Supporting gun ownership and sportsmen's rights in response to the flurry of anti-gun and sport legislation under consideration in Congress and the Illinois State Legislature.
(If you would like to include your organization or events on our calendar, please contact us and we'll accommodate you)
If you're tech savvy, then head over the RNC debate page, register, and post a question to ask the debators what their stances are on the 2nd Amendment.
Posted 10:42AM Jan 04, 2009 by MCSA
Wow - they were once the scourge of Rommel in North Africa:
"If I had to take hell, I would use the Australians to take it and the New Zealanders to hold it."
Look how far they've fallen now:
The NSW Police Force will spend about $2 million on a virtual reality shooting range as senior officers blame a lack of training for recruits being frightened of firearms.
...
Senior police say the lack of access to shooting ranges has resulted in some younger officers receiving so little practice that they are scared of using their guns.
Does it seem like there is something wrong here? The people charged to keep you safe are starting to show some of the cracks in the facade... Do you think this empowers the criminals? Did this attitude possibly empower the Mumbai terrorists?
Posted 10:09AM Jan 04, 2009 by MCSA
Is this civilization?
The French press reported that the Interior Ministry released a final "verified" count of 1,147 vehicles burned in France over New Year's Eve. The number is up 30.64% from last year's total, 878.
Posted 11:02AM Jan 03, 2009 by MCSA
http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/02-01-2009/106887-modelskalash-0
Anatoli Isaikin, the Director General of the state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, met recently with the creator of the Kalashnikov rifles, the head of the Izhmash Company, Mikhail Kalashnikov. The meeting’s objective was to look into developing a new generation of AK-100 series rifles.
Posted 10:34AM Jan 03, 2009 by MCSA
Why this is the job of the government is another question, but this isn't the first (or the last) example of a government program not forcasting correctly...
Converter-box program running out of money
The Feb. 17 transition from analog to digital television broadcasts looms and as many as 8 million households are still unprepared, but the government program that subsidizes crucial TV converter boxes is about to run out of money.
Posted 10:29AM Jan 03, 2009 by MCSA
There is an old adage:
Q: "How many bullets does it take to stop a gunfight?"A: "As many as it takes!"
People like to believe that .45 is better than 9MM or etc, but the reality is that nothing is "the best" because each situation is different.
This first article is about Police Officer Peter Soulis who shot murderer Tim Palmer 22 times! Soulis delivered 17 center of mass hits in their gunfight before Soulis expired.
There is a lesson here: Next time someone asks you why you would need more than 10 bullets in a magazine, you might point them to this article. In addition, you might also ask why a law-abiding owner, such as yourself, should have to limit yourself when the criminals aren't following the laws anyway.
The second story is about Ottawa Police that were trying to stop a knife-wielding maniac and shot them in the chest only to have the bullet emerge, pass through a wall, and strike another tenant in the face.
Posted 10:26AM Jan 03, 2009 by MCSA
Seems to me that some folks are doing their job to keep the bad elements of society locked up...
Posted 05:50PM Dec 24, 2008 by MCSA
They'll shoot you if you comply, they'll shoot you if you won't, they shoot you if you try to run away.
CCW works!
Posted 05:44PM Dec 24, 2008 by MCSA
Homeowner won't be charged in shooting:
No charges will be filed against a homeowner who shot and killed a man who police believe had broken into his home on the Northwest Side late last week.
On Tuesday night, the Cook County state's attorney's office rejected charges against the homeowner, O'Brien said.
Tandra Simonton, a state's attorney's office spokeswoman, said murder charges were rejected against the homeowner because of insufficient evidence.
Posted 05:25PM Dec 24, 2008 by MCSA
We've got a lot of coyotes here in McHenry Co... Legislative director Tom W. bagged a few the other day!
Nice shooting, Tom!
Posted 04:31PM Dec 22, 2008 by MCSA
AP study finds $1.6B went to bailed-out bank execs
Banks that are getting taxpayer bailouts awarded their top executives nearly $1.6 billion in salaries, bonuses, and other benefits last year, an Associated Press analysis reveals.
