Grew up in ILL except for my first few years my dad was in the army, left to go to gun school in '77. Came back for a year in between schooling about '79-80' . Went down to the only shop in the whole city of Chicago that actually did gunsmithing (tried to get a job there when I was in high school but they didn't want me) So I threw the mauser 98 I had built in school on the seat of the pickup and headed into the city. Stopped at a traffic light and a city bus pulled up alongside. There's this girl setting there looking down and grinning at my rifle setting there on the seat next to me. Oh well, being away from that cesspool for awhile tended to forget their BS. Moved away permanent in 81' and never regretted it. Hate the state. My uncle bought a farm in Pike co. Ill a few years ago, wanted me to move back and take up farming with him. Told him have to pass (even for such a good deal) , Just can't go back to a state like that. Hate it that much

Non res hunters come to Illinois. They have allow some transport. What good is an unloaded firearm when bad guys come!

Nothing wrong with Sparta or good folks that live there, except the state what surrounds them. Would love to see this event pack up and move to Linn Creek in MO.

https://shootata.com/About-Us/Grand-American

Curios what special compensations they make for those that compete there, if any.

I've been there for the Grand each year since 2006 (the first). 1000's of us drive in with trucks full of guns and ammo. They did stop us from buying ammo @ Walmart unless you have a FOID card. Lot of guns trade hands there, including cash deals in the parking lot.

FIREARMS TRANSFERS AND AMMUNITION SALES: Illinois Public Act 99-0029 (rev. 2015) provides
that any non-Illinois resident registered competitor or attendee of a nationally sanctioned competitive shooting
event who is not prohibited otherwise from purchasing or obtaining a long gun or long gun ammunition may do
so on the grounds of the World Shooting Complex during the event with no waiting period. Firearms transferees
will be required to check in at a designated area in the WSRC Event Center prior to initiating a firearms transfer.
All federal regulations and any regulations of the transferee’s state of residence concerning firearms transfers
will be applicable. Firearms transfers to Illinois residents will require the presentation of a valid Illinois Firearms
Owners Identification (FOID) card and will be subject to all statewide firearms transfer regulations.

Bypass the State.

A cased pistol is fine. Ammo separate is fine.

I have lived in Illinois all my life and plan on staying. I teach the Illinois Trapper Ed program so I know what the real rules are - not here-say.

Your firearm has to be unloaded which means no ammo in it or in a magazine in it. It has to be in a case. The case does not have to be lockable. It can be a regular soft case. You can keep ammo in the case if you want and it can touch the gun - it just cannot be in the gun. If you have a firearm in a case you can legally keep a loaded magazine for it in your vehicle. It just cannot be in the firearm. There is no rule as to where in the vehicle your firearm has to be so it can be on the seat next to you - in the case of course. Most police say to just put it in the trunk which is where most would have it anyway if you are in a car.

The problem is that some people do not know the law- sometimes it is the police and sometimes it is regular people. If the police do not know the law- like a city cop ( state police are usually fine) you can get into trouble for anything. It's the same in Illinois as it is in Wisconsin, Montana, Kentucky, Ect. Rotten people ruin it for others - on both sides. You can't fight a rotten cop is he says your firearm is on the list- how would you know. Maybe he just wants it. Maybe the guy he stopped right before you was a turb and ruined for you and the cop is mad at that last guy?

Since you are from another state you might want to check the guns on the ''banned'' list. We can still have them but the ones on '' the list'' are supposed to be registered. That deadline is past and only a little more than 1% or all gun owners in Illinois registered anything. I would leave anything on the list at home if you have that. Almost all county sheriffs in Illinois are against any part of any of the bans and they have gone on public record saying they will not support it - but you won't know if you are in a ''good'' county or not so just be safe. Illinois is full of hunters and trappers. It's a shame all outsider ever hear is the bad stuff. I have run long traplines for year wearing a pistol - even before the new laws. I just don't wave it around. People in Illinois support firearms for the most part. I have trapped and hunted over most of western and central Illinois and never had any issue. In fact I did get a concealed carry permit and am wearing my pistol right now at work open for all to see. It's in a shoulder holster on my left and I have two magazines on my right. You just have to know the rules for the states you are driving in. Not al are the same.

https://v3-wp.huntillinois.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/HuntTrapDigest.pdf Page 7 tells the rule for carrying a firearm in a vehicle.

Will be in Lower 48 in Oct. Relatives in Illinois. Can I legally have a firearm in my vehicle? Don't plan on a pistol.