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Seeking a relatively gun-friendly Chicago suburb

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P. Plainsman

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I have some job prospects in downtown Chicago. Nothing is guaranteed yet -- indeed, far from it! (knocks on desk) -- but I'd like to get my RKBA options clear in my mind before proceeding any further with a job search in that part of the country.

So: What are some nice towns/areas within commuting distance of Chicago that are relatively gun-friendly?

I know you have to get a FOID card to own firearms in IL. I know no handguns are allowed in the City of Chicago and some of the nearby towns, so those places are out. That said, I'd want to live as close to the City as possible, consistent with keeping my guns.

Background: I have a modest collection of handguns, mostly revolvers with one normal-capacity semi-auto pistol (15 round magazine). I don't own any semi-auto centerfire rifles yet, but would probably want to acquire something in the AR-15/AK/SKS line soon.

Thanks in advance to knowledgeable THR Illinoisans.
 
In addition to Chicago, most of the towns and villages in C(r)ook County are NOT gun Friendly (can you say Morton Grove ?). I don't even think there are any gunshops or even stores in Cook County that sell ammo, much less guns. So that means that you're looking at Will, DuPage, McHenry and Lake Counties. Housing prices vary from expensive to " :what: , You've got to f'ing kidding me". The good news is that there is a really good commuter rail system to get you from the 'burbs to downtown. Metrarail.com, depending on where you live a monthly no-limit pass can run roughly $100.00. Several good shooting clubs out here along with a couple of gunstores that have indoor ranges.

Send me an e-mail with some info about what you think you housing budget will be and I can send you some info. No, I'm not a realtor. If you going to be in the area, let me know, and I can take you out to my club, I'm more of a shotgunner, but my club does have rifle/pistol ranges.
 
Thank you kindly, sir. More or less what I figured. I will send you an email later today.

Illinois as a state doesn't have any magazine capacity limits, does it?
 
No State wide AWB or anything similiar (although Daley and Co. try every year in Springfield.) Some of the more PC towns around Chicago do have AWB's and outright bans. If is wasn't for downstate Democrats, this place would be like CA or NJ or Britain.

Here's the straight poop on Firearms in Illinois. There is also a link on this page to all the city and village ordinances regarding Firearms. http://www.isp.state.il.us/foid/
 
Before this gets out of hand with more bullsh|t, I'll clear things up.

Currently I live in Tinley Park, a middle class South burb, and while things are far from ideal, there is nothing egregious about our situation.

We do need to get FOID cards.

There are gun shops that sell everything you want, ammo included.

In Chicago, ALL firearms are verboten, not just hand guns.

Here in Cook county we do have a problem getting ammo through the mail, but that has more to do with certain mailorder companies not reading closely enough rather than our laws.
 
I second the Indiana thing...

Move to Chesterton Indiana, nice gun range, nice people, nice place. Indiana is one of those states that never seems to turn anyone down for a CCW permit...
 
Cook County is definitely a no-no if you are a shooter of any kind. Nowhere to shoot...nowhere to shop...nowhere to buy. :cuss: You will want to live in the burbs at the very least. The further you get from Chicago...the more gun friendly things are. (More or less)

Do you know where in Illinois you want to live? Scattered throughout the suburbs are ranges, stores and clubs. Here's a short list of some of my haunts (in no particular order):

JR's Shooting Sports (Naperville) http://www.jrshootingsports.com/
MegaSports (Plainfield) http://www.megasportsfirearms.com/
The Gun Shop (Plainfield) http://www.gunshopinc.com/
Rinks (Lockport) no website
R Guns (Carpentersville) www.rguns.net
Gat Guns (Dundee) http://www.gatguns.com/

Darnalls (a nice outdoor gun club downstate in Bloomington) www.darnalls.com
Aurora Sportsmens Club (actually not in Aurora but in Sugar Grove) http://www.aurorasc.org/

Not sure where you are coming from...but within a 100 miles or so of the city (within Illinois borders) it can be hard to find anything beyond the usual indoor pistol lanes, 100 yd. rifle ranges, and trap/skeet.

But +1 to Scout and Grand....you can get what you need and you can find a place to shoot.

One caveat....Illinois is constantly at war regarding gun rights. The politicos tied to the city of Chicago are endlessly introducing legislation to tighten up the laws. They are usually beaten soundly....but one never can tell. :confused:
 
In Chicago, ALL firearms are verboten, not just hand guns.
Click to expand...
The internet sources I've turned up say that firearms possessed in the City must be "registered"; and that registration is closed for handguns. This would seem to imply that it is possible to register a long gun. What's the deal? Is it a discretionary thing like NYC, where in practice the average joe or jane can't obtain a registration?
 
OK, I finally found the Chicago municipal ordinances relating to firearms.

http://www.isp.state.il.us/docs/ordinances/chicago.pdf

The key provision here is sect. 8-20-050(b). It states that the category of "unregisterable firearms" includes: "Firearms other than handguns, owned or possessed by any person in the City of Chicago prior to the effective date of this chapter which are not validly registered prior to the effective date of this chapter." A separate provision states that handguns are flat-out unregistrable.

But it would seem that other firearms are registrable if they were not "owned or possessed" in Chicago prior to the effective date of the ordinance (which is in the past). The point seems to be to punish Chicagoans who failed to register their existing long guns prior to the effective date, by making those guns unregistrable contraband.

