Flying to Chicago. Carry or no carry.

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Sounds to me like you'll be staying in a nice eighborhood
Tinley Park isn't exactly Cabrini-Green. It didn't stop a guy from shooting six women in the head, killing five (He's never been caught that I know of). You think anywhere in Chicago (besides Rahm Emmanuel's living room) is safer than Tinley Park?

"Nice neighborhood" in Chicago is a term of art when all it takes is ONE person to make your part of it as dangerous as Normandy on 06/06/44. especially when you have NO means of defending yourself and not the slightest chance of being "protected" by the Chicago PD.

Regarding Chicago:
  1. Don't go.
  2. If you HAVE to go, don't bring a gun.
 
Do what I do. Visit via National Geographic ONLY. Same goes for anywhere my Kentucky CCW is not honored, since I have no use for even beautiful and interesting places ruled by those who do not trust me as does my home state. Don

Amen! I can legally carry in Illinois, but I refuse to visit or support the State under any circumstances. Maybe the bigger question for the OP is "Is the acquisition of this vehicle worth potentially losing your life?";)

LD
 
I think this is the correct attitude, IMHO. FOPA doesn't protect you if IL is your destination and you don't have an IL FOID. I wouldn't even try landing in Chicago and driving with cased guns to my final non-IL, legal-to-have-a-firearm-there state (even though that's FOPA-covered) unless I had a passel of lawyers in my carry-on.

The second link by C0untZer0 above is an IL Supreme Court decision establishing that an out of state carry permit is equivalent to an IL FOID: http://www.state.il.us/court/opinion...ril/109130.pdf.

I'm not sure that would give me confidence to fly into O'Hare with a handgun in checked luggage, but I suspect it's legal. Still, if coolluke really must take this trip as described, it at least seems worthwhile to consult an IL attorney before deciding to travel unarmed.

If it were me, I would consider the previous suggestion of a one-way rental car. I would, however, drive to my friend's house in IL with the gun properly stowed (unloaded, cased, separate from ammunition). Concealed carry is still illegal, but at least you can be armed while at your friend's house and for most of your drive back to MN.
 
If I have to go to "non-free" states like IL, CA, NY, NJ, MD, MA, CT, etc I always leave my gun at home. It is not worth the potential hassle.

You have to be careful with mace/pepper spray also as some jurisdictions don't even allow that.
 
I travel. I travel a lot! Next week I am flying to Ohio and driving to Michigan and then to Illinois. I don't even worry about carrying on these trips. It is difficult enough just keeping up with the laws in my home state and the surrounding states and I don't want to deal with the hassle.

Unlike a lot of people I do not feel naked without a gun. I have been in Chicago 40-50 times in my life and never had an issue that required a gun. I don't particularly like the city but it is no more dangerous than any other "big" city. I do not walk the streets at night or stay at Red Roof Inn for $39 but I do go to restaurants and other area attractions with no problems.

The last two times I have flown in to Midway, I despise Ohare, I have been approached by a woman and a man at the spot where Cicero passes under I-55. Both times the lady has asked for help through my rolled up window. When I won't roll it down she explains that they mean no harm but their car is broken down. I think I would avoid driving in that area if my car kept breaking down:) This is a major panhandling intersection where you can get your windshield washed 3-4 times in 50 yards.
 
As someone who has both checked a handgun and flown into O'hare many times:

1)Checking a handgun is easy
2)You cannot possess a handgun in IL, period.

I don't know what the exact penalty is in IL, but in NY it is 18 months in the pen... just ask Plaxico Burress.

My advice would be follow the laws or don't go.
 
The second link by C0untZer0 above is an IL Supreme Court decision establishing that an out of state carry permit is equivalent to an IL FOID
Thanks. I would conclude therefore that it would be legal, with such a license, to transport a cased/unloaded/inaccessible or disassembled firearm in IL unless that particular firearm was specifically not allowed by state law or local ordnance (Cook Co., for example, still has an "assault weapon" ban, though it is being challenged).

IANAL
 
I have survived trips to Chicago and NYC. Being sensible and not going to bad places late at night works wonders.

Take a good Surefire flashlight, wonderful for surprise and avoidance.

As far as not going to a state because of politics - well, that disqualifies so many places, you will just stay in your mountain cabin.
 
As someone who has both checked a handgun and flown into O'hare many times:

1)Checking a handgun is easy
2)You cannot possess a handgun in IL, period.

I don't know what the exact penalty is in IL, but in NY it is 18 months in the pen... just ask Plaxico Burress.

My advice would be follow the laws or don't go.

Sure you can.

If you don't mind, would you please cite and link the statute that prohibits possession of a handgun in Illinois? (not carry, just possession)

Plaxico wasn't merely possessing a handgun, he was carrying it...loaded on his person.
 
Isn't it sad when we have to have this thread just to find a way to protect ourselves while traveling in our own country? Not only that but even after much debate, advise, reading of laws, etc we still risk being arrested by police that don't even know the laws of their own state/country. And even then, if we spend thousands on lawyers and the case is dismissed, we probably wouldn't even get our gun back in the end.

Didn't want to twist the topic but all the recent news stories of these travelers being jailed and hassled got me thinking. Pretty depressing.
 
PabloJ
I would pack can of mace into luggage destined for cargo compartment. I know many European-Americans are very paranoid but chances that something bad will happen to you in Chicago is very low. Unfortunately those chances improve when you strap on a handgun.

