Travelling through Illinois with a handgun?

[sherman123]

What are the legalities on travelling through Illinois with a handgun? Not through Chicago or anything just passing through on the interstate on the way to Missouri? Is it legal to have two unloaded handguns in a case in the trunk? And does the ammo have to be separate?

 

[flphotog]

Check handgun law.us. But I'd be very careful there.

 

[ewlyon]

The have to be unloaded and in a case. The ammo can be in the case or even in the magazines. Keep it in the trunk and you will have no problem.

 

[CurlyQHoward]

...,

 

[joeschmoe]

Read the Firearms Owners Protection Act, aka; Safe passage law.

I would only suggest avoiding Chicago so you don't spend any money there supporting those fascists. Stopping repeatedly for the tolls is annoying and gives them your money.

 

[Backpacker33]

What about if I want to visit a friend there, and go shooting with him at a range?
Can I, a non-Illinois resident, even buy ammo there?
Can I take my gun out of its case and shoot it?
Can I even hand it to my friend to shoot? Can I shoot his?

We shouldn't even have to ask such questions.

 

[EVIL]

What about if I want to visit a friend there, and go shooting with him at a range?
Can I, a non-Illinois resident, even buy ammo there?
Can I take my gun out of its case and shoot it?
Can I even hand it to my friend to shoot? Can I shoot his?

We shouldn't even have to ask such questions.

Yes, to all ... I shoot with my father in law all the time when I visit IL. You only have to have a FOID if you are an IL resident to buy ammo. Out of staters can buy ammo with merely a photo ID. The only real "gotchas" are the transportation requirements as outlined above.

 

[1 old 0311-1]

I don't spend a DIME in that State. Fill up in Indiana, State with LIFETIME CCW permits, and drive on through.

 

[Trent]

Unloaded, and in a case.

(Ammo can be IN the magazine, as long as the magazine is not in the gun)

CASE is defined as a closed container - for the purposes of the definition, the IL supreme court ruled that your car's center console or glove box IS a firearms case, IF it latches. Doesn't have to lock; just has to LATCH.

I keep (depending on mood) an unloaded 9mm or 357 in the center console of my Mustang, with either 1x17 round magazine or 2x5 round speedloaders laying next to it.

Also by definition, a disassembled firearm needs no case. It's no longer a firearm.

So if you arrive at the Illinois border on a motorcycle carrying a loaded handgun...

Take the magazine (or ammo) out, put it in one pocket. Take the slide off (or remove the cylinder) and shove it in a jacket pocket.

I've ridden to the shooting range before with an AK-47 slung across my back, bolt in my pants pocket.

Get some funny looks.

But a firearm "broken down in to a non-functional state" is no longer a firearm, per IL law, and not subject to the Unlawful Use of Weapons laws.

(Which were struck down anyway as unconstitutional, but that doesn't go in to effect for another 56 days.)

 

[The Bushmaster]

Don't!! Go around...

 

[ilbob]

Follow the rules and don't try to be on the edge of legality and you will be OK in most of the state.

Chicago and some areas have rules that make them more restrictive than the state does.

If you keep it unloaded, encased, and in the trunk and don't attract attention you should be fine. If you go out of your way to attract attention you may pay the price for doing so.

On a legalistic basis, it is probably illegal to have a firearm of any type at a tollway oasis or rest stop, even unloaded, encased, and/or disassembled, except as permitted by FOPA. But we all know that FOPA is as often as not a poor set of protections.