August 20, 2026
Thursday Bulletin – August 20, 2026
Executive Director’s Message
Richard Pearson
Summary of an article from AmmoLand Editor Duncan Johnson, Aug. 17, 2026.
The lawsuit The Firing Pin, LLC v. James challenges New York’s newly enacted “convertible pistol” ban, which targets semiautomatic handguns designed with a “cruciform trigger bar” that can be altered using common tools to accept a pistol conversion device. Effective May 31, 2027, selling or transferring a covered firearm can expose dealers or gunsmiths to a Class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison and substantial fines. Plaintiffs argue the law effectively aims at Glock and Glock-style handguns by treating them as prohibited based solely on the possibility of illegal conversion—not because the firearms as sold are machine-guns.
Filed August 13 in the Western District of New York, the case—bringing claims under the Second and Fourteenth Amendments—names Attorney General Letitia James, State Police Superintendent Steven James, and three county district attorneys. The complaint contends that Glock-pattern pistols are protected “arms” under the Second Amendment and that New York cannot curtail the right to acquire widely used defensive handguns while leaving existing owners grandfathered. It emphasizes that Glocks are common, have long been in widespread U.S. civilian and police use, and that the specific illegal “Glock switch” device is already separately prohibited under existing federal and state law.
Using the Second Amendment framework established in Heller and Bruen, plaintiffs argue New York lacks the required historical tradition of firearm regulation to justify a ban on ordinary, lawfully functioning handguns based on hypothetical illegal modification. They are asking the federal court to strike the law down and block enforcement, framing the measure as an unconstitutional handgun ban in practice.
To view the full article, CLICK HERE.
The ISRA applauds the SAF in their continued efforts as we continue to support 2A rights in Illinois and beyond! To join us in the fight, CLICK HERE.
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A Message From NRA Board Member Todd Vandermyde
ISRA Members —
Last year I was elected to a one year term on the NRA BoD, which means I have to run again this year. Over the last year, we have begun to make improvements to NRA operations. But we are not done yet. Being from Illinois, a large part of my focus in on helping those behind the “blue” wall or “enemy” lines. It is going to take some work to do as getting an organization this big to change directions is akin to turning the 7th fleet.
But, with your help, I can qualify for the ballot and, with your vote, I can earn a full 3 year term. I believe the NRA is an organization that can be saved and turned into the 8oo pound gorilla of the gun rights movement. But it is going to take a few more people who want to see real change at the NRA to make that happen.
So, if you are an NRA voting member and would take a few minutes of your time and fill out the petition at the link below, I would appreciate it.
Please CLICK HERE to sign my petition.
Thank you,
Todd Vandermyde
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ISSF Announces Former Shooting Competitions Added Back Into 2027 World Championships
The International Sport Shooting Federation (ISSF) is the world governing body for shooting sports. They have announced that three former competitions will be added back into the 2027 World Championships.
The 300 meter high power rifle competition, which was once part of the Olympic Games, will be added, as well as the 50 meter moving target competition. The 50 meter moving target, known as “Running Boar”, was practiced by European hunt clubs and was added into the Olympic Games years ago. The competition was stopped because the target was a picture of an actual running boar with scoring rings super imposed on it. The target design offended some people with tender sensibilities. I assume the competition will now just use a simple scoring rings target. The last addition will be a 10 meter moving target using a air rifle.
When I was at the Olympic Training Center years ago, they were shooting the 10 meter moving target. I shot it once or twice; it was both fun and difficult. Hopefully, these competitions will make it back into the Olympic Games.
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My Two Cents – The Story of Winchester Continued…..
During WWI, the need for marksmanship training became evident. It’s true that there were great American marksmen in WWI. Stories like that of Sargent Alvin C. York and the Marines at Belleau Wood made the headlines but, despite those accounts, most of the American soldiers couldn’t hit a bull in the butt with a base fiddle if they were leaning on the tail! Most of the recruits had never shot a gun and, if they did, they had no training. This was not a new problem.
Generals like William Tecumseh Sherman, Ambrose T. Burnside, Phillip Sheridan, and others, saw the lack of training during the Civil War. Burnside was one of the founders of the National Rifle Association, with the purpose of promoting marksmanship. General Phillip Sheridan became the commander of the United States Army and, in 1884, issued general order 12 which promoted marksmanship throughout the United States Army. Theodore Roosevelt saw the same problem. He learned just that in his quest for expert marksmen for the Rough Riders. Recruits, particularly from cities, had no training or experience and, as the United States became more and more urbanized, the problem grew. Marksmanship training takes time and can’t be taught in a couple of days.
When WWI was over, soldiers came home with an understanding of the importance of good marksmanship. A good marksman often turned the tide of battle and was far safer himself. The resulting interest in marksmanship grew among the adult population, as well as the junior (under 18) population.
