Due to the coronavirus threat, the Secretary of State’s office has cancelled all events at the Illinois State Capitol including Illinois Gun Owner Lobby Day (IGOLD) which was to be held on April 1, 2020.  We have tentatively rescheduled IGOLD for Wednesday, May 13^th, 2020.  We regret any inconvenience caused by this cancellation.  We will keep you updated.  The IGOLD raffle drawing will still take place on April 14^th.  Please forward this Thursday Bulletin to everyone you know so everybody is informed.

Legislative Session has been cancelled for next week (March 16-20, 2020).  March 24^th, 2020, is the next time the General Assembly will be in session, as far as we know.  Right now, we are tracking 259 gun bills.  There are also an untold number of shell bills we are watching that could become reality in a very short period of time, even as little as a couple of hours. We will be very busy the rest of the session.

I am really excited about the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) bringing the Rifle Marksmanship 101 Training Course to the ISRA Range.  The class will be held on September 26^th and 27^th at the ISRA Range in Bonfield (near Kankakee).  This class is taught by the Army Marksmanship Unit.  The course description and online registration can be found HERE .  The cost is only $90 and the ISRA is including lunch for both days.  If you have special dietary needs you will need to make your own lunch arrangements.  Please sign up today.  Visit the ISRA website for hotel information.

Next Tuesday, March 17^th, is the Illinois Primary Election.  The other states that have primaries that day are Florida, Ohio and Arizona.  Illinois will have 155 Democrat delegates at stake and 67 Republican delegates at stake.  The Republican delegates are moot because we have an incumbent President in the White House.  The down ballot races are very important however.

Joe Biden has willingly walked into the clutches of Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown anti-gun front group.  In fact, not only has he been endorsed by Everytown, he will undoubtedly be on the receiving end of some of the $60,000,000 they have pledged to support anti-gun candidates.  This does not count the other financial support that Michael Bloomberg is willing to throw into the 2020 General Elections.

Adding to the clarity of Biden’s anti-gun position is his response to a Michigan auto worker’s question about gun control.  Biden came unglued on video for all to see.  What was cut from most videos was the crowd who erupted and chanted Trump, Trump, Trump.  Nevertheless, this is a dangerous time for American firearm owners.

My guess is that Joe Biden will sew up the Democrat nomination for President on April 28^th, 2020, when New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island and Maryland have their primaries.  Looking over the cabinet picks Joe Biden is suggesting if he is elected, it would be a nightmare for gun owners.  The cabinet would be full of nuts which would make every squirrel in the Country happy, not to mention our enemies overseas.

Friday, March 13^th, is the anniversary of the Army’s formation of the K-9 Corps in 1942.  It is amazing how much man’s best friend role has expanded in both military and civilian police and rescue since then.  As an admitted dog lover, the relationship between dogs and man has always been interesting to me.  The best explanation I ever found came from the Indians around the Grand Canyon and is as follows: One day a great crack began to appear in the earth.  All the animals except man jumped to one side of the crack.  Man was too frail to jump the crack.  The dog, seeing man’s plight, jumped back so man would not be alone.  Dogs and man have been together ever since.  Makes perfect sense.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc has announced that the Mark 5HD Rifle scope has been selected as the day optic for the Army’s Precision Sniper Rifle program.  The Leupold 5HD is a 5-25X56mm scope.  It will be used on the new Barrett multi caliber platform rifle which includes calibers 7X51, 300 Norma Magnum and 338 Norma Magnum.  It sounds like the bad guys better stay further away.

Active permit holders as of 3/11/2020:
FOID card – 2,214,323
ICCL permits – 332,685

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

ISRA Air Rifle League
Tuesdays – 8:00-5:00

ISRA International Air Pistol League
Every other Wednesday – 8:00-5:00

AR15 Maintenance Class
Saturday, March 14, 2020

Defensive Tactics for Concealed Carry Level I
Saturday, March 21, 2020

2020 Illinois State Indoor Precision Pistol Championship – Elgin, IL
Saturday & Sunday, March 21 & 22, 2020

IDNR Hunter Safety Class
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Saturday, March 28, 2020

2020 Illinois State Indoor Precision Pistol Championship – Highland, IL
The Well Armed Woman
Sunday, March 29, 2020

Gun & Trade Shows

Aledo Gun & Knife Show
Mercer County Fairgrounds – Aledo, IL
Dates: March 14 & 15, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Belleville Gun & Knife Show
Belle-Clair Expo Center – Belleville, IL
Dates: March 14 & 15, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $6.00

GAT GUNS Factory Shoot
Dates: March 14 & 15, 2020

Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show
Kankakee County Fairgrounds – Kankakee, IL
Dates: March 14 & 15, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

McHenry County Gun Show
McHenry County Fairgrounds – Woodstock, IL
Date: March 15, 2020
Hours: Sunday: 8:00-1:00
Admission: $5.00

Peoria Gun & Knife Show
Exposition Gardens – Peoria, IL
Dates: March 21 & 22, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

PVSA Gun/Sportsman Show
Kendall County Fairgrounds – Yorkville, IL
Date: March 22, 2020
Hours: Sunday: 8:00-1:00
Admission: $5.00

Crown Point Gun Show
Lake County Fairgrounds – Crown Point, IN
Dates: March 28 & 29, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Decatur Gun & Knife Show
Decatur Conference Center & Hotel – Decatur, IL
Dates: March 28 & 29, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Sauk Trail Gun Show
Bureau County Fairgrounds – Princeton, IL
Dates: March 28 & 29, 2020
Hours: Saturday: 8:30-4:00
             Sunday: 8:30-3:00
Admission: $2.00

Kane County Sportsman’s Show
Kane County Fairgrounds – St Charles, IL
Date: March 29, 2020
Hours: Sunday – 7:30-1:30
Admission: $7.00

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