Going to Madison or Green Bay?
Passing through Chicago way,
Packin' heat ain't good they say...
But, can you take it in a box?
How about a cardboard box?
In a box that has no locks?
Put some rounds in a clip,
Keep that gun off your hip,
And don't give the Man any lip.
I would not tell you that you can,
But Illinois Supreme's freed a man,
Indy permit's fine they say,
Just don't unbox it along the way.
STOP! This column does not provide legal (or any other) advice. See disclaimer below*.
In a recent article, this column noted that Wisconsin's permit law goes into effect November 1, 2011, but posed the question of how to get your gun through Chicago, coming from Tennessee.
Two recent Illinois Supreme Court decisions appear to provide for one to go forth with a firearm almost in a condition to use as a defensive weapon. The FIRST DECISION
Moreover, the term “firearm” does not precede all of the terms or phrases, i.e., the statute does not read “firearm case, carrying box, hipping box or other container.” Likewise, the statute does not read “case, carrying box, shipping box, or other firearm container.”
recognized the Illinois Legislature's intent to allow an Illinois resident (with a valid FOID) to carry an unloaded handgun within reach, as long as it is unloaded and in a container. The decision infers having a loaded magazine nearby, but not in the handgun is allowable, so long as the firearm is encased.
The SECOND DECISION, in which an Indiana resident was arrested in Chicago with a handgun in a console, recognizes the Indiana handgun permit as being equivalent to the FOID, thus seeming to recognize that any state's valid carry permit is valid in Illinois, under the above conditions.
Keep in mind, that which is legal is not always prudent. There are documented cases of people open carrying handguns in Tennessee being detained by law enforcement.
----------------------------------------------------
Check out the MJM Blog over at Luck Gunner.
*Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-15073552-3']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
Comments