The rewards came even at banks where poor results last year foretold the economic crisis that sent them to Washington for a government rescue. Some trimmed their executive compensation due to lagging bank performance, but still forked over multimillion-dollar executive pay packages.
Benefits included cash bonuses, stock options, personal use of company jets and chauffeurs, home security, country club memberships and professional money management, the AP review of federal securities documents found.
The total amount given to nearly 600 executives would cover bailout costs for many of the 116 banks that have so far accepted tax dollars to boost their bottom lines.
I'm one of the biggest capitalists around, but for once I find myself agreeing with MA-Democrat Barney Frank:
[Frank] said the bonuses tallied by the AP review amount to a bribe "to get them to do the jobs for which they are well paid in the first place."
"Most of us sign on to do jobs and we do them best we can," said Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat. "We're told that some of the most highly paid people in executive positions are different. They need extra money to be motivated!"
Honestly, I'm reminded by the quote from Revolutionary War Patriot "ABC":
Unhappy America! When thy Enemies are rewarded with Honours and Riches; but thy Friends punished and ruined only for asserting thy Right, and pleading for thy Freedom.
Posted 03:34PM Dec 22, 2008 by MCSA
Andy Kochanski thought the silhouettes he spotted through the foggy windows were two customers coming into his tavern about 1 a.m. Friday.
Kochanski was hosting a Christmas party, and all the Milwaukee concertina greats had been jamming in the landmark polka hall - formerly Art's Concertina Bar - on the city's south side.
Then Kochanski saw the black ski masks and the sawed-off shotgun.
He didn't hesitate. He reached under the bar for his loaded Glock .45.
As he ducked, he heard a blast and lead whizzing over his head, shattering whiskey bottles and the mirror behind the bar...
If people are allowed to defend thier homes and places of business, why, again, can't they defend themseleves anywhere? Wisconsin and Illinois are the only two states that still don't have concealed carry weapon laws... At least Wisconsin cities don't require that their citizens be disarmed - though Milwaukee and Madison keep trying to blame responsible gun owners for the criminal actions of a few.
Posted 03:06PM Dec 22, 2008 by MCSA
A surprising well balanced, non-hysterical reveiw and interview with "American Rifle: A Biography" writer, Alexander Rose. They had the host, Andrea Seabrook, fire a Winchester 1873 lever-action, a M1 Garand, and an M-16.
I strongly urge you to take a listen to it here; after all, our tax dollars support NPR and we do have some input into what they review and how they review it... NPR has a javascript media player.
Posted 02:50PM Dec 22, 2008 by MCSA
Looks like the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals is holding to the idea that the 2nd Amendment applies only to Federal districts.
This doesn't have Alan Gura, et al concerned as they state on www.chicagoguncase.com that:
Although we would have preferred that the Court had ruled in our favor, we are not disappointed. From Day One, it was clear that this case would be decided conclusively on appeal. This development takes us one step closer toward the elimination of Chicago’s failed and unconstitutional gun ban, and for that, we are grateful.
In addition, Judge Shadur cautioned:
"This court should not be misunderstood as either rejecting or endorsing the logic of plaintiff's argument. It may well carry the day before a court that is unconstrained by the obligation to follow the unreversed precedent of a court that occupies a higher position in the judicial firmament," the decision stated.
Posted 12:27PM Dec 19, 2008 by MCSA
With economy in shambles, Congress gets a raise
A crumbling economy, more than 2 million constituents who have lost their jobs this year, and congressional demands of CEOs to work for free did not convince lawmakers to freeze their own pay.
Instead, they will get a $4,700 pay increase, amounting to an additional $2.5 million that taxpayers will spend on congressional salaries, and watchdog groups are not happy about it.
Posted 11:51AM Dec 19, 2008 by MCSA
Hundreds of people filled the Thompson Center auditorium in the Loop today for an anti-violence rally and to demand stricter gun laws.
