World Shooting Complex- Sparta, IL

[Hollywood_Heat]

Anybody else keeping up on the World Shooting Complex in Sparta, IL? It looks like it's gonna be quite a facility, to say the least. There's gonna be a 3.5 mile long trap line. How cool is that? I emailed them and they also said there's gonna be 50/100 meter (they said meter) long rifle/pistol ranges also. They're gonna be hosting the Grand American trap competition this year on August 8-18. I guess after that it'll be officially open. If the fees are reasonable, I'm probably gonna be practically living there. They also hosted the Randolph County Ruckus cowboy action shooting competition last year and that was pretty neat but I showed up late on the last day and didn't see much. Anybody else in the Metro East looking forward to the Complex being finished?

 

[Herself]

No gunnie's dollars should go to Illinois! Soory, Land-of-Lincolners, but it's not a good idea to support an oppressive governmnet in any way.

--H

 

[Preacherman]

Herself, I must respectfully disagree with you here. As far as I'm concerned, the busier this complex is, the better! What better way to show gun-owners in the right light, as decent, honest folks who enjoy their sport, and train with their weapons so that they know how to use them, and aren't just a bunch of ignorant rednecks blazing away at everything and everyone in sight? I'll certainly pay a visit there myself if I ever get up Illinois way, and try to put some rounds downrange to support our beleaguered shooter buddies there.

 

[Herself]

Herself, I must respectfully disagree with you here. As far as I'm concerned, the busier this complex is, the better! [...] I'll certainly pay a visit there myself if I ever get up Illinois way, and try to put some rounds downrange to support our beleaguered shooter buddies there.

You're an adult; it's your choice. I have no power to compel you and would not if I did.

Just be sure you're not carrying anything that is forbidden to the subjects of Illinois: Federal law only protects you if you're passin' though. Stop at a destination, and you're under their draconian laws! Any Evil Black Guns in your collection?

You will, of course, have to be socially naked throughout your stay in that fine state.

I won't go there. A pity, it is the first state I ever shot a handgun in, on the farm of a friend of my father's and at a tender age, but it's hostile to peaceable gun-owners. Until they fix their laws, I'm staying away.

Our beleaguered shooter buddies should leave. Let the rest of 'em suffer the consequences of their foolish votes!

Until gunnies and gun-makers start leaving gun-hating states, the governments of those states are going to assume it's okay to treat us like criminals and dirt.

--Herself

 

[isp2605]

"Any Evil Black Guns in your collection?"

Evil Black Guns aren't illegal in IL. Neither are high cap mags. IL doesn't have a list of firearms which are the only ones that can be possessed. IL doesn't require you to register any of your firearms.
To get back on topic, yup, the Sparta facility is going to be nice when it's done.

 

[Herself]

Standing corrected. IL still doesn't allow adults to carry the means of self-defense.

--H

 

[isp2605]

Even some states that have CCW on the books don't allow it for the masses either.

 

[Herself]

And...? IL is still not getting any of my money. And I live right next door, in a shall-issue CCW state. Oddly, the streets in Indiana do not run red with blood, or no more so than they do in IL.

Are they making IL gunnies show their Mark of Ham -- oops, FOID -- to buy ammuntion?

 

[Bix]

I'm looking forward to heading down there myself once it opens. I agree that encouraging development/expansion of responsible firearms culture in this state is part of a good strategy for positive legislative change.

FOID is generally required for a resident to purchase/possess ammunition.

 

[sturmruger]

This sounds like a great facility to me. I wonder if the USPSA will have any shoots there?

 

[sctman800]

"Any Evil Black Guns in your collection?"

Evil Black Guns aren't illegal in IL. Neither are high cap mags. IL doesn't have a list of firearms which are the only ones that can be possessed. IL doesn't require you to register any of your firearms.

Not at this time. Every year Governor Daley and whoever else that thinks they are Governor propose an AWB and several more assinine laws that so far haven't been made into law. The Sparta complex is a good thing because it will show shooters in a good light instead of the evil redneck knuckle draggers our governors like to portray.
No we don't have CCW, but someday we might if the people wanting it stay and fight for it. Jim.

