm CDT on October 7th. Be very careful driving out there!
Litigation Update
On Monday, September 22, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments for the State's appeal of Harrel et al v. Raoul et al, the so-called "assault weapons" ban case. Arguments went
as expected. The DOJ civil rights lead attorney, Harmeet Dhillion, supported our position. Now the waiting game begins.
Thanks to all those who have and will continue to support the ISRA in our efforts to protect the Second Amendment in Illinois. If you are not a member join now. This fight is far from over.
Not an ISRA member?Join the ISRA and support 2A rights in Illinois - click HERE.
Legislative Update
The Illinois General Assembly will hold its first Veto Session on October 14, 15 and 16. The second Veto Session will be October 28, 29 and 30th. They will be home in time for Halloween. No gun legislation is expected currently. Nevertheless, the ISRA will be there.
Emergency Medical Classes Available To ISRA Members
ISRA Academy is please to offer a duel-certificate 8-hour emergency medicine course that is
registered with the IDoH. Firearms instructors and RSOs receive up to 8-hours of continuing education CEU credits for completing this class. The class is open for all ISRA members. The full, one day, 8-hour class runs twice on two consecutive days – on November 8th, or November 9th, from 8am – 5pm.
If you are an ISRA member and reload your own ammunition the ISRA Range has once fired brass for sale. Please contact Mike James at 847-456-3386.
M1 Garand Rifle Raffle
We are also pleased to announce our M1 Garand Expert Rifle Raffle with WWII U.S. Army M1923 M1 Garand rifle cartridge belt. Tickets are $20 per chance, 3 for $50, 8 for $100, etc. The winning ticket will be drawn on November 11, 2025.
One need not be present to win and winner will be notified. Dues &
donations to the ISRA are NOT tax deductible. Winner of firearm must comply with all federal, state, and local laws. You have 90 days from the drawing to claim firearm. Good luck to all!
To Enter online, CLICK HERE , or call the ISRA office for more details at
815-635-3198.
Sighting-In Day Raffle
Once again, we are pleased to announce our “Sighting-In Day” raffle for a Savage Axis II 350 Legend w/scope and other great prizes. Tickets are only
$10 a piece and entering is easy – enter online, by phone or by mail! Entries by mail must be postmarked by October 13, 2025. The drawing is at 1pm on October 21, 2025.
One need not be present to win and winner will be notified. Dues & donations to the ISRA are NOT tax deductible. Winner of firearm must comply with all federal, state, and local
laws. You have 90 days from the drawing to claim firearm. Good luck to all!
ISRA's “250th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War”
Muzzleloader Raffle
We are pleased to offer a Pennsylvania Rifle for the 250th Anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary
War!
The Pennsylvania Rifle, and the people who carried them, played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary War. Their marksmanship was exemplary. Many of the sharpshooters in the Revolutionary War were from Pennsylvania and used Pennsylvania rifles. The most famous of these is Patrick Murphy, who shot and killed British General Patrick Ferguson in the Battle of Kings Mountain. Murphy made the shot, at a range of 300 yards, using his
Pennsylvania Flint Lock Rifle.
One need not be present to win and winner will be notified. Dues & donations to the ISRA are NOT tax deductible. Winner of firearm must comply with all federal, state, and local laws. You have 90 days from the drawing to claim firearm. Good luck to all!
In commemoration of this 250th Anniversary, we’re pleased to offer 5 prizes that
include:
1st Prize: Traditions Pennsylvania Carbine Rifle - .50 Cal Percussion & Midway Deluxe Padded 54" Gun Case
*** Please contact academy@isra.org for any training or class questions and check the ISRA Range for links to dates, times, descriptions of ISRA activities and events.
Upcoming 2025 ISRA State Championships
October 11th (Saturday)- Illinois State Black Powder State Championship
Do not miss out on the ISRA Academy featuring CCL renewals each month.Be sure to pre-register by checking the ISRA Range
Calendar for times/dates and clicking on the event of your choice for more info.
Click here for ISRA Range or call the ISRA Offices for more info at 815-635-3198.
World Shooting and Recreational Complex (WSRC) Events
Located at:1 Main Event Lane, Unit 502-503,
Sparta, IL 62286
Women Only Classes at WSRC October 10 (Friday) “Refuse To Be A Victim” – 5pm - 9pm
October 11 (Saturday) NRA Basic Pistol – 8:30am - 5pm
October 12 (Sunday) NRA Basic Rifle – 8:30am –
5pm
October 2, 1918 – On October 2nd, 1918,
one of the greatest stories on military heroism began to unfold.American General John J. Pershing had been ordered by Supreme Commander Ferdinand Foch to command the Meuse-Argonne Campaign.
American Troops were looked down upon by the European Commanders. The Germans also looked down upon the American troops because they weren't pure. We were everything... Russian, Polish, Irish, English, French, Italian, German,
African, Scandinavian and who knows what else. Many American soldiers were recent immigrants. Americans were described as “mongrels” by the snobby Europeans,
On October 2nd, the U.S. Army's 77th Division, under command the Major Charles Whittlesey, began to attack the German troops in the Argonne Forest. Whittlesey's command was made up of tough New Yorkers who grew up fighting on the streets in their neighborhoods. Covering the 77th's left flank were
seasoned French troops. Their right flank was protected by American troops. The Germans were dug-in and had double lines of trenches. Fighting was ferocious. Unbeknownst to Major Whittlesey, the French troops retreated and the American troops on the right stalled. Communication was poor in those days. Carrier pigeons were the only way to communicate and that was limited by headquarters.
