Illinois and airguns

[PapaG]

I worked in gun shops for years up til 2019. We had to treat any air gun over .17 cal or with a mv over 700 fps as a firearm. 4473, background check, three day wait. I've searched the net, Illinois sites in government and the dnr and can find nothing difinitive that it has changed. I remember seeing a post that some or most of the regs were tossed but can't verify.
Can anyone shed light on this. I know for a long time we couldn't order air guns online without going through a dealer.

 

[Armored farmer]

I bought a pellet rifle in January of '21. It had to go through a ffl because of the fps.
If that is the criteria, then most muzzleloaders would be included.

 

[PapaG]

We had to treat ml the same as any other firearm. I think there has been a slight change. I was spending some gift certificates a year or so ago and didn't have to do a 4473 but had to wait the three days. Not that long ago a sidelock wasn't included but inlines were. Hard to keep up with all the legislative b.s.
You get your 45-70 yet?
I'm searching for something single shot. Don't have much hope for approval of a "plugged 444 or 45-70 lever action)
Are you supporting Bailey? Irvin scares me. I think he's a spoiler for Prickster. Taking R votes away from the others.

 

[F-111 John]

(720 ILCS 5/2-7.5)
Sec. 2-7.5. "Firearm". Except as otherwise provided in a specific Section, "firearm" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.

(430 ILCS 65/) Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.
Sec. 1.1. For purposes of this Act:

"Firearm" means any device, by whatever name known, which is designed to expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of an explosion, expansion of gas or escape of gas; excluding, however:
(1) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun, or B-B gun which expels a single globular projectile not exceeding .18 inch in diameter or which has a maximum muzzle velocity of less than 700 feet per second;
(1.1) any pneumatic gun, spring gun, paint ball gun, or B-B gun which expels breakable paint balls containing washable marking colors;
(2) any device used exclusively for signalling or safety and required or recommended by the United States Coast Guard or the Interstate Commerce Commission;
(3) any device used exclusively for the firing of stud cartridges, explosive rivets or similar industrial ammunition; and
(4) an antique firearm (other than a machine-gun) which, although designed as a weapon, the Department of State Police finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design, and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and is not likely to be used as a weapon.​

 

[Neo-Luddite]

AFAIK, the IL law considering many airguns to be firearms is still operative. You will run across some dealers out-of-state that ignore this law but I wouldn't want to play that game from either end.

 

[PapaG]

Thanks, all. Retired and not hanging out in the shops and the Republik’s laws are darn difficult to research. Sadly.

 

[HankB]

Just out of curiosity, when did Illinois begin restricting air guns? I grew up in Chicago but moved out of the state entirely back in 1979 and I don't remember any airgun restrictions back then. Lots of OTHER peculiarities (especially in Chicago) but airguns just weren't on the radar at the time. My folks bought me a Crossman 38C CO2 pistol in .22 around 10 years earlier and I don't remember any paperwork being required when we picked it up at a department store. Maybe it didn't meet the power threshold?

 

[PapaG]

At least fifteen years. I remember pulling out my wallet at a Farm and Fleet on 2004 to buy a Sheridan Blue Streak and being handed a 4473 and told I could pick it up in 72 hours.

 

[PapaG]

Funny thing along this line. At a farm store (chain) Saturday I bought a Daisy 880 pellet gun with advertised velocity of 800 fps. The girl at the gun counter said the only restricted air gun they had was a .22 Hatsan.

 

[HankB]

At least fifteen years. I remember pulling out my wallet at a Farm and Fleet on 2004 to buy a Sheridan Blue Streak and being handed a 4473 and told I could pick it up in 72 hours.

So under ILLINOIS law a FEDERAL form that isn't FEDERALLY required had to be filled out to buy an airgun? I didn't even know that a 4473 COULD be used for a "non-firearm" purchase.

Let's say an Illinois resident (with an FOID card) goes on a road trip to a state where airguns are unregulated. Can that person then buy an airgun for cash and bring it home? Can a visitor from another state gift an airgun to an Illinois resident?

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Just out of curiosity, when did Illinois begin restricting air guns? I grew up in Chicago but moved out of the state entirely back in 1979 and I don't remember any airgun restrictions back then. Lots of OTHER peculiarities (especially in Chicago) but airguns just weren't on the radar at the time. My folks bought me a Crossman 38C CO2 pistol in .22 around 10 years earlier and I don't remember any paperwork being required when we picked it up at a department store. Maybe it didn't meet the power threshold?

Good question...not sure "when"... have grown up/old with these laws being "the way things are". Sorry that I do not have a better answer (!)