If you follow the link, you'll see the video showing the same tired arguments and pleas of desperation - They'll complain about "easy access to guns". They'll ask for "reasonable restrictions", like one gun a month.
I feel sorry for some of these people and really wish I had something to offer them to solve their problems, but the misguided belief that our guns out here in McHenry Co. are responsible, no scratch that, have anything whatsoever to do with their deaths and that our civil rights should be curtailed because of the murderous actions of a few - and make no mistake that this is a problem largely limited in scope to Chicago's South and West Side - is ludicrous.
Don't believe me? http://chicago.everyblock.com/crime/by-primary-type/homicide/. I don't see a lot of dots in Lincoln Park or Edison Park.
Their is a culture of death - which is not our longstanding tradition of sporting, hunting, and legitimate right to self-defense - that manifests itself when people (if they could be called that) like 16 year-old Eric Walker, 17 year-old Demetrius Warren and 21 year-old Benjamin Williams can shoot productive men, like University of Chicago's Amadou Cisse dead over the contents of their wallet.
If I were a Chicago resident, I'd be arming myself and making damn sure my kids didn't stray from the path instead of pushing the blame onto others and trying to limit their rights. I'm just not buying what they're selling and it's a wonder that anybody is...
Posted 07:07AM Dec 18, 2008 by MCSA
The council voted Tuesday to require gun owners to register their weapons every three years and receive training by a certified firearms instructor.
The court ruled in June that the city's 32-year-old handgun ban was unconstitutional. Since then city leaders have passed other measures to control gun owners and what types of guns they may own.
Tuesday's bill requires gun owners to spend at least one hour at the firing range and four hours in the classroom with an instructor before registering a weapon.
Posted 02:12PM Dec 17, 2008 by MCSA
I bought a copy, in Chicago no less, yesterday and it is engaging reading! Strongly urge those intersted in the legal aspects of the 2nd to buy a copy.
As an update, our book THE FOUNDERS' SECOND AMENDMENT: Origins of the Rights to Bear Arms, by Independent Institute Research Fellow Stephen P. Halbrook, has skyrocketed to the following rankings at Amazon.com:
#1: Law
#1: Civil Rights and Liberties
#1: Constitutions
#1: Constitutional Law
#1: Revolutionary and Founding History
#12: History
#11: Professional and Technical
#26: Nonfiction (all)
The book has soared to an overall ranking of #140 at Amazon.com and #105 at Barnes & Noble.com. (With the enormous response, Amazon.com temporarily sold out of the book and is now being restocked.)
Posted 10:33AM Dec 16, 2008 by MCSA
This is pretty serious! Go to S&W if the following affects you!
Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist with the bolt supplied with some rifles that would allow the striker to become disengaged from its locking tabs during cycling of the bolt, allowing the rifle to fire without the trigger being pulled. In the interest of consumer safety, we are initiating this recall to allow for the prompt inspection and, if necessary, the repair and replacement of each bolt.
Posted 10:15AM Dec 16, 2008 by MCSA
Checking page referrals today and I noticed that Swedish Police paid a quick vist!
I miss my Swedish aunties flaskkorv (Christmas sausages) that she used to make in Hungary... <insert joke about the Swedish Chef on the Muppets here... BORT BORT BORT!>
Posted 06:37AM Dec 16, 2008 by MCSA
What better way to celebrate than picking up and reading Second Amendment scholar Stephen P. Halbrook's book regarding the 2nd Amendment: http://www.secondamendmentbook.com/
For those that followed the DC vs. Heller case, Halbrook's research played a pretty key role in shaping the argument...
Posted 10:57AM Dec 15, 2008 by MCSA
DISCLAIMER: We here at the MCSA aren't lawyer, nor do we play lawyers on TV, so be sure to check the municipal codes where you live for more details. That said, most of the MCSA membership is pretty keen on following the alteration/development of firearms-related laws through the county, so we might have the info on what is happening.
