It was a huge day on Gun Appreciation Day across America, including in flyover country in the heartland of America.
In Springfield, IL, at the Egyptian Collector’s Association gun show at the Illinois State Fairgrounds, thousands of visitors flocked in, parking for blocks around the Orr Building to attend the show. The line to enter was one to two blocks long at open and it was noon-time before the line to enter dissipated.
For Guns Save Life, located just inside the entrance to the show, it was a banner show for us. We signed up a slew of new members, sold well over a thousand dollars in drawing tickets, with the Great Guns IV drawing being our most popular item with the AR-15 and M1 Garand as prizes. By the way, we’ll draw the winners on February 12, 2013 at the Rantoul Guns Save Life meeting. It’s not too late to get tickets. Need not be present to win.
We also answered questions from dozens of folks about the status of carry in Illinois, as well as assuring people that the votes aren’t here in Illinois to ban modern firearms as the New York legislature recently did.
Our brothers-in-arms at the Illinois State Rifle Association were next to us and they literally had a line of people signing up for memberships at times.
Lots of ammunition and quite a few guns were sold at this show and the media was there in force as well.
The promised anti-gun demonstrators were a no-show.
Reports from the Indy 1500 gun show indicated there was a line of over 1,000 people snaking for blocks of people waiting in line to get in. The story we were getting was that it took upwards of two- to three-hour wait in line at the height of the rush.
It was good to see so many faces that we recognized at the Gun Show in Springfield, and it was packed with people from opening to close.
I also understand that attendance at the demonstration downtown was a very well attended success.
Keep up the good work.
We were at the Indy show.
Thousands upon thousands of well behaved gun enthusiasts.
Exactly 6 anti-gun protestors with a sign saying “honk if you want to ban high-capacity magazines”. No one was honking…
It was beautiful.
I also attended the indy gun show. Had to wait an hour in line to get in but it was worth waiting for. I will definetly be going back.
i was there at the Indy 1500 and it was packed more than I have seen it packed since the end of the 94 assault weapons ban.
Most interesting and least reported, regarding the Capitol gathering was Senator Sams promise to file a couple prices of legislation. First is Constitutional Carry and second is amending the Illinois constitution to make it strongest on this particular point. That can be as simple as striking “subject only to the police power” IMHO.
Folks may disagree with me but I was disappointed in the ISRA and NRA for not fully supporting and attending the Capitol gathering. That decision calls into question who’s side that leadership is really on. The first open call by an elected official for Constitutional Carry and a constitutional amendment and the gun group leaders are absent? Specifically turning down invites and TV even posting that attending would be a waste of time saying time should be spent on other activity? Sorry folks but but I’m siding with those who seek to support honoring the constitutional right fully rather than those who seek to have us all beg for more permission slips.
On second thought – I’m not sorry one bit.