IL Gun Manufacturers Respond to Trade Group’s Reversal on Gun Bill
Springfield Armory, Rock River Arms: “100% against this bill” – We didn’t know we would be exempt from burdensome regulation initially opposed by manufacturers association
After helping fund a trade group who traded opposition to a proposed piece of state legislation that NRA-ILA says “creates an onerous gun dealer licensing scheme within the state” whose “intention is to close as many federally licensed firearm dealers (FFLs) as possible” for special exemptions, two Illinois firearm manufacturers are claiming ignorance of their trade association’s actions on the bill.
Illinois SB1657, passed through the Senate by a one-vote margin, would require already licensed firearms dealers to participate in a separate state licensing scheme on top of the strictly regulated licensing system in place through the Federal government. The bill exempts individuals who are involved in transfers of nine or fewer firearms per year, beyond which they would be subject to the requirements. In addition to a pre-licensing inspection by Illinois’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the bill also opens licensees to unannounced visits and inspections by the state entity. Continue reading
The National Rifle Association Launches NRA Carry Guard
On Monday, the National Rifle Association of America announced the launch of NRA Carry Guard, a program created to provide America’s most comprehensive insurance and legal coverage, as well as best-in-class training for those who carry a gun. NRA Carry Guard members can access many great benefits including legal assistance and the ability to select their own counsel, as well as immediate access as needed to supplementary payments for bail, legal retainer fees, compensation while in court and more. NRA Carry Guard is the only membership program for self-defense insurance and training developed and supported by the National Rifle Association, representing the next evolution in freedom’s defense from the most powerful civil rights organization in American history.
“For the last 20 years, I’ve supported and defended the Constitution of the United States. I really do believe that an armed citizenry makes for a stronger country, a stronger society, a safer society,” says veteran U.S. Navy SEAL George Severence, who serves as NRA Carry Guard National Director. “The Second Amendment would look vastly different today without the NRA. With so many concealed carry permit holders out there, it would be my hope that all of them would become NRA members, because the only reason that they have that right to carry is because the NRA has been defending that right.”
“There is no other organization in the United States of America that can do what NRA has done with NRA Carry Guard,” says Dana Loesch, NRA National Spokesperson. “Without the NRA, there would be no right to carry a firearm at all in this country. The NRA and its 5 million members have led the movement for the past three decades to restore this freedom to its rightful place in America.” Continue reading
2017 NRAAM Opens Tomorrow
The 146th NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits opens tomorrow evening in Atlanta, GA. It is estimated that 80,000 people will attend the show this year to visit the over 800 exhibitors and other events throughout the weekend. Pre-registration is now closed, but attendees can register on-site starting at 2:00 PM tomorrow. If you are already a NRA member, there is no additional fee for attending the show. If you are not already a member, you can still purchase your membership ahead of time to make the process a little quicker.
The exhibit hall is open Friday through Sunday. Many exhibitors display their new products at this show and this is a chance for the Attendees can expect to see: the new Cloak mag Carriers and the new ShapeShift modular holster system from Alien Gear; the new Taurus Spectrum, new optics from Holosun, new laser and holster combos from Crimson Trace, and many more. The Shoot Like Girl mobile training trailer will also be in attendance. The NRAAM, unlike SHOT Show, also allows sales on the show floor. Many exhibitors will have show specials on the floor, so keep an eye on the mobile app for advance notification of sales.
Many of the exhibitor booths will also feature celebrity appearances. You may find Eva Shockey, Lou Ferringo, or Mark “Oz” Geist sitting in your favorite booth. Brownells will also have a special guest appearance by Matt Uhrin, the Fed-Ex employee who saved a flag from being burned. Throughout the show, there will be many seminars to cover everything from concealed carry methods to choosing the right dog for your family. There is something for everyone in the family.
On top of the exhibitors, attendees can purchase tickets to attend a variety of other special events. The National NRA Foundation Banquet is tomorrow as well as a concert by Matthew West. Friday will be filled with the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum, which will feature speeches from President Trump, Sheriff David Clarke, Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, and many more, and the Women’s Leadership Forum, with Kellyanne Conway as the keynote speaker. Also on Friday, attendees can purchase tickets for the NRA Country Jam. The show will feature performances by Chris Janson, Josh Thompson, and Lindsay Eli. The feature concert on Saturday is Hank Williams, Jr.
Atlanta to Host NRA’s 146th Annual Meetings and Exhibits
The 146th National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meetings and Exhibits will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia from April 27-30, 2017. This four-day event will be attended by tens of thousands of patriots and features more than 15 acres of the most spectacular displays of firearms, and shooting and hunting accessories in the world. For more information on the massive RKBA event, visit www.nraam.org.