If someone like me from out of state (or even just outside of Chicago) moves into Chicago, it looks like he or she can register his or her collection of long guns -- assuming such guns have never been "owned or possessed by any person in the City of Chicago prior to the effective date" of the relevant Chicago gun ordinances, and assuming they're not "assault weapons" that would fall afoul of the separate Cook County assault weapons ban (see below). Since my long guns are non-"assault weapons" that were all bought new, far away from Illinois, this doesn't seem to pose a problem.

Moreover, the provision that governs the issuance of a gun registration, sect. 8-20-110, looks like a "shall issue" provision -- i.e., if you meet all the statutory requirements, then they have to allow you to register and possess your (long) guns.

The registration process is extensive, intrusive, irritating, and profoundly unconstitutional, but that's another matter.

This is not legal advice, folks. For one thing, I don't know if there's any relevant Cook County registration ordinances in addition to the Chicago ordinances. (I do know Cook County has an "assault weapons" ban.) If I'm wrong, I'd welcome the explanation, for obvious reasons. Indeed, I'll delete this post if it proves to be erroneous.

But on the face of it, Grand Inquisitor, it looks like, despite your unnecessary comment about "B.S.", you are in error here.

As I said above, I won't live where I can't possess my handguns, so City of Chicago is out regardless, but the question of whether someone else who does choose to live inside Chicago's city limits can lawfully keep his collection of long guns (once registration goes through) is worth clarifying anyway.

I suppose you'd have to keep the long guns in storage outside of Chicago until the registrations were approved.
 
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Hi Plainsman, you are arriving just as I am leaving! Currently I reside in Oak Forest (Cook County, IL), but am signing a lease on an apartment in Indiana tomorrow. If you are moving to Illinois avoid Cook County if at all possible. In fact, a draconian Cook County wide AWB is going to be voted on Sept. 8th and, according to the ISRA notice I got, the outlook is not good. You can read about it here:
http://www.isra.org/

or view the ordinance here:

http://www.suffredin.org/legislativelibrary/Legislation.asp?LegislationID=123&Library=cook

If you do move to the area consider joining the Illinois State Rifle Association. The amount of opposition we are up against in Illinois is staggering. Considering the liberal nature of the north, the ominous presence of boss Daley in Chicago, and anti-gun Governor Rod Blagojevich holding court in Springfield, it is a wonder that we have any rights left at all.

As far as Chicago goes, it is my understanding that “assault rifles” (I hate that term) and hand guns are a no-no due to the city’s refusal to register anymore. Bolt action rifles are fine. Lever actions and pump action guns are probably fine too, but I am not sure.

I would recommend you consider Will County, which is just south of Cook County. It is a nice up and coming area, is pretty well situated with regard to I 57 and I 80 (for commuting to work), and the ISRA shooting range is about 30 minutes away to the south. Membership costs a pretty penny but it is a nice, safe place to shoot.

I hope this helps.
 
You may want to think about Dupage County along the Burlington tracks. Easy access to downtown via the train. Hinsdale, Westmont, Downers Grove, Lisle all the way out to Naperville is nice.

Metra rail map

There are several indoor ranges within easy driving distance if you live in Dupage Co along the rail corridor.

Feel free to IM with any questions.
 
yes, I left Crook County a bit over a year ago

and will not be returning. If I were to live in IL again, I'd be looking in Lake County. Better yet, across the line in SW Wisconsin or NW Indiana...
 
Well guys he is looking at working in Chicago. Dupage County is the closest and most gun neutral place that fits his criteria in Chicagoland.

I believe the tide is slowly turning in Illinios. Maybe in 20-30 years we will have concealed carry, LoL.
 
Here in Lake County things aren't so bad. It is a red county in a blue state (purple?)

I'm in Libertyville...not exactly hicks-ville. Ave housing price up near $300K...plenty over a million. I shoot rifle and shotgun with my son's Scout Packmaster, my neighbors hunt deer, ducks, geese, my next door neighbor and I have a pact to put any ne'erdowells causing trouble in a crossfire out on the street.

Ranges: pistol range at Bass Pro (20 min), rifle/pistol/shotgun/cowboy/action shooting range in S Wi (45 min), 2-3 indoor ranges within 25 min

Friends of NRA banquet held at Lamb's Farm (10 min away).

Lesson? Chicago /= Illinois
 
Gun Friendly Chicago area community

Try Indiana. And certainly stay OUT of Cook County
 
Local government can not control Guns, Michigan

FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION (EXCERPT)

Act 319 of 1990

123.1102 Regulation of pistols or other firearms.

Sec. 2.

A local unit of government shall not impose special taxation on, enact or enforce any ordinance or regulation pertaining to, or regulate in any other manner the ownership, registration, purchase, sale, transfer, transportation, or possession of pistols or other firearms, ammunition for pistols or other firearms, or components of pistols or other firearms, except as otherwise provided by federal law or a law of this state.

History: 1990, Act 319, Eff. Mar. 28, 1991.
:banghead:




I just don't undedstand that all other states don't have a similar law.
If everyother township had their own gun laws, one would never know what or when or where to own or carry.
 :fire:
 
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