March 31, 2024
It is with deep regret & sadness that I must inform everyone that James Vinopal, past president of the ISRA, lobbyist for the ISRA, mentor and guardian for the ISRA, passed away on March 19, 2024, at age 96. Jim Vinopal fought for gun rights in Illinois for more than 70 years. Every gun owner in this state, whether they know it or not, owes him a debt of gratitude, so great that it can never be repaid.
Jim Vinopal represented the Illinois State Rifle Association on the U.S. Olympic Committee. The only state association to achieve this honor. He will sorely be missed by all the gun owners in the state of Illinois, and all who knew him. When I heard of his passing, a feeling of emptiness came over me. Jim and I spent thousands of hours together fighting for gun rights in Illinois, working together for over 40 years. He was truly my mentor.
Details of his funeral arrangements will be posted on the ISRA website and social media.
More Busses have been added inc. Alton, Decatur, East Peoria – Visit the IGOLD Page for more information.
Madison Co. Judge Declares Illinois’ Lawsuit Venue Limit Law Unconstitutional.
A state law that limits where lawsuits challenging state laws can be filed has been ruled unconstitutional as applied to the Piasa Armory case in Madison County. Approved and signed last year by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the law “does violate due process, as applied to persons who reside or were injured outside of Cook or Sangamon County,” Madison County Judge Ronald Forest, Jr. wrote. Limiting where people can sue the state to just two of the state’s 102 counties is “tyrannical.” The law limits where people can sue the state to just Cook and Sangamon counties.
City of Chicago v GLOCK
The City of Chicago has filed a first of its kind lawsuit against GLOCK. The city claims that the police have recovered over 1100 GLOCKs that have been converted to illegal machine guns. In 2023, the State of Illinois passed the Firearms Industry Responsibilities Act (FIRA) which can hold gun companies responsible for conduct that can endanger the public. The FIRA serves as the basis for this lawsuit.
Mayor Brandon Johnson is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns which is an anti-gun front group supported by Michael Bloomberg. This lawsuit claims it is too easy to convert GLOCKs to fully automatic firearms. The goal of the lawsuit is to make GLOCKs harder to convert to fully automatic firearms. The fact is that any firearm can be converted to a fully automatic firearm. If GLOCK were to change their design, some creative idiot would still find a way to convert them to be fully automatic.
At a recent interview, I was asked about car manufacturers making their cars more difficult to steal, and why GLOCK couldn’t do something like that. One of the things that you need to remember is that a car has an average of 30,000 parts, whereas a GLOCK only has 34 parts. You have a lot less to work with, and a lot less space to put in any changes that would prevent people from converting them to be fully automatic.
Another reality this lawsuit ignores, is that there have already been 20 million GLOCKs sold in the United States, with 1 million more manufactured each year. The lawsuit is political, not practical. As far as practicality goes, if there was ever a fool’s errand Olympic relay team, the state of Illinois would certainly be world champions, with the city of Chicago running anchor.
If they recovered 1100 of these firearms, they undoubtedly caught some of the people converting and possessing them. The penalty is up to 10 years in Federal Prison. Additionally in Illinois, it is a Class X Felony in which a person can get up to 8 years in Illinois Prison. Of course, that is not happening. These people get caught, get a slap on the wrist, and seldom serve 1 to 2 years in prison.
So, what we are seeing here is the City of Chicago blaming a gun company instead of holding criminals responsible and putting them in prison where they should be. We don’t see any of the vehicle companies being held responsible for getaway cars in robberies or the transportation of illegal drugs. This is just a cover for lax enforcement of existing laws.
This lawsuit is in the Circuit Court in Chicago and should be dismissed down the line. It is a shame it was ever filed.
The Illinois Assault Weapons Ban Affects Many Hunting Guns.
Federal regulations on snow goose hunting allow for the use of semi-automatic shotguns with unlimited magazine capacity and most hunters use shotguns with 8 round capacities. Under PA 102-1116, these shotguns are prohibited from being possessed on public lands as of April 10th, 2023.
Also, commonly used semi-automatic turkey shotguns such as the Mossberg 930 are considered “assault weapons” also banned from public land hunting.
Many Gun Control Advocates Promised This Ban Wouldn’t Affect Hunters – Now Illinois Hunters Find Themselves with Banned Firearms and Many Questions…
Protect Illinois Hunting Traditions. Visit isra.org to join online. If you are not an ISRA member, join today.
Golden State Cannot Enforce Gun Sale Rationing
U.S. District Judge William Q. Hayes handed down his ruling this past Monday. He struck down California’s one-gun-a-month restriction, finding it fell outside the scope of the nation’s historical tradition of gun regulation and, therefore, violated the Second Amendment.
The Total Solar Eclipse – April 8th!
