Texas to Chicago and return

[jmace57]

I am driving to my daughters wedding in Chicago in a few weeks from Texas. After going to handgunlaws.us website, this is what it appears is the situation. (I have a Texas CHL)

Whether I drive via TX-AR-MO-IL...or TX-LA-MS-TN-KY-IL, my Texas permit is valid in any of the states except IL.

My plan is, at the IL border to unload my handgun, put the gun in a locked case and the ammunition in another locked case under the floorboard in the back of my SUV. There are "hidey-holes" back there. This is a S&W 642 5 shot.

The website says (related to IL):

(e) Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a non-resident from transporting a concealed firearm within his or her vehicle in Illinois, if the concealed firearm remains within his or her vehicle and the non-resident:
(1) is not prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm under federal law;
(2) is eligible to carry a firearm in public under the laws of his or her state or territory of residence, as evidenced by the possession of a concealed carry license or permit issued by his or her state of residence, if applicable;


So, if I read this right, I am OK going the way described through IL. I also presume from my readings that I do not have to preemptively inform police if I am stopped that there is a weapon in the car, but if I was asked would do so.

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Documents/TransportYourFirearmLegally.pdf

So then the problem is...Chicago. I keep seeing that the above applies if you are going THROUGH Chicago. But if you are stopping in Chicago, it's another matter. On another site, the Cook County rules are "unloaded and in a case" and "broken down and out of reach".

I have read you can legally take the firearm out of your car and store in the hotel room. (I would keep it in the locked case) I am staying for 3 or 4 days - at my daughter's apartment for 2 days and at a downtown hotel for 2 days.

When I am googling things, I am getting 6, 7, 9 years old information. Is there up-to-date information somewhere? Is there someone I should call? I hate the idea of driving 2400 miles on a road trip without protection.

Any suggestions or comments?

 

[ljnowell]

You can keep your handgun loaded and concealed on your person or in the car WHILE ON THE CAR in IL, as long as you have a permit from your home state. You just can't get out of the car.

If you choose not to take advantage of this portion of our law there is no requirement to put the gun in the trunk or separate it from ammo. You can have a cases gun sitting in the seat next to you with the ammo in the case.

This ain't California, no matter how much uninformed people like to pretend it is.

 

[Jeff White]

Unload it, put it in the case and don't worry about it until you are safely out of Illinois. The only time it could become an issue is if you have contact with an officer. I don't know if Texas returns CCW information along with drivers license information to computer queries from other states. If your DL is run and Texas gives them the info that you have a concealed carry license then you will probably be asked if you have a gun.

You can find the applicable statutes and a discussion in this thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=784439

A non resident CCW holder can carry a loaded firearm in the vehicle. But once you exit the vehicle it has to be unloaded and cased.

The way to do it that would be the least amount of possible legal hassle is to unload it and put it in a case. I'm not sure if any of the local ordinance handgun bans in some of the municipalities around Chicago are still being enforced. I know that some of the towns and villages up there went to court to keep their bans after Chicago's was struck down. That's the only possible hassle I can think of.

 

[MedWheeler]

It appears that you can also "transport" your unloaded firearm concealed on your person from your vehicle to your domicile, then load it once inside. Your hotel room would be your domicile. You can then unload it and bring it back to lawful storage inside your vehicle when you leave. This allows you to have it for defense while inside your hotel room.

 

[ljnowell]

Unload it, put it in the case and don't worry about it until you are safely out of Illinois. The only time it could become an issue is if you have contact with an officer. I don't know if Texas returns CCW information along with drivers license information to computer queries from other states. If your DL is run and Texas gives them the info that you have a concealed carry license then you will probably be asked if you have a gun.



You can find the applicable statutes and a discussion in this thread:



http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=784439



A non resident CCW holder can carry a loaded firearm in the vehicle. But once you exit the vehicle it has to be unloaded and cased.