The 77th pressed forward and soon became
isolated. The Germans were having problems with the 77th and deployed storm-troopers equipped with flamethrowers. The Germans launched counter-attack after counter-attack against the tough Americans. Still the Americans fought on. The 77th soon suffered more casualties. The Germans were also suffering heavy casualties. The 77th began to run out of ammunition, food, and water. The Germans could hear the screams and moans of the American troops and pleaded
with them to surrender. The 77th didn't even reply to the Germans. No man wanted to surrender.
As days 3,4, and 5 came, things got tougher. No one knew where the 77th was. Allied artillery, through some miscommunication, began to bombard the 77th. Whittlesey had to get word back to the commanders to stop the artillery barrage. He only had two carrier pigeons left. The first one got shot down by the Germans. The only one left was
named Cher Ami. Soldiers loaded Whittlesey's message to stop the bombardment into Cher Ami's capsule. Cher Ami took off carrying the last hope of the 77th. Quickly, Cher Ami was wounded and fell to the ground. Somehow, the brave little pigeon struggled and took off again, making it to the command center. The artillery stopped and now the allies knew where the 77th was.
Commanders quickly organized troops to rescue the 77th. Airplanes
tried to drop supplies to the Americans, but those supplies fell into German hands. Medical supplies were so low that bandages were taken off dead soldiers and reused on the wounded. Still the 77th fought on. Finally, on the 8th day, American troops made it to the remaining troops of the 77th Division. The 154th Brigade and the 308th infantry broke though, relieving Whittlesey's command.
Major Whittlesey started out with 554 soldiers but, by the time
they were rescued, there were only 197 of them left. Major Whittlesey, 1st Lt. Harold Goettler, 2nd Lt. Edwin Bleckley, Sgt. Benjamin Kaufman, Pvt. Archie Peck, Capt. George McMurtry and Capt. Nelson Holderman were awarded the Medal of Honor. Also, 31 others received Distinguished Service Crosses and Silver Stars. The word spread of the heroism and bravery of the 77th. Doubts about American soldiers gave way to admiration. Even the Germans admired the courage and
fighting spirit of the 77th.
Major Whittlesey was promoted to Lt. Colonel. Later, he was given the honor of being one of the pall-bearers participating at the ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
October 3, 1863 – Abraham Lincoln declares the first official Thanksgiving Day on November 26, 1863. Thanksgiving Day would be moved around for a few decades before
we finally become official on the fourth Thursday of November.
October 4, 1861– Abraham Lincoln watches a balloon ascension. Balloons were used by both sides in the Civil War. It was new technology and, like all new technology, some Generals did not like it because they thought the information garnered was not accurate. Why, I do not know.
October 5, 1775– General George Washington informed the President of the Continental Congress that Dr. Benjamin Church, Surgeon General of the Continental Army, was a British spy. Church was convicted and was exiled to the West Indies. His ship sank along the way, losing all hands. Later, he was sentenced to death but it was too late. Fate had already taken care of him.
October 6, 1926– Babe Ruth sets the World
Series record. The New York Yankees were playing the St. Louis Cardinals and Ruth had three home runs in the game. The Yankees eventually lost the series to the Cardinals. In 1977, Reggie Jackson would become the second player to have three home runs in a single World Series game.
October 8, 1780– Major Patrick Ferguson was shot at 300 yards by American marksman Patrick Murphy. Murphy was from
Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was known for their marksmen in the Revolutionary War. It was said that young boys were taught to shoot before they could walk. That might be stretching it a little.
Murphy fell from his horse, but one foot was still in a stirrup. The horse bolted and dragged Murphy to the American lines. An American soldier approached him and demanded his surrender. Ferguson refused to surrender and shot the soldier. Other
patriot soldiers retaliated against Major Ferguson and shot him on the spot, stripped him naked, urinated on him and buried him in a cow hide. When Ferguson's body was examined, it was found to have eight musket balls in it. The patriots made their point.
October 8, 1918– In another story of heroism in World War I, Corporal Alvin C. York single-handedly kills 23 German soldiers and captures 132 more. York
was ahead of a small detachment near the Muese River. York's feat was accomplished through the use of his superior marksmanship skills.
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.
Oct 4 - 5, 2025 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association – New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
Oct 12, 2025 Kane County
Sportsman's Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL.
Oct 25 – Oct 26, 2025 Belleville Gun & Knife Show, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Belleville, IL.
Oct 25 – Oct 26, 2025 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL.
Nov 1 – Nov 2, 2025 Bloomington Gun &
Knife Show, Interstate Center, Bloomington, IL.
Nov 9, 2025 Kane County Sportsman's Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL.
Nov 22 – Nov 23, 2025 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman's Show, Kankakee County Fairgrounds, Kankakee, IL.
Nov 29 – Nov 30, 2025 Central Illinois Gun Collectors
Association – New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
Nov 29 – Nov 30, 2025 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL.
Dec 6 – Dec 7, 2025 Chillicothe Sportsmen's Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sprotsmen's Club House, Chillicothe, IL.
Dec 14, 2025 Kane County Sportsman's Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles, IL.
Feb 14 – Feb 15, 2026 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association – New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
ISRA Grassroots Monthly Meetings Come and meet fellow activists and learn the latest on protecting our Second Amendment Rights!
Northwest Suburban - 3rd Tues – Golden Corral 591 S Randall Rd, Algonquin, IL
60123 ; 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 Livingston County – 4th Saturday of
the month – South Post Guns, 104 Livingston Rd., Streator, IL; Social Hour 4:30pm – 5:30pm; Meeting 5:30pm – 6:30pm