At the time, most target rifles were single shot of the rolling block or falling black varieties. Soldiers coming back from WWI were used to shooting bolt action, magazine fed, 1903 Springfields or 1917 Enfields. Employing several former military officers, Winchester took advantage of their expertise and interest in a well-trained civilian population to design new guns for training new shooters. They pushed Winchester to come up with a good, adult-sized .22 target rifle. They wanted the new rifle to be the epitome of accuracy. Winchester was determined to design an entirely new quality target rifle from the ground up.
More on Winchester’s history to come…..
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Litigation Update
Right now, we are in one of those nail-biting quiet times as far as litigation goes. Stuff is happening, but we just can’t see it.
The 72 hour waiting period lawsuit (Pearlstein v Raoul) is moving along and, in addition, we have filed a Notice of Appeal in the Daycare lawsuit (Miller v Meuller). We are also working on an amicus brief in Varimontes v Raoul lawsuit (Cook County semi-auto and magazine ban) which is now being considered by the Supreme Court of the United States. That does not mean they will hear the lawsuit, but they are talking about it. The Supreme Court is not in session until October.
We will keep you apprised of any other movement on litigation as we become aware of it.
To donate to the ISRA to help us continue the fight for Second Amendment rights,
Thank you for standing with the ISRA as we defend the rights of law-abiding Illinois gun owners!
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Legislative Update
Veto session is on the way and we are waiting. We will keep you apprised of any news on legislation as we become aware of it
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The up-coming 2026 veto session dates for the Illinois Senate are:
November 17th, 18th, 19th and December 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
You can find downloadable PDF versions of the House calendar HERE and the Senate calendar HERE to view all the legislative session deadlines.
The ISRA maintains a list of the most important bills under consideration in the Illinois State Legislature; the most current list is always the ISRA Legislation Page. Click and follow along!
Thank you for standing with the ISRA and for defending the rights of law-abiding Illinois gun owners.
Not an ISRA member? Join the ISRA and support 2A rights in Illinois – CLICK HERE.
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The ISRA Range Has Classes, Leagues, Special Events And More!
We offer 18 different shooting leagues. Some are weekly and some are monthly, and all of them are fun. There is no better place to learn new things and for camaraderie while you improve on your marksmanship skills. It’s a great place for you to shoot!
For more info on Classes, Leagues, Special Events and more, go to the ISRA Range Calendar – CLICK HERE.
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ISRA Town Hall Monthly Meetings
Come and meet fellow activists and learn the latest on protecting our Second Amendment Rights!
Livingston County – 4th Tuesday of the month – This meeting is being reorganized to better engage area ISRA members. More information will be posted when available.
Madison County – 1st Wednesday of the month – Piasa Armory, 625 Lewis and Clark Blvd., East Alton, IL; Doors open at 6:15pm; Meeting starts at 6:30pm
Northwest Suburban – 3rd Tuesday of the month – Algonquin/Dundee area – This meeting is being reorganized to better engage area ISRA members. More information will be posted when available.
South Suburban/Cook County – 2nd Thursday of the month – Papa Joe’s Italian Restaurant, 14459 LaGrange Rd, Orland Park, IL; Doors open 6:00pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm
Will County – 3rd Wednesday of the month – Silver Dollar Restaurant, 422 E. Mississippi Ave., Elwood, IL; Doors open 6pm; Meeting 7pm – 8pm
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“Money can only buy happiness if you spend it on freedom.
Join the ISRA today.” ~ Richard Pearson
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The ISRA M1 Garand Online Raffle
Includes: WWII U.S. Army M1923 M1 Garand Rifle Cartridge Belt
M1 Garand Raffle Order Form (PDF)
Ticket prices:
1 Ticket – $20
3 Tickets – $50
8 Tickets – $100
25 Tickets – $250
60 Tickets – $500
Link to M1 Garand Raffle Order Form
Please Read The Fine print:
Official Rules
The Illinois State Rifle Association is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, donations to Illinois State Rifle Association are not tax-deductible. Prize must be claimed within 90 days of drawing.
For other questions or information on this raffle, contact:
ISRA – PO Box 637 – Chatsworth, IL 60921
(815)635.3198 or E-Mail: member@isra.org
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“I am frequently asked if the ISRA sells our membership list. The answer is absolutely not.” ~ Richard Pearson
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Education & Training @ ISRA Range, Bonfield, IL.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to start time.
