Call your State Police and ask them -- they will know the exact answer.
My friend's son was stopped for speeding on his Triumph. The State Trooper then asked him (why?) if he was carrying any firearms. Not wanting to lie, he admitted having an unloaded .40 XP handgun in his backpack, which he was taking to his dad's house for a day of plinking.
He was arrested for illegal transport of a firearm, and the gun was confiscated. The charges were eventually dismissed, probably because it was an unwarranted search. But that was AFTER $5000 for the lawyer.
I'm confused. The IL transportation of firearms says
"Under Unlawful Use of Weapons (UUW) in the
Criminal Code, persons who have been
issued a valid FOID card may transport a
firearm anywhere in their vehicle or on their
person as long as the firearm is unloaded and
enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box,
shipping box, or other container. Firearms that
are not immediately accessible or are broken
down in a non-functioning state may also be
carried or transported under the Criminal
Code. The Wildlife Code, however, is more
restrictive. It requires that all firearms transported
in or on any vehicle be unloaded and in
a case.
Because of this, it is recommended that, in
order to be in compliance with all statutes, all
firearms be transported:
1. Unloaded and,
2. Enclosed in a case, and
3. By persons who have a valid FOID card."
What is the appropriate way to refuse an answer to a LEO's question about if you have any firearms?
I keep my 9mm unloaded, in a zipper case with the magazine, under my seat. I also keep a copy of the Illinois Criminal Code section 720 for any ignorant LEO's I may come across. Makes it a lot harder for them to claim they "didn't know" when I hand them a copy of the law.