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ALTON - Piasa Armory, a gun store and shooting range in Alton, is celebrating Customer Appreciation Day with nachos, a bounce house, a gatling gun, and much more this weekend on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Scott Pulaski with Piasa Armory appeared on a recent episode of Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com to talk more in-depth about the event, the Illinois assault weapons ban, and more.
“We’re open at 10 a.m., and we have all kinds of fun stuff going on,” Pulaski said of Customer Appreciation Day. “We do bounce houses for kids - it’s a family event, so a lot of fun. Bring everybody down!”
He said the festivities also include free tomahawk throwing, and that local businesses can set up a table for free - Piasa Armory will even provide tables. He also said they pay the necessary state fees to allow machine guns at the event, giving visitors a chance to try out some unique weapons for a fee.
“We’ve got a machine gun you can shoot for a fee, a belt-fed gun that we have that we turned into a machine gun you can shoot for a fee, and an old-school gatling gun that you can also run, so a lot of fun,” Pulaski said. “That’s [for] anybody that’s 8 and over and signs one of our range safety waivers.”
Pulaski said he thinks it's important for people of all ages and perspectives to familiarize themselves with gun safety.
“Our company motto is, ‘Creating a culture of responsible gun ownership,’ and that starts at every age,” he said. “We absolutely welcome people that are against guns because we want them to come and have some knowledge, learn about them - and if you never want to touch one again, no problem, but at least you understand what it is, how it works, and how to be safe around one.”
Last month, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that the Protect Illinois Communities Act - commonly known as the “assault weapons ban” - is constitutional. While the law now moves to the federal appeals level, and potentially the Supreme Court, Pulaski said it’s already been affecting his business.
“At least half of our business was selling guns and items that are on the banned list, so it’s been a tough summer,” Pulaski said.
He added that another change in state law two years ago delayed the paperwork process for gun buyers and prevented many from getting guns they had ordered because they couldn’t complete their paperwork before the ban went into effect.
Pulaski said Piasa Armory has been part of a lawsuit “since the beginning” of this ban, specifically as part of the case filed by the Federal Firearm Licensees of Illinois. Other state organizations like the Illinois State Rifle Association have filed similar lawsuits against the ban which await decisions in federal appeals court.
In the meantime, Pulaski said Piasa Armory looks forward to giving back to its loyal customers.
“The reason we exist is because of the people that have bought from us and might buy from us in the future, so we like to give back and say, ‘Thanks for making us what we are,’” Pulaski said.
To find out more about Piasa Armory, including a list and schedule of offered courses, visit their website at piasaarmory.com.
The full interview with Pulaski can be watched at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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