The 2024 solar eclipse will be visible over approximately 128 miles on April 8, as it passes over Illinois, lasting for 4 minutes and 9 seconds, beginning at 1:58 pm CDT when it crosses the state line into southern Illinois, ending at 2:06 pm CDT. The partial phases of the eclipse will last longer. The eclipse’s “path of totality” includes the southern tip of Illinois, but partial eclipses up to 95% will be experienced as far north as Chicago and west to Quincy, as its path arcs northeast into Indiana and Michigan.
Wear protective eyewear and don’t miss one of nature’s most spectacular events. The next total solar eclipse isn’t until August 12, 2045!
March 22, 1893 – First Official Women’s Basketball Game Played
Less than two years after the invention of the game, the first women’s basketball game was played at Smith College in Massachusetts, between two intramural teams. Basketball was one of the rare sports that developed in a parallel timeline, for both men and women.
March 23, 1806 – Lewis and Clark Expedition Heads Homeward
Lewis and Clark lead the Corps of Discovery from their winter “home” in Fort Clatsop, near the Pacific Coast. The fort was named after the local Indian tribe. The Corps of Discovery was low on supplies, including wild game for meat. They knew the return trip home would be very tough. The most dangerous part of the trip would be through Black Feet country. The return trip took seven months to-the-day to get back to St. Louis. Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery returned on September 22, 1806.
It had taken them 2-1/2 years to get to the Pacific Ocean and back. The goal was to find a northwest passage by water, but that didn’t exist. Even so, their discovery received a lot of attention because they had discovered a route to the Northwest coast, and the expedition opened the West for more exploration and for settlement.
March 27, 1836 – Mexican Army Executes 417 Texas Revolutionaries
If the Texans fighting against Santa Anna had surrendered, they believed they would be treated as prisoners of war, but instead, all 417 were executed at Goliad. This act further infuriated Texans, and the battle cry became “Remember the Alamo, and remember Goliad”. Meanwhile, Sam Houston was organizing the Texan Army. Less than a month later, he would defeat Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, which lead to Texas’s independence and shortly thereafter, Texas joined the Union.
March 27, 1865 – Planning Final Stages of the Civil War
President Abraham Lincoln and Generals Sherman and Grant plan the final stages of the Civil War. President Lincoln warned the two generals that any agreement must preserve the Union’s aim to emancipate all enslaved peoples, and a pledge of equality for the former slaves. Less than four weeks later, the two generals had secured the surrender of the Confederate States of America, while meeting the terms of the Union.
Click here to view the entire calendar. All classes and events are open to the public & all range members, unless otherwise noted. here
Open to the public. Scheduled for March 24, 2024, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm., at the ISRA Range. Limited to 10 students. The cost is $75 (ISRA member) and $150 (non-member). Class covers instruction on firearm safety, rules, ammunition types, and proper instruction of semi-auto pistols and revolvers. Topics include firearm selection, shooting fundamentals, firearm maintenance and cleaning. This class gives you 8 hours credit towards your Concealed Carry Permit. Instructors: Mandi Ehler, Mike Cialdella & Jeff Marienthal. To register, contact ISRA Office at 815.635.3198 or via email.
Come and shoot your period firearms with others who share your passion! Next meet is April 7, from 7:00 am – 2:00 pm on Range 2 and in the Clubhouse. Open to the public. Held on the first Sunday of the month from March through December. Bring your Black Powder rifles, pistols, and shotguns. For more information contact: Tom Spurlock.
The ISRA Range is located at 1589 N 7000w Rd, Bonfield, IL 60913.
The ISRA Range offers great classes and leagues
for shooting enthusiasts!
Interested in joining a league?
Just show up 15 – 30 minutes early.
Range memberships are available.
A day at the ISRA Range is always a great day!
Thank you for being a member!
If you are not an ISRA member, join today
Donate: https://isra.org/support-us/
Upcoming Meetings: https://isra.org/isra-activities-and-events/
Upcoming Range Events: https://isra.org/the-range/#range-calendar
While the gun show information shown in this email is believed to be correct – 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 Thursday Bulletin.
Looking for a Hunter Safety Class? You can them here throughout the state on the IDNR website, which lists classes by county and date: https://dnr2.illinois.gov//SafetyEdClassByCounty
Mar 23 – 24 Springfield Gun Show, Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield
Mar 23 – 24 Sauk Trail Gun Show, Bureau County Fairgrounds, Princeton
Apr 4 – 6 NRA World Shooting Championship, Camp Atterbury, IN
Apr 13 – 14 Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Gun & Knife Show, Chillicothe Sportsmen’s Club House, Chillicothe
Apr 14 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
Apr 18 IGOLD, Bank of Springfield Center, Springfield
April 20 Civil War & Military Extravaganza, DuPage Co. Fairgrounds, Wheaton
April 20 – 21 Will County Gun Show, Will County Fairgrounds, Peotone
May 3 – 5 Pecatonica Gun Show, Winnebago County Fairgrounds, Pecatonica
May 19 Kane County Sportsman’s Show, Kane County Fairgrounds, St. Charles
May 18 – 19 Kankakee Gun & Sportsman’s Show, Kankakee Co. Fairgrounds, Kankakee