*Every Thursday (unless otherwise noted) ISRA Precision Air Pistol Training – Range 12 & Clubhouse – 5:30pm – 7:00pm
September 5 – 6 (Sat, Sun) NRA Basic Pistol/CCL – Classroom/Range 8 & Clubhouse/Range 11 – 8:00am – 5:30pm
September 5 (Sat) Range Work Day – 8:00am – 4:00pm
September 11, 12, 13 (Fri,Sat, Sun) 3-Day Comprehensive Instructor Development for the Dedicated Woman Firearms Instructor – Clubhouse & Range 11 – 9:00am – 5:00pm
*** Please contact academy@isra.org for any training or class questions and check the ISRA Range Calendar for links to dates, times, descriptions of ISRA activities and events.
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ISRA Members: To view the
Illinois Shooter – Summer 2026, click HERE.
If you would like to donate to us, please CLICK HERE.
Thank you for your support!
GET IN THE FIGHT, STAY IN THE FIGHT, JOIN THE ISRA
To Join the ISRA, CLICK HERE.
The Illinois State Rifle Association
is the home of marksmanship in Illinois
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Super Tidbit
When people talk about the Revolutionary War, they always point out the seemingly insurmountable problems the patriots faced, and there were many. There were some advantages also, one being the American Rifleman.
Gunsmiths from the area that we call modern-day Germany brought the Jäger rifle to North America in the early 1700s. By 1740, they had refined the Jäger rifle, which was short and large in caliber, to meet the needs of the frontiersmen of North America. It became the Pennsylvania Rifle, which was slimmer, longer, smaller in caliber, and very accurate. If you were a frontiersman, you protected and fed yourself and your family by living off wild game. If you missed your shot, someone was going to go hungry. Frontiersmen loved to shoot. Marksmanship contests, known as frolics or rifle frolics, were a big deal. It was said the children in western Pennsylvania were good shots by the age of 5. Of course, western Pennsylvania wasn’t the only place where excellent riflemen were grown; it happened all along the American frontier. When these men were in a battle, they made all the difference.
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George Washington asked Daniel Morgan to organize companies of American riflemen to fight the British. Morgan was more than happy to do so, probably remembering the 500 lashes the British military had sentenced him to years before. A soldier with a musket was considered an expert marksman if he could hit a 4-foot by 4-foot target at 100 yards. To qualify for Morgan’s Rifles, a shooter had to hit a 7-inch plate at 250 yards—a huge difference. Morgan’s riflemen, although comparatively few in number, harassed the British military throughout the Revolutionary War. The first of three major battles where American riflemen made a huge difference was at the Battle of Saratoga. The Battle of Saratoga was actually two battles; the Battle of Freeman’s Farm and the Battle of Bemis Heights. Morgan and his riflemen, in fact, saved the Revolution.
British General John “Gentlemen Johnny” Burgoyne was assigned to cut the colonies in half so the British Army could finish them off one by one. The Continental Army was under the command of Benedict Arnold and General Horatio Gates. Assigned to their command was Colonel Daniel Morgan and his riflemen. Morgan’s riflemen began picking off the British scouts, sentries, and, most importantly, British officers.
British General Simon Fraser was one of the most able commanders in the British Army. At the Battle of Freeman’s Farm, Benedict Arnold asked Colonel Morgan to pick off Fraser. Morgan assigned Timothy Murphy to do the job. Murphy climbed a tree and took careful aim at Fraser, who was on horseback. Murphy missed twice, but the third shot struck Fraser, killing him. Later, in another part of the Battle of Saratoga, Bemis Heights, British General Burgoyne became the target of Morgan’s riflemen. Several shots tore his clothing, but none struck him. General Burgoyne got the message and decided to call the whole thing off. Burgoyne noted that the world had changed. Armed citizens were not going to be pushed around by the ruling class. He surrendered his army a few days later, giving the Americans a decisive victory that convinced the French to support the American cause.
The Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780 is the only battle in which the American troops used mostly rifles. The frontiersman’s rifle were not designed for bayonets. Knives and tomahawks were used by the riflemen. At the battle of Kings Mountain, American rifles numbered 950 and British regulars numbered 1100. The British held the high ground so the Americans had to fight uphill. It was a contest of muskets and bayonets vs rifles. The Americans fought tree to tree, pouring accurate rifle into the British troops. Although being driven back twice by bayonet charges, they simply regrouped and attacked again. The British Commander was Major Patrick Ferguson who died after being stuck with eight rifle balls. The British lost the whole command with 244 killed, 164 wounded and 668 surrendering. British General Cornwallis had planned to invade North Carolina, but his entire left flank was now gone. He abandoned the invasion. The Patriots now had time to reorganize.
In 1781, at the Battle of Cowpens, American riflemen once again made the difference. Cowpens wasn’t a cow pen; it was just a nasty, muddy swamp that earned the name Cowpens. The battle was similar to the one depicted in the movie The Patriot. The British suffered an 86% casualty rate, leaving the British Army in shreds, and retreated to Yorktown where they surrendered.