 

[dmftoy1]

Yup, and with a little luck maybe we can get rid of Blago as well. (Isn't he up for election this fall?) Now if Chicago would just get it's act together and give Daly the boot.

 

[44Brent]

"Any Evil Black Guns in your collection?"
Evil Black Guns aren't illegal in IL. Neither are high cap mags. IL doesn't have a list of firearms which are the only ones that can be possessed. IL doesn't require you to register any of your firearms.

To be more specific, the STATE does not prohibit normal capacity magazines or semi-automatic weapons. However, many municipalities do have such ordinances. For example, in Aurora, your car can be seized for transporting a BB gun. For a partial list of municipalities that have such ordinances, visit http://www.isra.org/links/illinois_municipalities_that_prohibit_and_regulate_firearms.pdf

 

[loose cannon]

wasnt logged but i had to for this;you couldnt get me or mine to shoot at sparta if you paid my gas from sw mo a nights free lodgeing and all meals free
+2days truckdriver wages this state does not want me or my wife in it because where we go we are armed

herself;+10000

 

[American Son]

More Ranges = More Shooters

Hello THR members - my first post.

I am very glad to see a new shooting facility coming on-line in Illinois. To my thinking we who enjoy the shooting sports and treasure our right to possess and use firearms can use all of the allies we can get and in every state!

In the 1960s when I was growing up in an unincorporated part of Cook County, IL (the county where Chicago is located) it was still quite possible to shoot outdoors on farmland or at several indoor ranges. I enjoyed trap shooting in the City of Chicago at the Lincoln Park Trap Club. During High School I made extra money maintaining the shooting ranges at the Oak Lawn Gun Shop. As shooting opportunities close down or become less accessible I fear the number of shooters and their (our) political power is declining.

For the past 15 years I have lived near Denver, where many would be surprised by the rapidly declining number of ranges and areas near the city open to shooting. I don't live in Illinois now, but, I am certainly heartened to hear of this new facility.

 

[Hollywood_Heat]

I'll be the first to admit there's alot of hipocracy in this issue being how the up north types including Governor "Kennedy" generally hate guns but they somehow let this one go past. Something like this would really put alot of money into the economies around the area. I think that's the only way it got past was by calling it an economic project. Or it might be vote fishing since an election is close and the Chicago types want the down staters to think they aren't as radical. Who can really tell what their motive was? But you know there was one.

Although I don't like how things are run in Illinois, I'm gonna have to live here for a couple more years so I might as well make the best of it.

This new range in Sparta is about the same distance away as the MDC Ranges in STL, both Busch and Henges. Right now I go to Busch for my 100 yard shooting and trap throwing. It's cheap enough and the RO isn't a Nazi and they leave me alone so I like it. If this Sparta place is more expensive, I'll just keep crossing the river. Simple as that. It's not about supporting the home team with me, it's about saving money. Either way, I'm keeping up on the news and hoping for the best.

 

[mack]

Living in Illinois because of family, it is one fight year after year to stop more and more oppresive gun laws. But I have a dream - the Feds are busy in Chicago indicting crooked city politicians and businessmen and their bag men. Governor Blago is busy trying to throw unfunded promises to any interest group he can find because he is sagging in the polls. I dream that one day I awake to find Da Mayor under indictment by the Feds once the noose has been closed and the Governor losing to Judy Barr-Topinka who has been supportive of gun rights and CCW.

The Sparta complex is a good thing for gun owners in this state - as it promotes the image of responsible gun ownership in the eyes to the press and the unimformed masses. I can understand individuals choosing not to come her due to our pain in the "neck" gun laws.

Da Mayor and Gov Blago are pushing another draconion gun ban, the ISRA and NRA are pushing to eliminate the FOID card, and I have a dream.

