Traveling through Illinois with a firearm


dumpo60

New member
I recently drove through Illinois on my way to Sturgis south dakota. I had my kimber in the tour pack in its carry case with clip out and locked. The carrying case was locked also. Ammo was in one of my travel bags. I was told by a harley service manager that he thought it was still illegal to travel with a gun in Illinois. I have a mississippi firearm permit and it is honored in south dakota. I read somewhere that there is a law that permits people to travel through a state with a firearm as long as it is locked and ammo not in same location, as long as you were traveling to a state that honors you permit. Help me out here. was I legal or illegal? It does not really matter now, because regardless, I will never step foot the that great state again. We maybe be rednecks here in mississippi, but the crimmals know most of us are packing. Last week was the first time and last time my guns will ever see a lock.
 

There seems to be a loophole in the nasty state's law that might actually make it legal to carry a handgun with the mag removed and in a different area.
 
My personal understanding of what I have read is the firearm has to be in a container large enough to not be able to be concealed and ammo separated from it during travel. It's the way I have done it since the 80's when I travel through the state on my way to WY. I mind my P's and Q's as far as speed etc all the way through the state. It is NOW the ONLY state my permits are not honored in on my trip.
 
You were legal. - Illinois isn't a state any more. It is more like a socialist republic. Until they throw the whole lot of the politicians out of the country, that is what it will be! JMHO
I turned down a job there, just because it was in that place.
 
There is a federal law, if I remember correctly, that allows you to carry like you did through a state as long as you are legal at point A and point B and as long as neither point was in the state where it is illegal and you only made convience stops. Such as fuel, food, and restroom stops, no sleepovers, go straight through. Concealment isn't a problem because if the vehicle has a trunk it should be in there. In a van or a pickup it should be as far away from any occupants as possible. I'm not too sure about a motorcycle.
 
18 USC 926A:
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§ 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver’s compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.
 
There is a federal law, if I remember correctly, that allows you to carry like you did through a state as long as you are legal at point A and point B and as long as neither point was in the state where it is illegal and you only made convience stops. Such as fuel, food, and restroom stops, no sleepovers, go straight through. Concealment isn't a problem because if the vehicle has a trunk it should be in there. In a van or a pickup it should be as far away from any occupants as possible. I'm not too sure about a motorcycle.

Here is the federal law you are referencing. My understanding, though is that you CAN stop overnight in an intermediate state, as long as that state is not your final destination. Check with an attorney on that, though, as the law is not clear:

Sec. 926A. Interstate transportation of firearms

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle:provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

Source: NRA-ILA ::
 
Illinois law states that the firearm is in a container (which is loosely defined, but a court case proved that a center console could be defined as a container), and unloaded. Whether you could legally carry another way as an out-of-stater, I can't fully say. But what you described seems perfectly legal here in IL.

I live here because my family is here and I have a good job, so I deal with the firearm owner hassle. Otherwise, I'd be looking elsewhere.

I cannot wait for the day I can legally carry, openly or concealed, in this state. I am already a non-resident PA permit holder.
 
Here are the rules from the Illinois Stste Police

1. Unloaded, and
2. Enclosed in a case, and
3. By persons who have a valid FOID card.
4. Non-Residents must be eligible to possess
or acquire fi rearms and ammunition in their
state of residence.

There is no requirement for ammo to be separated, just unloaded. Of course this applies to everywhere except Chicago, I would leave a wide berth around that hell hole.
 
Thanks for all the infomation about traveling through Illinois with a firearm. I have never read so many laws in my life. I felt like i was in Russia. I did meet some nice people, and they told me some horror stories about the state highway patrol. I don't understand how this is happening in the U.S. Good luck
 
Thanks for all the infomation about traveling through Illinois with a firearm. I have never read so many laws in my life. I felt like i was in Russia. I did meet some nice people, and they told me some horror stories about the state highway patrol. I don't understand how this is happening in the U.S. Good luck

There are a lot of very backwards things in Illinois still regarding gun rights. It's very disappointing and for me a constant irritation.

We are now the only state in the United States without open or concealed carry allowed. I find that quite shameful. The only hope is the pending litigation that may get us our Constitutional rights back.
 

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