Moving to Illinois...

C

Carry_24/7

New member
I know, I will need a new screen name...

A job in downtown Chicago is in the cards. I've looked around the net and need you IL experts assistance with the following:

1. Am I correct that as long as I move to a burb of Chicago thats not restrictive, and I apply for a FOID as soon as I arrive, I can take my guns with me and maintain until either the FOID is approved or disapproved?

2. What "at least gun friendly in your home" burbs are a reasonable driving distance from downtown Chicago?

I have never lived there, and know no one there...any help would be most appreciated....thanks in advance.
 
I have two words of advice for you:

Kenosha, Wisconsin, 55 miles north.


Reasonable Commute (don't drive, use Amtrak, Metra, or bus)

Friendly firearms laws.

"Shall Issue" CCW.

NFA Friendly

Lower taxes.

Much lower real estate costs.

Nice range just up the road in Racine.



Look at it. It's worth the drive for the lifestyle.


Willie


Commuter train service is available in Kenosha to downtown Chicago, intermediate points and the entire METRA rail system around Chicago. In addition, METRA trains connect with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses and elevated trains in the city and 38 nearby suburbs. No direct Belle Urban System service is available to the METRA station in Kenosha at 5262 13th Ave., but Wisconsin Coach Lines does make a stop at the station. Tickets are purchased on board the trains from the conductor, or in Chicago at the METRA station. Service is available to and from Kenosha with nine weekday trips, five trips from and seven trips to Kenosha on Saturday and three round trips on Sundays. For information about METRA service, call Chicago, (312) 322-6777.

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To stay within the law as written,(last I checked a couple years ago, but I do not think there have been changes) you will need to store your firearms and ammunition elsewhere until obtaining your FOID card. That process will take 2-3 months if they are running the same time tables as before.

If you wind up in the city proper, things get more of a pain in the butt. You will need a CFP also, which takes an addition month or so and you cannot apply for your CFP until you have your FOID. At which time you will be able to register 1 handgun per 30 days with the city. There are no provisions, as of my last reading, for people moving in with multiple handguns.

Gun friendly suburbs, most of them. There are a few that have similar laws to Chicago though and don't forget to look up cook counties regulations. Suggestion not based on firearms ownership but on living and commuting, take a look at the METRA system, and try to live near it. Driving in and out of downtown and the suburbs is a PITA. Carol Stream to the west is a nice rural/suburban area. It's also in DuPage county so you're free of all the Chicago and Cook county regulations. If you're ok with a 10round magazine limitation(Cook County reg) Evanston or Skokie to the north might be a place to look, or Orland Park to the SW.
 
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Sig/Willie; thats exactly the kind of stuff i'm looking for. I'll be printing these responses and keeping them handy.

I will 100% check out Metra and WI....

Thanks!
 
Oh on another note. Ranges are pretty spread out, the ones I know of, there may be a few more now, Midwest Guns in Lyon(SW), IL Gunworks in Elmwood Park(W) and Gat Guns in Dundee (NW). I think there are a few more in the N/NW area.
 
Just getting a start on where to look for an apartment was nice. I looked up WI gun laws...and I like....Metra, great tip.

This is good stuff, thanks.
 
Absolute pleasure.

Hospitality checks at the house are encouraged for new arrivals. PM when you get to town.

Wisconsin is definately worth the commute.

I moved into WI from NJ (!!) and I have never been happier. Firearms are not a crime here. IL/CA/NY/NJ/Mass are firearms hells. Why live in hell when you can enjoy the same commute north to as you might enjoy west into a suburb of another ring of Dante's Inferno?


Willie

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And you won't be paying taxes to support the enemy, if you live in Wisconsin, either.
Heck, no reason you can't eat in Chicago, though, unless you prefer Wisconsin cheese, beer and bratwurst.
 
Lake county is very close to Chicago. Stay out of cook county. Cook has their own AWB In place. The rest of IL is good. Absolutely no NFA items tough.

Try looking for a place Indiana?
 
I'm a pistol guy, I don't hunt, keep or collect long-guns of any type anymore...and no suppressors, HICAP mags or anything like that....

I'm looking at all info sent, staying away from Cook County, looking at settling near a METRA station, possibly in WI and commuting.

Thanks again for all the help.
 
@ Carry 24/7:

If you have the type of job where you seldome have to drive to work and have a pretty set schedule then the Metra is for you. My first year back here in Illinois I took the Milwaukee District North Line almost every day to my job. Unless someone/something gets hit by a train delays even in bad snow typically do not get that bad.

If you would like to live in Illinois, Closeish to the City and it is in your price range I would reccomend Deerfield. MOST of it is in Lake County so you have 0 annoying gun laws to worry about, Deerfield has good schools and it is close to both the Edens (94) and the Tristate(294) if you want to go into the city or elsewhere in the state.

Looking at western Suburbs if you go out much further than Hoffman Estates or Barrington your drive in would be a nightmare.

I can't really speak about South/SW Suburbs someone else will need to chime in on those.


I work with a guy who lives in Wisconsin ; if it is snowing driving is a joke. If you plan on taking the Train great but the further out from the city you are the more of an issue it is.
 
I lived in Chicago for most my life and I agree with the live in Wisconsin or Indiana advice. The city really sucks if you value any of your freedoms. The taxes are terrible, the crime rate is high and if you feel that you can make a difference with your vote it is a horrible place to be. The populace accept corruption as a way of life and will trade their vote for a garbage can or a street sweeping. The suburbs are a little better but Chicago still sticks its nose into everything. The rent is high and the traffic is bad and it seems there is a traffic camera on every corner ready to ticket you. If you must work there really try not to live there.
 
While the OP might be in line with the stated purpose of L&CR, it and the responses are more in line with General Gun Discussions.

Moved to the GD forum...
 
OP, I live in Will County.

You want to buy a house? LOL

J/K, although I will be moving to IN in the not too distant future, for freedom reasons.

Outside of Chicago and Cook County, IL isn't so bad. It's just the Chicago and Cook County drive the bus on gun laws in this state.
 
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