Great Satan, Inc.

It’s time for the annual Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association (ASRPA) dinner on Saturday June 2, 2012.   If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you have until early Wednesday afternoon on May 30th to get your tickets to this very special Arizona Centennial dinner.

You can purchase dinner tickets online at www.ASRPA.com.

Dinner, raffles, speakers, and festivities will be at:

Crowne Plaza Hotel
2532 W. Peoria Ave
Phoenix, AZ  85029
(888) 444-0401

Event Schedule:

5:00pm       Social hour
6:00pm       Opening Prayer, Pledge, and Introductions
6:10pm        Dinner
6:30pm        Special Arizona Speakers Jack Harper, Matt Salmon, Sylvia Allen, Col. (ret) Costa Tzavaras
7:15pm        High Achievement Awards for ASRPA Junior Shooters.
7:30pm        Special Guest Speaker Nick Adams
8:00pm        Raffle Ticket Winners
8:15pm        Alison’s 27th Annual  Auction
9:00pm’ish   Adjournment

ASRPA has a great list of speakers lined up, including former Congressional Representative Matt Salmon, Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen, Arizona Representative Jack Harper, and Col. Costa Tzavaras and a special guest speaker from Sydney, Australia, Nick Adams. The evening’s theme is American Excellence and a celebration of our 100th year of Statehood.

There are also some great raffles where you can win:

The Arizona Rangers Firearms set.  An authentic Charcoal Blue and Case colored .45 Colt Peacemaker (Cimarron/Uberti) with 4 3/4″ barrel and holster PLUS the “Gun that Won the West”, the 1873 .45 Colt lever action rifle with 24″ barrel, Charcoal blue and case colored.

The “Tip Top Mine Armored Coach Package.  A 12 guage 3inch double trigger, exposed Rabbit Ear Hammers, 20” barrels, canvas sling with shell loops, and canvas duster case.

A special Nick Adams Downunder edition of a Sharps Long Range Rifle.

Support safe recreational and competitive shooting in Arizona.  Go to the ASRPA website and get your dinner and raffle tickets right now.

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A bill to make the Colt Single Action Army revolver the symbolic state firearm of Arizona has stalled in the Arizona House of Representatives. Naming a state firearm won’t cost the state a dime, but it is an important element of Arizona’s history as it relates to the Arizona Centennial celebration. This is a one time only opportunity to celebrate our first 100 years of statehood. As noted by the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission, the Arizona’s Centennial provides Arizona and its citizens an opportunity to showcase the “state’s beauty, history and future”.

Colt SAA in Nickel - ASRPA 2011 Meeting raffle prize.

How was the Colt SAA Selected?

The Colt Single Action Army revolver (Colt SAA), also known as the
Peacemaker, was suggested by the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association (ASRPA), after a survey of more than 3,000 respondents chose the Colt SAA as the gun most representative of Arizona’s history. ASRPA’s Arizona lobbyist, Todd Rathner, then contacted Colt to see if they would support and help achieve the official designation.

What Is ASRPA?

The Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association was founded in 1909 to oversee competitive shooting and firearms training in the state. ASRPA has played a crucial role in Arizona’s history, that continues to this day:

• In 1910, The Arizona Rifle Team designed and used a flag when they attended the National Matches at Camp Perry. This flag was adopted as the state flag in 1917. (source ASRPA presentation)

Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association Rifle Team early 1900s

Does This Firearm Represent Arizona?

One of two guns widely acclaimed for winning the West, the Colt Single Action Army revolver was widely used by settlers, farmers, ranchers, miners, and the Arizona Rangers for self-defense and law enforcement. It was also carried by the Arizona Rough Riders*. It has been suggested that a Ruger product would be appropriate, since Ruger has a significant manufacturing presence in Prescott. However, Ruger’s Old West style guns began production in the 1950s and are actually based on the Colt Single Action Army design, which leads us back to having the Colt Single Action Army revolver designated as the state firearm.

What Will It Cost the State?

It won’t cost Arizona a single copper penny. It’s really hard to imagine how passing a no-cost bill like SB1610 would be too much for some lawmakers, when you consider the controversial bills that have been passed this year. Speaker of the House Kirk Adams pushed through a structurally balanced budget, a rollback of the state’s excessively spendy health insurance program (ACCCHS), as well as major pension reform. The House tackled contentious issues that desperately needed to be addressed, led by someone willing to take the heat.

What Now?

The Arizona House has worked many late nights this session, tackling difficult, contentious, and controversial issues for the State.  Hopefully, with the busy schedule, they just haven’t had time to update the voting calendar with the date SB1610 will be heard on the House floor.

We’re hoping they will pass this bill on Monday, so the passage can be applauded at Senator Sylvia Allen’s Patriot’s Day celebration at the Arizona Capitol on Tuesday.

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