Image by Boch.

Guns Save Life, the grassroots gun rights organization that defends the right for people to defend themselves in the Land of Lincoln continues to throw sand in the gears of gun control jihadists in the state at every opportunity. Our latest involves giving away the Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad in June of this year, which has a lot of people asking us how we do it after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the great gun and magazine ban last year.

First though, more about the Guns Save Life organization. GSL humiliates Big Gun Control, Inc. in Illinois by coopting their gun buybacks over and over past and present.

'Guns Save Life' Uses Chicago Gun Buyback To Send Kids To NRA Gun Camp. Again.
Image by Boch.

And then we use that money to send kids to an NRA Youth Shooting Camp and other youth shooting programs.

Ammo provided by Chicago taxpayers for the NRA Youth Shooting Camp. John Boch Image

GSL ridicules them online and on the side of the road with Burma Shave-style highway signs with slogans like:

DIALED 9-1-1
AND I’M ON HOLD
SURE WISH I HAD
THAT GUN I SOLD
GunsSaveLife.com

We also poke fun at them at our monthly meetings.

I serve as the Executive Director of GSL and in the face of the great gun and magazine ban passed by Gov. Pritzker and his merry band of gun grabbers, GSL has not rolled over and played nice.  We sued. But more than that, we advocated “do not register” to gun owners both online and in print.

Our latest thumb in the eye of aspiring American President J.B. Pritzker? Our “Great Guns 2024” drawing.

GSL has meetings in 11 cities across Illinois each month, and at each of those meetings, we typically have a drawing for a monthly gun. Sometimes it’s a case of ammo or a crossbow, but you get the idea. Occasionally, we’ll offer something extra nice, like a Bill Oglesby custom-tuned single-action revolver.  Or this year: a Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad.

Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad John Boch Image

Springfield makes some good stuff and their M1A line is nothing short of exceptional in its class. However, plenty of people ask, how could this possibly be legal and unregulated under the so-called Protect Illinois Communities Act gun and magazine ban? In short, it doesn’t have a pistol grip (at least what the legislators and rule-makers consider a pistol grip) and instead of a flash suppressor, it has a muzzle brake.

Yes, it will be loud, but again it’ll be legal and unregulated by the would-be tyrants currently ruling the people of the State of Illinois.

Close up of Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad John Boch Image

In the deep blue state of Illinois, we’re used to making lemonade out of lemons. And we’re going to celebrate our ability to do so by giving this Springfield Armory M1A Scout Squad away at our June 13, 2024 Charleston regional meeting.

And this one can be yours. Tickets are $10 each or 5/$40. You can pick them up at meetings.

Can’t make it to a meeting, but want to win this gun for as little as $10?

Send a check to the address below and GSL’s Treasurer Joanne Chandler will send you back your stubs if you include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope for you youngins). If you’re late, we’ll return your check.

Attn: Great Guns 2024
Guns Save Life
PO Box 8
Clinton, IL 61727

Proceeds will be used in our fight to continue to undermine gun control schemes across our state, and if our legal appeals reach the U.S. Supreme Court (our team has partnered with the NSSF’s team in their suit in an appeal), potentially nationwide.

It’s something you can do to help us on your own way even if you’re not in the thick of the fight in our state. Your support would be a big help toward us getting more proven results.

18 COMMENTS

  1. Damn right it’s loud! In fact it’s painful. Worst I’ve ever experienced. A friend bought one. One trip to the range and he converted to a standard M-14 birdcage flash suppressor. I understand why that is not an option in this case. Still, congrats on giving away a real rifle instead of the obvious. Sounds like a good cause. Like the Chief said, “Endeavor to persevere.”

    • You’re lucky you don’t live in a state that considers a simple flash hider a weapon of war. Some of us do and have to creatively cobble our guns together and cut off or weld bits on. Effing commies.

  2. Well Boch IF I can get a satisfactory answer about the Kali Key I’m getting one for my verboten rifle. My buddies in Crete assure me it’s GTG. Any poop from a certain obese billionaire???

    • Kali Key?

      Okay, I googled it. These products are out there. Rob over at Law Weapons has one he calls the LAW-15 bolt or something like that.

      They have been shot down in at least three states by either AG offices, or state police agencies. I don’t know any states that have accepted them as a workaround.

      I think it was the California State Police had the most amusing description of these devices installed on a (semi-auto) rifle. Paraphrased: “When you install this on a semi-automatic rifle, it doesn’t make it a bolt-action rifle. All you have is a malfunctioning semi-automatic rifle.”

      • They ARE accepted in California Boch. After I was moderated for no reason I didn’t see your reply. And you supporting Springfield Armory means I’ll never join GSL. NO traitor brand’s.

    • David, after coveting one most of my adult life I finally acquired an M-1A a couple of years ago. Four digit, TRW, GI op rod, etc. Mint. Damn skippy they’re nice rifles. Everyone should own one.

  3. “…In the deep blue state of Illinois…”
    in the deep blue county of cook and it’s collar counties.

  4. Before switching to the AR platform I assembled Match M1As, converted drop and pull on E2 Stocks, etc. Very expensive nowadays especially when starting a build from scratch. The first thing I would replace is the scout 16″ barrel with a 22″ Criterion. Second is switchiing the brake to a match USGI lugged hider and on the laundry list goes. Don’t get me wrong if you can grab a M1A anything then grab it.

  5. As a GSL member I am not particularly happy that they are supporting Springfield Armory. A company that backed the IL Gun Dealer Licensing Act and gave campaign donations to Democrats. They’re well aware of that, they reported on it.

    • Springfield had straightened up and flown right since that happened. They’ve been a partner – a valued partner – in our struggles in Illinois to push back on gun control. The persons behind that terrible decision are gone – including the lobbyist (who know is NSSF’s lobbyist in IL, by the way) and the big cheese at Springfield.

      We specifically chose the Springfield as a hat tip for the work they’ve done, without credit or public acknowledgement, to help us keep our rights.

      And I assure you, I’ve employed Ronald Reagan’s great axiom of “Trust… but verify” to ensure they are not striking anymore deals to throw the little people under the bus. Springfield has been solidly 100% on the right side of things since I blew the whistle on Jay Keller’s stupid, short-sighted (and self-serving) deal.

  6. m1a’s are damn nice rifles but Springfield is a shit company. Back stabbers don’t get my $$$$
    Would buy a used one but not new.
    Kinda reminds me of the nra

  7. I was trained on the M14 in basic training in 1969.Loved it and bought one in 1980. So sweet
    to shoot!

Comments are closed.