This is a short list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) written mainly for a non-firearms business audience that may point prospective gun buyers and gun owners in the right direction when dealing with McHenry County's laws.
Before anything, know that if you want anything to do with guns and ammo in Illinois and are an Illinois resident, you need to obtain your Firearm Owner ID! (The law is here if you really want to read it...) In short, the Illinois State Police handles the paperwork & processing - surf to their page and print out an application for a FOID.
I want to get buy my first gun - what do I do?
Congrats on your decision! I'd urge you to read the Illinois State Police FAQ that deals with the Illinois Firearms Owner ID card and transportation rules.
That said, it's pretty easy, really, since you probably live in McHenry Co:
We'd strongly urge you sign up with the NRA or GOA and come out to an MCSA meeting to get in touch with folks that can show you how to use your new purchase safely. Think about it: you didn't learn to drive on your own, right? A firearm, like a car, is a complex machine that you probably don't want to learn by "trial and error" process...
Is there gun registration in McHenry Co?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: McHenry county laws don't really add anything to the Illinois FOID laws and since Illinois law doesn't call for registration, it seems that McHenry Co. doesn't either. We're unaware of any other municipal codes/city ordinance that require registration of firearms.
Since you're asking this question, you should know that there ARE several municipalities that DO require firearms registration, such as Chicago. Get familiar with the laws of the cities and counties that you might be travelling through.
Lastly, most of us at the MCSA feel that registration isn't a solution and accomplishes little, except add bureaucracy to the ownership process. We'll digress here and leave an open invitatoin to discuss political theory over beers at the VFW (as long as you're buying...)
I inherited a Firearm from a relative. Can I keep it?
There is no simple answer... If you inherited a firearm and don't have an FOID, you're technically in violation of the law. Get your FOID before you decide to sell it, keep it, shoot it etc.
Do I need an FOID to shoot at a range?
Yes, unless you're from another state, then no. (This is a situation where Illinois residents actually have Less rights than other state's citizens... Sheesh...)
If I have a FOID, does my spouse/children need one?
They should get one if they have access to the firearm/keys to the safe/etc! If they have access to the firearm, but don't have an FOID, then they are technically in violation of the law! The Illinois State Police have a section on this regarding minors and firearms - you read that, right?
Can I carry a firearm in McHenry Co?
Short answer: No!
Long answer: Concealed carry is illegal throughout Illinois and open carry may only be legal in unincorporated areas where county law doesn't prohibit, though I'm under the assumption that McHenry Co. doesn't allow for open-carry provisions.
That said you are legally within your rights to carry a firearm in your own abode, on your land, or in your fixed place of business according to 720 ILCS 5/24-1.6(a)(1) & (2)
(Note that if your place of business is outside the county, you probably want to check the municipal code first... For example, even though I work in Chicago, I can't take my guns there.)
Can I engage in a private sale?
Illinois residents can sell to other Illinois residents if they've hold a valid FOID card. (The FOID is essentially proof of a background check.) You can't sell or transfer to someone out of state!
Finally, make sure you abide by the waiting times and keep your paperwork for at least 9 years.
Can I own a semi-automatic weapon in McHenry Co?
If it's legal, sure. There is no such thing as an "assault weapon" ban in this county... In fact, the very idea of an "assault weapon" is legally inconsistent... Again, we invite you down to the VFW to find out why over beers...
Are there magazine capacity restrictions in McHenry Co?
No.
Can I shoot on my land in McHenry Co?
That depends on a lot of things, including zoning and whether you live in a city that prohibts discharge of a firearm. Check with your local PD or the Sheriff. For example, in McHenry and Crystal Lake it is illegal to dishcarge a firearm, airgun, paintball gun, etc. within city limits unless at a sanctioned venue or event. Perhaps in unincorporated areas or more rural areas (Bull Valley, perhaps) folks with larger plots may be able to shoot o their own land.
