Shooting sports are safe and fun.
That’s precisely what a gaggle of media representatives found out in the past few days at a police range near Springfield. At least seven news outlets were present as the NRA-ILA’s man in Springfield, Todd Vandermyde, gave a no-nonsense demonstration of how suppressors really work.
The “cans” (as suppressors are sometimes nicknamed) were donated by SilencerCo, who along with other members of the American Suppressor Association are doing great work educating the media and politicians on the facts about suppressors. They are working alongside the National Rifle Association, Guns Save Life and the Illinois State Rifle Association to pass a measure to allow civilian ownership of these devices that are legal to use in almost 40 states. Most of the opposition to legalizing suppressors for civilian use in Illinois revolves around Hollywood fiction and irrational fears.
There has been some misinformation flowing from opponents of the law’s change. This misinformation comes primarily from the Illinois Coalition Against Handgun Violence (ICHV) and other also-ran Illinois anti-gun groups struggling for relevancy.
Once again, these paid gun control shills are as wrong in their fears and misinformation about suppressors as they have been wrong about everything else in the past. There’s no blood running in the streets now that we have right-to-carry. There’s not even an increase in violence limited to places where card-carrying good guys in Illinois can carry their guns – the violence has instead migrated upward in “no guns” locations where bad guys know they won’t face a good guy with a gun.
Here is a short, unedited video of some of the back and forth between the media and Vandermyde:
Todd Vandermyde explains the use of silencers for guns and why they want them to be legalized in IL, as in 39 other states
Posted by Terry Martin on Monday, May 11, 2015
After answering questions and providing the demonstration, Vandermyde invited the media reps to try their hand at shooting. Several had never shot a gun before and it was a memorable day at work for them. They had big grins as they fired those guns, both suppressed and conventionally. They LOVED it.
Even the camera operators got a chance to do some shooting.
One of the reporters even put up a video of her shooting on her own personal Facebook page – that’s how excited they were.
Even the local cop got a chance to do some shooting as the media were packing up to head out. He LOVED getting some trigger time on a suppressed AR.
Compare and contrast that home run event with the misinformation and weak reasons against legalization provided by the ICHV and their ilk.
Here are a couple of the stories from the event:
Gun silencers demonstrated for media
SPRINGFIELD (Decatur Herald and Review) – Hoping to trigger support for a law legalizing gun silencers, an Illinois firearms lobbyist said Monday there is a difference between the way Hollywood portrays suppressors and how they actually work and sound.
Todd Vandermyde, a key architect of the state’s concealed carry law, took members of the Central Illinois media to the Athens Police Department’s gun range Monday and had them listen to the difference in the ways guns sound with and without a suppressor. Reporters then tested the guns.
“So what this is all about is we’ve had some legislation pending in the statehouse to legalize suppressors in Illinois,” Vandermyde said. “Suppressors are the industry term for what a lot of people call silencers. They’re called suppressors because they don’t really silence the sound of the gun, they suppress it.”
Thirty-nine states allow some form of legal possession of suppressors. Vandermyde said suppressors help limit the noise from neighbors who are shooting on their own land or hunting and helps give peace to neighbors of gun ranges. They are also helpful to those who are shooting the firearms, especially if ear protection is not being worn.
And another:
(WICS) – More than a year after the gun lobby successfully pushed for concealed carry here in Illinois, it’s now focused on a new issue – legalizing gun suppressors.Gun suppressors are legal in 39 other states. Advocates say it will help with noise complaints and help with hearing problems that can come with shooting. And those working to change the law say the tools come with a lot of misconceptions.
Gun suppressors are most commonly seen in movies and gun rights advocates say that’s not an accurate representation.
Nice going, Todd.
It’ll be hard for ICHV to continue to dupe these mainstream media reporters in the future, not only on the suppressor issue, but whatever else comes down the road.
The gun grabbers play on people’s fear of the unknown or what they don’t understand.
A trip to the range just made up those reporters’ minds. No more trying to fool them with lies!
Todd, you rock!
Excellent work, Mr. Vandermyde.
Are those suppressors made in a larger size, say like for pelosi’s BIG mouth ?
Lol. If they were like Hollywood, then yes. Ubfortunately, they aren’t.
I can’t seem to open the video – it looks like someone pulled it.
In my opinion I believe the concealed carry law was a huge fail for law abiding citizens. Mr. Vandermyde and the NRA could have pushed for consitutional carry and would of happened had they not wanted to line their own pockets with “instructor” fees making it extremely hard for the citizens in poor areas who really need the firearms and permits to obtain them. A permit is an infringement plain and simple.
I concur. I haven’t gotten my ccw yet because I’m enraged I’d have to spend $400 to exercise a constitutional right. Incremental steps be damned. The NRA compromised my right away.
I agree a permit or permission of any kind is an infringement on the 2A.
I still can’t get over how we went from buying guns through the mail too FOID cards.