The way to do it that would be the least amount of possible legal hassle is to unload it and put it in a case. I'm not sure if any of the local ordinance handgun bans in some of the municipalities around Chicago are still being enforced. I know that some of the towns and villages up there went to court to keep their bans after Chicago's was struck down. That's the only possible hassle I can think of.

All handgun laws are preempted by the state. No magazine restrictions and no carry restrictions except state law.

Long gun laws already on the books were allowed to be kept but no new laws in localities may be passed after the CCL law went into effect.

There is no concern of local laws when transporting or carrying a handgun. Simply follow the state law.

 

[X-Rap]

I was relieved to see that permitted non residents could carry inside their vehicles when I was working in Indiana but my path cut across the southern part. I would expect a possible hassle in Chicago. I would also be concerned with leaving the gun in my room because of possible theft or reporting to police by a do gooder who only knows the guns are bad mantra.
Might be better to leave at the daughters unless there is some in room security provision at the hotel.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

1) You're fine to carry in your car with your TX CHL in IL. 2) It needs to be cased/bagged/boxed and unloaded before you exit the vehicle if it goes with you. You can have a loaded speedloader, just not a loaded weapon. There is no duty to inform in IL, but a newly enacted statute in IL permits a CCL holder to present the license to an officer who pulls him over with the understanding that this is a method of preemptively informing the police in a non-verbal manner that you are lawfully armed, or a way to respond to the officer's question about being armed. The logic being, it is a calmer way of doing things on the side of the road than saying "I've got a gun". A new IL statute also allows you to leave the weapon loaded and locked in the trunk if you leave the vehicle. Really this isn't a big deal especially since you're talking a revolver and there is no possible way of running afoul of the Chi/Cook over 10 rd mag ban--which could maybe be an issue if you had such an item outside of your vehicle. And this isn't New Jersey, New York or Cali--people won't be out trying to ruin your day. Have a safe trip and best wishes for your Daughter's wedding!

 

[jmace57]

Thank you all for your insights.

 

[ljnowell]

1) You're fine to carry in your car with your TX CHL in IL. 2) It needs to be cased/bagged/boxed and unloaded before you exit the vehicle if it goes with you. You can have a loaded speedloader, just not a loaded weapon. There is no duty to inform in IL, but a newly enacted statute in IL permits a CCL holder to present the license to an officer who pulls him over with the understanding that this is a method of preemptively informing the police in a non-verbal manner that you are lawfully armed, or a way to respond to the officer's question about being armed. The logic being, it is a calmer way of doing things on the side of the road than saying "I've got a gun". A new IL statute also allows you to leave the weapon loaded and locked in the trunk if you leave the vehicle. Really this isn't a big deal especially since you're talking a revolver and there is no possible way of running afoul of the Chi/Cook over 10 rd mag ban--which could maybe be an issue if you had such an item outside of your vehicle. And this isn't New Jersey, New York or Cali--people won't be out trying to ruin your day. Have a safe trip and best wishes for your Daughter's wedding!

Chicago mag ban does not apply to handguns. Only long guns.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

ljnowell ~ I rechecked and Cook co. has the 10 rd limit--Chi's was/is 12 (!) I don't see where it doesn't apply to handguns but the code still posted on the ISP website is from 2010(!)--you see what a priority getting correct code info on guns is for Chi! I doubt you could find a single case where anyone has ever been charged under either mag restriction.

 

[ljnowell]

ljnowell ~ I rechecked and Cook co. has the 10 rd limit--Chi's was/is 12 (!) I don't see where it doesn't apply to handguns but the code still posted on the ISP website is from 2010(!)--you see what a priority getting correct code info on guns is for Chi! I doubt you could find a single case where anyone has ever been charged under either mag restriction.

The records have not been revised but the laws are not valid. There is statewide preemption on HANDGUN magazines. That is fact.

You won't find that they are invalid unless you look under the FCCL law.