Posted 03:29PM Dec 14, 2008 by MCSA
I took this one day course, taught by Spartan's director, John Krupa, in October at the Harvey PD range but have been putting off writing the review for a few months. Some of the material presented necessitated a period of "settling" in my mind. The course itself is split into two sections: The first addresses the use of cover adequately in a tactical situation and the second pitted the simmunition-equipped student against a paintball wielding opponent and then against another student in a barrier field.
The whole idea behind the sucessful use of cover is
We touched briefly on the idea of shifting the eye-dominance used when engaging from weak-hand. For example, if you're right eye dominant, perhaps giving the opponent full view of your head when leaning out to the left isn't the best idea - perhaps shifting eye dominance to the left by closing your right eye would be better.
This section has been the hardest for me to digest and its evaluation has been holding up this review. The difficulty lies in the fact that this section doesn't deal with the development of a specific technique that can be described to folks, but rather focuses on developing a skill through hard work and mastery of the fundamentals. In short, Force-on-Force centers on fighting rather then techniques or new gizmos. This seems to run contrary to the shooting sports, where there is much emphasis placed on the technique of delivering solids shots and drilling things like mag changes and drawstrokes, but testing the practioners skill of all of these under stress is painfully lacking. Toward this end, the use of force-on-force under the auspices of a course designed to test the practitioners ability to use cover is near perfect since it serves to immediately validate what the student has learned.
The second scenario centered on facing two students off against each other for one minute in a highly challenging barrier field. The time was kept short in order to keep pressure on and to limit the potentially for the exercise developing into a mere paintball match. The clearest winners were the ones that aggressively closed on the their opponents, seizing initiative and shot them to slide lock.
Posted 02:19AM Dec 14, 2008 by MCSA
About a year ago I bought a replacement light for my cheapie Surefire G2. The Surefire, while a great light, used an incandescent bulb and ended up breaking during a low-light flashlight course when I dropped it. (Surefire now offers LED replacement bulbs for their older incandescent models - though it runs ~$45.00!)
Much to my dismay, the wife ended up swiping the light because:
The output from LED lights is a bit "bluer" and "cooler" than a comparable output incandescent, but for most applications, this is very sufficient. As my wife said, she uses it to find "hard to find objects" in the grass after dark. The light definitely passes the "blinding flash in the dark" test and if you couple it with the impact bezelaround the bulb, I think you're in good shape for defensive use.
Posted 03:02PM Dec 13, 2008 by MCSA
Well, it looks like I'll b buying McMillan stocks from now on...
To Our Valued Customers:
H-S Precision has received comments relating to individual testimonials in our 2008 catalog. All of the testimonials focused on the quality, accuracy and customer service provided by H-S Precision.
The management of H-S Precision did not intend to offend anyone or create any type of controversy. We are revising our 2009 catalog and removing all product testimonials.
Sincerely,
The Management of H-S Precision
Posted 06:41PM Dec 12, 2008 by MCSA
HP Shooting Center is having a second indoor bowling pin shoot next Friday, the 19th. (He was only going to have one due to the Holidays...)
.22's only! (I guess the bigger calibers were really chewing up the pins and making a big mess...)
Here's how it works:
Registration opens ~6. You sign up to shoot against someone else, so get there early to put your name on the sheet!
There are two tables with 5 pins. In between the tables there are two steel plates that cross.
You must shoot the two outside pins first, clearing them completely off the table before you do the same to the center pin. Finally, you shoot the steel plate. The plate on the bottom is called the winner.
$4.00 gets you 3 rounds. (Most folks usually shoot 3 or 4 matches... That's 9-12 rounds.)
Posted 06:04PM Dec 12, 2008 by MCSA
Just FYI, the pin-up queen passed away yesterday...
Posted 05:33PM Dec 12, 2008 by MCSA
It always amazes me that they'll allow "prohibited persons" (most probably don't have a FOID) to "exchange" (sell) a gun. It is amazing to think that the powers that be can willfully break their own rules!
