Federal District Court Judge Orders Illinois to Show Examples of Every Newly-Banned Firearm

Things just got very real for the gun-grabbers behind the Illinois Firearm Ban Act. Last Monday the Illinois Gun Rights Alliance filed for a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the new gun ban in the Land of Lincoln. On Monday, the US District Court judge issued an order that sets up the Illinois Attorney General for an epic failure.

We got an early Valentine’s Day gift. I say “we” because Guns Save Life where I serve as Executive Director stands as a named plaintiff in the FFL-IL lawsuit. As for the gift, US District Court Judge Stephen McGlynn issued an order requiring the state to provide illustrative examples of each and every item banned under the Illinois Firearm Ban Act.

24 – Feb 13, 2023 – ORDER: Within the response to 16 Motion for Preliminary Injunction, Defendants shall provide illustrative examples of each and every item banned under 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9. Signed by Judge Stephen P. McGlynn on 2/13/2023. (jce)THIS TEXT ENTRY IS AN ORDER OF THE COURT. NO FURTHER DOCUMENTATION WILL BE MAILED. (Entered: 02/13/2023)

Here’s the first of many problems for AG Kwame Raoul: there are so many variations in the guns listed in the ban law that identifying every forbidden firearm will prove, well, difficult at best. After all, there are so many makes, models and variations of America’s favorite rifle that providing illustrative examples of “each and every item” is damn-near impossible.

But wait, there’s more!

The new law also has more general “features” provisions that include far more makes and models of commonly sold firearms used for personal defense. Obviously this will prove to be a challenging endeavor for the guns alone.

And then there’s the entire issue of guns that are prohibited in other sections of the law as well. We’re not even sure the brain trust who drafted the bill understood just how broad the language they used was.

For example, there are the countless guns that can be “readily converted” to illegal configurations and therefore have become illegal to purchase or transfer under the new law. For example, popular shotguns like the Remington 870, the Winchester 1300, the Remington 11XX series and Mossberg 590s have all now become prohibited guns under the law.

That’s correct…many of the most popular pump-action shotguns ever made are now forbidden in Illinois.

Judge McGlynn’s order indicated he wants to see everything that will be banned under the law…including magazines. So…the AG will have to identify examples of every sort of standard and enhanced capacity magazine? The state’s response will look like a catalogue the size of a stack of ten phone books (remember those?).

What’s more, there are also all of the (now illegal) parts that can be used to make these guns “readily convertible” into scary, newly prohibited configurations. This includes parts like springs, pins, parts kits, trigger assemblies, bolt carrier groups, uppers, stocks, flash suppressors, even items like adjustable stocks.

The state’s catalog will look more like the Encyclopedia Britannica (remember those?).

Are you getting the picture yet? It’s doubtful that the state’s response will even begin to scratch the surface of everything that’s covered in the Illinois law. The fun part will be when we hammer their filing and point out dozens (hundreds?) of items they missed.

Here’s Todd Vandermyde’s delightful video on the news. Vandermyde worked as the NRA-ILA’s contract lobbyist in the Land of Lincoln for almost twenty years. Note that big, feces-eating grin on his face.

Tactically speaking, the best thing Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly could do would be to repeal the “assault weapons” ban law and moot the case. But that would mean eating a huge crow sandwich in front of the establishment media, constituents, and the legislative leaders who ran this bill. To say nothing of killing one of Pritzker’s signature campaign pieces in any future run for President.

If the state doesn’t repeal the law, then the plaintiffs have a good chance of establishing the right to keep and bear America’s favorite rifles and countless other commonly-used firearms for self-defense. We could also establish a precedent protecting magazines, magazine parts, gun parts, transportation issues, and a whole lot more including homemade guns (cough ghost guns cough), and much more.

All because the gun-grabbers wanted to strike a blow against the gun culture in Illinois.

That feeling when YOU BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS in Illinois!! @NabeelaforIL @RepBobMorgan @FightingMama18 #ProtectIllinoisCommunities pic.twitter.com/uB7w5UhZDj

— Rachel Jacoby (@rachelajacoby) January 10, 2023