What to do with CCW while travleing through Illinois?

[Kythas]

My soon-to-be father in law lives right outside of Chicago. I'll hit him up for any advice.

Congratulations on the impending nuptials.

Condolences on the future FIL's location. What are his views on guns?

Thanks!

He's very pro-gun. Since my engagement with his daughter he's been flying the Texas flag in his front yard.

[Kythas]

Soon I'll be traveling across this beautiful country where my travels will take me through Illinois to Chicago and then back out of the state again. I am fortunate to have some control over my travel route so I can travel through the same city/town on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

Has anyone checked their weapon with a local law enforcement agency before entering a gun unfriendly state? How did you make the arrangements to do so? Did you use a small town police/sheriff or a big city agency like St Louis, MO police?

Any advise on how you handled this situation would be much appreciated.

My future father in law said you should have it "in a locked case in your trunk while driving in the Democratic People's Republic of Chicago." For extra caution, you may wish to disassemble it so it can not be readily able to be fired.

[lbuehler325]

This is insane that we are even compelled to have a discussion about exercising our Constitutional right.
I would only suggest you completely avoid socialist states such as Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey, New York, and California if at all possible. You shouldn't have to pick between your safety and your freedom. Don't spend your money there either.

[knljr]

I just went on vacation up there for a family renuion and drove from Austin through AR, MO and TN.

I carried as I normally do until I left Memphis and I unloaded my gun, put the clip in my backpack and put the gun in my suitcase so that they were seperated, both in the back of the van. Once we got to the hotel, I put it in the safe in my room and then did the same thing when we got back on the road until we stopped the first time in MO and I went back to carrying.

Fortunately, didn't have any run ins with the law - no tickets and what not (which is a small miracle in of itself for a 2000 mile trip for me) but I had every intention of notifying any LEO in IL that I was a CHL holder in TX if I was stopped. They would certainly have asked about a weapon and I would have told them that it was either locked up in my room or in the back of my van depending on the situation.

[Jumping Frog]

... but I had every intention of notifying any LEO in IL that I was a CHL holder in TX if I was stopped.

Why would you do that?

[johncanfield]

An excerpt from "Traveler's Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States:"

Illinois-

"A non-resident with a valid carry permit may posses firearms or ammunition in a vehicle if the weapons are unloaded and cased. If the non-resident does not have a valid carry permit, he must also stow the firearms in an inaccessible area such as the trunk or break them down to a non-functioning state..."

"Cased" can mean the center console of a vehicle.

Of course Cook County is more restrictive.