Going to a gun range in another state

J

Jen-from-IL

New member
I'm planning a vacation to the North Carolina/Tennessee are in a few weeks and had a question. I'm an Illinois resident who has yet to obtain a FOID card (only state in the US at requires such a thing). I was wondering if, even though I am not able to legally own a gun or even go to a gun range in Illinois, is it possible to do so in NC or TN? I would be renting a gun at the range, of course.

Ah, to live in such a 'gun friendly' state (SARCASM). :)
 
press1280 said:
Yes you can. You can't even go and rent a gun at a range in IL w/o an FOID?
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Unfortunately I cannot, unless I am with someone who has a valid FOiD card. I cannot buy ammo either. So yep, big pain in the butt and incredibly frustrating. I want to get some practice in before my next class (possibly in September or October).
 
You can rent and handle them in most other states.

You can not legally buy them in other states, unless you have the seller ship them to an Illinois FFL, and then you are back to needing the FOID. (Handguns)

You can not legally buy long guns in other states, since under federal law the guns you could purchase would only be those you could legally own in Illinois, which in your case is none (I think) without the FOID.

You could establish a residence in another state, at which point you could buy and own at that residence in accordance with the laws of that state.

Edit: If you are going to the Knoxville area of the TN/NC line, there is a decent indoor range with rentals at Oak Ridge.

There is a range in Maryville called "Gunny's" that I prefer, but I don't remember if they have rentals.
 
I've contacted a couple ranges via email so will wait to see what replies I get (if any).

Yep, no buying of course, since I would be not be legal in Illinois. I just want to do some practice shooting. From what's have read, North Carolina is a much more gun friendly state (heck, nearly ALL states are more gun friendly than Illinois).
 
Watch yourself with renting. Frequently, or sometimes, they require two persons present for rental.
Where To Shoot.org will list all the ranges in an area where you are going.
I like to visit the ranges when I am on the road also.
dc
 
David13 said:
Watch yourself with renting. Frequently, or sometimes, they require two persons present for rental.
Where To Shoot.org will list all the ranges in an area where you are going.
I like to visit the ranges when I am on the road also.
dc
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Oh, thank you for that bit of info.

For now, I'm just keeping my expectations low so I won't be disappointed if I'm not able to use a range. I found the site you mentioned. Very helpful.
 
Watch yourself with renting. Frequently, or sometimes, they require two persons present for rental.
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I have read reports that such places exist, but I have never seen one in captivity.

The (purported/assumed) reason for this is to prevent a lone, suicidal person from renting a firearm and using the rented firearm to commit suicide. This has happened, at a guess with a frequency of maybe one incident per year or maybe one incident every two or three years. So, yes, you might encounter a range with such a rule. IMHO it's not likely.

Most ranges in most states are happy to rent a gun to anyone who is willing to sign a statement that he/she is not a prohibited person. The range where I shoot has rented guns to visitors from other countries who were in the U.S. for just a couple of weeks and wanted to see what all this "gun stuff" was about. (In particular I recall one chap from Ireland. He had a HUGE smile on his face when he was finished.)

The range where I shoot also asks if a newbie (to us) has ever shot before. If the answer is "No," the range insists that the person take a 1-hour familiarization and safety class before they are allowed to rent guns and shoot on their own. This course is sort of a cross between NRA "First Steps" and a VERY condensed version of NRA "Basic Pistol." Curiously (or not), the best students seem to be women who haven't ever shot anything. The worst students are young men with military experience (but no handgun experience), who think they know everything and can't be bothered to pay attention to an instructor for a half hour in the classroom, or for the half hour live fire part of the class. I love it when they get outshot by their wife/GF/significant other who has never held a gun before.
 
It's okay to get stoned but not have a gun !!

You can't even so much as look at one at a dealer's without a FOID...
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Again, in Illinois and the above statement is absolutely true. I know, from personal experience and dealers know that they stand a chance of getting busted. ..... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
Many of the ranges in my area have the following rule for renting guns: You either need to have your own gun or a buddy with you. The idea is that most people aren't going to commit suicide in front of a friend, and if you already have your own gun you don't need to go to a range to commit suicides with one.

