Junior Shooters Traveling Across State Lines

[Chip_E]

This is a somewhat anecdotal post. I have a junior shooter (20 years old) that wanted to travel to Illinois with a handgun and ammunition.

Spent nearly 3 hours on HOLD with the Illinois State Police, for a 2 minute conversation with the officer's conclusion being...."It's a gray area".

As I already knew, it's illegal for anyone under 21 to purchase a handgun or handgun ammunition. They can't even buy .22lr ammo if it's intended for a handgun. However Federal and Illinois law allow for someone over 18 (as long as they're not otherwise restricted from ownership; and if an Illinois resident must obtain an FOID card) to own/possess a handgun that was received as a gift. So there's no law that actually prohibits legal transportation of a handgun through non-prohibited areas,

but it's a consensus that if someone between 18 and 20 (unrestricted resident or non-resident) were stopped and found with a handgun, would be charged in Illinois with Unauthorized Use of a Weapon (a misdemeanor), would have the firearm confiscated,

and even if they were successful in fighting the case, would wish they'd just had someone 21 or over with them in the car. I just wish they'd fill in these gray areas instead of leaving them open for good young people to fall in to.

[Dillon b]

Im 20 and i have looked for the same thing. I have almost always gotten the "Its up to the officers discretion" answer. I think if he is traveling with it just keep it in a locked case unloaded, and somewhere that isnt within easy reach of the drivers seat. That is the only other answer that i have recieved from the local sherrifs department. I have called over 10 people from the sherrif, police, state police, etc and have never gotten a 100% solid answer. Im not even going to go into my opinion on the subject, as ive been dealing with this since i was 17 not even being able to get to matches and shoot. In short, it sucks for us young guys!

[dover0020]

To help ensure safe travel I would print out and bring all the match info I could in order to prove were I was going and what I was going to be doing with the gun I had locked up in the back of the car.

[ChrisMcCracken]

Furthermore, don't take any side trips. You need to be going to or from the event. If you decide to go 20min off to go to a mall or visit aunt Edna, you put yourself in jeopardy. Make sure you don't have any NRA or shooting stickers on your vehicle either, as it just makes you a target for closer scrutiny in anti-gun states.

[theycallmeingot]

there is nothing that makes sense about illinois gun laws. i live here, and we are all criminals. not on purpose, but because it's easier to accidentally do something wrong than not.

[Carmoney]

Sounds like a good reason to maintain a clean-cut appearance and a respectful attitude!