City of Chicago air/soft bb gun law

G

godot

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Mods,
I know this has been mentioned before, but I can't find a link. When question is answered, please feel free to lock or delete thread.
I live in Chicago and have a CCW & FOID card. I'd like to get a bb gun to practice with at home. What would I be allowed to have? thanks in advance
 
They have an incredibly stupid law about that:

(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) below, no person shall possess or discharge a replica air gun in the city of Chicago.

(c) The use or possession of an air gun or replica air gun is permitted if the air gun or replica air gun is in the possession and control of a carnival and is offered for use to carnival customers on a temporary basis. For purposes of this section, “carnival” means an enterprise which offers amusement or entertainment to the public by means of one or more amusement attractions or amusement rides.
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Violations are punishable by a fine of up to $1000 and up to six months in jail. I'm not finding any exception for CCW/FOID holders.
 
I doubt you'll be the first person prosecuted for it, the law exists for grandstanding. And go into Home Depot or Menards, and you'll see multiple violations of 8-24-021. And for a real hoot check out this law and consider they gave millions of dollars of taxpayer money to Boeing to make their headquarters here. :rolleyes:

eta: and I bet the Toys R Us on Clybourn has multiple violations of the ordinance you cite. A toy gun that fires a suction cup dart at 15fps is illegal by that law, ridiculous.
 
Does the law define "air gun"? In general parlance, the term "air gun" applies to BB guns. Airsofts are ... airsofts, not "air guns." (Unless otherwise defined by an applicable law.)

{Edit to add} They beat me to it:

(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) below, no person shall at any time discharge or set off anywhere within the city, or have in his possession for such purpose any toy firearm, air rifle, or toy cannon, that discharges projectiles either by air, spring, explosive, substance, or any other force.
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I'm presuming this ridiculous law arose as a response to the seemingly endless numbers of idiots who are being shot by the police while brandishing an Airsoft pistol modified to look like the real McCoy.

If so, ponder this : It became illegal to market an air gun without orange plastic muzzle tips because some idiots wanted to make them look like real guns.

Then it became illegal to remove the orange plastic tips, because some idiots continued to want their toys to look like real guns.

Now it's illegal to own an air gun at all.

Gun control at it's core : Try this, try that, when it fails, try something else, and eventually get rid of them all.
 
In addition to what's been said above,

Look into
Laserlyte Training pistol
SIRT pistol.

You should be able to find one similar to a Glock.

Stance, Grip, Draw, presentation, target acquisition, sight alignment could potentially be the same except perhaps the weight. That's pretty good practice. Just resist the temptation to look for the laser instead of the front sight. Laserlyte as little reactive targets too.

Trigger press and what happens afterwards would be different than your real pistol, but no Airsoft or BB pistol would be like a your particular pistol either.
 
Armed_Chicagoan:
And for a real hoot check out this law
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Um, because there aren't already federal laws that would be violated by building a nuclear weapon without a note from Uncle Sam? Do they think that they're going to get priority for a trial over the Feds if they found someone building a nuke? Or does this just allow the local LEs to ask a local judge for a search warrant if they suspect someone's building a nuclear bomb --as though they would need special permission for a warrant for a nuclear bomb as opposed to a normal one??

Armed_Chicagoan:
... and consider they gave millions of dollars of taxpayer money to Boeing to make their headquarters here.
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Do you mean United? Isn't Boeing based in Seattle?
 
Boeing headquarters moved out of Seattle many years ago. I think it was just after they merged with McDonnel (sp?). Still lots of Boeing plants in Seattle area.
 
I did find this to be interesting...


Recognizing the futility of civil defense against nuclear war and its ensuing radioactive contamination, the city declares that planning for or participating in civil defense programs purporting to prepare for nuclear attack is futile and dangerous. Therefore, the city will not participate in any civil defense or population evacuation program exclusively intended to be implemented upon the outbreak or threatened outbreak of nuclear hostilities.
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Interesting mindset. Because they cannot save everyone, rather than "waste" money and effort on something that might save someone, they are refusing to do anything to possibly save anyone!

I also note that they do exempt and allow the use of fissionable materials in consumer products. That's nice of them, I guess. You cannot make an atomic bomb from fissionable materials. It won't go boom, no matter what you do.

For that, you need fissile material which is much different stuff.

So, apparently you can't have a BB gun, or anything similar under Chicago law. Wonderful. Great advance for public safety in the PR arena, and a way to line the city's pockets (fines) if they decide to enforce it on you.

I see they do allow air guns at carnivals. So here's their logic, if it makes money for the city (carnivals pay for permits) it is allowed. If it doesn't, (private ownership), its not.

For me, in places where they have these kinds of laws, I always wonder, why is it that the voting public is trusted to be smart enough to elect people to public office, but is not trusted to be smart enough to be safe with anything else?
 
44 Amp -- saw the same provision and had pretty much the same thoughts. I also noticed the provision where the city is to recognize “Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Commemoration Day" each August 6th, the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, and an "appropriate observation" each year. Does Chicago actually do this?
 
Does Chicago actually do this?
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I don't know. Probably, they do something. Never heard of a parade or anything like that, but a "minute of silence" thing in govt offices might be an "appropriate observation"

I'm sure they lose sleep at night over the fact that Chicago is actually responsible for Hiroshima...:rolleyes: (deliberate sarcasm)

The world's first functioning nuclear reactor was built in Chicago, after all....
 
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