Carmi Rifle Club

05/29/2026

WGO NEWS | ILLINOIS FOID LAWS

The fight over Illinois FOID cards is heating up AGAIN.

A new federal lawsuit is challenging Illinois’ FOID card system, arguing the state shouldn’t require people to get government permission before owning or buying a firearm.

For people outside Illinois:
👉 A FOID card = Firearm Owner’s Identification card.

And in Illinois, you need one to legally possess or purchase fi****ms or ammunition.

🧠 WGO REAL TALK

This is where Illinois instantly splits into two camps:

🔫 Side A:
“It’s common sense. Background checks matter.”

🇺🇸 Side B:
“A constitutional right shouldn’t require a permission slip.”

And honestly?
The second somebody says:
👉 “government database”
👉 “mandatory licensing”
👉 “fees and delays”

…people start getting REAL loud.

The lawsuit argues the FOID system violates both:
⚖️ The Second Amendment
⚖️ Due process protections under the Constitution.

Meanwhile Illinois says the FOID system is part of keeping fi****ms out of dangerous hands.

So now?
Another massive court fight is brewing.

Again.

Because in Illinois…
the words:
🗣️ “gun law”
and
🗣️ “lawsuit”

basically travel together now.

05/13/2026

Carmi Rifle Club to Sponsor Annual NRA Day!
Saturday, June 6th the Carmi Rifle Club will be hosting their annual NRA Day which will be open to men, women, and youths ages 9 yrs. old and up. The Carmi club is proud to continue southern Illinois' rich heritage of firearm ownership and sport shooting. The event, partially funded by a grant from the Friends of the NRA Foundation, is a unique opportunity to learn about the importance of firearm safety and participate in a wide variety of shooting sports.

The day begins at 8:30 am with registration. It includes firearm safety orientation, and instruction in the fastest-growing sports in the nation - trap shooting with shotguns and steel challenge with .22 target pistols, firing a wide variety of rifles, and centerfire pistols. Participants will have the opportunity to shoot paper targets, reactive targets, and steel plates, and clay targets.

The Carmi Rifle Club, a not-for-profit organization, hosts this event as a community service and provides lunch, hearing and eye protection, as well as all the fi****ms and ammunition. Members encourage those interested in fi****ms to participate in this educational and fun program. All activities are supervised by NRA certified instructors, range safety officers, and experienced club members. NRA safety rules are strictly followed. The event will be held at the Carmi Rifle Club at the north edge of Carmi just off Hwy 1 on County Road 1250 E across the road from Vibracoustic Industries.
Attendance is limited to the first 25 participants to register and pre-registration is required. The fee for the day is $30. To receive a registration form or more information, please contact Valinda Rowe at 618-963-2788, email [email protected].

05/12/2026

These ladies are something else - rain and cold winds did not deter them one bit! They came with a purpose - to learn and to shoot! We did both! It was a joy to have them at our event. If you missed it, you REALLY missed! Thanks everyone who helped and thank you to the NRA Foundation who helped make it possible.

05/12/2026

Carmi Rifle Club to Sponsor Annual NRA Day!
Saturday, June 6th the Carmi Rifle Club will be hosting their annual NRA Day which will be open to men, women, and youths ages 9 yrs. old and up. The Carmi club is proud to continue southern Illinois' rich heritage of firearm ownership and sport shooting. The event, partially funded by a grant from the Friends of the NRA Foundation, is a unique opportunity to learn about the importance of firearm safety and participate in a wide variety of shooting sports.

The day begins at 8:30 am with registration. It includes firearm safety orientation, and instruction in the fastest-growing sports in the nation - trap shooting with shotguns and steel challenge with .22 target pistols, firing a wide variety of rifles, and centerfire pistols. Participants will have the opportunity to shoot paper targets, reactive targets, and steel plates, and clay targets.

The Carmi Rifle Club, a not-for-profit organization, hosts this event as a community service and provides lunch, hearing and eye protection, as well as all the fi****ms and ammunition. Members encourage those interested in fi****ms to participate in this educational and fun program. All activities are supervised by NRA certified instructors, range safety officers, and experienced club members. NRA safety rules are strictly followed. The event will be held at the Carmi Rifle Club at the north edge of Carmi just off Hwy 1 on County Road 1250 E across the road from Vibracoustic Industries.
Attendance is limited to the first 25 participants to register and pre-registration is required. The fee for the day is $30. To receive a registration form or more information, please contact Valinda Rowe at 618-963-2788, email [email protected].

05/05/2026

CANCELED: Outdoor range will be reserved for 4H on May 18th 5pm-7pm.

04/29/2026

04/06/2026

Public comment period is open for new rules proposed by the United States Postal Service pertaining to mailing handguns via the USPS.

The Trump administration is changing the Postal Service policy for mailing handguns. Another win for the Second Amendment. Mark Smith, Four Boxes Diner, dis...

04/01/2026

Carmi Rifle Club to Host NRA Women's Shooting Clinic!

The Carmi Rifle Club, a not-for-profit organization in Carmi, IL will be hosting its annual NRA women's instructional shooting clinic on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The day will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. followed by firearm safety orientation and instructional sessions for shotgun, .22 caliber handgun in the morning. Attendees will have the added opportunity to shoot rifles and centerfire handguns in the afternoon. Participants will be treated to a picnic lunch. The purpose of the clinic is to provide training in the safe handling of fi****ms in a safe, relaxing, non-competitive, and fun-filled environment. The clinic will conclude at approximately 3 p.m. Fi****ms, ammunition, targets, and lunch will be provided by the club. The event is made possible by the Friends of the NRA Foundation.
The event will be supervised by NRA-certified instructors and range safety officers as well as experienced club members. The club is located north of Carmi at 1576 Co. Rd. 1250 E, Carmi, IL, just off Illinois Highway 1.
Registration for the clinic costs $30 per participant. Pre-registration is required. To register, contact Valinda Rowe at 618-963-2788, or email [email protected]. Attendance is limited to the first 25 applicants. FOID card not required.