Although they only made up 5% of the Continental Army, American riflemen had turned the tide and insured freedom.
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Tidbits
August 20, 1911 – The New York Times sends a telegram around the world in 16 minutes. It shows how far technology had come in only 50 years. The next century, technology exploded exponentially. We see this every day in our lives, but whether this turns out for good or bad, it all depends on us.
August 21, 1858 – The first of the Lincoln – Douglas debates begins in Ottawa, IL. The Lincoln – Douglas debates would often draw 15,000 or more people. The debates dealt with the issue of slavery in the United States. Douglas lost the debates but won the election of 1858. But, in 1860, Abraham Lincoln would rise to the top because of the debates, become the Presidential candidate for the new, reformed Republican Party and, eventually, become President
The first national debate in Ottawa, Illinois, benefiting from access to two rivers and the railroad system, increased the event’s national significance and drew more attendees from the traveling public.
August 22, 1776 – The British land 20,000 troops on Long Island. The Revolutionary War is about to begin. Memo to the British…you are about to battle a people who are going to show up and fight with rags around their bloody feet because they have no shoes, who are hungry, who are oppressed and who yearn for freedom. You are about to battle Americans. Our rations may be meager but they are seasoned with whoop-ass.
August 23, 1865 – Alan Pinkerton, head of the newly formed Secret Service, arrests Confederate Rose Greenhow. Greenhow had passed information to Confederate General Pierre Beauregard on the deployment of Union General McDowell’s troops before the first battle of Bull Run. Greenhow was exiled to the South. She continued to support the Confederacy, traveling to England and France to raise money for the southern cause.
On September 18, 1864, a Southern ship was intercepted by a Northern war vessel and was run aground. It is said that Greenhow filled her lifeboat with gold as she attempted to flee and her boat sank, drowning her. She wasn’t the only effective female spy the South employed. They all played a significant role in the Civil War.
August 23, 79 A.D. – Mount Vesuvius erupts, devastating many cities in Southern Italy. Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed. Thousands were covered in volcanic ash. If you ever get to Italy, visiting those locations is certainly worthwhile. Been there, done that.
August 24, 1814 – British troops set fire to the White House. The White House was ransacked. Dolly Madison, as she ran from the burning building, stopped to save George Washington’s portrait. OK British…we still have a can of whoop-ass on the shelf for you. I think we’ll open it in New Orleans…..
August 25, 1939 – The “Wizard of OZ” opens in U.S. theaters. The movie was based on a 1900 children’s book called “The Wonderful Wizard of OZ” by L. Frank Baum. The film made use of a new colorizing technique for film called Technicolor. Awed audiences applauded the scene where the heroine stepped from the black and white world of her home into the dreamworld of OZ shown in beautiful, dazzling color. Before this milestone day, all movies were only in black and white.
August 26, 1939 – The first Major League baseball game is televised. The game was between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in New York. It was a double-header. Dodgers won the first game and Cincinnati won the second.
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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. 19 – Sept. 20, 2026 Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club House, Chillicothe, IL.
Sept. 19, 2026 National Civil War, Military, and Collector Arms Show, DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton, IL.
Oct. 3 – 4, 2026 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association – New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
Oct. 17 – 18, 2026 Kankakee Gun & Sportsmans Show, Kankakee Fairgrounds, Kankakee, IL.
Oct. 24 – 25, 2026 Belleville Gun & Knife Show, Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, Belleville, IL.
Oct. 24 – 25, 2026 Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL.
Nov. 7 – 8, 2026 Bloomington Gun & Knife Show, Interstate Center, Bloomington, IL.
Nov. 21 – 22, 2026 Kankakee Gun & Sportsmans Show, Kankakee Fairgrounds, Kankakee, IL.
Nov. 28 – 29, 2026 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association – New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
Nov. 28 – 29, 2026 Sauk Trail Gun Collectors Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton, IL.
Dec. 5 – Dec. 6, 2026 Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club House, Chillicothe, IL.
Dec. 12 – 13, 2026 Kankakee Gun & Sportsmans Show, Kankakee Fairgrounds, Kankakee, IL.
Feb. 13 – 14, 2027 Central Illinois Gun Collectors Association – New Berlin Gun Show, Sangamon County Fairgrounds, New Berlin, IL.
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Stand Strong &
Thank you for being a member!
– Richard Pearson
If you are not an ISRA member, join TODAY!
Donate: isra.org/support-us/
Visit: isra.org/
Upcoming Meetings: isra.org/isra-activities-and-events/
Upcoming Range Events: isra.org/the-range/#range-calendar
PO Box 637
420 E Locust St
Chatsworth Illinois 60921
USA
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