Richard Pearson

Today, the Biden Administration will initiate actions in regard to what they term, ”the gun violence epidemic”. Translated this means they will attack legal firearms owners and their firearms.  High on the list will be ARs with arm braces and 80 % finished receivers that allow individuals to make their own firearms. These are referred to using the scary term “ghost guns”.  For the record, criminals do not make their own guns, they steal them or obtain them by illegal means.  As for those who use arm braces many disabled shooters use arm braces.  Other agenda items include Model Red Flag Laws, calling on the Justice Department to issue annual reports on gun trafficking and the nomination of David Chapman as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.  Chapman Is a devout anti gunner and is senior policy advisor to the Gifford’s gun prohibition group. This nomination puts law abiding gun owners in the crosshairs.  The battle is coming.

While Joe Biden and the minions on the anti-gun left are pushing their gun control agenda, the American public isn’t drinking the Kool Aid.  In a recent Rasmussen Survey, 64% of the American public does not believe mass shootings will decrease under Joe Biden’s draconian gun control scheme.  The widely reported shooting in Colorado caused the anti-gun left’s message to be blasted over the airwaves by the obedient lame stream media.  A few years ago, some other miscreant tried the same thing in a big box store in Colorado but beat a hasty retreat when no less than six legal concealed carry permit holders drew on the guy.  He immediately thought better of his ideas..  Strangely, the lame stream media didn’t pay much attention to that story.  As I often point out, when bad stuff happens, the only people there are the intended victims and the perpetrator.  Iowa and Tennessee bring the number of states to 17 that require no permit to carry.   As I have said, I believe that by the end of the year there will be between 35 and 40 million Americans legally carrying in the United States.  I am not sure how this will affect the midterm elections in 2022 but it will certainly have some influence on the outcome.

The number of NICS background checks in March reached 4,691,738, a new record.  The number of firearms purchased was 2.2 million.  The number of firearm sales was the second highest for any March.  Background checks continue to climb because of the increasing number of people applying for 
Concealed Carry permits across the United States.  There are other states that require other types of permits similar to the FOID card.  Other states, like Iowa and Arkansas, are moving toward No Permit Carry or Permit-less Carry.  I am sure by the end of the year there maybe 35 to 40 million people legally carrying in the United States.  Firearm sales for March were down 15% from last year.  Once again, I contribute this drop to a lack of firearms on store shelves.  Ammunition remains hard to find with isolated availability here and there.  When ammunition does become available, the price is high but it still seems to sell.

Last week the NYPD boastfully tweeted about taking a gun off the streets of New York City. The chest pounding made everyone think they had seized a sub machine gun or an artillery piece.  Nope, it was an RG six shot .22 revolver with only five cartridges. For those who don’t remember the RGs they were in the running for the worst revolvers ever made. They were junk when they were new and further deteriorated over time, often the cylinders would crack after a few shots. They were best used as a blank firing starters pistol.  One person replied to their tweet by saying “Thank you for arresting this gun. I know it is too hard to arrest criminals.”  In the past the NYPD was famous for shooting at a man 41 times from between four and six feet.  They hit him three times. Maybe the NYPD should be issued RGs.

Next week the Illinois General Assembly returns, session starts on Tuesday, April 13. Usually, the General Assembly has dealt with about one third of the purposed legislation by this time. That is not true this year, things are still gummed up because of the COVID-19 situation. Right now there are only 34 session days left until the May 31 adjournment.  That means if, and when, things break loose it is going to be a little crazy.  It is certainly possible that there may be Special Sessions in the summer. 

On April 20 there is supposed to be a subject matter hearing on gun bills in the Illinois House. Things could move fast after that.  I would tune up my witness slip skills and get my legislator’s contact information lined up and ready to go.  Please go to the ISRA website and refresh yourself using the ISRA videos.  We will keep you up to date.

A new bill has just popped up, HB2769.  Since this is a shell bill you will need to look at Amendment #1 to get the details.  You can do that by going to the ilga.gov website and look under Bills and Resolutions. The purpose is to fund a police micro stamping experiment.  This is a complete waste of time and money.  This bill is presently in the House Rules Committee and has not been assigned to any committee for hearing as of yet. 

I would like to remind everyone to get their order in for the ISRA Memorial Brick project.  There are forms in the Spring Illinois Shooter or you can email laura@isra.org.  If you have questions please call Laura at 815-635-3198 between 9am and 4pm Monday thru Friday.