The NRAAM features a powerhouse lineup of political speakers, a Saturday night celebration like no other, hundreds of exhibitors from around the firearms industry, fellowship with like-minded Second Amendment supporters at a variety of breakfasts, luncheons and dinners, and much more. Learn about the progress made over the past year and what the upcoming year has in store at the annual Meeting of Members during the show and make your voice heard within the country’s preeminent gun rights organization.
Attendance to the 146th NRA Show is free for current members of the National Rifle Association. If you are not yet a member, you can join the NRA at discounted rates here.
Exhibit hall hours are from 9AM to 6PM on Friday April 28 and Saturday April 29 and 10AM to 5PM on Sunday April 30. Click here for a complete list of NRAAM exhibitors and here for a schedule of events.
Participate in workshops and seminars on everything from Methods of Concealed Carry to effective dog training to self defense talks from the Refuse to be a Victim program. NRAAM also includes separate ticketed events like the Saturday night celebration with a concert by Hank Williams Jr with guest Lee Brice. Tickets for those events are available here.
For open and concealed carry practitioners, the NRAAM website offers the following statement: “During the 2017 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, lawfully carried firearms will be permitted in the Georgia World Congress Center and the Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center in accordance with Georgia law. However, firearms are not allowed in the remainder of the CNN Center, including the food court and shops. When carrying your firearm, remember to follow all federal, state and local laws.”
If you are already an NRA member, you can preregister here to have your admission badges mailed directly to you for free. Your badges give you full access to the exhibit hall for all three days. NRA members can include their spouse and up to 5 children (under the age of 18). If you still need to join NRA before the event, click here to join here for reduced dues.
Guess Which Country Just Helped Illustrate the Absurdity of US Suppressor Laws?
TN Man Convicted of Smuggling Suppressors into US Thanks to Lighter Regulation in… England(!?)
Well, this is embarrassing, as far as firearm freedoms go. It’s like having to admit that your Bugatti Veyron got beat around the track by the neighbor kid’s 1989 Honda CRX. Isn’t America supposed to be the bastion of gun rights (or, as anti-gun groups would have you believe, a violent wild west frontier straight from the bloodiest shoot-em-up flick you can find)?
Most proponents of an originalist (or any other common sense) interpretation of the United States Constitution and Bill of rights probably already feel that firearms are too heavily regulated in the US, and none are more highly regulated than Title II weapons that fall under the purview of the National Firearms Act, such as machine guns, silencers, short barreled firearms, and destructive devices. Such items are flat out illegal in a number of states and, where they are legal, ownership involves a number of hurdles, including high prices, payment of a $200 transfer tax, being finger-printed, wait times lasting the better part of a year, and federal registration of the item. “But hey, at least we don’t have European-style gun control, right?”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) recently released details of the conviction of a Tennessee man who traveled to England, where some may be surprised to find less restrictive laws, to purchase firearm silencers and smuggle them back into the US, presumably because the draconian laws in place here made them too difficult to obtain. Continue reading
Massive Increase in Thefts from Gun Dealers in 2016, More than Double in Colorado
ATF “Very Concerned” About Gun Theft Increase
Following a year in which gun theft from vehicles, homes, and dealers were on the rise, including several high profile car-through-the-building smash-and-grab gun store burglaries not far from us, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) has released some big numbers out of Colorado.
The numbers show a 126% increase in gun thefts from licensed dealers over 2015 numbers and a 389% increase over 2014 numbers in the state that passed several new (utterly useless) gun control laws in 2013, further illustrating what everyone already knew: criminals get guns through illegal means and gun control measures don’t stop them (even in New York).
The number of firearms stolen from Colorado gun dealers more than doubled in 2016, reaching a 10-year high of 273 guns.
In comparison, 121 guns were stolen from Colorado gun dealers in 2015 and 56 guns in 2014.
Colorado mirrors a national uptick in guns stolen from dealers. In 2016, 7,858 guns were stolen in robberies and burglaries across the country, the highest number on record.
“We are very concerned about the rise in gun thefts. These guns will not be used for hunting or sport; they are destined for future crimes and are a threat to public and officer safety,” ATF Denver Field Division Special Agent in Charge Debora Livingston said. “ATF is working closely with all the affected police departments in the Denver Metro Area to identify and arrest suspects, recover guns and prevent future thefts. We are also frequently communicating with gun dealers in the Metro Area to inform them of the rise in break-ins and help them better protect their store and inventory.” Continue reading