Many ranges in my area have had suicide issues over the years, which is why they instituted that policy. My range had several suicides until they instituted that policy. Now there haven't been any for years.
 
contact a forum specific to the location

I know of a couple of good NC gun forums.

If you pick out towns or cities you would like to visit, no doubt the locals would be willing to help.

I would bet several would help if you joined the forum and stated your mission.

No doubt TN would have the same.
 
I got a reply back from one of the ranges. Very basic rely saying the range is open to the public. I won't dive any further into it.

In Illinois, I can do anything without 'mommy and daddy's' (the state) permission. :). So of course I'm not going to try to go rent or buy a gun - that's illegal. Being in a state that has no restrictions on gun ownership, I was hoping I would have options. It sounds Ike it really does depend on the range and the range staff. I'll just see what happens. My trip won't be ruined if I don't get to shoot.
 
Jen-from-IL, Accompanied by an FOID card holder, you can one time (as much shooting as you an do one day) legally fire a firearm or arms thanks to legislation enacted by the IL State Rifle Association. I would advise you (if you have not yet done so) to contact and join the IL State Rifle Association: http://www.isra.org/about/contact.shtml

phone: 815 635-3198
Fax: 815 635-3723
Mailing address:

ISRA
P.O. Box 637
Chatsworth, IL 60921
 
Jen-from-IL said:
Unfortunately I cannot, unless I am with someone who has a valid FOiD card. I cannot buy ammo either. So yep, big pain in the butt and incredibly frustrating. I want to get some practice in before my next class (possibly in September or October).
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Just curious Jen, why haven't you applied for your FOID yet? They seem to have sped things up recently, I have a friend who applied in May and had it in late June. The State Police fired the old vendor that was processing them and hired a new one that seems to be doing a much better job.

eta: I don't know where you are in Illinois but if you're near the Indiana border the Indiana DNR runs some public ranges that are either free or have a nominal fee ($4 or so). They have no guns for rent so you'd have to go with a friend who has some you can shoot.
 
Armed_Chicagoan said:
Just curious Jen, why haven't you applied for your FOID yet? They seem to have sped things up recently, I have a friend who applied in May and had it in late June. The State Police fired the old vendor that was processing them and hired a new one that seems to be doing a much better job.

eta: I don't know where you are in Illinois but if you're near the Indiana border the Indiana DNR runs some public ranges that are either free or have a nominal fee ($4 or so). They have no guns for rent so you'd have to go with a friend who has some you can shoot.
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I have applied (June 14th), so I'm in the inevitable waiting game. The problem is they are not handling them in a first in-first out fashion. There is no rhyme or reason to the processing.

I'm in the middle of the state, so about an hour and a half from Indiana.
 
I recently rented a firearm for the first time and must admit I didn't know it was possible to do so until the fellow behind the counter suggested it (I'd been inquiring about bolt action rifles). A pleasant surprise. This was in CA and I had to show the guy the handguns I had brought with me before he handed over the .308. I wondered what the heck that was all about - now I know.
 
You can rent and handle them in most other states.
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Wait a minute? Are we sure about this? Isn't there something in the buying long guns thing (which I realized doesn't strictly apply, but MAY have language that does) that to reveice a firearm it must be legal in your residence? I'd have to go hunting for the law itself, but wanted to put this out there now so others can weigh in while I dig it up.
 
MLeake was correct.
United States Code Annotated said:
(b) It shall be unlawful for any licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector to sell or deliver--

. . . . (3) any firearm to any person who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe does not reside in (or if the person is a corporation or other business entity, does not maintain a place of business in) the State in which the licensee's place of business is located, except that this paragraph (A) shall not apply to the sale or delivery of any rifle or shotgun to a resident of a State other than a State in which the licensee's place of business is located if the transferee meets in person with the transferor to accomplish the transfer, and the sale, delivery, and receipt fully comply with the legal conditions of sale in both such States (and any licensed manufacturer, importer or dealer shall be presumed, for purposes of this subparagraph, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to have had actual knowledge of the State laws and published ordinances of both States), and (B) shall not apply to the loan or rental of a firearm to any person for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes; . . .

18 U.S.C.A. § 922 (West)
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So sales across state lines without any FFL involvement are a no-go, but rentals are fine. YMMV under state law.
 
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