Last weekend, September 10th and 11th, was one of the ISRA’s busiest weekends at the ISRA Range in Bonfield.  The 86th State Smallbore Championship had 36 competitors; Massod Ayoob’s MAG 80 class had 20 participants and the ISRA Women’s Precision Pistol Team had 7 in attendance.  The ISRA State F-Class Championship was held at the Aurora Sportsmen’s Club and had 40 competitors.  With all the coaches, scorers, and Range Officers, over 200 people were involved.  This does not count the shooters who were at the range to practice.

I want to thank the Aurora Sportsmen’s Club for being such great hosts for the F-Class Championship.  I think all the events went very well.  The reason for this is the volunteers who helped put on each event. Thank you everyone!

Also, last weekend, Mother Nature gave us a wakeup call with cooler temperatures and very wet conditions.  She was reminding us that Fall is just around the corner.  Harvest is about to begin which means the deer are going to be kicked out of their summer home while scampering out in front of your vehicle at the most inopportune moments, so be careful.

The clock is relentlessly ticking away counting down the time to the midterm elections.  Candidates are getting more concerned about their election, so it looks like the threatened Special Sessions on Firearms are not going to happen.  We will have a couple of Veto Sessions.  I don’t think much will happen in the Veto Sessions, but you never really know so we will be there.  The real danger will come after the midterm elections in the “Lame Duck Session“.  The Lame Duck Session happens anytime between the midterm elections and the seating of the new General Assembly.  The new General Assembly will be seated at noon on January 11th, 2023.  In the past, we have seen attempts to ram through anti-gun legislation at the last second.  I expect the same shenanigans this year.

This election, like all elections, is critically important.  Be sure you are registered to vote.  Early voting starts Wednesday, October 19th.  Be sure to make plans when you can vote.  If you travel, are planning for a surgery, going on vacation, or for any other reason why you can’t vote on Election Day, be sure to make plans on how and when to vote.  Every vote counts.  If you don’t vote, you have just given an anti-gun candidate an advantage.

On the litigation front, lawsuits against anti-gun ordinances are popping up everywhere.  The National Organization for Gun Rights has filed lawsuits against the Naperville and Highland Park ordinances.  Across the nation, the Second Amendment Foundation, Firearms Policy Coalition, and state groups are busy preparing lawsuits and filing them when the opportunity arises.  The ISRA is busy working on two or three right now.

While all these lawsuits do a lot of good, they are expensive.  None of the pro-gun groups have the backing of billionaires like the anti-gun groups have.  We have to make it on donations.  Speaking of donations, the ISRA 119th Anniversary Commemorative Coin and Raffle is coming up.  By the time you read this, some of you may have it in your mailbox.  This is our primary fundraiser of the year.

Please purchase your commemorative coin and raffle ticket.  Be generous, this is going to be an expensive battle.

The International Organization for Standardization, located In Geneva, Switzerland, is an international not for profit that sets standards for businesses.  Commonly, we see signs indicating some company or other has complied with ISO 9001 standards, for example.  They also set standard procedures for credit cards.  They have developed a merchant code to track the sales of firearms and ammunition.  This is supposed to help track illegal firearm and ammunition sales which of course is hogwash.  Last time I looked, international arms dealers, drug cartels, street gangs and other such operations didn’t take credit cards; they use cash, bales of it.  The real target is people like you and me.  I have zero use for these financial jerks.  If the financial jerks are foreigners, I have even less use for them.

Here In the United States, the high mucky muck of the Amalgamated Bank One, Pricilla Sims Brown, claims this will reduce gun trafficking and mass shootings.  Of course, she was quoted all over the place.  The Amalgamated Bank is operated by a bunch of left-wing lulus who support all kinds of left-wing causes.  They are located at 275 7th Avenue, in New York City.  I suggest we all start using cash whenever we can.

One of my favorite sources of information is Dr. John Lott’s Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC).  The CPRC states the FBI under-reports the number of times an armed citizen stops mass shootings.  According to the FBI, that number is 4.4%.  The CPRC reports that number is really 14.6%.  The CPRC also reports that 90% of the mass shootings occur in gun free zones.  In gun friendly zones, the number of times an armed citizen stops the mass shootings soars to 40%.  This also clearly points out that criminals prefer gun free zones.  The unwitting do-gooder politicians and hoplophobic citizens enable the criminal element and inadvertently become partners with them and their evil deeds.

Illinois State Rifle Association 2022 Marksmanship 101 Rifle and Pistol M16 & M9 Match:

The CMP will be holding a travel Rifle and Pistol Marksmanship 101 Class at the Illinois State Rifle Association on Saturday, October 1 and Sunday, October 2, 2022.  The location is 1589 North 7000 West Rd. Bonfield, Illinois 60913.  Classes are held at the same time; you will need to choose Rifle or Pistol.

Rifle 101 will be a two-day class, with day one consisting of classroom instruction, range training, and practice.  Day two will be the firing of an M16 match, fired on Kongsberg Electronic targets.  The cost for Rifle 101 is $95.00 for adults and $85.00 for juniors.

Pistol 101 will be one day with classroom instruction, range training and practice, followed by firing of an M9 match.  The cost for Pistol 101 is $95.00 for adults and $85.00 for juniors.

CMP will be providing Rifles, Pistols and ammunition.  Competitors should bring the following if they have them: Mats, scopes, jackets, safety glasses etc.  Check in will begin at 7:00AM for Rifle & Pistol Saturday, October 1, 2022, and Class will begin at 8:00AM.

Lunch will be provided; if you have dietary restrictions, we ask that you bring your own lunch.

CMP is conducting seated (classroom) Range Officer Level II – Highpower Rifle and Bulls-Eye Pistol classes on Friday, September 30, 2022.  Rifle 8:00AM-Noon – Pistol 1:00PM-3:00PM.

You must complete Range Officer Level I Online Course before taking Level II.  Currently, registration is only open for the Range Officer Level I Course.  For information, contact Amy at acantu@thecmp.org or Kim at kfilipiak@thecmp.org.

The ISRA Annual Sighting-In-Day at the Range will be held on October 15th from 10:00-3:00, rain or shine.  Come out to the Range and sight-in your shotgun, rifle, pistol, muzzleloader or bow.  Archery is available also.  $10.00 per firearm or bow includes targets for rifles, handguns, muzzleloaders, shotgun slugs, shotguns and bows.  No ammunition is available on premises.  Open to public and free parking.