Run the numbers. The chances of anyone being involved in any type of violent altercation in Chicago is much higher than the rest of the country. It has one of the highest murder rates in the country. Number 49 in the US per capita of 10,000. You have almost a 1 in 10,000 chance of being murdered in Chicago. Really, no kidding.
 
You have almost a 1 in 10,000 chance of being murdered in Chicago. Really, no kidding.

...is that if you spend one year there?

And, of course, the actual chance of any given individual will vary. Not being a young, black, criminal probably changes that statistic significantly. Numbers don't lie, but people using those numbers usually don't represent them quite correctly.
 
Warp raises a good point. Statistics tend to level the playing field quite unnaturally.

A 1:10,000 chance would be based on murders per the number of folks present. But reality might be that a financially stable, established family man (or woman), living in a relatively upper-class part of town, and of lawful and cautious habits, and with good situational awareness may face a 1:1,000,000 chance of being murdered. On the other hand, a young male living in the inner city, who uses and deals in street drugs, spends a lot of time out and about in rough areas late at night, and associates with other equally or more intensely criminal actors, may face a 1:10 chance of suffering homicide. Both contribute to the broader statistic, and both skew it out of relevancy for you as a visitor.

You, as a visitor fall somewhere in between. On the one hand, your exposure time is very low. On the other, you're on unfamiliar ground. But, you're probably likely to be at a rather high level of alertness because of that unfamiliarity. But you don't know the local actors/culture, and you may end up lost and wandering as a visibly vulnerable target for unpleasantness.

So much is up to the choices you make and how street smart you are that predictions of true risk are extremely hard to make.
 
^^^^
Very true. Stats need interpretation. Use your brain and avoid the 3 S's. Personally, I really try to avoid Chicago like the plague.
 
Anybody know if it's legal to carry a loaded gun in your car console? When I moved from there in '07 that would have been a felony.

Note, last weekend 50 people were shot in Chicago.
 
Anybody know if it's legal to carry a loaded gun in your car console? When I moved from there in '07 that would have been a felony.

Note, last weekend 50 people were shot in Chicago.

Don't even consider it unless you want to risk being arrested/charged with, and possibly convicted of, a felony.
 
You can legally ship a firearm to yourself. So you can ship it to yourself, for personal pick-up at a Fed-Ex main office before you enter Illinois and pick it up on the other side.

What can you expect from a state whose name is made up of the two English words "ill" and "annoy"?

Checking a firearm is easy, but don't put one in a suitcase headed for Illinois, New York, or New Jersey.

If you ever do check a firearm, put it in its storage case and chain the case to the inside of your suitcase. Makes it a lot harder to steal.
 
UPDATE
The vehicle in Chicago fell through. We will now be heading for Ohio the following weekend. We will fly into Hopkins and drive to Chicago to stay with friends and drive the last 9 hours the next day. Does this change anything? Is it any better to fly into Ohio?
I know that we would still have to drive through Chicago. A handgun can be possessed in Chicago, it just has to be unloaded and stored separate from the gun, right?
 
A handgun can be possessed in Chicago, it just has to be unloaded and stored separate from the gun, right?

That's what I would have thought until I checked www.handgunlaw.us today. Apparently the ammo can be stored with the gun, but it must be unloaded, cased and inaccessible--provided you have an IL FOID or out of state carry permit. Technically, you can count the center console as a case with regard to the Unlawful Use of Weapons statutes, but the wildlife commission can still cite you with a Class B misdemeanor and confiscate any firearms not stored in a proper firearm case. Oh, and be sure you have your MN carry permit, or you would still be in danger of accidentally becoming a violent felon. :rolleyes:

I may be traveling to IL once or twice this year. When I do, I will have ready access to printed copies of applicable statutes and case law, just in case I'm stopped for any reason. The one thing I'm still not to sure about is whether I want to fly to Chicago with firearms in checked bags, so I will consult an IL attorney if I don't decide to drive instead.
 
Do what I do. Visit via National Geographic ONLY. Same goes for anywhere my Kentucky CCW is not honored, since I have no use for even beautiful and interesting places ruled by those who do not trust me as does my home state. Don
:eek:

I can't imagine letting my enjoyment of the world be limited by politics. You've lost already.
 
UPDATE
The vehicle in Chicago fell through. We will now be heading for Ohio the following weekend. We will fly into Hopkins and drive to Chicago to stay with friends and drive the last 9 hours the next day. Does this change anything? Is it any better to fly into Ohio?
I know that we would still have to drive through Chicago. A handgun can be possessed in Chicago, it just has to be unloaded and stored separate from the gun, right?
__________________
IMHO If you can't confidently take a headshot at 10 yards you either need more practice or a different gun.

Seriously dude I'd leave it at home. Take it froma guy that has been wrongfully arrested and incarcerated. I'd just as soon take my chances with a criminal than the gun laws in IL. Odds are on your side.
 
Correction. You can possess a handgun in IL. You can't legally own a handgun in the city of Chicago. I am not sure what the rules are if you are not a resident .

When I go to a range, I need my IL FOID card. My brother in law from Michigan can shoot at any IL range without a FOID card.... because he is not from IL.

One thing for sure, whatever it is won't make sense. BTW. I used to live in Tinley Park. Nice place.
 
When I visit my parents in Minnesota there are two major interstates to take me there. One goes through Chicago and one through Indianapolis. I've been making the drive for 10 years and I can honestly tell you I haven't seen Chicago for 9 of them.
 
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