 

[sctman800]

I dream that one day I awake to find Da Mayor under indictment by the Feds once the noose has been closed and the Governor losing to Judy Barr-Topinka who has been supportive of gun rights and CCW.
Mack: I wholeheartedly agree with Daley going to jail and would like to throw Blago in with him. But, I have been looking for any info on JBT and can't find anything about her stance on guns, I have even sent an email to her web site and recieved no answer. As far as pro 2A canidates all I see is Bill Brady who has just written a bill to repeal the FOID card. Give him a look. Jim.

 

[Jeff White]

sctman800,

We don't need a bill to eliminate the FOID card. The means to repeal it by referendum was written into the original law way back in 1968.

Herself,
Perhaps you should do a little bit of research before you warm up your keyboard to put down your neighbors to the West. Last I checked you had some pretty vocal anti-gun legislators from right there in Indianapolis. People who would surely join Daley and Blagojevich in disarming the entire midwest. I'll make you a deal, I'll assist you in your fight to keep your rights (and don't think you aren't in one, because you are) and you can support us over here. Fair enough?

It's about time we stopped putting down like minded people for where they live and all started working together.

The World Shooting Complex is a big thing for RKBA in Illinois. It's going to be hard for the politicos to explain why they put so many millions of taxpayer dollars into a shooting complex if they think that guns are bad. Anything that promotes shooting as a mainstream activity is good for all of us. No matter where it's located.

Jeff

 

[Herself]

Jeff,

It's not worth debating. I'm not setting foot in IL unless my job requires it until the state recognizes the basic human right to self-defense. Period.

What you or somebody else does, that's not under my control. Just remember: whatever you reward, you'll get more of. I'm not rewarding antigun states. YMMV.

--Herself

 

[Matthew748]

I think The World Shooting Complex is a good idea and I agree with you Jeff. We are all in this together. The way I look at it, the more states that are pro-gun the better. If the feds decide to re-interpret the constitution for us lowly serfs we will be in a world of hurt. It won't matter if you are from Indiana, Nevada, or Alaska then. The more pro-gun states we have, the less likely this is to happen. I hope the World Shooting Complex does well and prompts new shooters to get involved in changing the laws of Illinois.

 

[isp2605]

To be more specific, the STATE does not prohibit normal capacity magazines or semi-automatic weapons. However, many municipalities do have such ordinances. For example, in Aurora, your car can be seized for transporting a BB gun. For a partial list of municipalities that have such ordinances, visit http://www.isra.org/links/illinois_municipalities_that_prohibit_and_regulate_firearms.pdf

Municipalities in a lot of states have more restrictive laws than what state laws restrict. IL is not unique there.

 

[mack]

sctman800 - I can't swear what Judy Barr-Topnka's stance is right now - I just remember some years back when lobbying for CCW, (when Edgar was still Governor), that she was supportive of the effort.

Bill Brady I assume is the same Brady, (there are quite a few Brady's in politics from the Bloomington/Normal area) - that when I was lobbying for CCW in Springfield - would not commit himself to voting for a CCW law. Having met him, albiet briefly, I felt that he would go whatever way he felt would further his political career.

I'm not saying I'm right Judy or Bill, just what I recall from some time ago, and my feeling about being able to trust them.

 

[NineseveN]

No carry = no NineseveN.


Sorry folks, get your legislators in line and then give me a ring, then maybe I'll come out and buy the first round of ammo...until then, I'll pass.

 

[Templar223]

No gunnie's dollars should go to Illinois! Soory, Land-of-Lincolners, but it's not a good idea to support an oppressive governmnet in any way.

--H

I don't blame you.

I live in Illinois and I'm not going to Sparta. Regrettably I live here and because of employment and family, have chosen to stay. Having said that, I prefer to spend my spare time and money in RTC states that honor my FL permit.

Also, shoud the HB-2414 pass, I WILL be forgoing those family and employment ties and moving to another state. Sorry mom.

Illinois: We put you in a disarmed state.

I wouldn't visit here either! Frankly, there's not a lot here that you can't find elsewhere.

John