I've got a better idea - folks if you have a gun, are unsure of it, and don't want it contact a gun store to find out how much it is worth, get you a FOID, and get them to help you sell it! Often times the guns that you "trade in" to the authorities are worth FAR MORE than what you'd get - check Gun Broker for a possible range of prices.
Anyway, full story is here - if you care to read it, though I'd also urge folks out there to read why gun buy-backs don't work: http://www.gunowners.org/op0030.htm
Posted 02:25PM Dec 12, 2008 by MCSA
In our best James Cagney (though he didn't ever really say this...) "You dirty rat!"
(UPDATE: Looks liek that Rat sign has vanished from Blago's alley: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/12/rat-sign-vanishes-from-blagojevichs-alley.html)
Posted 02:10PM Dec 12, 2008 by MCSA
They fired 62,333 rounds through a 9MM M&P over 228 days (April 2008 to December 2008) before the slide developed a crack. They ran this "torture test" with the sanction of S&W.
62K rounds is a lot! Just to put things in perspective, I think that the original service life of the 1911 was spec'd at 15K rounds, not counting minor parts breakage (extractor, ejector, slide stop, magazines).
Interesting series - read it here.
Posted 01:14AM Dec 11, 2008 by MCSA
Oh, this is great: (HT to John Lott!)
He was released on a signature bond that specifies that he'll forfeit $4,500 bond if he doesn't appear in court. Blagojevich also was ordered to relinquish his passport and his firearm owner's identification car[d]
Posted 03:28PM Dec 10, 2008 by MCSA
Go read Richard Munday's opinions at the Times Online.
Think tank: If each of us carried a gun... ...we could help to combat terrorism
For anybody who still believed in it, the Mumbai shootings exposed the myth of “gun control”. India had some of the strictest firearms laws in the world, going back to the Indian Arms Act of 1878, by which Britain had sought to prevent a recurrence of the Indian Mutiny.
The guns used in last week’s Bombay massacre were all “prohibited weapons” under Indian law, just as they are in Britain. In this country we have seen the irrelevance of such bans (handgun crime, for instance, doubled here within five years of the prohibition of legal pistol ownership), but the largely drug-related nature of most extreme violence here has left most of us with a sheltered awareness of the threat. We have not yet faced a determined and broad-based attack.
Posted 02:56PM Dec 10, 2008 by MCSA
Offtopic, but though this was interesting... Personally, I could really see how the Barney song would get old fast...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,464685,00.html
U.S. military interrogators have often blasted music at detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. According to the British law group Reprieve, these are among the songs they have used most frequently:
• "Enter Sandman," Metallica.
• "Bodies," Drowning Pool.
• "Shoot to Thrill," AC/DC.
• "Hell's Bells," AC/DC.
• "I Love You," from the "Barney and Friends" children's TV show.
• "Born in the USA," Bruce Springsteen.
• "Babylon," David Gray.
• "White America," Eminem.
• "Sesame Street," theme song from the children's TV show.
Other bands and artists whose music has been frequently played at U.S. detention sites: Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Don McLean, Lil' Kim, Limp Bizkit, Meat Loaf, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tupac Shakur.
Posted 06:00AM Dec 10, 2008 by MCSA
Welcome to Illinois. Why do we insist on voting for these jokers?
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were arrested today by FBI agents for what U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald called a "staggering" level of corruption involving pay-to-play politics in Illinois' top office.
Posted 11:44AM Dec 09, 2008 by MCSA
This was snapped by a friend of mine in the UK:
Let's not let that happen here, folks!
Posted 12:34AM Dec 08, 2008 by MCSA
Sounds like reason prevailed... I mean, if you were authorized to carry on the crowded street with your CCW, why wouldn't you have that same right in the National Park?
Full story here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/G/GUNS_NATIONAL_PARKS?SITE=AP
An Interior Department rule issued Friday allows an individual to carry a loaded weapon in a park or wildlife refuge - but only if the person has a permit for a concealed weapon, and if the state where the park or refuge is located also allows loaded firearms in parks.
Posted 04:12PM Dec 05, 2008 by MCSA