Happy 100th Birthday to Finnish gun maker Sako firearms. They began by refurbishing Mosin-Nagant rifles that were used in WW I.  They then began making them on their own.  Those rifles did a fine job as the Russians found out when they invaded Finland. They are noted for their strong bolt actions and have manufactured bolt actions for Weatherby.

The Midwest Training Group (MTG) is holding three one-day classes at the ISRA Range which only requires 300 rounds of ammo for each class.  The first class is a Low Light Shooting class on Friday evening, May 14; the second is Intro to Defensive Shooting on Saturday, May 15; and Mastering the Revolver on Sunday, May 16.  These are all introductory classes, but even if you have had similar classes before, you will always learn something.  You can contact the MTG group at the following: andy1911@imaxmail.net or visit midwesttraininggroup.net. 

Tidbits:
April 8, 1805 - Lewis and Clark leave to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase.  More about that below.

April 9, 1942 - Major General Edward P. King surrender Bataan and the Philippines to the Japanese.
There were 12,000 American troops and 66,000 Filipino troops who surrendered.  Remember the Philippines was a United States possession at the time.  They simply had no food or ammunition left.  Shortly thereafter the Bataan Death March begins. About 500 Americans and 5,000 Filipino troops died on the 55 mile Death March.  They were not given food or water.  Filipino citizens tried to help them by giving them food or water.  Those citizens were beaten or killed.  If a soldier stumbled they were beaten to death of bayoneted to death.  Of those that reached the prison camps another 1000 Americans died along with 12,000 Filipinos before the end of the war.  The survivors of the Death March and prison camps were often scared for their life. I knew one of the survivors who suffered from bouts of stuttering till the end of his life.  The Japanese officer in charge of the death March was hanged as a war criminal in 1946.

April 9, 1865 - Robert E. Lee surrenders effectively ending the American Civil War.

April 10, 1953 - The first color 3-D film is released by Warner Brothers. It was a horror film, “The House of Wax” starring Vincent Price.

April 11, 1803 - French Foreign Minister Maurice de Talleyrand offers to sell Louisiana Territory to the United States.  Napoleon Bonaparte knew it would be impossible to develop the Louisiana Territory because of the British Navy.  He also knew that if France lost the war with the British it would become British Territory.  He did not want that to happen so he sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States. Napoleon said “The sale (of the Louisiana Territory) forever assures the power of the United States.”  Later Napoleon wrote” I have given England a rival that will sooner or later humble their pride.”  Napoleon was right.   

April 12, 1954 - Bill Haley and the Comets record “Rock Around the Clock” and Rock n’ Roll is here to stay.

April 13, 1861 - Union Troops surrender Fort Sumpter and the American Civil War begins.  One of the Union’s Captains in charge of the Union artillery was Abner Doubleday who was credited with starting baseball. 

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

Saturday, April 10, 2021
Spring Fling Air Rifle Match

Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Tuesday Afternoon Indoor Air Gun Open Practice
ISRA Indoor Air Gun Open Practice

Wednesday, April 14 & 21, 2021
Combat Paper & Steel League

Saturday, April 17, 2021
Project Appleseed
Hard Dog Junior Team at the Range

Sunday, April 18, 2021
Project Appleseed
Marksmanship League
ISRA Bullseye Match
Joe Brown Highpower League/Joe Brown Match

Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Tuesday Night Irregular Rifle League

Wednesday, April 21 & 28, 2021
ISRA Benchrest League

Saturday, April 24, 2021
Triple Threat Defense LLC Defensive Tactics for Concealed Carry – Level 1
The Well-Armed Woman
Back to Basics Holster Drawing Concealed Carry

Sunday, April 25, 2021
Handgun Drills
Intro Carbine

Gun & Trade Shows

Gun & Knife Show – Chillicothe, IL
Chillicothe Sportsman Club
Dates: April 10 & 11, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 8:30-4:30
             Sunday: 8:30-3:30
Admission: $2.00

Crown Point Gun Show – Crown Point, IN
Lake County Fairground
Dates: April 10 & 11, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 9:00-5:00
             Sunday: 9:00-3:00
Admission: $5.00

Will County Gun Show – Peotone, IL
Will County Fairgrounds
Dates: April 17 & 18, 2021
Hours: Saturday: 8:00-3:00
             Sunday: 8:00-2:00
Admission: $6.00

McHenry County Gun Show – Woodstock, IL
McHenry County Fairgrounds
Date: April 18, 2021
Hours: Sunday: 8:00-1:00
Admission: $5.00







































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