In my opinion gun owners need to realize the anti-gunners are Bolsheviks’ they want power and will do anything to maintain that power.
They want to destroy or undermine the values, traditions and faith that founded this nation.
Remember Bill Ayers this guy said in a 1980 interview they wanted to round people up and put them into camps and eliminate the people that wouldn’t conform.
I have watched the original documentary made on Bill Ayers and the Communist/Bolshevik take over of the USA
Do you think that the last state in the Union was just going to give up their liberal control of its citizens that easy?!!Without some concessions to the gun grabbers in charge in Congress and the bought and paid for Quinn, we would still be the only state without concealed carry. The NRA is not to blame, but the ignorant citizens that keep voting for liberal politicians that run Springfield and Chicago and for the biggest mistake of them all that’s in the White House now. If you want to do something, how about call your legislative reps often and be a pain in the butt. Or write an editorial in your paper about your concerns. Or join a pro-gun organization and become a voice of many. Or for the safety of your family, pay the fee, get quality training and move on.
It was NRA Executive Vice President Franklin Orth who stated at Congressional hearings that he supported a ban on mail-order sales of firearms. He was a key supporter of the Gun Control Act of 1968 which is the biggest infringement on the second amendment to date. It was the NRA that helped implement laws to add plugs to firearms to restrict ammo capacity which is another infringement. It was the NRA that caved and settled for much less with the concealed carry law that was passed when they could have stood their ground and proved they were truly for our rights by fighting the most corrupt state in the nation and its career politicians. Ill start supporting the NRA when I hear them pushing for a bill to repeal the FOID act and stop compromising our rights away.
You need to decide. Are you going to work within the system or ignore the system. If you are going to ignore then system – then go ahead and carry. Hell, go ahead and open carry for all I care! Stop griping and get on with it.
If you are going to work within the system, then you need to view this as a process with a goal. Yes, there are infringements on our rights. The plan is to attack the infringements and win a series of smaller victories to achieve the ultimate goal. Look at how far gay rights activists have come over the last 20-30 years. We can do the same thing. But, you need to be patient and stay focused.
The worst thing you can do is sit on your butt, do nothing and then find fault in the people who are trying to change things. That is just demoralizing and plays right into Bloomberg’s hands. The founders knew that our system would only work if the public is educated on the issues and engaged in the process.
Were you at iGold in 2015? When was the last time you harassed your Senators and Congressmen about the infringements on our Second Amendment rights? Do your co-workers and friends know your views on the second amendment?
We’ve proven it over and over again. The only time politicians behave is when they are afraid of the consequences. Right now, the politicians in Springfield are not very afraid.
I don’t thow a single instructer lining his or her pockets.
I do know if some of the best team of instructors in this state were interested in lining their pockets, they wouldn’t have 20 instructors and damn near an instructor for every two students if their goal was to get rich. They also wouldn’t have multiple lawyers as instructors either.
Hell, unless I am mistaken, vandermyde isn’t an instructor. So much for that allegation that he engineered this to line his pockets.
Is this carping about the bill coming from uninvolved people who expected a handful of gun rights leaders to do a the work?
I can’t imagine thinking my life wasn’t worth $400 either. That is just me though.
Buy a clue.
Mom with a gun hits it on the head: the fascist leftists in IL didn’t surrender any more than they had to.
Perhaps I haven’t been quite as actively involved in contacting the corrupt politicians to get them to give me my Constitutional Right. I do purchase guns and supplies, have been an NRA member for multiple years, and do vote for the least compromised candidates, much more of a contribution that the vast majority of Americans who have to “buy more clues” than I do. My contention is that I’m tired of growing older while my freedom remains a captive to evil. Take a stand and retreat not another inch, that’s my position.
I couldn’t of said it any better and I wholeheartedly agree. There are plenty of no compromise organizations such as the 2nd Amendment foundation and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms that I believe have done more than the NRA ever can. None of our rights have a price tag on them and thats the way this country was meant to be.
David:
While I agree with you in principle, the real world is a far more practical place. Yeah, I have a GOA membership card in my wallet (next to my Guns Save Life membership card and an NRA Life member card), but I recognize that they have their place – and that place isn’t at anyone’s bargaining table when it comes to the major leagues of politics.
If you think otherwise, then by all means: Please regale us with a single piece of legislation JPFO has passed in IL… or blocked in IL.
In the case of SAF, their court work has been magnificent (Thanks SAF for Heller, McDonald and dozens more!)
Legislatively, they are a non-player.
That’s my view from the top of my roof, as seen through my mildot scope.
Mr. Villa: Suggesting that the very people who fight for our gun rights are doing so for financial gain is rather insulting to them. They live and breathe this stuff, and it ain’t for a fat paycheck from Bloomberg or anyone else.
Is your last name short for “villain”, perhaps?
That was my first thought after reading what you wrote.